Life of leachate

[AliP594]

I didn't realise this either. I've been using some of my older collection on winter flowering plants and haven't noticed any smell or frothy head. Hopefully it's ok

[Plectronius O’Seaweed]

Oh dear, I did not know that. It has been cold outside, so it might last a while but I will need to use mine up. I guess you could freeze it…

[HotBinDjinn]

Hi,

I think there is a certain amount of bacteria in the leachate. From my own experience, it begins to ferment and gains a foamy head, and starts to smell pretty bad. I've added a little boiling water to mine to make it last a bit longer, but unless you can pasteurize it or freeze it, it has a sell-by date.

[AncientBrit]

My HotBin (Mk2) is generating between one and two pints of leachate a week at present, and I am accumulating and storing a substantial amount as a result. I was intending to start using this once Spring got under way, but I have just read on the HotBin website that it should be used within a couple of weeks, which is disappointing! It contains humic and fulvic acid; does anybody know what happens when the 'Use By' date is exceeded? Commercially available products appear to contain the same acids and I assume that they will last substantially longer than two weeks.