At our allotment association quarterly get together a couple of weeks ago we had an interesting presentation from Selwyn Richardson, soil scientist & ex-agricultural adviser. Selwyn handed out a really useful guide for anyone who wants to understand how to feed their veg properly.
I've managed to get a copy of the guide. To download a copy go to my web site below & click the link under the Welcome! section on the top right.
What makes the guide so useful? It not only explains the major nutrients that vegetables need, but gives the content of these in various manures (including whether spread autumn or spring), the spread rate, when to apply on a 4 year or 5 year rotation, and if you're not doing things organically how much nutrients to apply directly.
Selwyn said he buys his nutrients (e.g. nitrogen) from Garden Direct (www.gardendirect.co.uk)... he recommended against such things as Growmore ( weak fertiliser, high price) or seaweed (little nutritional value). Happily he gave me another reason to value my chickens... they produce by far the best of the manures he listed.
Hope you find the guide useful. John
thanks for that was an intrestin read saved it to my favs for latter further research
lots of useful info in that document thanks for the link.
Well I must have my particularly slow head on today... I've opened the link but can't see where to go next... :-[
Saddard scroll to the bottom of the page and there is a icon on the right
did you open his blog link(see his signature) or the garden direct link? its on his blog and the link to the document is in the upper right hand corner 2nd link down.
Thank you Thifasmom... opened the wrong link... ::)
Got it now thanks... ;D
no probs :)
thanks for that link! ;)
Yes it was a good talk...including the verbal punchup in the middle!
P.S Yes go in for St Ives in bloom you'd have to be a serious contender you've got one of the best turned out plots on the site! Not like mine! :(
Hey! Thanks Kea... & glad to have fellow Hill Riser in the forum.
Thought Selwyn handled the organic/not organic 'discussion' well. But regarding the competition... there's a big bit of me that wants an untidy allotment for the surprises it holds. I suspect I'm missing out on some wildlife at present.
Thanks to daileg & thifasmom for link guidance while I was off-line.
Quote from: JohnMac on April 01, 2009, 07:01:18
Thanks to daileg & thifasmom for link guidance while I was off-line.
it was no probs and you're very welcome :)
Yes I sat very still with my fingers crossed when he mentioned Peat a little later :o
i do get a lot of wildlife....in fact I was about to strim last year and discovered frogs every where, every time i took a step a small frog leapt away. So i couldn't do it. I get lots of voles as well.