Do I buy compost from the local rubbish tip?

I'd be very cautious. The council has to compost everything that is 'dumped' on them in terms of green waste including nasty weeds like ragwort, bindweed... I'm sure you get the idea. Now if they are making the compost well enough and hot enough it 'should' kill all the weed seeds but I would be worried that there were live seeds there.

As a test why not buy one bag, fill a small pot with, water lightly and either put into a propagator or cover with a poly bag and sit somewhere warm for a week to ten days. If nothing at all grows it 'should' be safe. Even then I would probably only use on a veggie bed and not for growing plants.

I imadgin it must be the plant and weed wast from peoples gardens how it is I would not know but there must be hedge clipings and mostly privit weather their way of doing it kills the desises on plants that people refrain from puting in their compost I personaly would like to know more about it , then agine in this sue socirty they must have to be cairfull. I would like to know more about it myself.

I've never bought or used it but would be wary of using it in the main garden. It would be ok I suppose for containers as if anything nasty appeared you can easily dispose of it. The last thing you need is Ground Elder running riot through the garden

The three of you have just read my thoughts actually. But I wanted to be sure. Then again, I can get a bag of compost from the local garden centre for about £3 - so why take the chance? Thank you!

I have had it from our local council and it has been very good. It certainly gets hot enough at our depots. but as mg says get one bag and see how it does. I have found many 'proper' brands [£3 ones and more expensive ones]have weed seeds in it and i find that very frustrating. [once got a marsh orchid though so shouldnt complain lol]

You could always ask your local authority how they make their compost. I have used several bags from my local tip and it is cost effective, recycling and better than digging up the dwindling peat bogs. I asked the questions before buying and I was well informed before making my decision, I have not had any problems, just an increase in common oxalis, but nothing sinister. The nutrient levels in my garden have increased also. I also get black manure and wood chip and at £38 about a tonne, it is a no brainer for me.

Mmmmm! More points for thought!

about the only thing I do not put in my own compus is scutch grass roots and bind weed if I had any, in the past I have tryed scutch in the compast it dose it good I have tryed burning it' it loves it' I feal that if they get it hot enough to kill the scutch. then shorly the rest of the compust must be useless, just a thort.

We put most of our green waste in our own compost bins, the 'rubbish' goes to the local authority for them to compost! We cannot buy local authority waste here (actualy it goes to a contractor and is driven from Moray to Aberdeenshire!) but the soil conditioners and 'peat free' composts sold in garden centers all contain it.
We recently bought some peat free multi-purpose compost and I tried the test described by Mrs MB above. After a couple of weeks there was no sign of growth in the pot so I am hoping that it wll be OK.
If you have access to local authority compost I would buy it as a soil conditioner.

In Hampshire it is sold as a Soil Conditioner and I have used it and found it to be fine in the garden but stick to my compost for the veggies

I would rather pay a bit more for something I was sure of.

My question would be whether the Council use the stuff themselves?
Our Council used to use the compost they produced and then sold any surplus to their requirements. If it is good enough for them to use (and as I know the head of their nursery department, he would not use it otherwise), then it should be good enough for you as well.

Good point Andrew

I buy it from our local tip its excellent and made the same as other compost.

Our local council provide us with compost once a year for free...Its a 'help yourself' situation....good stuff...I use it as a soil conditioner...:>)