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15C sounds way too high John, it’s rare in an Exmouth summer for sure!
I would plant now, they are better in the ground, unless your plants are still v small.Small, say 5-7cm
This sounds like the compost was warm/immature when they sold it to you, often happens. Over the next few months it will soften in situ and behave more normally.
I aim to but municipal compost a few months before spreading it.Nice phrasing Di, a big rent toll!
I have not succeeded in a great “perennial result”. Yes they survived to crop again a year later, but with a smaller crop, for a whole year of growing. Plus looking after, pruning and tidying and pigeon protection. Perennial does not mean no work.
Compare to purple sprouting whose crop begins 7-9 months after sowing and is in my experience more abundant.Thanks Ray and Di for your comments here, and I hope this thread encourages everyone not to believe all the free “advice” you see.
Coffee grounds in particular attract a lot of nonsense. They work fine in my heaps.
Good luck with your composting Brendan.I am honoured.
Yes definitely worthwhile Sunday and Monday morning.
I have fleeced potatoes outside too.MG I find that overwintered chilli plants in the half light of my conservatory usually suffer aphids by January, then it’s touch and go whether they survive and watering the leaves outside does help.
Aphids like weak plants so I wonder if you have full light or decent ventilation?
This is the season for most aphids as they start breeding, while predators slowly build their populations thanks to having more aphids to eat, so things will improve soon.Thanks compost pope I had not heard of this.
I am flying to Cork on 24th May to give a talk and seminar about no dig gardening on 25th. Kind of sums up the contradictions in mine and most of our lives, that we are locked into using fossil fuel while wanting and promoting a cleaner future.
At least there is the contribution of no dig and no till to keeping carbon in the soil.Maxim I feel your pain.
It makes me cross, these people who give such terrible “advice”.
It’s a lesson too, not to believe what everyone says and follow your hunch about what is right. Plastic under the compost or soil is not right! It stops roots going down and stops soil organisms coming up or moving down.
I would remove it whenever your beds are clear of plants. Awkward but worth it.Thanks for clarifying Cleansweep, great intentions.
My concern always is to keep it simple.
Mention of the four categories links most readers back to complexities of 4 year rotation.
I urge everyone to take nothing for granted and understand reasons why they say or do things.
Thanks for all your comments.Thanks for clarifying Cleansweep, great intentions.
My concern always is to keep it simple.
Mention of the four categories links most readers back to complexities of 4 year rotation.
I urge everyone to take nothing for granted and understand reasons why they say or do things.
Thanks for all your comments.tdawgarden, just to add to the sound advice here, the soil of your grass and roots is open not hard! Once those grass roots die, there are channels for new roots.
Just believe your eyes and ears of all the huge success people are having with this so simple and easy method.
Never scrape off grass or weeds, just cover. They are growing in great soil. No need for a tarp either, in your case, it’s another complication and expense in most situations, not always.Yes lone shepherd you left them way too long. Harvestable already as cleansweep says.
From that sowing date I would plant them early March with fleece over.
Aim for four week seedlings on average, see my propagation video for examples.
Small seedlings thrive in the ground which is compost initially in no dig.Paul your allotment is testament to the quality of your advice.
Cleansweep your advice is thorough but I don’t agree with your “four areas” categorisation. My work goes against traditional rotation, not that it’s invalid but it makes too many assumptions.
Or you could justify in your piece why you say that. It’s not something I consider in planning a plot.Timing is everything.
Plus understanding when vegetables flower, and true (not leaf beet) spinach is best example: whenever you sowed it, seeding/bolting happens by June.
So clear your first spinach then and plant lettuce to crop July to September.
Then 10th August sow spinach in modules to plant between the lettuce for harvests in autumn then spring until June.
Then you could clear and plant kale or whatever.
Use my Sowing Timeline, be familiar with best times for all veg https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/sowing-timeline-for-vegetables/
Plus, most veg grow in half a season when you are organised with propagation and have plants ready.