Beginners questions to keep you busy.

As you may have seen in my introduction thread my garden was awash with weeds so I had plenty of plants to make into a compost heap for the future. Tomorrow I'm making an enclosure for the plants as I'm told is necessary but I don't know where to place it, on the right in the shade under a willow tree or on the left in direct sunlight? My last pile was left in the shade and it turned out alright but there might be a good reason for putting it in the sun.

Now I know food waste can be added to said heap and it is in some ways desirable to do so what with all the potential nutrients but I don't really understand; should I just chuck the potato skins and bread crusts onto the pile and walk away? Or do I mix them carefully into it?

I have a greedy little dog that eats more than he really ought to and so he leaves his 'business' regularly over my soil. Which idea would be for the greater good: leaving the 'business' to enrich the soil it is left on or should I sling it onto my twice-mentioned compost heap? Can it even be added to compost? An article in my local newspaper said otherwise but I can't see why.

Now, getting away from my compost confusion and doggy dilemma, which plants would really entice the birds to visit my garden? I have flax growing already and I'm hanging some of those nut bag things but that's about it.

Grass, yes or no? And what alternatives do you see if your answer be no?

And finally, I have a pear tree in my garden, my saving grace, if I crack open a pear and acquire the seeds: will they grow fine with little loving?, do I need to wait until the pears actually drop for the seeds to be fully grown and ready? How deep should the seed be placed?

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There we go, that should keep you busy for a short while, hopefully. If you only want to answer a single questions that's fine too, don't feel like you have to be a hero.
Thanks a lot, have a nice day y'all.

 

Do you have a gardening recycling bin? If so, put all those weeds in it along with the dog doings and any cooked food waste.:gnthb::gnthb:

 

No, I don't have a recycling bin. I have an actual pile of weeds at the end of my garden. :hehe:

Is that a problem?

 

Welcome to the forum, HBK.
There's a lot of questions there and I think you will get better answers if you post them as separate questions.
Nobody knows the answer to everything.
But here goes with some of it.
Compost heaps break down better if they are in the sun - keep the heap well watered.
I never put potato peelings on the compost heap. Any little bit of skin which is not perfectly composted will grow and you will get volunteer potatoes coming up in the middle of your lettuce or whatever you are growing.

I wouldn't add dog poo - or the poo from any other meat eating animal to the compost heap. Disease harmful to humans is carried in the Poo. Non meat eating animals don't carry that stuff.

Grass ? That is up to you. Do you have a use for it and how much work do you want to put into it. Alternatives ? That's up to you - what would you like to have. It could be anything from potatoes to camomile.

Plants for birds - well again it could be anything from nuts on the beech trees to seeds on the grass.
Do come back with more details and specific questions and we can help better.