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

carinjo

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. 

carinjo

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

MissRikkiC

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! 

Suffolk_lass

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

MissRikkiC

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? 

Suffolk_lass

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

carinjo

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. 

LessImpecunious

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

LessImpecunious said:

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.

Kantankrus_Mare

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!!