the other day I was digging up an old flower bed and there was quite a bit of sod i had to deal with. Can that be added to a compost pile? will the clumps of dirt be a problem? are old vines ok to add? what about chemically treated weeds?


Thanks

Wahoo! I think I can answer your questions Daisy - but I'm sure Longy, Weezie or someone else more experienced will follow and I hope they'll correct me if I'm wrong.

I think you can add the sod to your compost pile - but the bigger the clumps are, the longer it'll take to break down. Clumps of soil won't be a problem - I often add leftover potting soil, or garden soil from when I dig a hole, etc., to my heap. Again, the smaller the clumps, the faster your pile can work. Be careful with old vines. Depending on what they are, and whether or not they've gone to seed. If you want to be sure they're dead, lay them out on the pavement in the sun for a few days, then add them as your 'brown'. The chemically treated weeds I'd say throw out. Reason being, if the chemicals don't break down in your heap (and I'm not sure if they will or not), they could hurt your flowers when you add the compost to your gardens. They might also hurt the wormies, and or the microbes that will work on making your compost into black gold. You especially don't want to add it to a compost heap you'll be using around any fruits or veggies. Personally, I'd just chuck them in the trash. Now for some REAL expert advice...Longy? Weezie? Bueler?

Deal me out Mary.
You've got it sorted;)
A good way to cut up vines is with the lawnmower.
Then you can use them green.

Yep, you've got it....

My only suggestion was to definately add to your putting the vine on the cement and drying it out..
I would have said, WEEKS, and make sure there's NOT A CHANCE IN H#LL THAT VINE COMES BACK TO LIFE.

But thats just me... I have enough weeds without ADDING THEM

Wow! - call and they come to the rescue!

I feel your pain, Weezie. I think all the weeds in Illinois live on my property LOL! Feels that way...neverending battle this year. But I keep marching on and pulling em up. I keep telling myself I'm winning the battle, and then I hear a little giggles coming from the yard as I turn to see a 'wish' blowing in the breeze
<insert graemlin running in slow motion yelling, 'Noooooooooooooooo!'> ARRRGHHH! ...daggum weeds!

Oh gosh, I have that too,
My youngest lovesssssssssssss blowing
dandelions all over the place towards my gardens,
try blowing it out in the lawn...
Don't care what's growing there, I guess??

I have to say, grass is my first weed, ragweed is my next and bishops' weed is my last...
All the rest I consider flowers...

LOL Weezie. Thankfully, I only have 'wishes' in the lawn...well, kinda lawn. I think I pulled all of em up outta the flower beds I made this year. Not like I have SOooo many LOL!

I'm mostly worried about the poison ivy, and the poison hemlock I hoped was QAL, but isn't. I've been leaving the bishops weed. It's in a bare spot anywho, so even if I tried getting rid of it right now I know I'd lose. I'll wait to fight that battle another day. Right now I just keep it from strangling it's neighbors. Which is almost a daily task, as I'm sure you know!

Oh, Weezie, Longy, anyone - check out my post 'HAY' if ya would (will post next) I don't wanna hijack this thread