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Soil, Compost & Mulch

Parrot Feather Into Compost?

12 years ago

Our pond had become over-run with parrot feather and we seriously need to get it out of there. I'm wondering if it will cause some other problem if we put it in our composting bins?? While I know it as a water/pond plant, I really don't want it popping up in the garden.

Whaddaya think?

Thanks H

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Comments (3)

Kimmsr
12 years ago
While Parrot Feather, or Parrotfeather ("Myriophyllum aquaticum"), might need water to get started it is considered an invasive species since it can root along its stem and it spreads that way. Like many other former aquatic plant species this has adapted to growing on just moist soils. You can compost this, as long as it is well buried in the compost pile so it has no access to sunlight.
holly_bc
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks so much kimmsr for replying. Our compost bins and piles do not get much sunlight. That said I'm not sure I want to take chances. If I can clean out the big one, then maybe I'll put some boughs down (of which I have MANY) and put the PF on top of that. Then throughout spring and summer re-pile it all up with other garden stuff as the seasons go by. There must be major good nutrients in it so I guess it would be a good thing to add to a compost pile but I surely don't want it appearing anywhere else!

Your reply much appreciated.
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Hi, I am in california and i came home from a short time out of town and some of my parrot feather plants were thinned out. The roots and stems were there but the majority of the larger leaves were gone. Now a couple of day later the roots, stems and everything have disapeared. I don't think it was the fish as they have never bothered it before. Is there another natural predator that would eat them? Thanks for any info Robyn
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Kimmsr
12 years ago
Keep in mind that sunlight is not a necessary component of the composting process. Some people think sunlight is needed to get the material to heat up but that is not true. Bacterial activity causes that heat generation when the Carbon to Nitrogen ratio, moisture level, and amount of air in the mix are about right. Different bacteria work at different temperatures.

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