Trench composting

[mark1860]

I was told you could dig a two foot trench and put all your garden waste in (not kitchen waste) and leave it over the winter to break down. Does anyone know if this is beneficial to the soil?

thanks

[muddled]

I put kitchen waste in mine.

Yes, it makes a lovely, rich, water retentive bed for the following season. It's a method most often used for runner beans because in results in perfect conditions for them.

Leave the soil you dig out at one side and each time you add more peelings or whatever, cover them with a layer of the soil.

[Thelma Sanders]

I put kitchen waste in mine.

I do too, and all the stuff that takes ages to rot down, like brassica stems

[roitelet]

Doing this for the bed I want to grow squashes and courgettes in next year.

[bearded bloke]

I do too, and all the stuff that takes ages to rot down, like brassica stems

If you have a garden shredder bung the stems through it, that really speeds up the decomposition process

[alldigging]

Runner bean beds should be done this way. It gives their roots plenty of organic material to get into.

[BUFFS]

Runner bean beds should be done this way. It gives their roots plenty of organic material to get into.

and first line the base of the trench with loads of old newspapers , then you never need to worry about water as the layers of papers hold onto amazing amounts of moisture..

[Thelma Sanders]

If you have a garden shredder bung the stems through it, that really speeds up the decomposition process

Works out cheaper to put them in the trench, than to buy a garden shredder

[PyreneesPlot]

Works out cheaper to put them in the trench, than to buy a garden shredder

Smaller carbon footprint, too. I use the attack with spade approach, perfect for developing the shot putter physique

[Two_Sheds]

Runner bean beds should be done this way.

CAN be done, not SHOULD be done (no offence)

There are many & varied ways of composting, each with pros and cons. After 20 yrs of growing, I've settled on surface composting aka mulching (most stuff is simply chopped (with seckies) and dropped (on the soil surface). It's how forests do it

Kitchen scraps are a bit sludgy and messy, so they're wrapped up in newspaper, and go in the daleks.