Cleansweep

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 174 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: Converting gravel pad to garden #70720

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    Welcome to the forum
    You may receive differing advice but I would be content to place the compost as the next action. You will be above the path, and over time you probably will build topsoil, nature supposedly takes a thousand years for 1″ but my beds are distinctly higher after 5 seasons, such that I have raised the paths to support them.
    Orientation is a controversy, some support both/either options. Personally,I try to plant so that shade is not created where unwanted, but have planted fruit bushes to create shelter from prevailing wind. You might plant as squares not rows to confound the purists.
    Regarding bed size, my rows suit me as 2metre, I am tall and can reach in at least half way.
    My beds are around 4metre, I plant leaving ‘stepping stone’ areas so as to gain occasional access through the middle without actually having a path.
    Good luck with your growing, we love to receive updates, before and after photos and detail from the wider world.

    in reply to: Setting up no dig – planting through cardboard? #70665

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    For the slug population, beer traps and/or twilight patrols -with scissors!
    Personal preference for paths will be wood chip- a local tree surgeon may be delighted to deliver his waste for a beer or two-(not from the traps!)
    Leave the carpet on your floors.

    in reply to: Will City compost be alright to use #70626

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    Welcome ,
    You are indeed fortunate in getting any sort of analysis for your City compost. All one can hope for here is that it meets a standard known as pas100, and that its relatively free from junk.
    You should notice when its delivered if its ‘hot’ to the touch, indicating that its still decomposing, and should be allowed to finish (ripen) before application.Ideally, get it early, and if possible, insert a compost thermometer to record the temperature trend. 60 deg C should be the maximum, falling back to ambient air temperature. Another indicator would be the population of the heap by woodlice- they like it ‘cosy’ but not hot!.
    There is no definite definition of compost, beyond being a blend of plant based material in the process of decay.All will work to some extent for our purpose, which is to provide a natural environment for fungi, bacteria and organisms to perform Natures miracle, which requires air, moisture and minerals. Your compost feeds these, not the plants directly*
    *research Dr Elaine Ingham
    Yes, you can plant into the compost layer.Most plants are presown and grown on in pots or trays (modules) prior to planting out, especially in the early Spring period.See the books and videos produced by our host.
    The plants will determine whether they require to go down into the soil.My experience of no-dig is that my plants thrive, and grow more roots,both directions ,sideways and down.When harvesting, cut off the plant, leave the roots intact in the ground.They will generally rot away, leaving a clear passage for other roots, organisms and water to travel
    Cleansweep

    in reply to: Is manure alone ok to plant in? #70625

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    Its not an ‘either or’kind of thing. Use what you can get/have got. If the supply of manure is ‘plenty’ then use it each way. Some initially, use some to balance the other compostables you can garner to produce a correctly heated heap, that will hopefully kill some weed seeds, to have a supply for next season, and the season after that. You may incorporate a dressing of seasoned compost within the heaps, to ‘innoculate’ with soil bacteria. You may make foliar feeds and compost teas with some to boost plantings. A (FREE!) orange onion sack from your local takeaway shop will enable you to steep a bag of manure in a spare waterbutt to produce a rich liquor, resembling the leading tomato fertilser in a red bottle….T*-rite.
    These are the sorts of thing that you can do with the (spare?)time you dont spend weeding.
    Cleansweep

    in reply to: Chewed leeks #70616

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    Are fieldvoles present in your locale? They are charming little blighters but are a proverbial pain. While I enjoy their company (!), it would be better if they ate all the plant rather than a nip here and chunk there.
    My first frustration with them was in a production house growing- on bedding plants and they travel across a block of crop, ‘felling’ 1 or 2 per tray as if beavers in a forest, just to create a passage.

    in reply to: Converting existing garden/advice vs Bindweed: #70615

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    Really there is no conflict in how you enjoy the space once its reclaimed. As suggested above, I would mow it often, as short as the terrain allows. Apply cardboard boxes opened flat as Charles relates and cover with a compost that is free from weedseeds and grass. Achieve a flat surface and, once you are ready (and weed free), lay out your planting areas, whether for veg, flowers and even lawn. A lawn benefits tremendously from a thin (2-3mm) layer of fine compost , brushed in with a besom. Your lawn- dwelling worms will love you!

    in reply to: Where to get Polythene Sheet /Covering. First allotment #70614

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    It will depend on your location and whether you have a ‘brass neck’.(That is, the ability to overcome your normal reticent to scrounge.)
    A good source of cheap (ie free!) heavy duty polythene sheet is a farm yard with cows ; if they use/keep silage in pits or ‘sausages'(known as Ag Bags). Normally its a one-use cover, is tough and, usefully, black on one side, white on the other.
    See:

    So keep your eyes open when you see maize being cut /carted. Its going to a place that will have plenty of scrap plastic after the winter.The real test of a ‘brass necker’ is to get your newfound friendly farmer to cut it nice and strait , fold it squarely, and put it in your car..

    in reply to: Good Time to Start #70596

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    If you were to mow the area repeatedly,to a low setting, you will reduce/eliminate many of the weed population as they reduce in ability to photosynthesise, flower and seed. You also provide a ‘free’compostable ingredient. Create a lawn in other words.Shortness will allow the cardboard to rest at soil level and soften more rapidly when/if it rains again.
    If you can source suitable plants (brassica?) then a late summer planting could bring in a crop for this year end.
    Apart from cycle shops, retailers of white goods (fridges etc) and fireplace/stove shops will give you lots of card-just ask.My local supermarket has a cardboard recycle bin and will let one remove the fly-tipped boxes that arrive even when the bin is full. Card will also compost, especially with the ‘lawn’ mowings. Beware the box staples-they bite.

    in reply to: Shallots #70581

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    Try to let them dry off to shrivel leaf. Once ready, I pull them and arrange on a barrow sieve on 5 gallon drums, well clear of the ground, for ,hopefully ,a sunny fortnight.It matters not if they get the odd shower but check that they are soil-free around the roots. Once dry, I clean the outer skins off, and any remaining stem/roots and store in mushroom trays in a ventilated covered rack against the north wall of the house.Generally good till Easter.Inspect as using and select and retain sufficient to replant next season.

    Have found that the Brown shallots from supermarkets are a viable source of new sets but need soaking before planting to wash off any growth inhibitor

    in reply to: Celeriac again #70580

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    Looks fine to me, certainly would clean up the aged leaves, as a general point I try to do it to all crops, to allow no hiding place for slugs or voles. Also boosts the volume for composting…

    in reply to: Plastic on top of bed. #70578

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    I feel 6″ of compost would be needlessly extravagant. Certainly plant as soon as you like. Why not retain the extra compost, and if necessary, ‘spot cover’ with more cardboard/compost any areas of emerging weed.Be sure to overlap and bury edges.
    Cleansweep

    in reply to: Squash plants growing northwards…. #70564

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    28 day update.
    Close monitoring has led me to observe that:
    a) There is no obvious directional inclination demonstrated.
    b)There is no pattern correlation of direction by species.
    No solar/polarity influence seems to dominate.
    c) They are all accellerating after Junes rainfall !
    d)They just seek to escape!,
    the butternuts are aiming/aligned to clear the 6ft Mesh boundary fence

    in reply to: Celeriac again #70563

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    Dont panic-yet!
    Are there signs that the plants are forming a seed head?, ie a single central stem.
    Expect a good crop to get to maybe 50cm, on a ‘football’ of perhaps 25cm. Bolted ones are of little use, except you can use them for flavour in soup perhaps, discarding the wood by straining. Of course, the foliage can also be used if appertising, for the same purpose. Extra mulch may help.
    Cleansweep

    in reply to: Raised beds have no room for compost #70485

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    If you MUST keep the sides (Tidy Police!), then you should be able to lift them up as one unit with your now otherwise redundant spade. If they have pegs to support the boards, cut longer ones and insert before lifting. Refix with screws at the required height. Fill the path with (free) wood chip to support the revealed soil.I still prefer Charles’s suggestion but sometimes other parties interfere!

    in reply to: Beans damaged by Rabbits #70441

    Cleansweep
    Participant

    Sounds as if you need to source a pie-crust funnel…

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 174 total)

Forum Info

Registered Users
27,613
Forums
10
Topics
2,941
Replies
10,416
Topic Tags
567