Topic: New Allotment Holder's queries

[redimp]

After reading that I have decided that from now on:

'I will be mostly growing couch grass'

Send me your address and I'll stick a binbag of rhizomes in the post. ;)

Thanks for the offer but I already have plenty  :)

[redimp]

Red Clanger   What went wrong with your leafmould?  If you only have small amounts save it up til you have a black bag full.  Add a bit of garden soil to the bag, tie it up and then make some fork holes in it for a bit of air to get round.  I then collect these up and wait.  You can go and shake them up every now and then.  It does take about 18 -24 months usually.    :)

Just used it all because I needed it so I will be buying seed compost again next year  :(

[wardy]

RC     I used to go for frequent walks to the woods at the back of my house and kind of took some carrier bags with me (if you get my drift) and I always found plenty of free leafmould there  :)   I realise that everyone is not as keen on leafmould as I am  ;D

[amphibian]

RC     I used to go for frequent walks to the woods at the back of my house and kind of took some carrier bags with me (if you get my drift) and I always found plenty of free leafmould there  :)   I realise that everyone is not as keen on leafmould as I am  ;D

If I catch anyone taking leaf mold in my woods, I'll shout 'ger off my land' and chase them off with a pack of slavering squirrels.  ;D

To be honest I don't think it would matter a jot if someone was to fall over, and on standing up discover their bag has inadvetently filled with fine, well rotted, leaf mold.

[jennym]

They taught us at college that leaf mould alone doesn't have a lot of nutrients in it, so you could use it as a component of seed compost, but that's about it. I've never used it alone, nor have I made my own seed compost yet, but 2 yrs ago collected leaves in a wire bin on posts 6ft x 4ft x 3ft high. Its now in a plastic bin I found on a skip, which is about one third full, so it really shrinks down. I'm going to have a go at making my own seed compost with it this autumn.

[amphibian]

They taught us at college that leaf mould alone doesn't have a lot of nutrients in it, so you could use it as a component of seed compost, but that's about it. I've never used it alone, nor have I made my own seed compost yet, but 2 yrs ago collected leaves in a wire bin on posts 6ft x 4ft x 3ft high. Its now in a plastic bin I found on a skip, which is about one third full, so it really shrinks down. I'm going to have a go at making my own seed compost with it this autumn.

For my seed beds I am also planning on mulching with seaweed, for a seed compost I thought leaf mold could be used neat.

[redimp]

The only things I add are a bit of sharp sand to aid drainage and prevent shrinkage and if a few more nutrients are wanted, a bit of ordinary soil.

http://www.veganorganic.net/info1.html: Almost any mixture of sieved leaf mould or garden compost with added sand or vermiculite will do the job; a typical mixture for raising seeds would be three parts sieved leaf mould or compost to one part of sharp sand or vermiculite. A leaf mould mix will have fewer nutrients than one made with compost so may be best for raising seeds which are soon to be re-potted (seeds have their own supply of nutrients for initial growth)....

[amphibian]

I have been given a massive bag of alfalfa seeds by a farmer friend of mine. I am thinking of sowing these as a green manure on a bit of my plot that doesn't fit into my plan for the coming months.

I noticed one person on here, saying they had difficulty getting rid of alfalfa after sowing it as a green manure. Does anyone else have any experiences of alfalfa, good or bad?

Will alfalfa compete well with the couch grass, or is their a green manure that will do better?

[jennym]

Fpr an easy to dig in green manure, I reckon you can't beat turnips sown thickly and/or poached egg plant (Limanthes). Both low growing, speading, shallow rooted etc. But the rotation question could be a problem with turnip.

[machman5]

Hi Amphibian,
I know I am a bit behind everyone else with this reply (only about 7 months!!) but I followed a link and found myself spellbound with your quest against the dreaded 'devils weed' couchgrass!

I have had my lottie for about 5 years now and still suffer every year from the bloody stuff.  I have discovered though that if you get in there on your bum and have a good old rummage for all the rhizomes every march/april, it keeps it at bay for the rest of the year (and I agree it is quite theraputic even if it does take hours!!).

Mine tends to creep in from the edges so that is where most of my problem are but if I do see the odd tuft blowing about, I pull it out very carefully using a handfork and following the root to it's end.

The only problem it seems to cause though is that it leaves the soil parched and crops nearby suffer from the lack of water.

There is a good side to it though, it makes a good remedy for sore throats and coughs and helps with 'urinary tract infections' apparently!

I have written the technical details down if you want to know them but have to admit, I haven't tried it myself!!

Anyway, hope you are on top of things this year and good luck!!
Donna.