Grow Your Own Magazine

I was digging my plot this afternoon in the sunshine.....very nice indeed. ..and having covered the bed for many months with membrane I was thrilled that there was only bindweed roots and couch grass to actually dig out compared to what it looked like when I first covered it. Anyway my question is, the couch grass was comming up in big clods with its shallow thread like roots, there was a lot of soil clinging to the clods and I was trying to shake as much off as I could. The tiny thread roots came away too..can couch grass regrow from these smal threads? would I be better to dispose of it as big clods rather than shaking off the soil? I intend to bring my 'bad roots' trug home and just put it in the green council wheelie bin as I don't want to risk it on my own compost heap.
What do people think, should I err on the side of caution and not try to save any of the soil?
thanks for reading my post.
Helen

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May all our seeds germinate and grow

Helen

Hi Helen
Never found the thread roots to be a problem, just the ones that are about the thickness of a worm. As for the thich stuff, I usually keep them in an empty compost bag until there's enough for a fire, empty the bag, put a match to it and use the ash on the plot. And before anyone shouts, I don't burn the plastic!

Helen
I agree with Norm about the couch roots, being an expert on them after digging my way through what seems like acres of the stuff. However I do find other quite thready roots, not the hair like roots but very thin floppy white ones - about half spaghetti width, that look as if they are about to grow into another mound of couch grass so I get rid of those as well.
Sue

I prefer not to send anything to landfill if I can help it (do you REALLY think your council recycles your waste???!!!)
you can kill these roots by burning (and release CO2 etc) or by drowning. Stick them all in a water butt for a few months to rot - you'll know when its ready cos it stinks...lovely good fertiliser it is, and free to boot

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

Hi two sheds,
Yes I am confident that here in High Wycombe my contents of the green bin are turned into compost as we have a huge industrial composting site that I have visited and had read up on. I have also used the green waste compost on my plot.....it gets so hot that it destroys even bind weed. I didn't have any weeds come up where I used it. The problem with the composting site it the strong smell, the council is investing loads in trying to alleviate the odour problem.

__________________
May all our seeds germinate and grow

Helen

Dear all,
As a Councillor, I can assure everyone that if your local council says that the green waste is going to be composted, that's exactly where it goes. The wrath of HMG on a council for not doing what they say they're doing is financially crippling