Property News · January 23, 2016

Ask Alys: is it safe to compost yew foliage?


Yew is toxic, but does that mean it shouldn’t be composted? Our gardening guru has the answer Having recently removed much of a yew tree, I now have a lot of shredded foliage to deal with. I’m aware that yew contains some very toxic biochemicals, as well as some useful ones, so can I safely add it to the compost bin?Add a bit at a time, until you get through it all, making the layers thin and composting as you always have, and there should be no issues (other than it could take a long time). Alternatively, build a big pile of the foliage, wet it, then cover with plastic and leave the clippings to rot on their own. This, too, will take some time, but since it’s foliage, and not wood chippings, I wouldn’t imagine it would take too long. Any toxicity will be broken down in the composting process; if you’re unsure that it’s fully composted, use the results as a mulch for paths or under established trees and bushes, where it will break down with no ill-effect to surrounding plants. Related: Ask Alys: I want patio pot plants that give all-year colour Continue reading…

Source : theguardian.com
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