I'm having a real struggle with my homegrown compost. Every time I use it, I end up with a ton of tiny seedlings popping up—some are definitely weeds, but others might be vegetable seedlings from what I composted. It feels like I'm in a never-ending battle, as I keep pulling them out, but they just keep coming back! Does anyone have tips on how to tackle this issue?
3 Answers
I had the same issue until I built larger compost bays—mine are just under 2m³. This really helps because the heat builds up enough to kill off most weed seeds. Just make sure your bins are in a sunny spot and that they're big enough, ideally over 1m³. Trust me, it makes a huge difference!
One of the simplest solutions is to get ahead of the problem—try to weed early before they go to seed. It might not be the easiest solution, but it sure helps! Also, consider separating weeds from your compost altogether and using a different method to deal with them.
To really combat the weed issue, your compost needs to reach a high enough temperature to kill off the seeds. This usually means you’ll want to pile up your compost ingredients all at once so it can heat up properly. But once it cools, you can't add more material or it won’t get hot again—definitely a tricky situation for home composters!
Yeah, that’s pretty much what I do now! I have a separate pile just for my weeds so I can keep them out of my compost.