"Martin" wrote in message
k...

"David (Normandy)" wrote in message
...
Are there any dangers having a compost bin right next to growing
vegetables?

If a bin has been in same place many years I guess the ground beneath it
must be super rich. A nearby plant may grow roots into that area, possibly
to its detriment, depending on the plant.


The bin has only been there a few months. I tend to put them where space
becomes available in the veg plot. They get moved around quite regularly. My
compost is 95% grass clippings so rots down incredibly fast.

At our previous house, where the bin stayed put for a long time I discovered
that brassicas did poorly in the spot but potatoes thrived. When I checked
the pH of the soil around the bin it was quite acid. I bet the soil was
loaded with nitrate too.

Perhaps I'm putting two and two together and getting five - it just looks
suspicious that a semi-circle of potatoes within a radius of around 8 feet
of the bin are diseased but beyond that the others look ok.

David.