Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling

I saw an episode of "Lost Gardens of Heligon" on Blighty a few days ago (probably a repeat from 10 years ago, or more). They drove a tractor and trailer down to the beach and filled it to the brim with seaweed.I've always assumed it took ages to gather a decent quantity of seaweed, (and that...

See here for how to test your manure, on the right hand side of the page under "What can I do?" http://www.manurematters.co.uk/gardening.htm"Ask your manure supplier Ask your manure or compost supplier if their material came from a farm or equine business where Forefront, Pharaoh, or...

You have just reminded me that some time ago I went with a friend to a saw mill to get some bark chippings. They were charging 50p per container of any size!All the bark had been removed from the trees and put into a massive pile 100 feet long and 20 feet high. You could hardly see the pile...

As far as I know Woodlice (slaters) are harmless. Sometimes they finish off the job slugs have started and get into fruit that slugs have made holes in and get a bad press for it but they are not the originators of that damage - thinking strawberries here. I never worry about slaters. They do a...

That's been very much my experience too. I see Vermiculite and Perlite referenced as if they are interchangeable, but Vermiculite seems to hold a lot of moisture and make quite a soggy mix.I'm going to stick to using Perlite mixed with multi-purpose compost (about 1:2 or 1:3) for cuttings...

Manure will only raise the acidity if used repeatedly (well, I suppose if you put a mountain load on that would be equivalent!).On vegetable patches Lime is traditionally used before the Brassica crop in the rotation to reduce the acidity - thus combating the effect of year-on-year manuring....

Don't worry you weren't the only one who bought that rubbish:yez: As for composted bark, our local council deliver wood chippings to our allotment several times a year,so I get all I need for free!

:wink: Hi jineu I have merged your threads together as they are about the same thing... :wink:

I've never grown carrots in 100% compost but I've used a 50:50 compost and soil mix in the past. I'd recommend New Horizon Organic and Peat Free multi-purpose compost but you might need to sieve the top layer if you're planting seeds directly into it. I usually mix plenty of vermiculite in...

Hi.I am about to plant a mature carex testacea and wondering what kind of compost is best. I have John Innes No3 mature plant compost and farm manure. Could you tell me which would be better for this plant? The label says it likes acidic soil. Also, do carex testaceas like a lot of...

I dont know about compost breaking down over time and getting smaller - it actually disappears! Many commercial composts seem to have organic material and soluble fertilisers and nowt else. The fertiliser obviously goes but organic matter over time decomposes and completely disappears cause that...

If you really wanted to go for a green manure, try comfrey, the roots go really deep & bring up nutrients that otherwise wouldn't be available to most plants. Its full of nitrogen & therefore rots down easily or can be used to make a good liquid feed. Don't use it if your garden is on an old...

This is perhaps relevant. The moral of the story being - high fertiliser is a quick fix at best. Look after your soil and your plants will look after themselves!

the flies in question are just harmless fruit flies but yes they are a pest when one opens the compost bin lid, they don't taste good. a layer of newspaper or an inch or two of spent compost will stop them for a while.Pete

Mudmover, thee and me are neighbours! Good luck with your garden! :gnthb:

I am currently using Sankey 46 cm bell pots which hold approximately 25 liters of mix.Kevin

Melinda, finders keepers comes first, so well done. Let us know what you decided to do with it. :-) Occassional dead arming does not hurt. LOL

I put all my teabags on the compost heap. I never see the wee bags again and trust me i do some tea drinking. My brother stopped putting them on his because of the wee bags. I maintained there wasn't enough heat. I put fresh cow manure on mine. I take it from the field across the road when the...

Hi Martin, it sounds like a good drop of stuff, shame it's so far away lol!!

Lol, Thanks for the comments John and Fidgets mum, after reading elsewhere on the forum about the dreaded "mile a minute" I think you could have made two very good suggestions. :gnthb: