Planting out method

[AsifParticipant]

Hello again Charles

This is probably the silliest question of them all but I’m a little confused about how to plant out.

When sowing outside using no-dig, I understand that seeds need to be set into fine compost and not soil.

As for plants, do these go into soil or the compost layer above it? If planting into compost, I guess more compost needs to be added around the plant to keep it in place?

As an aside, my allotment currently has a lot of water gathering, especially around the paths i dug out around the beds. I keep getting told by fellow allotmenteers to double-dig to improve drainage. Following your methodology, I’m reluctant to do this. If I add a little compost/manure on top of the paths, will drainage improve in time?

Your advice, as always is much appreciated.

Asif

[charlesModerator]

Asif, nice to hear from you.
Seed can be in soil if there is sometimes only a little compost on top. Or in compost if there is more of that on top.
Its like the only “rule” is not to mix soil & compost unnecessarily, or disturb soil more than you need to, in other words the opposite of what your allotment neighbours recommend!
I find on clay that doing what you wonder – a little compost/organic matter/manure whatever it is, on top of the path surface, will encourage worms and other life to improve drainage. It just won’t happen overnight. But see this FB link from Laurenne Hopkins on my Facebook page , its December 29th and the dug allotment is waterlogged, her undug one is fine.
When planting, put them in deep so the existing compost supports their stems. Its no problem if roots are in soil or compost!

[AsifParticipant]

Thank you so much for that Charles. Just the advice I was after.

[RhysParticipant]

Asif

One thing I’ve done with paths (albeit in the spring, not now), is that when I’ve filtered a ripe compost through a sieve, I put all the ‘remains’ which don’t pass through down on the paths and just leave it to complete its decomposition on the paths. I have four 7.5sqm beds with paths of 50cm in between (each path 5 metres long) and a couple of smaller paths to two smaller beds.

I found that filtering one half-full 80cm*80cm*80cm compost cage provided enough ‘waste’ to cover all the paths for the season.

Don’t know if you yet have an over-wintered/over-summered compost cage you could do this with…….

[AsifParticipant]

Rhys

Thanks for your tips on covering paths. Any compost cages you’d recommend?

Asif

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