Home made compost do's and dont's?

Hi everyone!

I have just finished screening some home made compost which, despite what I was expecting, has turned out lovely! Im really impressed with the finished product and from looks and feel alone, would far exceed that of shop brought compost... the nutrient qualities im not so sure?

There isnt a huge amount as it was my first attempt, and I only have a small compost bin. I have used layers of veg peeling, grass clippings, shredded paper, soft prunings and weeds.

I have been told that there is a chance that it may contain vast amounts of weed seed (I believe the weeds i composted were going to seed) and that it would not be wise to spread it on by borders as it will cause lots of weed problems in the future.

If this is true, what better use could it be put to, as I can imagine the same problems would happen in containers etc? Also, will my compost rival that of shop purchased compost for its nutrients?

Thanks!

- Luke -

 

I chuck everything in my compost heap. I live with the weeds that germinate. Definitely not the best approach though! Using the compost in areas where the weeds won't matter will help. I put mine in the greenhouse border (replaced each year) and then out onto the beds after the greenhouse.

Annual weeds are not too bad - a quick hoe and they die, its perennial weeds that are not so good. I do try to keep their seed out of the compost heap.

But as the saying goes "One year's seed, 7 year's weed"

 

'one years seed, 7 years weed'

Yes, I too have been told that little saying (thanks Dad!), which is my main aprehension in using it on a large area!

I was reading an article about green waste recycling schemes, and how the huge compost piles reach temperatures to kill of all of the baddies through the composting process. Quite unbelieveable really!

The greenhouse border sounds like a good idea (thanks kristen ), might possibly mix up and use it in large pots for my tomatoes as my greenhouse is on old decking (no greenhouse border).

As far as nutrients are concerned, im taking a guess that commercial compost have added fertilizer? What would you recommend me adding to my black gold?

 

Home made compost contains virtual none of the main nutrients, and what you add depends on what you want to grow. List of NPK is here:

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/Thread-Which-potatoes.html?pid=406578#pid406578

 

Very interesting. I will add a balanced slow release to get things going

Thank you!

- Luke -

 

I read somewhere that commercially produced compost is sterilised by pumping steam into it. I've read elsewhere that some folks use the same technique, but on a smaller scale, using a wallpaper steamer. I don't personally know anyone who has tried it though so can't comment on how successful it is.

 

Kind of reminds me of those adverts for the steam mops which 'kill 99.99% of...'

seems like yet another excuse to buy one of these!

Seriously though, I wonder if the heat would kill off the beneficial organisms in the compost as well? Sounds like a better idea than mine... using the microwave... that would destroy everything!

Armandii, do you put established weeds into your compost heap? Im wondering whether you dont suffer from many weeds because you only compost weedlings?
- Luke -

 

Hi Luke,

Yes, it does kill off beneficial microbes as well. I just hoe the weed seedlings.

 

Again I'm only going from what I read, not from experience, but it works like this: By using steam you know that the temperature will never exceed 100 degrees C, which is hot enough to destroy seeds and any bits of root that might still be hanging on. It also kills disease organisms.

If the temperature gets too high, as it could in a microwave, then you start to burn off the organic matter, so your compost is reduced to just the minerals it contains.

In fact, according to the same book, one way of testing soil for bulky organic matter content levels is to take a soil sample of 1kg dry weight, heat it to 400 degrees C for an hour, and then weigh it again. It will then weigh less, and the weight difference tells you how much organic matter was in there, so you can then calculate how much compost needs to be added to the soil.

It all sounds like a bit of a faff on to me though.

 

As a self employed gardener, it wont even take until april before im sick of the sight of weeds

Though in my own soil, hoeing is a piece of cake, i admit. Its Very sandy around here.

oh, and Hi clueless, despite you taking the time for a detailed response, i have to agree that all that does seem like quite a long winded process, though a quick steaming might be worthwhile

Thanks to all for your help! Most grateful.

 

When I worked on a commercial nursery we sterilised greenhouse beds with steam. Long perforated metal pipes that clipped together and (IIRC) a flexible fireman's hose type thing to connect it to the boiler (that heated the greenhouses - I imagine it was capable of dual-duty). We ridged the soil over the pipes and then covered the lot with tarpaulins to keep the heat in, turn on the steam, and leave it for a bit (I suppose we must have stuck a thermometer in to check when it was "done", but I don't remember that bit - it was more than 30 years ago :th_scifD36:. I seem to remember that the moisture that went into the soil, from the steam, made it easier to cultivate afterwards - I reckon we planted them immediately after sterilizing [given that it was a commercial operation], so that may have helped the plants get under way too.

I expect it would be relatively easy to put a circular perforated pipe in a dustbin (maybe two/several such rings at various heights up the dustbin) and hook up to a wallpaper steamer.

 

My father had a coal fired boiler heating his greenhouse and he used to sterilise soil for seed growing by standing a galvanised bucket of damp soil on top of the boiler.

 

Hello Lukenotts.
I'm no expert in compost, didn't do a course in anything or work in any great gardens or under any expert gardeners. I'm just a woman who has been gardening for a long time.
Here's my take on compost - just from experience and take it for what it is worth.

If you have put weeds in seed in the compost heap, then yes, those seeds will germinate and grow.
Similarly, roots from perennial weeds will regrow.
I find commercial composts produce the same results - where does that hairy bittercress come from

You say you have only a small amount of compost. How much is that ?
I would say don't spread it about too thin. It will do no good.
I would put a barrow load where it lands and just spread it a little and tidy it up.
There's no point in trying to sprinkle a barrowload round the garden except to spread the weeds everywhere.

I'm not convinced about the nutritional value of compost - but it is a great improver of soil structure.
Clay soils are broken down and sandy soils are bulked up if compost is added in sufficient quantity. Nutrients can be sprinkled on in another form.

I hope this is of some small help.

 

Going off on a tangent (Blimey Zig, you've never done that before )

I used about 20 block feet left over from hieras fencing to build an enclosure to pile all the leaves that hadn't rotted down due to the fridge conditions of the last few months.

I have placed a mushroom on top so it drops its spores onto the heap, you never know