Compost pile has an invasive below ground root-weed

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wahoowad

wahoowad

Minister of Fire
Dec 19, 2005
1,669
Virginia
I have always dumped my yard waste (leaves, grass trimmings, other organic yard cuttings) into a pile to break down. I never used the compost though as I didn't put much effort into my landscaping or flower gardens. I would occasionally turn the pile if I noticed it getting too high. This past year I had my first vegetable garden so am shoveling out about 100 gallons of rich, dark compost to spread over the garden for the winter. I am noticing a prolific root system in the compost that does not seem to have an above-ground component to the plant. It seems to be all root, a fairly fine root system.

I am pulling out the large masses of the root out of my wheel barrow while shoveling it out of the pile to avoid propagating it to the garden. But this root breaks up easy and I can see lots of small pieces in the compost. I started to use a mesh screen to filter out weeds and solids but can see the smaller pieces making it through. Does anybody know what this weedy root is and how to deal with it?
 
It may be the ROOT OF ALL EVIL :coolsmirk:
 
Most likely tree roots. I get them big time in my compost pile and in the garden. I use my rototiller to turn my compost pile and the roots wrap around the tines. I'll then sift through the compost with a manure fork to get the worst of it out. In my garden I use a potato fork.

There is little to no chance of propagating the plant if the small rootlets stay in the compost or soil once severed from the tree.
 
Very true, except at least for elm. You don't want elm rootlets in anything.
 
How fine?
If all the filaments are less than 1 mm or so in diameter, it might be fungal mycelia, involved in breaking down the compost.
In which case, no harm in leaving it in the compost.
If some of the branches are thinker, it is more likely of plant origin.
 
Hmmm, maybe it is tree root then. It just seemed like a weird weed. I *am* near trees with this compost pile. Hmmm.
 
I killed an Elm tree near my compost pile when I rototilled the roots that invaded the pile. I used the compost to top dress my lawn so would never know if the roots would have propagated since the lawn mower would have knocked down anything that would pop up.

In the garden I have a large Quaking Aspen invading the garden. Some varieties of Aspen/Poplar will spread by their roots. The Black Poplar seems to be the worst. Cut one down and a hundred show up for the funeral.
 
Pine trees have roots that pretty much stop at the drip line. A deciduous tree has roots that will go out around 150 ft.

Matt
 
Tree roots are likely.

Likely not Norway maple nor rhododendron, though. You would need an axe for those.



I once set up one of those square balck plastic compost bins under a norway maple in the Fall.
Late Spring I went to use the 'compost' . It was all root. I pried the plastic container off and I had a 2 and 1/2 foot cube of root on the lawn. Hard as a rock almost. Had to bust it up with an axe. I would have broken my shovel, even if I could have gotten it into the 'pile'.
 
bet its tree roots. I had the same thing happen... Pretty terrible stuff. I removed most of the compost and then brought out the tiller.... It couldnt destroy some of them, but would at least pull them up where I could take them out with the ax.... needless to say that the part of the garden in that area still sucks, dispite being tilled yearly to rip out the roots.

It was a norway maple by the way (a huge, great looking, yet invasive, tree)
 
Deciduous trees are going to send out roots every year. It means you have a healthy tree.

Matt
 
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