Using partially composted materials in the garden.

[Lamboluke]

I have a regular plastic composte bin and being impatient and a novice I didn't mix things correctly or cut things down before placing them into the bin which has led to the compost at the access hatch being maybe 80% composted with the odd piece of carrot or potatoe left in.

I've just expanded my veg patch and wondered if I was using composted material which wasn't quite fully composted, would this cause any issues? I mean it's eventually going to compost down in the ground anyways so I'm hoping I can go ahead and use it.

What are your thoughts about this?

[Hazel at the Hill]

I wouldn't have any problems with what you've done, Lamboluke, depending on what use you will put the ground to.

I empty my dalek composters (and relocate them), then fork the rough compost about a bit to integrate it somewhat into the ground (but not remotely thoroughly) and bung back any big stuff into the composter. At this point the beds look terrible.

A month or so later, I give the ground a whizz over with a three pronged cultivator which integrates the compost it further, and anything that comes up overly twiggy (or potato-ey ), again, gets another go in the composter. At this point the beds are good enough to plant spuds/shallots/transplanted plants but not brilliant as seed beds - although not far off.

[Mark Lottie]

It's fine. 90-95% of the compost mass in a cold compost pile is lost to the atmosphere in gas anyway; so burying it in the ground actually catches more of it.

You'll create a sort of hot bed if you bury it in a long trench, will warm up the soil for your seedlings.

This year I'm going to bury everything

[Lamboluke]

Cracking news, thanks!! I'll get it in the ground asap.

[Kristen]

Iwhich has led to the compost at the access hatch being maybe 80% composted with the odd piece of carrot or potatoe left in.

I may live to regret this! but if anyone has ever made such perfect compost that they've been able to, always, get all of it out of that silly little hatch I'll eat my hat!

Rough compost has a place in the garden. If Two Sheds drops by shortly I expect the pronouncement will be to skip the compost heap all together and chop it up and put it straight on the beds!! ... I've certainly read composting books where that was the eventual solution (after years of perfecting the art of making the perfect compost heap)

That said, if you are growing runner beans? then a trench for them filled with all the rough compost would be perfect. Sweet Peas likewise, probably some other things too if that is preferable to chucking it on top (which may look a bit untidy - if that bothers you?)

Another possible solution is to just lift the Dalek off the pile and sit it alongside and start a new bin-full. Leave the original pile to carry on composting as-a-pile. Or sieve it (well "work through it" picking out the big bits and chuck them back into the compost heap and use the "somewhat finer" stuff that is left)

The contents of my, fairly rough, compost heap goes into the greenhouse borders (50:50 with well rotted manure, also fairly rough). When it comes out, at the end of a year, it is amazing beautiful fine material suitable for potting up

[mothhawk]

I think TS probably has the right of it. When I cut back my lavender hedge after flowering last year (September),I chopped the flower stems into about 8" lengths - there was too much to piddle about cutting it any shorter.

I filled one dalek and still had the same amount left and nowhere to put it, so I spread it under the raspberry canes and the kales and cabbages. There is no sign of it now on the ground, but the dalek is still half full of stalks.

As an extra benefit, the lavender stalks also seemed to keep slugs away from the brassicas.

[Lamboluke]

Well I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one in this situation and it's nice to hear of the success stories given the benefits of home Compost.

[ancee]

We've got raised beds made with scaffolding planks. This was a great idea in theory. Problem is filling them with soil or compost is incredibly difficult and really expensive! So, last year I got on the idea of emptying everything out of the compost heap into some of them. Peelings, plant waste, chicken pooed on newspapers. They were filled halfway up ish. Then, I put soil or compost on top and then a few weeks later put some plants in. (these are flower bed ones) I got a few sproutlings from potato peels amongst the flowers but I pulled them out as they popped up. And everything has lived! And thrived. In September I did the same with a veg bed. And then planted onion, shallot and garlic sets. They are growing well and the only problem I've had with this bed is over enthusiastic nasturtiums growing from bits of nasturtium stalk. So, the hot bed theory seems to be working, even if it was a madcap idea to try and save a bit of cash!

[rary]

I may live to regret this! but if anyone has ever made such perfect compost that they've been able to, always, get all of it out of that silly little hatch I'll eat my hat!)

Kristen, do you want some salt and pepper with that hat, or a bit of sauce.






No just joking I usually lift the compost bin out the way and spread the contents over the vegetable bed then chop it up the best I can with one of those long handled stainless steel shovels from Lidels, I have found that the best way to cut up un-composted material which I usually have lots of. and yes it disappears over the season

[Bigmallly]

The only thing I would add & it's only personal choice is I would remove any sign of potato. Even the smallest piece of peel can & most probably will sprout & grow a new plant.

[Two_Sheds]

Most of my plant waste is just left on the soil surface, as mulch (pics in FB link below)
I do use daleks for kitchen scraps and large lumps. These are turned out once a year, and only the largest intact lumps, eg wood, sprouts stalks, go back in.

[Kristen]

Kristen, do you want some salt and pepper with that hat, or a bit of sauce.

I've made a hat out of Victoria Sponge ... just in case