Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling

Thank you @pete @NigelJ and @fairygirl I have time to cut the smaller pieces off the branches and large twigs, leaving the bare, thicker parts, for the wood pile, or council. There are even some sections that can replace bamboo canes in supporting plants in the garden, even if only for a...

Its just much more civilised now, in my opinion, since the booking slots started.

I too have switched to plastic bins and used to line my wooden ones with old plastic sacks. I just dump weeds, kitchen waste and paper in one of my 2 bins and turn one into the other when it gets full, but they do sink down. When I do this I take the bottom layer which has broken down to a large...

Yes I got the full refund including delivery costs The garden was looking great. Let’s see what it looks like when we are back from Cornwall.

There's just no pleasing [or telling] some folk Working with the public eh?

I was in Homebase yesterday and didn't see any!

@akwe-xavante I agree 100% Same thing when you buy food, you want to know what's in it! Last year when I started looking into compost I was very surprised that the information about each bag is so vague. Hopefully it will change with the pressure from customers.

Maybe your compost is too dry? Try watering it every now and again - I've read it should be like a moist sponge, and that's not comfortable for rodents.

Thank you @Purple Streaks. I don’t grow anything from seed now as I don’t have a greenhouse or suitable space elsewhere. I’m also impatient! I buy most of my grasses from Knoll gardens and divide them as they expand. I think that many of the grasses that I grow are also sterile, which is good as...

For sowing seed I use one part J.I seed, one part own sifted own compost & one part Coir with no feed. It works for me.

Would probably make for ideal basket weaving strands!

My problem with cardboard is the material itself. If it's new, from virgin pulp, it's just wood fibre, but recycled cardboard, and at east 75% of it is here, contains all sorts of stuff; plastic sticky tape, plastic from envelopes, packaging material such as polystyrene, polythene coated paper,...

Growmore (7-7-7 NPK general purpose fertiliser, various manufacturers):Locally (garden centres) £20 to £23 (10kg tub).Online, delivered, 25kg sack for £29.Worth looking around if (like me!) you're a bit of a skinflint.

Comfrey is the best to make a liquid feed , it was bred as a high nutrition fodder crop and the leaves contain a high proportion of potassium, ideal for promoting flowers. Grass has some nitrogen and would probably make a sludge to do more harm than good.As Nigel says, nettles are an...

I always use Tomato feed with mine.

Yes, they like spinach seedlings too

Thanks for the info. I've been throwing in a handful of granules to whatever compost is in the potting tray. Now I know the ratios, I'll start using the appropriate amounts.

fond memories of the wood stove, located in the basement. heated up the floors and walls of the house. a lovely quietness. The cement floor of the basement very forgiving to any coals fallen. A ugly stove, flat top, then a step up in the back. Front opening solid doors with two dials for...