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#1
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Extremely old compost
We recently had to use the space where the compost heap was. The heap
was started at least four years ago and could have been much older than that even, we had just added and added to it over the last three years without using any of it. Anyhow we put most of the really old stuff which was at the bottom of the heap on the garden. The compost seemed like excellent stuff but I was wondering whether it can actually be too old to do any good, or, older the better type of thing. Does anyone have any thoughts on this please? |
#2
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Extremely old compost
tom&barbara wrote:
We recently had to use the space where the compost heap was. The heap was started at least four years ago and could have been much older than that even, we had just added and added to it over the last three years without using any of it. Anyhow we put most of the really old stuff which was at the bottom of the heap on the garden. The compost seemed like excellent stuff but I was wondering whether it can actually be too old to do any good, or, older the better type of thing. Does anyone have any thoughts on this please? If it's free of weed seeds and roots, old is fine as a soil conditioner. -- Mike. |
#3
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Extremely old compost
Soils lose organic material-a light soil might lose most of its humus in 2
years.( I have the reference) The compost is precious. In my own garden-(heavy soil) I would put it on raspberries (aerated fibrous roots), strawberries, redcurrants. Also on plants that like a well drained but moist location etc. If there is any left over I would dig it in. David T "Mike Lyle" wrote in message ... tom&barbara wrote: We recently had to use the space where the compost heap was. The heap was started at least four years ago and could have been much older than that even, we had just added and added to it over the last three years without using any of it. Anyhow we put most of the really old stuff which was at the bottom of the heap on the garden. The compost seemed like excellent stuff but I was wondering whether it can actually be too old to do any good, or, older the better type of thing. Does anyone have any thoughts on this please? If it's free of weed seeds and roots, old is fine as a soil conditioner. -- Mike. |
#4
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Extremely old compost
"tom&barbara" wrote in message oups.com... We recently had to use the space where the compost heap was. The heap was started at least four years ago and could have been much older than that even, we had just added and added to it over the last three years without using any of it. Anyhow we put most of the really old stuff which was at the bottom of the heap on the garden. The compost seemed like excellent stuff but I was wondering whether it can actually be too old to do any good, or, older the better type of thing. Does anyone have any thoughts on this please? if it was exposed to rain some of the nutrients may have leached out of the compost into the soil underneath (can't tell you how much per year, how much in total, way beyond my knowledge base). That is why you hear people talking about digging 20 cm (or whatever depth they choose it seems) down into the soil the compost has been sitting on. This way you dig into compost leachate enriched soil. Really old compost will be very much like soil anyway so will be perfectly fine for the garden even if it has lost some nutrient. Digging up the underlying soil will help capture some of the nutrient loss. rob |
#5
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Extremely old compost
"tom&barbara" wrote in message oups.com... We recently had to use the space where the compost heap was. The heap was started at least four years ago and could have been much older than that even, we had just added and added to it over the last three years without using any of it. Anyhow we put most of the really old stuff which was at the bottom of the heap on the garden. The compost seemed like excellent stuff but I was wondering whether it can actually be too old to do any good, or, older the better type of thing. Does anyone have any thoughts on this please? .... No matter how old it is, you'll still be getting all the benefits of the organic matter - humus - which is a vital addition to the mineral, sand etc, and clay particles which are the other main constituent of the soil. Providing it's never dried out completely there should also still be plenty of bacteria and other beneficial micro-organisms. Although maybe not as many as when there was more fresh material for them to work on. These are another essential element provided by compost. The fact that you may have lost some nutrients through leaching is neither here nor there IMO. As unlike organic matter and micro-organisms, this deficiency can always be remedied by the use of the appropriate fertilisers in any case. If you find any brandlings in the compost as you fork through it, the worms with dark red rings, you could save those and introduce them into your new compost pile. They'll survive in soil, although not as well as earthworms, but will do much better in a compost heap. Ideally with something soft to get them going. Week-old banana skins etc. michael adams .... |
#6
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Extremely old compost
Janet Baraclough wrote: Mmmmm. yes, definitely past the sell-by date. Unfit for use, probably contains a lot of elderly demented worms who could spread degenerative brain diseases to local birds. Best to bag it up and place the bags by your gate after dark. The night-soil operative will safely dispose of it for you. Where do you live, btw? She's from the Cheshire countryside, has a partner, two kids, two step daughters every other weekend, three cats (one who think he's a dog) and two lovely jack russells. See, I pay attention I do. Now, that night-soil operative, do you think he comes on Wednesdays because I have a couple of bags and .... |
#7
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Extremely old compost
Thanks for your thoughts on my old compost folks. I have already
forked it into the veg patch and the borders Janet so unfortunately the night-soil operative won't get his/her hands on it or my demented worms! I wondered why they were acting strange ) Now I know. The worms we found in it and there were absolutely loads, we also tossed into the veg patch with the compost. I think these were earth worms. The red ringed type are always around the underside of the lid of my plastic composter and the ones in the old compost heap were normal looking. I have to admit this will mean I have been committing some worm cruelty Micheal because I have been throwing the brandlings onto the veg patch at every given opportunity, so I have probably inadvertently killed quite a few of them then? In future I will chuck them into the composter instead. I have been thinking a lot lately about having a wormery, at least I think that's what it's called? Apparently I can put all my green household waste in it and I believe the juice they create from the waste is fantastic food for the garden? Anyone else got one? I'm off to Google it. Gail |
#8
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Extremely old compost
"tom&barbara" wrote in message ups.com... Thanks for your thoughts on my old compost folks. I have already forked it into the veg patch and the borders Janet so unfortunately the night-soil operative won't get his/her hands on it or my demented worms! I wondered why they were acting strange ) Now I know. The worms we found in it and there were absolutely loads, we also tossed into the veg patch with the compost. I think these were earth worms. The red ringed type are always around the underside of the lid of my plastic composter and the ones in the old compost heap were normal looking. I have to admit this will mean I have been committing some worm cruelty Micheal because I have been throwing the brandlings onto the veg patch at every given opportunity, so I have probably inadvertently killed quite a few of them then? In future I will chuck them into the composter instead. I have been thinking a lot lately about having a wormery, at least I think that's what it's called? Apparently I can put all my green household waste in it and I believe the juice they create from the waste is fantastic food for the garden? Anyone else got one? I'm off to Google it. Gail Do not part with any money. As you have already noticed your compost bin was eventually invaded by loadsa worms. Rats are attracted to kitchen waste so a sealed wormery is useful. Any container with a few drainage holes will do along with an initial few small red worms. Forget all the rubbish about worm bedding and acidity regulators-just ensure that the system has adequate drainage. I pour the liquid tea on the compost heap. The process is slow so do not expect vast amounts of liquid or worm crap unless you are prepared to build massive wormeries. |
#9
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Extremely old compost
it's called vermiculture.........
madgardener who loves all her worms and occaisonally sees wonderous night crawlers which in appearance look like worms on steroids............... "tom&barbara" wrote in message ups.com... Thanks for your thoughts on my old compost folks. I have already forked it into the veg patch and the borders Janet so unfortunately the night-soil operative won't get his/her hands on it or my demented worms! I wondered why they were acting strange ) Now I know. The worms we found in it and there were absolutely loads, we also tossed into the veg patch with the compost. I think these were earth worms. The red ringed type are always around the underside of the lid of my plastic composter and the ones in the old compost heap were normal looking. I have to admit this will mean I have been committing some worm cruelty Micheal because I have been throwing the brandlings onto the veg patch at every given opportunity, so I have probably inadvertently killed quite a few of them then? In future I will chuck them into the composter instead. I have been thinking a lot lately about having a wormery, at least I think that's what it's called? Apparently I can put all my green household waste in it and I believe the juice they create from the waste is fantastic food for the garden? Anyone else got one? I'm off to Google it. Gail |
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