The Cottage Smallholder


stumbling self sufficiency in a small space

Avatar

Please consider registering
guest

sp_LogInOut Log In sp_Registration Register

Register | Lost password?
sp_Search Search
Advanced Search
Advanced Search

— Forum Scope —




— Match —





— Forum Options —





Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters

sp_Search Search
Go to Bottom
No permission to create posts
sp_Feed Topic RSS sp_TopicIcon
Need to sterize my compost!
Sat 7-May-11
7:38 pm
Avatar
maria

Enthusiast
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 220
Member Since:
Mon 11-Oct-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
1sp_Permalink sp_Print

Hiya, we are quite happy to compost and be left with oodles of great compost, HOWEVER, when I plant the seedlings what comes up drives me mad!!, what is a seedling and what is a weed!!! recently I have been nutering 1 good dozen plants to find out they were 'weeds;! embarrising but Im a learner gardner, sometimes i could cty not knowing what is and what isnt!!!

Can any one help please in readiness for next year!!!aarghrunawaydohwave

Sat 7-May-11
7:52 pm
Avatar
3ravens
West Virginia

Knowledegable
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 374
Member Since:
Mon 20-Sep-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
2sp_Permalink sp_Print

The only 2 ways I have heard of is to pour boiling water through it, or bake it in the oven. If you do the boiling water bit, save the water, let it cool and use it to water  already established plants so as not to waste the nutrients. Baking it will STINK! surprised I'll ask some friends for the correct temp, and get back to you.

Sun 8-May-11
10:30 am
Avatar
kayerunrig
lincolnshire

Expert
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 642
Member Since:
Sun 19-Sep-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
3sp_Permalink sp_Print

this is my drastic way of doing it .....empty compost bin on to ground in spring ,pile all garden waste stray bits of wood and usually scrounge a couple of pallets and have small wood bonfire on compost , wait till cool then shovel back into bin or into empty salvaged bags , do shovel in the ash as well adds wonderful potash to compost

Sun 8-May-11
10:32 am
Avatar
Toffeeapple
North Bucks

Members

Moderators
Forum Posts: 16337
Member Since:
Tue 22-Sep-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
4sp_Permalink sp_Print

Are you allowed to have fires in gardens still?

I'll try that again!

Sun 8-May-11
10:35 am
Avatar
kayerunrig
lincolnshire

Expert
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 642
Member Since:
Sun 19-Sep-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
5sp_Permalink sp_Print

lol...nope but were a long way from civilisation here

Sun 8-May-11
11:08 am
Avatar
Toffeeapple
North Bucks

Members

Moderators
Forum Posts: 16337
Member Since:
Tue 22-Sep-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
6sp_Permalink sp_Print

That's alright then! 

I'll try that again!

Sun 8-May-11
12:46 pm
Avatar
danast
Argyll, Scotland

Supreme Being
Members
Forum Posts: 10232
Member Since:
Thu 24-Sep-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
sp_Facebook
Go to Top
7sp_Permalink sp_Print

wave  I have a friend who painstakingly sterilised all his old compost in an old microwave he got specially for this purpose.

Old teachers never die, they just lose their class

Sun 8-May-11
3:55 pm
Avatar
maria

Enthusiast
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 220
Member Since:
Mon 11-Oct-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
8sp_Permalink sp_Print

thanks guys, mmmmmmmm old microwave it would take ages for the amount we use, the oven not sure about that! boiling water? need a lot, bonfire ontop of the compost,, maybe, havent found the ideal answer yet.      Does any one else have this problem??what_the_heckconfusedyawn

Sun 8-May-11
5:54 pm
Avatar
JoannaS
Latvia

Supreme Being
Members
Forum Posts: 4800
Member Since:
Mon 21-Sep-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
sp_UserWebsite
Go to Top
9sp_Permalink sp_Print

I have an old tin bath that I will use to sterlise compost in. The idea will be to put the compost with in the bath and cover it to stop water evaporating and heat it over a fire. Haven't tried this yet as we haven't had the right compost for seedlings.

Mon 9-May-11
3:39 pm
Avatar
maria

Enthusiast
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 220
Member Since:
Mon 11-Oct-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
10sp_Permalink sp_Print

cheers Joanne, still chilly here!!wave

Mon 9-May-11
8:22 pm
Avatar
JoannaS
Latvia

Supreme Being
Members
Forum Posts: 4800
Member Since:
Mon 21-Sep-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
sp_UserWebsite
Go to Top
11sp_Permalink sp_Print

Perfect!cheers

Mon 9-May-11
8:33 pm
Avatar
mike.
Coventry

Councillor
Members
Forum Posts: 1265
Member Since:
Wed 30-Dec-09
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
sp_UserWebsite sp_Facebook
Go to Top
12sp_Permalink sp_Print

I have tried sterilising compost in the oven, and yes it can be a bit smelly. I filled the metal trays which had previously contained oven-ready chickens, covered in foil and baked for a couple of hours at around gas mark 2. It worked ok for seedlings but given that when I bought compost for starting seeds off in the propagator, a £2-3 bag lasts me a whole year so it really isn't worth it for me. I think it's worthwhile if I need bigger quantities for plant pots

Visit my blog for food, drink, photography and hamsters.

Tue 10-May-11
5:32 pm
Avatar
maria

Enthusiast
Members

New members
Forum Posts: 220
Member Since:
Mon 11-Oct-10
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
Go to Top
13sp_Permalink sp_Print

Thanks bobquail together we 'will crack this problem' ( our sharps, combination cooker must have overhard my conversation to himself, saying to use the microwave,) last night the smoke bellowed out of it, must hasteamchampagneve burnt out, havent got time to take it to be checked!!!

No permission to create posts
sp_Feed All RSS
Go to top
Forum Timezone: Europe/London

Most Users Ever Online: 767

Currently Online:
21 Guest(s)

Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Top Posters:

brightspark: 10532

danast: 10232

Aly: 9516

Sooliz: 8084

Hattie: 6920

Ambersparkle: 6699

JoannaS: 4800

Terrier: 4518

eileen54: 4424

Hannah: 4231

Member Stats:

Guest Posters: 10

Members: 16171

Moderators: 2

Admins: 2

Forum Stats:

Groups: 6

Forums: 25

Topics: 2295

Posts: 123081

Newest Members:

Doublesden, naoum, brunorogers, Weismart, renesmith97, KarenFields21

Moderators: Toffeeapple: 16337, AdminTA: 10

Administrators: fn: 333, Danny: 5516


Copyright © 2006-2012 Cottage Smallholder      Our Privacy Policy      Advertise on Cottage Smallholder