Children’s or School Garden Club activity: Growing compost bin volunteers

When cold composting in a slated,  sectional or pallet bin volunteer (unwanted)  plants are likely to appear over the late spring or  summer. These plants germinate from seeds and pieces of root on plants put into the bin for composting. They are usually, but not necessary, weeds  as seeds from many plants will survive cold composting e.g.  pumpkin   and flowers    Normally they are just pulled out, chopped up and composted or drowned in a bucket of water. Small plants that  germinate from the compost when it is spread on the soil as a mulch can also be used.

However, these plants can provide an interesting and different children’s growing activity or competition for an annual show or event such as  National Allotment week. They can be planted in pots or in a container  to form a volunteer garden with a prize being offered for the most variety of best presented volunteers.

This is a different approach to composting but does make the point that seeds, and roots may survive cold composting.