Rupert wrote:
"al8dan" wrote in message
ups.com...
Tumbleweed,
The round bales would be a bit too tall I think.

Rupert thanks for the advice. I probably wouldn't have thought of
that. It does say to keep it VERY well watered and maybe you would
have a less explosive alternate to use??? Anything would have to
be a commercial preparation as I have no time yet to grow anything
for make yer own. I plan to do comfrey somewhere it wouldn't be a
disaster if it spread.

Cheers and Keep up with the ideas.
Thanks
Julie
Northern Ireland


I am doubtful that you will be able to get your hands on Ammonium
nitrate in a pure form in the quantities you may need
Perhaps it is available with a fire suppressant. I assume that it is
used for a plentiful supply of nitrogen so any other nitrogenous
fertiliser should do but you would need to adjust the amount used.
This link gives various things with the relevant nitrogen content:-
http://www.chemicalland21.com/indust...rganic/NPK.htm
There are other more "organic" materials which should do the same job.

On the whole, one of the last places I'd want to be seen trying to buy
ammonium nitrate in quantity is Northern Ireland.

I'd love to know how the bales project goes -- I wouldn't have believed
it if I hadn't seen those photographs. It does sound like an awful lot
of trouble, especially with a hosepipe ban, so I salute you in advance.

I've used spoiled silage as a mulch to feed an area I raised with
trucked-in subsoil, and it worked well in a scruffy way. Apart from the
fun of experimenting with the system, which I wouldn't deny for a
moment, it might be more relaxing just to use the bales to build
ginormous compost heaps and dig in the result when it finally gets
there. But I suppose you are going to have to pay for the hay. I don't
know how much hay costs these days: I haven't bought it since it was, I
think, about two pounds a bale. Straw would be cheaper than hay, and
just as good. Even at less than that price, if you aren't going to feed
it to stock, it's probably more economic to buy in bales of peat
substitute (please, not real peat) and dig it in. I can't remember the
name of the firm to go to for bulk orders: were they called Maskell,
perhaps?

If you just want to buy a growing medium, growbags are cheaper and
easier as well as much better.

--
Mike.