Council compost

[King Carrot]

I hadn't thought of that either, and I got a few bags up from our local 'tip' today, intending to mix in with our rather sad-looking soil.

Would growing some cress or radishes be good enough to quickly test for herbicides? I know some people use beans, but I haven't got any left.

Tomatos, Potatoes Cucurbits and Beans I've read as being used for testing, though it's usually french beans (quick growing) and squashes( as cus tend to commit suicide anyway) I'm not sure about brassicas, best look it up on the net!

[rana]

I am guilty of putting lawn clippings from the feed and weeded lawn into the green bin as I do not want the first few cuts in my compost heap. It is IMHO up to the contractor to deal with all green waste appropriately before reselling as MPC particularly in view of the extortionate price they charge for a bag of the stuff. It is very finely ground and looks and smells great - but you don't know where it's been.

[womble]

Tomatos, Potatoes Cucurbits and Beans I've read as being used for testing, though it's usually french beans (quick growing) and squashes( as cus tend to commit suicide anyway) I'm not sure about brassicas, best look it up on the net!

Well some of it has gone on the sweetcorn and squash bed, which will be used next year for the brassicas and the rest will be held for carrots in tubs, so I should be OK. Too late anyway now, have to see what happens.

[Snadger]

We got some delivered free to the allotments but the auld weedwatchers who spend there retirement years there snaffled most of it!

I managed to scrape up a wheelbarrow full and soon realised its basically inert nutrient wise but is full of weed seeds.
On top of the weeds I already had I now have a more varied weedgrowth but I did get a few flowers from it including a lupin and, a privet bush and some violas!

[smallfrog]

My Brother gets old pot waste from mum and dads nursery. Hes always moaning that we gets more flowers than veg out of his raised beds.

I've had some tip compost and it seems to be alright i've got cucumbers in it at the mo. Must vary from council to council. Market Harbrough my local town takes cooked food wst now and does good knows what with it. but wont collect plastic bottles.
Kettering our council won't touch cooked food but will take pretty much everything else. Unless its a massive hedge on your allotment you've cut down then your own you own.