Have I got time to get a green manure on my lottie?

This is the place to discuss not just allotments but all general gardening problems and queries which don't fit into the specific categories below.
(formerly allotments and tips, hints and problems)
Post Reply
mew
Living the good life
Living the good life
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2006 7:37 pm
Location: Staffordshire,UK

Have I got time to get a green manure on my lottie?

Post: # 71426Post mew »

Question is in the title really?

Also, same goes for my onions, have I got time if I put them in at the weekend or have a missed the boat? Also, do I need to manure / feed the bed prior to putting the onions in and if so, what am I best using?

thank youuuuuusssssssssss muchly :flower: :flower:

User avatar
Thurston Garden
A selfsufficientish Regular
A selfsufficientish Regular
Posts: 1455
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 3:19 pm
Location: Scottish Borders
Contact:

Post: # 71429Post Thurston Garden »

I planted an acre of Phacelia a couple of years back in early October (East Lothian) it gave good green ground cover, but of course did not flower.

I bought it from a local arable seedsman but can't remember the price. I left the end-riggs of the field unploughed in the spring and still have phacelia flowering there yet - it's great for attracting bees when it does.
Thurston Garden.

http://www.thurstongarden.wordpress.com
Greenbelt is a Tory Policy and the Labour Party intends to build on it. (John Prescott)

Peggy Sue
A selfsufficientish Regular
A selfsufficientish Regular
Posts: 1120
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:27 pm
Location: Godmanchester, Cambs, UK

Post: # 71604Post Peggy Sue »

I've been considering green manure on part of the allotment. I think tares can be sown now, it's what I've been looking at.

OH is very keen on the 'no weeds' look so might do his head in?? :?

Must say I have endless horse manure though and it's free so a bit torn on just using that and digging in the weeds!
Just Do It!

hambatroyd
margo - newbie
margo - newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:18 pm

Post: # 72800Post hambatroyd »

I stuck down some Rye a few weeks ago and its done rubbish; hardly any came up.
Just chopped down the Phacelia and will dig in tomorrow. Might try and get tares on top of that before winter.

My soil is THAT rubbish. Newspaper and compost helped (a bit). One round of Phacelia looks to have helped a bit and now plan to do tares followed by straw in the spring.

Peggy Sue
A selfsufficientish Regular
A selfsufficientish Regular
Posts: 1120
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:27 pm
Location: Godmanchester, Cambs, UK

Post: # 72879Post Peggy Sue »

I was told straw needs 2 years to rot in, after one year it is still taking nitrogen from the soil and doesn't give it back till 18 months or so. :cry:
Just Do It!

User avatar
Christine
Living the good life
Living the good life
Posts: 264
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:49 pm
Location: Sheffield

Post: # 73038Post Christine »

I've just ordered startlingly expensive green manure from Thompson and Morgan - brassica-free mix of some sort that says you can sow in Autumn and stand over winter. Bit of a risk but I reckon I could use a bit of fleece till it's up and away. Struggling for manure, so need something - compost seems to vanish to nothing from bin-full - and it's not ready yet either!

Post Reply