In message , Rusty Hinge1
writes
The message
from "doug." contains these words:

Yes!, Good thinking!. I go for the antibiotic approach now you mention
it. The borders have recovered now, but six apple bushes I had grafted
on dwarf rootstock gradually failed with canker etc. Mind you, I am up
the N'West on the tip of the Furness peninsular and when I see those
lovely apples from warmer climes I think I am on a bum steer here,
climate-wise, though my pears, plums and blackberries flourish.

You may be encouraged by the excellent (if rather small0 apples which
grew on a croft I knew on the Isle of Lewis.

On another tack , some time ago I was offered a small stack of
well-rotted hay from a silo. I rang the Min of Ag & Fish and they said
it was just inert matter and could be used but the result would not be
encouraging, so I abandoned the idea.

I wonder if they wanted it? For well-rotted hay, read leafmould. OK, it
is probably not as good as broad-leaved plants' leafmould because it
doesn't contain a lot of the waste chemicals shed leaves do, but as a
conditioner it would have helped your soil structure.

A farmer friend I was visiting
was making up a silo load and he was putting very dilute treacle into
it. I don't know whether it was for to add a bit of taste or to assist
the composting.

If the contents of the silo were for feeding cattle, it was to balance
the nutrients. I'm going to be good from now onwards - I don't want to
be reincarnated as a cow.....

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I don't want to lower the tone of the conversation Rusty, but am
reminded of the the old, old answer to the question, "why do cows always
look so gloomy?"
Doug.
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