We've changed the name of this board from 'Greenfingered MoneySaving' to simply 'Gardening'. This is to help make it easier to find for the horticulturally inclined. The URL remains unchanged for the time being, so all links to the board are unaffected.
We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

The even bigger and better and hopefully not lower bits of growing your own in 2022!

18911131448

Comments

  • carinjo
    carinjo Posts: 898 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I am definately going to put a few.of my swift potatoes in trugs. On label it said plant 30cm -40cm apart. How does that translate to a growbag/trug? Will it help if i plant them along the sides of the bag/trug, or do they need equal distance from sides and each other?

    Had to move the shallots into the shed, was too warm in the house (unheated spare room), there shoots were almost double in length after 3 days inside. 


    It's good for the soul to walk with your soles on the soil. 
  • carinjo
    carinjo Posts: 898 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Weekend shopping: Ald1s selling weedsuppressing fabric (5mx2m 10mx1m) for £5.99. I got similar from L1dl last season. I used it for courgettes, butternut and pumpkins, pathways. This season going to use for shallots. You can burn a circle in the fabric or cut a cross into it and move each year as needed. As long as you keep the strimmer away from the edges *facepalm* it could last for ages. Definately a step up from the el cheapo weedsuppressing fabric which turn to glue in sun and rain.
    They also got citrus trees...i might get one for home
    It's good for the soul to walk with your soles on the soil. 
  • MissRikkiC
    MissRikkiC Posts: 1,261 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    A gifted rhubarb plant split into 3 and replanted this morning and a good tidy up of the patio also done. 

    I have cut back the leaves on the cabbages as spring greens and have sprayed the cauliflower or white sprouting (which ever it is I can’t tell!) with some bug spray as there are aphids/mealy bugs.

    I enquired with a local farm about cleaning off some manure last weekend so will be heading to pick up about 50kg of that next weekend but could do with doing some more research first! 

    I purchased a few bags of bowyers compost this week but used half for the rhubarb. Checked our composter today and I was pleasantly surprised that it was half full! We must have done something right last year! 
    Follow here for the daily life of an ADHD mum with 2 children and a new mortgage to pay

    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6570879/life-in-our-forever-family-home-and-the-mortgage-that-came-with-it#latest
  • If your farmyard manure still smells at this stage, add it to your composter for next year. If you want to use them again, if you get it and spread it on your beds in autumn it doesn't usually burn your young vegetables or fruit plants by the following spring. It sort of depends what it is from
    Save £12k in 2024 - #2 target is £5000 £5809.67 so far, just over 116%
    OS Grocery Challenge 2024[/url] 89.02% spent or £2670.67/£3,000 annual
    I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
    My old Debt Free Diary Get a grip Woman
    and my new diary is here
  • MissRikkiC
    MissRikkiC Posts: 1,261 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Apparently it’s well rotted and no smell! Although appreciate I might be a bit late doing it now. I believe it’s horse muck if that helps? 
    Follow here for the daily life of an ADHD mum with 2 children and a new mortgage to pay

    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6570879/life-in-our-forever-family-home-and-the-mortgage-that-came-with-it#latest
  • Horse muck is less likely to burn the roots - providing not smelly, than other farmyard manure (pigs or cow slurry, with the latter being spread on fields round here after harvest some years) - from memory. Just mix it through rather than leaving as a layer. You don't have to dig it in you can just twist it in with a border fork
    Save £12k in 2024 - #2 target is £5000 £5809.67 so far, just over 116%
    OS Grocery Challenge 2024[/url] 89.02% spent or £2670.67/£3,000 annual
    I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
    My old Debt Free Diary Get a grip Woman
    and my new diary is here
  • carinjo
    carinjo Posts: 898 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 2 March 2022 at 5:03PM
    Could one use fresh manure at the base of a raised bed? I am looking for ideas to reduce the amount of compost/topsoil. I already have access to woodchip and cardboard. 
    It has not stopped raining for several days. Ms C have started soft herbs and flowers inside, the leeks are coming along nicely as are the shallots in the shed and got a few bags of multi purpose compost. My cordless drill stopped working so the diy seedtrays are on hold. 
    Finally got around to pruning the pear tree and the guinea pigs are loving the twigs. 
    I am taking things a bit easier this march since we away for a bit and i don't want to leave seedlings on their own. 
    It's good for the soul to walk with your soles on the soil. 
  • carinjo said:
    Could one use fresh manure at the base of a raised bed? I am looking for ideas to reduce the amount of compost/topsoil.

    I'm pretty sure I've seen this suggested in places like the no dig facebook page, and have done it myself with no noticeable problems, except perhaps that as the manure decomposes the bed level will sink...
  • Suffolk_lass
    Suffolk_lass Posts: 9,607 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    carinjo said:
    Could one use fresh manure at the base of a raised bed? I am looking for ideas to reduce the amount of compost/topsoil.

    I'm pretty sure I've seen this suggested in places like the no dig facebook page, and have done it myself with no noticeable problems, except perhaps that as the manure decomposes the bed level will sink...
    I don't think it matters if the level sinks - you will have compost to top it up with next year. I would be selective about what you grow if the compost is not well rotted (shallow rooted or above-surface things like beetroot or dwarf beans or radishes would all be good).

    If you have got room to top dress now with the manure, you might find topping it up and turning it in in May when you are beyod the frosts is the best thing for your productivity.
    Save £12k in 2024 - #2 target is £5000 £5809.67 so far, just over 116%
    OS Grocery Challenge 2024[/url] 89.02% spent or £2670.67/£3,000 annual
    I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
    My old Debt Free Diary Get a grip Woman
    and my new diary is here
  • Kantankrus_Mare
    Kantankrus_Mare Posts: 6,119 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Ive made a boo boo.      You would think after 15 years of growing my own I would know better! Did some seed sowing last week including some trailing tomatoes and cordon tomatoes. My labels for the tomatoes look blank. Cant have used waterproof pen. Tut!. Now I dont know which ones are which! One has germinated before the other though. Any experienced growers know if this is likely to be one or the other? Otherwise, I will just sow some more trailing ones.
    Silly me!!
    Make £10 a Day Feb .....£75.... March... £65......April...£90.....May £20.....June £35.......July £60
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 347K Banking & Borrowing
  • 251.6K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 451.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 239.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 615.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 175K Life & Family
  • 252.6K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.