where shall i put dug up turf?

well i was cracking the whip this weekend and although it was very cold my husband kindly 'volunteered' to start extending the borders. With all the turf with the soil attached that he dug up I have made a big pile (well a couple actually) in places you cant see in the hope that these will compost down.Can anyone tell me if i did the right thinga nd if it will happen about how long it will take? I put most of it down grass side down in a hope to try to get the grass excluded from the light. Should i cover the pile(s) up with something?

 

You've done the right thing! Upside down and it will eventually compost down. Covering with a piece of old carpet is better than poly as it will allow it to breath and keep some of the wet off yet allow it to remain moist during hot weather. Once it has decomposed put it all through a 10mm (3/8") riddle. It is the recommended 'Loam' for all soil based composts such as the John Innes range.

 

Thanks Frogesque - useful link. For loam can you use ordinary (reasonable) garden soil, if you do not have composted turf. And isn't composted turf just soil with extra compost.

You seem to pay a lot in garden centres - especially if you buy small quantities.

 

It depends a bit on your soil but yes, if it's reasonable and contains some clay element (not raw yellow subsoil 'London brick' sticky stuff though :D ) A bit of ordinary garden compost or leaf mould added to the soil doesn't seem to do any harm either. I look on JI as a guide rather than a mantra.

There's also a lot of good work being done on peatless composts where garden or local authority compost is substituted in varying proportions. Watering regimes tend to be different (less but more often than for peat) but I managed to grow some nice toms last year

 

A great site, Frogesque - not just for the JI info - I could spend a long time on there - but unfortuanately, the back's getting better, so I've lost my excuse to sit around doing d**** all! :(

 

rotted turves ideal for use in hanging baskets

 

aren't they a bit heavy, Rossco? Can appreciate they'd keep in moisture well, but they're very heavy to start with!!

 

According to my girl's book of (gardening) knowledge, the best way to stack is to place turves grass to grass and then earth to earth. Don't ask me why! I did this a few years ago and found it took about 2-2 and a half years to really rot down.

 

MD - yes, that's what my m-in-law said! - to both parts of that!! But it did make very good compost! :D :D

 

After I had laid my lawn last April, I put the remaining turves into old compost bags and stacked them in the garage. I looked at one of the bags last weekend and it has rotted down into a lovely fibrous loam.
I shall use them when I make my runner-bean bed in the next couple of weeks.

 

nixonf23,
once rotted down and broken up, its no heavier than normal compost, just better..

 

fair enough! Will bear that in mind when making up alll my hanging baskets!! I've certainly got enough turves! From an area 12m x 10m - that'll keep me going for a while! :D

 

2 1/2 years!!! God I had better move the mounds somewhere more unobtrusive then!! I thought it would only take a few months! might do what Jerry did and put it into a few bags and lob it behind the shed till its done!

 

Lazy-Gardiner, I put all my garden waste in black bin bags, with some water and a few holes, to compost. As you say you can lob them into odd corners and forget them.

They are easy to handle, and you can have as many as you like. I thought of buying a cheap council Darlek, but the problem is what do you do once you have filled it up, and it is not ready to be emptied.