Too much compost

Discussion in 'Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling' started by Jack McHammocklashing, Feb 13, 2012.

  1. Jack McHammocklashing

    Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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    Oh dear, started with nothing Now I have too much

    Do I just send it to the Council landfill bins

    Nearly completed all my beds
    I have filled all my borders to the max ie I have dug out worn out earth and replaced with loam and compost
    I have filled my new Veg beds dug out old soil, replaced with loam and compost
    I have a cubic meter of compost working at the moment full of worms and rich

    Now all my available space is full of rich soil, apart from those that are in permanent shade which is down to pebbles and ornaments

    Do I now not bother composting and send all my grass cuttings and waste to the council compost bins, after keeping one cubic meter of rich compost for replacing each year, which would mean digging out current loam to ditch somewhere ?

    Jack McHammocklashing
     
  2. lazydog

    lazydog Know nothing but willing to learn

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    Your beds will settle and you might be able to squeeze a bit more on,it would be sacrilege to dump good compost if you can avoid it.
     
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    • Steve R

      Steve R Soil Furtler

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      Yup, as Lazydog says..keep it for when beds settle or for hanging baskets containers etc, or for growing seedlings in or potting on.

      If your just finishing filling your beds, the next few rain showers will settle them down a fair bit.

      Steve...:)
       
    • Kristen

      Kristen Under gardener

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      You can make more home made compost than you can use? Pray tell me how please !!!
       
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      • *dim*

        *dim* Head Gardener

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        wait till the weather warms and spread the remaining compost on your lawn
         
      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        You can never have too much compost :D. Keep it.

        As the others have said, just wait for the garden to settle a bit. I've been adding compost to my veg plot at a rate of 3" - 6" per year for 40 years and it's only about 4" higher than the surrounding lawn. The flower beds get about 1" - 2" every other year. They don't seem to overflow. :)
         
      • Phil A

        Phil A Guest

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        Can't put compost out for the council Jack, they won't like it, best send it down to me:heehee:
         
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        • Kristen

          Kristen Under gardener

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          "As the others have said, just wait for the garden to settle a bit"

          If you need the space (e.g. need to empty the compost heap) then no reason not to pile it on now if you have spare [that you won't need in the spring for planting holes or somesuch]
           
        • Jack McHammocklashing

          Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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          The problem is, I was going to make raised beds, then realised that at my age, I might fall of the boogers digging them, so went to on the ground beds
          But I already accumulated the stuff to fill them with

          So I am left with 14 75L bags of compost, 7 bags of mature horse manure, and ten bags of the bottom bit of double digging
          (I dug out the top soil and stored it, then I dug out the second layer and ready for dumping, then I filled the whole up with compost,manure and the original top soil mixed up with some sharp sand, and the section for carrots and onions, just compost, sharp sand and original top soil)

          I have piled mature horse manure high along the roses border, too high probably, and compost high along the bottom border, bought and filled those 2'6" Zinc coated planers from Home base x4 for sweetpeas, and 7 Zinc window boxes again Home base

          I was just going to use it all in a couple of raised beds but SWMBO insists I am not touching the remainder of the little lawn we have actually it is a 20' square meadow :heehee:
          So Dim's idea maybe good scatter it over the LAWN and re seed it all

          The greenhouse has not been forgotten, I gave that the same double dig treatment as the beds

          :cry3:Now I have a cubic metre compost heap about ready
          My whole garden area is only 12 square meters and I have two sheds, and a greenhouse on it
          SWMBO is now objecting to the grow your own tomato packs pot noodle style in the fridge, the tray of sterile soil in the oven, and the latest haul from Poundland on the dining room table

          Six weeks ago I wished I could get some compost, and enough manure

          Becarefull what you wish for you might get it :-(


          Jack McHammocklashing
           
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          • Katkatkat

            Katkatkat Gardener

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            Did you solve your excessive compost problem? If not, could you not find a local gardener needing some?

            (By the way, if anyone in Edinburgh is suffering this problem, I'll happily take some off your hands)
             
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            • Madahhlia

              Madahhlia Total Gardener

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              Blimey, you're certainly a worker, Mr McPillocksplashing.

              Have you thought of putting it on Ebay, just, y'know, to see what would happen? Not that I'm obsessed or anything.
               
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              • Evil Len

                Evil Len Nag a ram

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                Offer it to neighbours ?
                 
              • Jack McHammocklashing

                Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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                My neighbours are the concrete and tarmac brigade, or 3' high meadow garden :-)

                Jack McH
                 
              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                Not surprising, as John Loudon McAdam was a Scot :heehee: (We won't talk about that Englishman, Edgar Purnell Hooley :nonofinger:)
                 
              • Jack McHammocklashing

                Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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                Och aye though John was deed long before Edgar was born or saw Johns roadworks Thought it was a barrel of spilled tar, that had stones chucked on it to mop it up had dried hard and looked like a good idea for a road thus starting the company Tarmac :-)

                Jack McH
                 
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