Kitchen Garden Forum

what is the best way to deal with weeds that you have dug up.mostly docks,a bit of bindweed ,couch,dandelion and nettles although the latter i have put into the water butt has a feed.
taking them to the local tip is out of the question has theres quite a bit

Dear g.c.g, i would let them dry a little and then burn them, i don't know if this is an option for you.

Or you could put them in black dustbin sacks, or empty compost sacks, tie the tops ad just leave them for a year.

thanks O H i think we are allowed fires there ,but i will check first.
if they were left in bags for a year i assume that it is then safe to put them on the compost heap ?

I have compost bins and also an old plastic dustbin. I use the latter for composting bindweed, dandelion, anything I don't want to go hiding in the compost heap.

The result is crumbly soil after a little over a year; sometimes within the year if it's been a hot summer.

mike

I have three dustbins with lids that I use as 'drowning bins', anything with seeds or pernicious roots goes in. I use the bins in sequence, so when the last one is full I fork the contents of the first into the compost between layers of green stuff. Frankly anything that survives that treatment is a worthy opponent and deserves a second chance(though the hoe'll get it anyway).

I seem to be missing out on something here, i never seem to get any weeds.

thank you for all the advice

We have green bins from the council which are perfect for getting rid of that sort of weed. I bring the things home and fill the bins which are collected every fortnight.

Hi gcg,
I think Di has the right idea and it is not only Nettles that will make a plant food they ALL do.
The only thing is that you should not use the feed on young seedlings but anything planted out in the row would benefit. When you have exhausted the feed then add the remaining solids (although there will not be much) to the compost heap with dry matter and then you will get a double benefit.
JB.

I did try Di's method a couple of years ago and couldn't deal with the result. The smell was just too awful (Seedling will vouch for this) and I vowed, never again.

I also found I had so many weeds that need to be binned (particularly at this time of year) rather than composted that I'd require at least a dozen "drowning bins" on the go and it was all too much to contemplate.

I'm sticking with my green bins which at least get's recycled.

Hi Chantal,
I appreciate the way you that are doing it and that it all ultimately gets recycled but I feel that you should be recycling it all back onto your own plot.
Weeds are stealing nutrition from your plot and you are throwing this nutrition away instead of reintroducing it back onto your plot where it is needed.
JB.

JB, I filled two green wheelie bins to capacity with today's weeds alone.

I still have enough weeds to keep three dalek bins and a further three huge open bins on the go at all times. I also dig in masses of muck each year so I'm happy to lose this little lot.

When I used the drowning method it was just horrible and I ended up having to push the whole barrel over before running for my life. There was a crust on top with it's own micro culture and the bloody docks were STILL trying to grow. You could smell it for miles

I appreciate what you're saying, but it's just not for me.

The drowning weeds do stink, but I keep the lids on, and stir them while holding my breath. When it comes to forking the stuff out into the compost, I wait till no one else is around and work fast. I have heard whispers that NATO is looking into the possible contravention of chemical weapon production though...

cheers jonboy

and di