Exciting first steps

[bluebellParticipant]

I took over an allotment in October and decided, having read this site and one of your books to go with ‘no dig’. I manured most of the beds with a good 3 inches having dug out as many perennial weeds as I could. I am stunned at how well things are growing and how much more ‘wild life’ there is in the soil than there was in October. I have had some slug damage in the recent wet weather but growing in modules then planting out appears to help a lot, as do the organic slug pellets.

I had forgotten how wonderful radish tastes having had far too many years of shop bought ones. I can hardly wait to taste the carrots and peas!

Thank you so much

[charlesModerator]

 Thanks for posting this Bluebell, it is really heartening and I am excited to think of you experiencing such wonderful growth. It has been my experience for so long and I feel fortunate to help other gardeners with tips on no dig, as well as other things such as plant raising.

This is turning into a rather difficult spring and your comment on slugs being a problem is increasingly true. Be careful of overdoing the organic slug pellets which, it was recently announced, contain something unfriendly as their ‘chelating agent’. There was a recent post here about success with pellets of old wool…

[bluebellParticipant]

The pellets were what was to hand in my hour of need, having lived at the back of the cupboard for some years I was surprised that they appear to be working. Thanks for the warning and I will look in to the wool ones but only intend putting them around new sowings/ plantings while it is so wet.

[grannyjannyParticipant]

A tip I picked several years ago was to put ordinary slug pellets in a sealed container, an ice cream carton is ideal. Make a hole in the side & sit back & wait. Place it near you vulnerable plants & empty it every couple of days.

[Author]

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