Yes in my case weeds. If you are getting plants out of your compost then the compost didn't get hot enough. Compost should get hot enough to kill seeds and various pathogens and insects
Unexpected Plants From Kitchen Compost
Last year, shortly after I dumped the compost bin out into the garden, a bunch of plants started growing out of it. They ended-up being acorn squash and they produced about 15 nice squash. Tomato plants also started growing here and there, but none of them grew big enough in time to produce before the end of summer. They were tall, thin and scraggly.
This year, I emptied the compost bin into two raised-bed gardens and mixed-in some top soil and a little bit of composted cow manure. Once again, there are a bunch of plants growing up that are all the same. But it looks like they are zucchini plants instead of acorn squash. I transplanted some of them to 2 different areas of the garden, a few are being left to grow and the rest are being pulled as they show up (too many in one area).
I'm wondering if any of you have had "bonus" plants grow in your garden from your compost.
This year, I emptied the compost bin into two raised-bed gardens and mixed-in some top soil and a little bit of composted cow manure. Once again, there are a bunch of plants growing up that are all the same. But it looks like they are zucchini plants instead of acorn squash. I transplanted some of them to 2 different areas of the garden, a few are being left to grow and the rest are being pulled as they show up (too many in one area).
I'm wondering if any of you have had "bonus" plants grow in your garden from your compost.
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Something we learned by accident many years ago, like 55 years, was to add a sunflower seed or two with each squash/cucumber hill. The hills that accidentally had the sunflowers were twice the size of the others. Turns out that sunflowers add nitrogen to the soil.
Bud
Bud
Thanks jimn01. I must be doing something wrong because I don't think it gets hot at all. During the winter, when I open the lid to add scraps to it, it's not frozen solid, but it's definitely not hot either.Yes in my case weeds. If you are getting plants out of your compost then the compost didn't get hot enough. Compost should get hot enough to kill seeds and various pathogens and insects
In a small compost bin, biodegradation does slow down and pretty much stop in the winter (real winter!) because the cold inhibits bacterial action. During above-freezing temperature and with fairly fresh diet of scrapes/organic waste you should notice your pile to be quite warm in the centre. I would turn it occasionally and maybe toss in some grass clippings every now and again.
Thanks lenaitch.
Happens to us all the time. :smile:Last year, shortly after I dumped the compost bin out into the garden, a bunch of plants started growing out of it. They ended-up being acorn squash and they produced about 15 nice squash. Tomato plants also started growing here and there, but none of them grew big enough in time to produce before the end of summer. They were tall, thin and scraggly.
This year, I emptied the compost bin into two raised-bed gardens and mixed-in some top soil and a little bit of composted cow manure. Once again, there are a bunch of plants growing up that are all the same. But it looks like they are zucchini plants instead of acorn squash. I transplanted some of them to 2 different areas of the garden, a few are being left to grow and the rest are being pulled as they show up (too many in one area).
I'm wondering if any of you have had "bonus" plants grow in your garden from your compost.
Ideally, a compost pile will get hot enough and will "ensile" in such a way that seeds are killed/sterilized. If that doesn't happen, they're just in a really really rich seedbed.
This year, out in my "guy garden" I have a bunch of squash and gourds that seem to have cross-pollenated. There's some VERY interesting stuff out there!
Acorn squash seeds are tough to kill. I used some of my compost to fill in a low spot in my lawn and several squash plants sprouted. I just let them grow in the middle of the lawn, kinda funny. Got a few squash out of them before the end of last season.
I also had some long lost seed potatoes decide to sprout up when I buried them in a pile of my finished compost. Got a great batch of potatoes last season.
I also had some long lost seed potatoes decide to sprout up when I buried them in a pile of my finished compost. Got a great batch of potatoes last season.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
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