Author Topic: Something new for 2014? (Read 17263 times)

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #60 on:** October 07, 2013, 14:34:15 »

Very clever! I'll try it, too. Thank you!

squeezyjohn · « **Reply #61 on:** October 07, 2013, 14:56:30 »

I didn't realise you could do it with bulb onions though ... my worry would be that they'd go to flower before setting bulbs as they'd already gone through one growing season ... but in any case you could still use them as spring/green onions fine and as I said they seem to be much easier to get to a big spring onion size than seeds.

Another trick I discovered this year which I reckon I will do again next year is that those pots of living Basil that they sell in the supermarkets for £1 are not 1 big plant but about 30 force-germinated seedlings in one pot. I got a reduced one for about 20p and planted out the 30 or so plants in my greenhouse and every single one made a huge basil plant which lasted the summer! If you snip of the tips when they're fairly small they all bush out nicely.

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #62 on:** October 07, 2013, 17:25:43 »

One thing that worked well for me this year has been planting onions out in twos or threes. chriscross1966 and John_Miller both recommended it and I planted out some Florence Red from modules into little clumps rather than all in a line and they did very well. I'll be doing it on a larger scale next year.

artichoke · « **Reply #63 on:** October 08, 2013, 13:23:54 »

That's interesting.

I inherited a firmly anchored stretch of Mypex with holes cut in it, in which I found very healthy onions in groups of two or three, when I got the plot several years ago.

I have been thinking this month of putting overwintering onions in these holes (which have not grown onions for several years since) and have been unable to decide whether to put one per hole or several. I think now I will try several, along with refreshed compost and fertiliser per hole.

Another thing a couple of people do here is make long thin mounds of earth and plant their onions on top. It seems to work well, but it looks like too much work for me.....

Floyds · « **Reply #64 on:** October 08, 2013, 14:57:22 »

Can you give us the size of the holes in the Mypex? Thanks

artichoke · « **Reply #65 on:** October 09, 2013, 05:05:29 »

About 4 inches square. Doesn't look big enough for 3 onions, but all I can say is they were lovely middle sized ones.

Jayb · « **Reply #66 on:** October 12, 2013, 11:19:54 »

I can't remember where but I've seen pictures of someone growing onions through weed membrane, they looked super. I think they recommended burning holes to prevent fraying. I'd like to try the one season stuff to help with weeds and watering, I think it is a bit too pricey though.

artichoke · « **Reply #67 on:** October 13, 2013, 09:56:53 »

I have found this site with pictures:

https://www.quickcrop.ie/blog/2013/02/sow-easy-grow/

I am not going to buy this, but it gives hole measurements for different crops, so I hope it is useful.

Jeannine · « **Reply #68 on:** October 13, 2013, 10:06:20 »

Now this is interesting especially as I will need all the help I can get next year. \,y only problem is jusy exactly what it is made of. I am allowed to use weed block of my site, the spun stuff, but I am not allowed to use plastic, this looks like plastic yet the rain get through, I don't understand that.

XX Jeannine

goodlife · « **Reply #69 on:** October 13, 2013, 10:12:13 »

Quote from: Jeannine on October 13, 2013, 10:06:20

Now this is interesting especially as I will need all the help I can get next year. \,y only problem is jusy exactly what it is made of. I am allowed to use weed block of my site, the spun stuff, but I am not allowed to use plastic, this looks like plastic yet the rain get through, I don't understand that.

XX Jeannine

How about making some from cardboard? If you can get hold of some large sheets and cutting planting holes in them. Cardboard should last a season and it should save you from clearing them away..they just rot down naturally

artichoke · « **Reply #70 on:** October 13, 2013, 10:15:33 »

He makes it clear that this is "water permeable weed control fabric", and also names it as being mypex, plus he warns us against cutting our own holes because the woven fabric will fray - so you should be all right. I have to say I cut my own holes here and there and it does not fray very much. I have read that some people fold duck tape around the cut edges, though that sounds rather fiddly to me. Mypex is, of course, made of "plastic"; the important factor is that it is woven, not solid.....

I'm glad you think it is a good idea, and hope it helps you on your plot. I'm certainly going to make better use of the mypex someone put on one of my plots years ago. I don't think I have appreciated it enough.

Jeannine · « **Reply #71 on:** October 13, 2013, 10:23:47 »

Ok I think I know what it is, if I am correct, the fibres are quite flat and thin and yes it would unravel, I might get away with that but I could use the idea and use the weed block too. I think the stuff you are talking about is used to make cheap tarps here.

XX Jeannine

artichoke · « **Reply #72 on:** October 13, 2013, 10:24:29 »

I have used a lot of cardboard over the years and got tired of its messy appearance, and all the plastic parcel tape that comes with it and blows around. Another problem I found one year when I made paths with cardboard over newspaper was that first it became very slippery (I have a sloping plot), and secondly badgers and/or foxes dug it up repeatedly looking for worms (I suppose). In some areas, the paths were more thoroughly cultivated than the beds.....

But I do agree it is useful and free, and I still have some covering a bed. However, I have just had my 70th birthday, and I am jolly well going to treat myself to a roll of mypex and cut my own slits in it, and look forward to the neat, orderly, weed free plants I am imagining!

Jeannine · « **Reply #73 on:** October 13, 2013, 11:03:05 »

Mmm, don't want to put anyone off but I have just spent half an hour checking to see if I can get it here and have read some real horror stories about what it can do to the soil. Worms don't like it and move away, after a while the soil beneath it seems to turn into a dead clay looking wet patch which holds too much water. Used and lifted it may not have the same problems but left down it apparently causes all sorts of trouble to the soil underneath after a while..maybe do a bit of reading to see if the problems might be one that relates to your usage. It is the reason we are not allowed to use plastic as mulch.

XX Jeannine

artichoke · « **Reply #74 on:** October 13, 2013, 11:28:21 »

That is worrying.

I inherited the very firmly fixed mypex on one of my plots (edges deeply buried in soil and fixed further with wooden poles and bricks) and it has been there for about 5 years or more. Recently I cut quite a large bed out of it and planted the space with wild flowers for pollinators. The soil was not too bad at all, though I did notice there were not as many worms as I expected. The plants have been there for about 6 weeks and seem happy enough.

One suggestion on the quickcrop website seems to be that the mypex is laid down only for the time the crops take to mature, then folded away for the next season. I can't do that with my current mypex, but I can imagine making new "planting mats" of a limited size, and putting them away after the crop to give the ground a chance to breathe and be mulched.... or is that more trouble than it's worth...... I do admit I HATE weeding onions - one always seems to clip a few.

Of course, worms love living under cardboard for some reason, which is why mine was attacked so much by animals.

Jayb · « **Reply #75 on:** October 13, 2013, 13:08:05 »

I found a couple of types to use which last about a growing season (no pre cut holes though). I'll have a look and see if I can find the links, I think there are some products available in America, not sure about Canada that do come in pre cut out lengths.

lottie lou · « **Reply #76 on:** October 13, 2013, 13:53:25 »

I hate weeding PERIOD. Wouldn't mind it so much if they didn't grow faster than I can shove a hoe. Thanks Jeannine for the info. Was toying with idea of planting through the stuff for my strawbs and wondered about pros and cons. Back to pulling out couch etc then.

Jayb · « **Reply #77 on:** October 13, 2013, 15:57:30 »

I've started a thread for Crop Mulches http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,76738.msg780291/topicseen.html#new
I've popped in a couple of links for products there.

Jeannine · « **Reply #78 on:** October 13, 2013, 22:28:56 »

Jay, I have the biodegradable stuff that is spun, it is OK here for organics, I buy it by the roll but it is not very heavy.

XX Jeannine

Floyds · « **Reply #79 on:** October 14, 2013, 17:31:49 »

Quote from: Jeannine on October 13, 2013, 22:28:56

Jay, I have the biodegradable stuff that is spun, it is OK here for organics, I buy it by the roll but it is not very heavy.

XX Jeannine

Enough about Mypex already. How about we get back on topic, sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander and all that

I'm going to try Norfolk Giant carrots next year as I don't like dealing with small carrots.

News:

Author Topic: Something new for 2014? (Read 17263 times)