Topic: Re-Juvinating Greenhouse Soil Beds Before Spring

[Trixiebelle]

Greenhouse 1 has had a bit of a battering over the last 3 yrs (tomatoes and grapes) and Greenhouse 2 has only been used once this year (for the last 3 yrs) but the soil is rubbish :(

I've got a couple of water-butts that are full of grass-clippings (and water!) and they stink to high heaven!!!!!!

Do you think I can empty the water-butts into the greenhouse soil beds/dig it over  and would it be beneficial or detrimental i.e. Ahmed next door said that grass clippings killed his beetroot!

[saddad]

Chuck it in... you won't be growing anything there at the moment...
 ;D

[Larkshall]

Greenhouse 1 has had a bit of a battering over the last 3 yrs (tomatoes and grapes) and Greenhouse 2 has only been used once this year (for the last 3 yrs) but the soil is rubbish :(

I've got a couple of water-butts that are full of grass-clippings (and water!) and they stink to high heaven!!!!!!

Oh dear, you obviously didn't make provision for drainage for the grass clippings. It would have been better to have made a heap in a corner somewhere.

GH2: I would suggest that you dig out some of the soil, replace it with a LOT of homemade compost or farmyard manure (or both) and then grow plants which can tolerate newly manured soil. You should be back to normal the year after.

[Trixiebelle]

Thanks Larks!

I didn't put any holes in the water butts because I'd heard that the grass water was good for onion feed in the Spring!! Is that right????

I'm confused!

Oh b***er it! I'll just buy a few packets of Growmore and lob 'em on the beds!!!!!!

Trixie XXXXXX

[Larkshall]

I can't confirm that. They used to use coal soot for onion beds, but I think that was so that the soil could more easily absorb heat from the sun rather than for the chemical content of the soot.

[davy1]

I was thinking of doing my tomato tunnel the same as my show leek trench but without so much deapth. All the ingredients are there for good feed and warmthe for the roots.

[kt.]

I can't confirm that. They used to use coal soot for onion beds, but I think that was so that the soil could more easily absorb heat from the sun rather than for the chemical content of the soot.

We have just had 25 bags of soot dropped off at the site for first come first served, one bag per person for free. I took one (as you do), never used it yet but will do this year. Just cos' everyone said it was good stuff. And all bags  went in 10 minutes!  :)