Please can I have some advice on turf stacking

[boosmummy]

My plot is like this: Allotment / The fence posts are up , well the gate is on now, but you get the jist (mine is the one next to the one with the shed, the plot to the right of picture)

Over the few weeks i'm going to be getting down the and plotting out and digging up the beds.

My question is when i take the turf up and make a turf stack can i put the stack on my compost heap - it's made out of pallets so its quite big and it currently has cut grass on it, and then cover the turf with cardboard and carry on putting composting stuffs on top of it - or do i make a whole new turf stack - what are the benefits/ downfalls to just putting it on the composting stack??

[taff]

make a new stack, stack it upside down in a sort of parallelogram type fashion, cover with something that will shut the light out, whether cardboard or black plastic.
The reason you make a stack and not stick it on your compost is that it will take over a year, probably two, to rot to crumbly goodness, whereas your compost heap will rot much quicker.
Putting turves on a compost heap is a waste of time, they take so long you can't get at the other stuff that has either composted underneath it, or you can't effectively turn what's on top of it.

[boosmummy]

make a new stack, stack it upside down in a sort of parallelogram type fashion, cover with something that will shut the light out, whether cardboard or black plastic.
The reason you make a stack and not stick it on your compost is that it will take over a year, probably two, to rot to crumbly goodness, whereas your compost heap will rot much quicker.
Putting turves on a compost heap is a waste of time, they take so long you can't get at the other stuff that has either composted underneath it, or you can't effectively turn what's on top of it.

brilliant thanks for your advice, xx

[Two_Sheds]

make a turf stack ?

Hang on, are you sure it's proper nice grass, and not couch? Couch will simply regrow, not rot, if you stack it.

[Aberdeenplotter]

If the turves are stacked upside down and left to their own devices the effect that Taff accurately describes above will be achieved albeit if there is couch present, you will have to shake it out before using your beautiful loam later.

[boosmummy]

i would love to tell you i know what 'couch' is in terms of gardening xx

[rustylady]

Couch grass / Royal Horticultural Society Here you go.

[di]

I've got two huge piles of couch grass turf...and a number of other nasties. One has been sat for a couple of years now. The plan is to make a bed in a still unprepared patch, that way I'm not introducing new weeds but still getting the benefit of some, hopefully, fairly decent compost. No way will I be putting it on any of the areas I've almost cleared of the stuff though.

[Kleftiwallah]

Stack the turfs green to green and brown to brown. Cheers, Tony.

[Aberdeenplotter]

green all down. that way it confuses it

[roitelet]

I just stack the turf couch an all and then sift it before using it. Never had couch regrow after about two years rotting. Luverly loam!!!