Hello - I have 2 bins. When one bin gets full, I begin a new pile in the other while the first finishes off.
The finishing off bin has become totally green with vegetables that have sprouted! Should I let them go? Is it a good idea to let plants grow in your compost pile?
I transplanted several pumpkin volunteers and one snow pea seedling from my compost into my raised bed last Monday.
There was no hope for them in the compost bin: it's a BioStack Bin, sides are black plastic with slots where the seedlings poked out, but fruit would have ripped them from their roots due to gravity.
The seedlings (well, in the case of the pumpkins, young plants!) are showing new growth already, except for one pumpkin and the snow pea.
If you have an open pile, or a pile surrounded simply by a moveable wire frame, the veggies will probably do well: they have nutrients, water, air, and sun. They can sprawl (I'm thinking pumpkins, obviously) along the top of the pile.
Sounds fun!
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
There was no hope for them in the compost bin: it's a BioStack Bin, sides are black plastic with slots where the seedlings poked out, but fruit would have ripped them from their roots due to gravity.
The seedlings (well, in the case of the pumpkins, young plants!) are showing new growth already, except for one pumpkin and the snow pea.
If you have an open pile, or a pile surrounded simply by a moveable wire frame, the veggies will probably do well: they have nutrients, water, air, and sun. They can sprawl (I'm thinking pumpkins, obviously) along the top of the pile.
Sounds fun!
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
Thanks Cynthia for the reply! I didn't know if I'd have trouble later on... Ill let them go - but some might be potatos, which I wouldn't eat really...
Here's the bin - I haven't watered at all. I recognize a cucumber shooting out the front, lower right!
[img]https://www.azpinesmotel.com/compostplants.jpg[/img]
Here's the bin - I haven't watered at all. I recognize a cucumber shooting out the front, lower right!
[img]https://www.azpinesmotel.com/compostplants.jpg[/img]
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rainbowgardener
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The only trouble with letting the veggies grow in your compost pile is that then it makes it harder you use your compost other places in the garden that you want it. I've always got more uses for compost than I have compost, so I tend not to let the veggies grow. Besides if I want volunteers, I get them every time I plant something with compost. I have volunteer squash plants in several spots in my garden now from that. Some of them I pull, a few I have so far let stay.
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rot
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I had an experimental bin composed of a fruit packing bin. Approximately 4 x 4 x 2.5. I had let it go and wasn't paying too much attention and squirrels left sunflower seeds and we started getting sunflowers growing.
The thing was full of sticks so I wasn't in any hurry to go sift it or anything and threw some tomato seeds in. We had lots of nice cherry tomatoes.
The tomatoes are gone and the thing has reduced to a minimum so I'll be scraping it out again and trying something new.
I had an experimental bin composed of a fruit packing bin. Approximately 4 x 4 x 2.5. I had let it go and wasn't paying too much attention and squirrels left sunflower seeds and we started getting sunflowers growing.
The thing was full of sticks so I wasn't in any hurry to go sift it or anything and threw some tomato seeds in. We had lots of nice cherry tomatoes.
The tomatoes are gone and the thing has reduced to a minimum so I'll be scraping it out again and trying something new.