Author Topic: you just knew the questions would start.... (Read 4266 times)

Ceri · « **on:** August 31, 2003, 11:54:45 »

my new lottie has no inheritable compost heap so I have had two ideas of collecting stuff in large amounts

1. our local council cuts back hedges and trees and uses a huge chipper/mulcher machine on the spot - while I know my scrounging skills are up to getting a load of this - would it be too woody for a heap?
and
2. loads of dead seaweed gets washed up at high tide - would this be good for the heap or too salty (I am presuming it is not illegal to swipe a bin bag full from tons on the high tide line!)
If anyone else has good ideas of where to skank free compostable material please let me know

Cheers

Ceri

Cheers

allotment_chick · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2003, 12:27:26 »

Hi Ceri
The chippings would rot down eventualy, but would take a very long time - I think I would advise that you use them on your plot plaths, or re-chip them at home with a domestic shredder, (if you have one) to make them as fine as possible. Then (like leaf mould) make a separate heap just for them. They will take several years to rot down to anything useable as soil conditioner.

Seaweed, on the other hand, is a whole different kettle of fish (if you catch my drift! :)). Check this out:
http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/gg15.htm

Out with those buckets!

Ceri · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2003, 12:37:51 »

Brilliant advice, many thanks

I walk my dog along the beach quite often so it will be doggypoo bag in one hand and bin bag for seaweed in the other!

teresa · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2003, 15:11:08 »

Hi Cerig, are their any woods / conker trees around you our town they scrape the leaves up and leave in a pile for anyone to aquire makes good leaf compost. My lottie is on the edge of a park so come leaf fall I will be their with my bin liners ha ha.Comphrey is good in the compost heap as well buy a plant or sow seeds or aquire I allways perfer the latter :-[ some one around will have some ask. Teresa

legless · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2003, 15:32:28 »

if you want to come and dig it up Ceri, you can have a plant or two of my comfrey!

Jo

allotment_chick · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2003, 15:56:33 »

Ah, comfrey ... my favourite subject. To be discussed in hushed and reverential tones, I suggest. No lottie holder can call their plot complete without it. I could bore for England on the subject ::) It's marvellous healing properties...high in potash...brill soil conditioner....compost activator....let me know if you want me to bore you more, but I feel you might all be dozing off by now!

Be sure to get Bocking 14 (which is sterile) otherwise it will seed everywhere. Can be bought on eBay sometimes, or probably in the Organic Gardening Catalogue (if you join the HDRA you get 10% off most things).

Ceri · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2003, 16:22:30 »

back from the lotty - yes its mine - done a couple of hours and I'll be back there after lunch, hopefully with husband in tow. yes please jo - let me know when a good time would be this week/next weekend and I'll pop down. The assoc stock seeds of red clover - would this be a good green manure to get going. The soil on the allotment is brilliant compared to my clay garden. Lots of abandoned leek trenches - I dug three foot of pure topsoil before I hit a single stone! Marestail going to be a nightmare though!

legless · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2003, 16:37:37 »

i'll check my diary! i only say if you dig it up because i haven't got the slightest idea what is the best way to seperate plants/ take cuttings! it is bocking 14 by the way...

3 foot! you're keen aren't you? glad its going well. i'll be on the look out for someone suspiciously nicking seaweed next time i'm down the beach - you'll do wonders for the reputation of our little resort here (joining the old man who swims in the sea every day, the local drunk walking along the beach with his border collie clamped to his leg while he drags it along the beach saying 'its alright, he only bites me!' and me taking photos of sand, as sights and loonies of whitley!) ;D

Jo

allotment_chick · « **Reply #8 on:** August 31, 2003, 21:47:25 »

Hi guys - to propogate comfrey you just chop a bit off with a spade and plant it - simple as that. If you have more time, you can chop off a couple of pieces, divide the root using a sharp knife into as many pieces as you can get with a shoot on it. Pot these up whatever potting compost you normally use and keep well watered. Almost guaranteed that within a fortnight you'll have loads of plants for your plot. Or keep them potted and re-divide until you have as many as you need! Magical stuff...

Ceri · « **Reply #9 on:** September 01, 2003, 02:08:53 »

legless - photos of sand ..... a hobby, right????. Thanks for the comfrey advice a-chick, I'll be scrounging of legless asap. And no, I'm not that keen on digging the whole lot 3 ft down, I was just so shocked that I could use a spade instead of a fork as the soil was so lovely, I thought I'd dig a bit deeper...and deeper... and gave up at 3ft. Apparently I was digging in an old leek trench - and boy do they take leeks seriously up here! Perhaps the previous tenant took all the soil home and put it through a blender its so fine! As I don't think I'll be exhibiting just yet, I thought this lovely patch would be great to try long rooted carrots - no stones or clay for 3 ft - got to be a winner.

allotment_chick · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2003, 02:31:32 »

I am sooooooooooo jealous! If I can get my fork half a spit into the stoney and rock hard ground here I think I'm doing well!

I reckon you could get some awesome parsnips! I'm going to have to make a conical shaped hole with a dibber and then fill the hole with potting compost!

Do you like leeks?

Re info on green manure, you could try the HDRA site again or:
http://www.kitchengardens.dial.pipex.com/manures/cclover.htm

legless · « **Reply #11 on:** September 01, 2003, 11:38:06 »

yes a hobby! you get great patterns in the sand that look good in black and white photos. ;D

probably saturday morning is easier if you can wait that long, but if you're free about 6.30 any night except tonight then that would be good too Ceri. let me know whats best for you.

Jo

Ceri · « **Reply #12 on:** September 02, 2003, 00:51:06 »

Hi A-chick - more digging today and more lovely soft soil - the carrots and parsnips should be lovely. Not sure whether caulis will be too happy - I'll have to do some stamping about first! I love leeks, and being a N East allotment, there is already a mega soft deep leek trench in place once I've pulled the weeds out.

Hi Jo, Sat morning would be brilliant if that's OK with you - let me know what sort of time you are likely to be there. Photos sound fab - I'm a big fan of evening walks along the beach (tend to give this a miss on Bank Holiday Mondays though!)

legless · « **Reply #13 on:** September 02, 2003, 01:04:53 »

what? i'm totally at home in whitley on bank holiday mondays - the rest of the year i actually have to wear clothes to go out ;D

allotment_chick · « **Reply #14 on:** September 02, 2003, 01:09:23 »

There's no doubt about it - I definitely lead a quiet life! The nearest I get to seeing bare flesh is when the chaps up the lottie take their jumpers off on Spring Bank Holiday Monday!

legless · « **Reply #15 on:** September 02, 2003, 01:12:53 »

;D

whitley bay is famous in the north east as being the place everybody goes on bank holiday mondays. they turn up about 9am, ladies wearing very little indeed and drink til they drop - or fall in the sea. :o

Ceri · « **Reply #16 on:** September 02, 2003, 10:52:26 »

I've 'done' a whitley bay bank holiday monday proper when I first moved here in my twenties. Went out about noon (late but then I was over 14 years old), my then boyfriend had to be called to get me around 7.30 pm as I was unconscious on the beach - it was not pretty!! Mind you he still married me so it couldn't have been that bad. I didn't drink very often so I wasn't very good at the whole drinking all day and night thing. These days I tend to act as taxi for a very nice neighbour of mine who is determined to grow old disgracefully! I'm more of a 'sit round the barbie with a glass of white wine' girlie - is this the wisdom that comes with age - or just age?

legless · « **Reply #17 on:** September 02, 2003, 11:54:40 »

unless its chucking it down, i'll be there between 9 and 12 definitely on saturday morning, so anytime then. if the weather is appalling i'll send you an instant message before 9...

i don't tend to do the bank holiday thing, i used to work in the fat ox and that shuts at 5 on bank holidays and weaving my way through all the unconcious people and sick at that time in the afternoon sort of put me off going back out :D

OP · « **Reply #18 on:** September 03, 2003, 12:24:33 »

heheheh. My girlfriend's dad is a farmer, and he grows fields of comfrey and borrage for animal feed. you can't stop him going on about the stuff :) Didn't stop me getting a few roots for potting up though :)

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Author Topic: you just knew the questions would start.... (Read 4266 times)