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I know it's been asked before but has anyone any tips on composting couch and bindweed? It seems wrong to put it in a skip and I am reluctant to burn it if it can go back into the soil eventually.
Digger-07
"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right" Henry Ford.
I heard that the couch grass roots should be put into a black bag and stored away for a year or so to kill them off, after which they can be added to the compost, or used as mulch.
I dug up a couple of sacks full this spring and stored them in the allotment with some old carpet over (i closed the bag up tight with no air/ light penetration). I shall open again in summer so cannot really guarantee the success. Maybe others have done this before?
I heard that the couch grass absords many minerals and other goodies from the soil, so best to put them back to the ground i guess...
After spending all the time digging them out I would be very reluctant to put them back unless they were reduced to ash.
Torch the suckers and listen to them squeel!!!
My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)
why spend time and effort fighting to get rid of them and then put the buggers back its like playing russian roulette with an automatic pistol
dont do it
PRESTON NORTH END
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Hello Digger, the only tip I can give you is DON'T DO IT. These are pernicious weeds. One little bit and they will all be back. Having got them out, keep them out. Get rid of them by some other means.
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.
Right - well my idea seems blown out of the water. I will do nothing with my 2 bags of weeds except maybe take them to the local dump...
Keeping them in bin bags for a year will probably kill the vegetative matter, but can you be sure there won't be any seeds in there just waiting to get out!
As the Lone Ranger said to Tonto who was carrying a sack on his back! "Where are you going Tonto?"
Tonto replied "Kimosabbe I'm going To de dump, to de dump, to de dump, dump, dump!
My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)
After all the hard work getting it out of the ground I would be very cautious at putting it back! Yes I have read that it can be composted, but seal it in a black plastic bag for at least 18 months, then compost it if you are absolutely sure it is dead! Then again, all it takes is one seed and you are back to square 1!
Better idea is to dry it and burn it, the ash will put some of the minerals and goodness back into the soil, basically it is potash, rich in many things that growing plants need, especially for your onions!
I'm with you Mrs D. You can't have enough time to plan these things and as the devl make use of idle hands it's best to keep them occupied with a tea mug
ntg
Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic
I have heard that if you dig them up and leave them out so the root dries out thoroughly in the sun (?!) they are ok to compost (Best done during a summer like we've just had) Personally, these are the 2 main weeds in my garden and I simply don't risk it: mine either go to the tip or in the wheely bin. Hopefully we'll get a brown bin for garden matter soon, and such weeds will go in there, so eventually (after being sterilised by the council) they will go back in to someone's soil - though probably not mine, as I'm not likely to buy it back from them.)
Nasty horrid weeds!
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