How to turn kikuyu grass into compost effectively

[YMC]

Hi,

I've got a bit of the kikuyu grass
http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&ibra=all&card=E27

in my lawn. The council planted it as the common nature strip grass and some
of it has gotten into my garden.

They grow very quickly - I've been weeding them out- and throwing them into
the council garden waste bins.

But can I put it into my compost bin- or will the grass roots survive and
grow again?

[0tterbot]

"YMC" <nospamher...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:48639ea6$0$1024$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...

you probably don't want to risk that (& it can happen with live things put
into compost). if it's left on the surface during hot weather (esp windy),
the plant will die quickly & can be put in after a few days. this time of
year that doesn't really happen - things live on on the surface like the
undead..!! so you could drown it in water for a few weeks & then put it in.
(then you could use the water as a fertiliser afterwards). not sure how long
it would take kikuyu to drown - by the time it's going slushy & decomposing
in the bucket, it's dead (as a general rule ;-).
kylie

[YMC]

Thanks for that Erik! Good stuff there!

Cheers,

Yau

"Erik Vastmasd" <erik....@sd.invalid> wrote in message
news:6cjqcfF...@mid.individual.net...
> On Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:50:48 +1000,when reading "aus.gardens", I'm
> certain I caught a glimpse of ""YMC" <nospamher...@gmail.com>"
> saying:

> In my neighbourhood I've always had to contend with "kikuyu" as there
> was no other option, my lawns and those of my neighbours are all
> "kikuyu". I have always composted kikuyu lawn clippings and providing
> your compost bin is heating up it will kill off any kikuyu roots.
>
> An alternative I have had great success with is two compost bins
> virtually turned into worm farms because I introduced worms that I
> purchased from "Bunnings" and they certainly won't allow kikuyu to
> survive.
>
> I moved my compost bins into shady areas because too much heat could
> kill the worms. I put all my kikuyu lawn clippings in my councils garden
> waste bin where they reside for two weeks. After two weeks I move the
> clippings into my compost bins. If I was to put the lawn clippings
> straight into the compost bins the heat could kill off the worms.
>
> Compost bins with worms need to be kept damp so chucking in a bucket of
> water once a week is a good idea also vegetable peels, coffee grounds
> etc. and sheets of wet newspaper are excellent for maintaining the food
> content and the moisture. Worms love wet cardboard but try to select
> cardboard without too much printing.
> --
>
> Erik.
>
>

[YMC]

"Erik Vastmasd" <erik....@sd.invalid> wrote in message
news:6cjqcfF...@mid.individual.net...

> In my neighbourhood I've always had to contend with "kikuyu" as there
> was no other option, my lawns and those of my neighbours are all
> "kikuyu". I have always composted kikuyu lawn clippings and providing
> your compost bin is heating up it will kill off any kikuyu roots.

Do you have to mince up the kikuyu roots or can you just throw them in
whole. I mention this as - I do a lot of weeding and pull out these massive
grass runners from the soil - which are so thick they resemble barbed wire.

Do you also spray round up or some herbicide into the compost bin to kill
them off?

Thanks!