This topic contains 6 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by charles 5 years, 11 months ago.
-
Posts
-
One might consider the practicalities of planting them along, and upon, a path especially if it were positioned so as not to receive any run-off. Alternatively, a super-imposed raised bed above the composted bed, which you could fill with ‘poor’ soil.
Hi Ionianc, I find that gypsophila grows happily in compost over soil and would plant it with other flowers.
In the UK there are now huge numbers of no dig flower growers and I never heard a comment about the beds being too rich for flowers of any particular kind. Adding compost is not akin to adding lots of fertiliser.
Plus the amounts of compost used are no more than were used in traditional horticulture, before fertilisers were invented. It’s more visible in no dig so that is perhaps why people think you need a lot. The initial dose can be high, to suppress weeds and save time as much as anything. So few weeds, so easy to grow.
See the adjacent post ‘Shock horror’!Hi,
I believe the theory behind this is that rich soil leads to lush growth of foliage at the expense of flowers.
My allotment started off as a cutting garden 11 years ago. It has evolved into a no-dig potager style garden, with some beds dedicated to flowers, some to fruit and veg, and some where flower planting becomes part of the crop rotation plan.
Like you, I was at first worried about the quality of blooms from the beds that I dress more generously with compost. However, flowers grow strongly and flower abundantly – and I think they sometimes do better in the “richer” beds, especially in long dry spells – as they probably have access to better reserves of moisture.
A major confession – I have never managed weed free no dig! This is partly because I rely on annuals (and some biennials) self seeding. These volunteer plants are much more vigorous than those from seeds I sow and provide many more blooms. I notice this especially with sweet rocket, cornflowers, calendula, ammi, and cosmos (the latter has no problem at all with self propagating and flourishing in compost rich soil!). Sunflowers, reputed to be greedy plants that leech all goodness from the soil, benefit from the conditions that no dig can provide, as do sweet peas.
So if my experience is anything to go by, rest assured your cut flower garden should thrive on no dig. The added benefit is the wonderful variety of insects the blooms bring to the garden – as well as comments from appreciative passers by.
Best wishes
Two lovely messages, great to hear.
Beverley your experience is fantastic, do post a photo if you have the time, and can work out the procedure for that (!). Main thing is keep images 6-750KB.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.