Weed bin fermenting or lying s*d?

[Shadylane]

I've been drowning weeds in bins for years. The bins have lids and only stink if you take the lid off. They've never been a problem. Today I noticed that they were completely empty and there was an ominous smell around. The sludge had been put on our compost heap(close to the bins).

The FIL called this eve to say he'd been up and the chap who lives right behind our plot and has the next plot but one, had spoken to him saying our bin had fermented and overflowed. The chap said he'd had to empty it as there were flies around. He'd obviously then put all the sludge on the heap.

My initial reaction was that he'd knocked it over while sorting his hose which he runs through the gate from his house, which backs on to our plot (he has to walk across the top edge of our plot to get to his) or that he'd deliberately got rid. If they had indeed overflowed (????) then why would he take the trouble to empty all the sludge out which would have been a major pain? He's no spring chicken.

We get on great with him and his missis, but I'm somewhat annoyed as it seems to me he's telling porkies. So what do you think? Done deliberately, accidental or I'm being a nasty evil cynic and the weed bin really did explode ?

[Raybon]

You might as well assume it's as he said, if it was accidental he would probably have spoken to you about it.....the fact he spoke to third person maybe backs this up? Wouldn't it have been quite difficult to knock over?
I think what was wrong here was that he didn't speak to you about it.
Try to let it go if you can, you have less to lose!

[Shadylane]

I'm not sure whether it would be that hard to knock them over, but I just don't believe they 'fermented' and overflowed or that there were flies. I'm up there often and have not noticed anything of the sort. I'm not going to make an issue about it, cos they're nice folk, I just think his story is very sus... I will be moving the bins to the other end of the plot though. Less hassle

[kathycam]

I think when I left the lid of the weeds I'm drowning, there was flys. Hopefully the ones he put in your heap were dead and you'll be fine.

[alldigging]

Have they ever fermented and exploded before?
Almost certainly not.

What do the rules say about interfering on your plot? Does he have your contact details so he would have been able to ring you?

[Shadylane]

I think when I left the lid of the weeds I'm drowning, there was flys. Hopefully the ones he put in your heap were dead and you'll be fine.

The bins had lids on so no flies. Some of the weeds will be alive as I only put them in a few weeks ago. It's also a bit rubbish that he's wasted two bins of water/fertilizer and I have to re-fill them again, which considering there's no water supply on the plot is somewhat annoying.

Have they ever fermented and exploded before?
Almost certainly not.

What do the rules say about interfering on your plot? Does he have your contact details so he would have been able to ring you?

No, they've never fermented before - and I don't expect they will again. He doesn't have my number. We have a good relationship with him and he's 'interfered' before by filling our butts up with his hose pipe, bringing us a spare butt from an abandoned plot etc so I'm not going down that route. I'll probably not even say anything to him, as it's not worth it. I just can't help thinking he's knocked them over and instead of coming clean, decided to tell a porkie.

Just to be clear I'm not looking for serious, heavy handed solutions, this was just a light hearted thread to see if others thought my suspicions were valid, or if anyone had ever experienced a weed bin fermenting/overflowing. Cheers for the responses

[Jeanied]

I have been guilty of leaving weeds soaking in an open bucket - which is indeed very stinky - but there is no-one on the plot next to me to complain as it is a 'wild area'.

One of the strangest things to happen with the weed soup is the long worm like creatures that seem to inhabit it. Lord knows what they are!

[mothhawk]

Maybe he thought you'd be angry if he told you he'd knocked them over, and thought a white lie was a better way to maintain a civil relationship. or maybe someone else (kids?) had already interfered with the bins and left the lids off or not secure, causing the flies and smell.

I'd do the same as you intend, say nothing unless he brings up the subject, and move the bins further away from his plot.

[Shadylane]

I just wish he'd been honest, I wouldn't have minded then, as accidents happen. It's not like I'm an ogre lol. I doubt it was kids though. We don't really get them as it's on a country lane, in a small village. We get people stealing metal sometimes but not kids. Going up this aft so might see him. If I was a mentalist I'd be able to tell if he was telling me pork pies

[taff]

I have some weeds in a little bin with a lid, the contents did get very frothy [no idea why, I didn't put anything different in than I usually do]

[Raybon]

I've had that too. Very fermenty and gassy. Sorted itself when I put the lid half on to let some air get to it.

[Shadylane]

Yeah they do get frothy but never overflowed before - and both bins on the same day fermenting and overflowing? Don't think so. I was up there for big chunk of the day yesterday and didn't see him. Maybe he's avoiding me....

[Two_Sheds]

the chap who lives right behind our plot ... said he'd had to empty it as there were flies around.

I think this might be a case of mistaken identity, in that the chap has smelled a stinky smell and just assumed it was your weed bins.

We get it on our site, about bonfires. The EHO came up in May and asked me when we have fires, and I said I can't remember the last time anyone had one, but was probably March. EHO said a neighbour was complaining, and I said that's funny because lots of people are having smelly BBQs in this hot spell

They just assume any burning smell is allotment bonfires


Oh, and a daft woman last year was verbally battering our local cafe owner for his "bad smells" which she claimed to smell "every day" several hundred yards away. The owner said he didn't fry any food, let alone at the times she was on about.
She lives in a very posh house which cost her an arm and a leg ... and also happens to back onto the local kebab house. Being new and a bit dim, she didn't know there even was a kebab shop

[Greenleaves]

Let it go Shady, it is not worth getting worked up about. Annoying agreed but if you want to talk to him just ask he contacts you if the problem arises again. Then put it to bed.

[Shadylane]

I'm not getting worked up about it Like I said, this was just a lighthearted thread to see if anyone else had ever heard of a weed bin exploding. I've already moved the bins so there shouldn't be an issue anymore, but I can't spare any water for them at the mo. We really need some rain, but then the slugs will come back so dunno what to wish for. I still haven't seen him. He's either gone on hols or is avoiding me.