What Do You Do With The Roots Of Cauli's Once Harvested?

[Helgalush]

Sorry this is a daft question but do you leave it in the ground to sort of 'rot down' or should they be pulled up? I grew a couple of caulis in my waist-high raised bed and its going to be difficult the roots out if they are as big as I think they might be!

[taff]

pull them out sorry....try pulling the whole thing out next time, loosen the soil a bit with a small fork if you can [border or hand], then cut the root off and throw it on the compost.

[rustylady]

Like Taff said. If you're worried about disturbing things growing in the rest of the bed then use a small sharp knife to get the stump out.

[Helgalush]

Thanks both. Sorry, I am sure it is such a basic thing to ask, but I just didnt know! Will get on the case and I now have some winter lettuces ready to put in its place. Thank you.

[bearded bloke]

Beat the stump up with a hammer prior to composting it will aid more rapid breakdown

[Aberdeenplotter]

A word of caution, if affected by club root, do not compost. Take home and put in the bin. Otherwise chuck in the compost heap. If not composted down when you empty the heap, put it back in the bottom and it will eventually break down

[Florence Fennel]

I usually bash with a hammer (snap BB) and then chop up before I put them in the dalek. They do take rather a long time to rot down otherwise. I have been known to put them in the green waste for the council to compost to save me the trouble of the chopping up process.

[Helgalush]

Great, thank you all!

[Two_Sheds]

I have a weak shoulder and can't do any hard digging or pulling, so I tend to leave most difficult things in the soil for the winter. I let the winter do its worst and then have a good clean up in the spring before crops go in

(I leave all my sweetcorn in the ground all winter too, to provide hiberation for ladybirds ~ also the stalks are much easier to compost once the gales have been at them for a few months)

[zazen999]

I leave all roots in as well, sometime when I come to put stuff in next year it's rotted down nicely and can just be pulled out by hand and composted.

[mick2501]

its only a basic question if u know the answer...if u dont know the answer you need to ask

[Helgalush]

Thank you all - as I hadnt seen all answers earlier I just pulled it up by hand (well my other half did). I am actually compostbinless (long story) at the moment so have put it in the bin. I'm glad its up as I have such a small garden I now have a little bit of space to plonk something else in.

I will leave my sweetcorn in over winter though, thank you Two Sheds for that advice.I remember you saying about that before for the ladybugs.