Compost Confused

[Lulu]

Hi. I want to use my compost in my raised garden beds. This is one of the reasons why I am composting. But, I KNOW my compost has weeds and weed seeds in it and I do not want that in my raised beds. If I use a heat method to get rid of the weeds it may 1. Take some time, and 2. kill off the microscopic and other living things in my soil that are beneficial. So, what do others do that have the same situation as mine?
Thank you.

 

[Marck]

Do you have some idea of the type and amount of germinating weed seed you might encounter? I wouldn't be that concerned with most weeds, especially in a relatively small and defined area such as a raised bed. Some weed pulling comes with the territory.

Also, weeds can have some benefits. For example some annual weeds can be left until they approach flowering so their roots can add biomass to the soil. A lot depends on the weed in question.

One thing you might do is spread the compost out in a fallow bed now in winter and after some (probably not all) of the seeds germinate in Spring you can turn the bed over... I treat the concept of 'no till' as a useful tool, not a religon, when you need to turn your soil, do so.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I hoe, hitting them when they are a two leaves means you can cover a fair size bed in minutes so long as you remember to leave appropriate gaps when you are planting out, and a good tilth from regular hoeing is as good as a mulch for holding warmth and moisture.

 

[mikejohnson]

Hello, This is one of the reasons why I am composting.
The first thing to realize is that the term compost is used to describe two different things. You can buy compost bags from real or online garden stores.

 

[DirtMechanic]

More than two, depending on what you compost. Mostly the holy grail is pasteurized compost for sanitary reasons. This is where big piles are useful as they can build such internal heat. Compost can be the broken down remnants of virtually any organic material. If you have a couple decades to wait you could make it with cedar.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

the holy grail is pasteurized compost

Sieved, pasteurised compost, Holy of holies.

 

[Meadowlark]

Some Holy Grail "cooking" in February...its 137 deg F about 6 inches deep and the pile is about 12 ft in height overall, so its probably much higher temps in center.