coconut coir

Thanks all. I've read and taken on board everything you've all said, and I think I have a plan.

I'm thinking I'm going to ditch the coconut coir idea. I might still trial it in another role, for indoor pot grown plants, but the front garden is probably getting a different approach.

There's a farm not too far from me that sells the old style rectangular bales of straw. Once I've given my potatoes a chance, not that I have much hope for them given the hot dry weather they've suffered, I will probably just dig a few bust up bales of straw into it.

It may be too late by then, but if not I might also sow in some green manure. Something nitrogen fixing. I thought about clover but I might just spill a load of dried peas out and just leave it.

I know it still won't be ideal by next spring, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Does this sound like a fair plan?

 

For green manure you need something that will overwinter if you want to grow stuff next year.

 

That would be ideal, but most the mixes I've seen contain grass. I spend too much of my gardening time trying to keep grass out of the front. I figured if I put something in that germinates quickly, even if winter wipes it out it will at least add some bulk.

But if I can find a seed mix that will survive winter but not become a nightmare next spring then that's what I'll do.

 

I use grazing rye, its grass but I've never had it become a weed problem after digging in, it just dies.

 

For a cheap source of green manure, sow brown mustard seed.Available at 'asian' food shops, around £1.20 for 200 gms; or Sainsburys as below:
https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/fudco-brown-mustard-seeds-100g

Simply broadcast and rake in. Will grow until a heavy frost, keel over and may be hoe-ed in or left for the worms. In a mild year it will survive, requiring you to hoe it. Do not let it flower/seed. (Approximate seeding at 5gms/sq metre)
Is also edible as a slightly hot salad ingredient while small, similar to rocket