On 2009-11-20 09:11:10 +0000, "rupert" said:


"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
In article , Graham Harrison
writes
Slightly O/T investigate your local tip!


Not a chance!! I know what goes into the compost as i put it there
Ground elder, horsetail, etc etc. Weeds that never die!! And what about
pathogens?
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

You beat me to it Janet. You can get compost that is certified as fit
for use but it seems many Councils are not prepared to implement the
processes required to get certification. The compost produced locally
by our Council is partly used in local parks and gardens where at least
any potential outbreak of the dreaded lurgy could be controlled unlike
spreading the stuff amongst several thousand households.
I think I've mentioned it before but the green bags of waste around
here contain garden waste which includes cans, crisp packets, nappies,
dog and cat poo, plant pots etc.--in fact they contain anything that
might be found in a Garden.

We've been finding out about compost needed on a large scale (about 10
tons) in Jersey. Apparently the local States arrange for all the
plants used in parks and bedding schemes to be composted in one
particular place and you can go there and buy it on a decreasing scale,
depending on the quantity required. It's £32.00 for 1000 litres and
£24 for 10,000 or more plus 3% sales tax. I don't know what the
quality is like and if it's suitable for potting on but as a soil
improver, that's pretty cheap.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon