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Topic:
Asleep in the autumn sunshine
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Topic: Asleep in the autumn sunshine (Read 6645 times)
supersprout
Hectare
Posts: 4,660
mulch mad!
Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
on:
November 09, 2006, 15:37:47 »
What a gorgeous morning! By 2pm the autumn sunshine was playing across the dormant and allium beds, so got the camera out :) I just love taking pictures of straw :P
From the new plot - front beds receiving compost (trying artichoke's lasagne way)
Established plot
The straw changes colour depending how long it's been out in the elements, all adds to the interest imo ;)
«
Last Edit: November 09, 2006, 15:51:10 by supersprout
»
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manicscousers
Hectare
Posts: 16,474
www.golborne-allotments.co.uk
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #1 on:
November 09, 2006, 15:45:25 »
beautiful but I still wish it was nearer to spring :(
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Belinda
Half Acre
Posts: 149
Still learning
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #2 on:
November 09, 2006, 16:53:53 »
Aren't we actually closer to next Spring than last?
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manicscousers
Hectare
Posts: 16,474
www.golborne-allotments.co.uk
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #3 on:
November 09, 2006, 17:50:34 »
maybe but I'm not too keen on dark and cold, dry bright and cold I can cope with :)
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tim
Hectare
Posts: 18,607
Just like the old days!
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #4 on:
November 09, 2006, 18:00:34 »
Regimental, Sarah!
Talk me into using straw??
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Robert_Brenchley
Hectare
Posts: 15,593
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #5 on:
November 09, 2006, 18:29:49 »
I do much the same with grass cuttings; it's the way to go in my opinion. much easier than all that digging, and no flushes of weeds afterwards. Four months till March and (hopefully) some spring-like weather.
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Birmingham UK
http://thisandthat-robert.blogspot.com/
supersprout
Hectare
Posts: 4,660
mulch mad!
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #6 on:
November 09, 2006, 18:43:55 »
glad you approve Robert - you led the way all those months ago! not a day passes without at least one quiet thank you :D
oh tim - just try a patch for a season and you'll talk yourself into it in no time!
I do like a regimental path/bed layout, gives the impression of order in what would otherwise be a sea of straw ::)
like robert says, use what you can conveniently get free or cheap - straw, hay, spent hops, leaves, mowings, fresh or aged compost, or shreddings ;D
«
Last Edit: November 09, 2006, 18:50:48 by supersprout
»
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lorna
Hectare
Posts: 7,837
March. Cambridgeshire
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #7 on:
November 09, 2006, 22:52:23 »
SS Quite agree the autumn sunshine has been so lovely over the past few days. Now my back garden is so much bigger (conifers all gone) the sunshine certainly encourages me to go out in the garden. Today the bubble wrap was put up in the greenhouse and if we have a few more days of dry weather the hammer and nails will be out so that I can start on my raised beds.
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Emagggie
Hectare
Posts: 4,552
Out to lunch.
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #8 on:
November 10, 2006, 11:45:29 »
Since my mulching lesson,Sarah, I have been like a thing possessed and things are growing well (hunions,peas, garlic and broadies,rasps & rhubarb transplanted etc.) and being tucked in. It's been lovely in the autumn sunshine and the world and his wife have been working on our site!
Love the pics and the variation of colour.
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Smile, it confuses people.
Barnowl
Hectare
Posts: 3,738
getting back to my roots [SW London]
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #9 on:
November 10, 2006, 11:50:49 »
I'm planning to dig the potato bed before planting as it rotates each year (working on a 5 year rotation) but try to use minimal dig on others. Problem is getting the straw in central London. Have bought some strulch but it will have to perform brilliantly to justify its cost.
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ice
Not So New ...
Posts: 28
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #10 on:
November 10, 2006, 18:57:45 »
supersprout,
I really like the mulching- how many bales do you need to mulch your plot?
And how big are the bales and your plot? And what's the going rate for a bale of straw?
thanks
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supersprout
Hectare
Posts: 4,660
mulch mad!
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #11 on:
November 10, 2006, 20:44:22 »
hey ice,
the bales are the brick-shaped ones (handleable), going rate is £1.50/bale in our neck of the woods
six fit in my van (Fiat Doblo)
1 plot = 10 x 20m = 200m
2
average spread = 20m
2
= 10 bales/plot
If you can get other materials for free (leaves/lawn mowings) to ring the changes, great.
I've only been doing it this way for nine months, lots of other peeps have been doing it longer and/or are experimenting too ::) this is what seems to work SO FAR ;D
apply mulch thickly to suppress weeds (8"). If weeds are growing through, the mulch is too thin! Just add more
sprinkle mulch in a thinner layer (2") over e.g. newly planted onion and garlic, and top up between plants (when they have grown through the mulch) later to 8"
pull mulch aside from sowing lines, sow, wait til plants are established, then scooch the mulch back and top up if necessary
vary laying density - lay thickly in wedges for paths, sprinkle separated, lightly, over newly planted beds to make it easy for the spears to push through
keep topping up the mulch e.g. if you want to blanch leeks or protect winter veg so you can harvest them in frost
keep a few bales handy on the plot - a reservoir of 3 or 4
:)
good luck if you decide to try it ice :D
some good threads here if you search on 'mulch' :)
«
Last Edit: November 10, 2006, 20:47:15 by supersprout
»
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Marymary
Hectare
Posts: 1,584
Norwich
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #12 on:
November 10, 2006, 20:46:53 »
ah. All toastie under their duvets! :-*
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supersprout
Hectare
Posts: 4,660
mulch mad!
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #13 on:
November 10, 2006, 20:56:27 »
Quote from: Marymary on November 10, 2006, 20:46:53
ah. All toastie under their duvets! :-*
spot on mary - I feel so mumly tucking them up! ::) ;)
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flossie
Hectare
Posts: 892
Lincoln
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #14 on:
November 11, 2006, 18:15:57 »
Really inspired by this - thanks :)
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MrsKP
Hectare
Posts: 3,312
Sunny Glasgow
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #15 on:
November 16, 2006, 07:03:26 »
i chucked a load on my onions and was a bit concerned to see how wet and squelchy it was. but i'm sticking with it.
found a supplier at £2.50 a bale at the weekend. now to figure how to squeeze a bale into the back of a fiesta. i'm sure there's a joke there somewhere.
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There's something happening every day @
http://kaypeesplot.blogspot.com/
&
http://kaypeeslottie.blogspot.com/
supersprout
Hectare
Posts: 4,660
mulch mad!
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #16 on:
November 16, 2006, 08:37:18 »
thank you flo :)
straw is very flexible stuff to mulch with - I tend to do an airy sprinkle of a light 2" or so on the onions (like Robert does with his grass cuttings) then top up between the plants when the shoots come through. If I spy e.g. a dock or bramble coming, I twoink off the shoot and cover with a WAD of straw. So far so good :D
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Artisan
Not So New ...
Posts: 21
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #17 on:
November 23, 2006, 08:53:15 »
Great posts and pics SS. I particularly like the idea of scooching the mulch and twoinking the the shoots!
I used the wifes car to collect a bale of straw as bedding for our weasels a couple of years ago, unfortunately, it came with a small furry passenger that took up residence in her car. Seemed like a sociable little soul to me, would pop up to say hello now and again, usually when the wife was driving, and caused a few very hairy moments with squeeling and hands covering eyes as we careerered dwon the road. She was less than impressed so we don't move straw in her car anymore. Moral of the story, I guess, if you are going to use the wife's car to collect your straw bales, don't tell her!
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manicscousers
Hectare
Posts: 16,474
www.golborne-allotments.co.uk
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #18 on:
November 23, 2006, 10:46:02 »
lovely picture, mouse ? looking at your wife as she puts her hands over her eyes and veers around, hope she was o.k, had the same with a bee a couple of years ago, took up residence in the hair at the back of my neck, this was while doing 70 mph on a no stopping part of the road !! :P
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supersprout
Hectare
Posts: 4,660
mulch mad!
Re: Asleep in the autumn sunshine
«
Reply #19 on:
November 23, 2006, 16:31:56 »
lol@artisan but you won't be able to keep it a secret without a very very very good vacuum cleaner :P
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