weed disposal

[jubilado]

I'm just beginning to clear our new plot. I've cut down and dug up an enormous amount of weeds. I'm unsure what to do with them, I don't have the vehicle or the inclination to take them to the tip, and I'm assuming I shouldn't compost? My thinking is to just heap them into a pile and have a bonfire when the site allows during the winter. Any suggestions?

[veggiechicken]

Depends on what weeds they are! I'd compost anything without roots or seeds.

[Martin H]

I compost everything. If anything grows on the heap then it goes into the next heap. I don't want to ship all that lovely nourishment off site, I want it to be there for my crops eventually.

[noviceveggrower]

I leave stuff to dry out then chuck it on the compost. Think there are several things people do like drown the bindweed and use that as a liquid feed or nettles as a feed.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Depends on what weeds they are! I'd compost anything without roots or seeds.

I'm not too bothered about seeds either but as a jobbing gardener, I collect lots of grass cuttings which get added to my compost bin where they generate very high temperatures which nukesthe weed seeds.

[Jay-ell]

Grab a bin with a tight fittings lid, pack it tight with weeds, put a couple of bricks on to weight them down, top up with water, put the lid on amd leave it to rot down.

It'll smell so keep the lid on it. After a month or two ad a little of the liquor to your watering can amd feed back all those nutrients back to your crops.

The icky gunk at the bottom of the bucket can be thrown on the compost.

[Gillykat]

The bane of my life at the moment is Sow Thistle!!!! At first I was pulling it up, leaving it to dry out on the path then chucking it on the compost heap but the blasted stuff has started to grow again!!!!! So now it gets put in a black bag (along with the occasional bit of bindweed and ground elder from next door's plot!) and taken to the skip!

The other two weeds I have a lot of (well, the minute I turn my back they multiply like crazy) are chickweed and broad-leaved willowherb These two don't seem too bad on the compost heap.

[Two_Sheds]

I shouldn't compost? ... have a bonfire ?

compost everything my friend.

the nasty perennials need killing first though: roast them on a hot path/roof until brown & crispy. Bonfires are fun, but antisocial and polluting

[Two_Sheds]

Sow Thistle!... the blasted stuff has started to grow again!

It will if you don't get the whole root out.
It's not a difficult weed, they are pretty easy to pull out just as they go into flower. If you leave them on the soil as a mulch, they'll help to prevent other weeds coming through.

btw, guinea pigs love them

[roitelet]

btw, guinea pigs love them

So do rabbits!!!!!

[skegblade]

I compost all my weeds, except perennial roots; these I chop off and take to the tip

[Shadylane]

I have a weed bin, but it gets very full. Sometimes I leave stuff on the surface, sometimes I leave it on the paths to dry. Sometimes I don't get to them in time and they seed everywhere. Such is life.