"David Hare-Scott" wrote:
OwenD wrote:
Thanks very much for your opinions.

The compost I have been using is all from garden centres in bags..I
don't know it's source. Presumably if using this I don't also need
manure?

It's not an either-or. Whether you need manures also depends on the
quality
of the compost and how it is made. The purpose of compost and manure
is to
supply organic matter (which improves texture and water properties as
well
as supporting microflora) and nutrients, the proportion of the two
depends
on the origin. Bagged commercial compost and manure ought to be free
of
viable seeds but is the most expensive way to buy it. If possible find
a
cheap source that is available in bulk locally and then add whatever
is
missing. If you are going to stick with gardening you will need a
constant
source of compost/manure as both the organic matter and nutrients get
used
up.


Re. the leeks, I have been told that they should be pulled up very
soon as they will start to flower? Is this correct? They seem a
little thin currently..


Flowering will mean the end of eating them but so will pulling them up

unless you can store them or eat them all now. If you leave some they
will
flower and produce seed but also produce sets which you can leave to
grow in
situ or plant out elsewhere. This way you are not buying more all the
time.

David

Yeah, what they said. (I'm also a newb). As I have been researching all
this jazz, most of the studies I have read suggest adding the new poo
at the end of the harvest for next years spring planting, but as you
lead up to the season, use composted poo because new poo is just too
strong.

In the words of Dave Ramsey on not putting all of your financial eggs in
one basket and the diversification of your finances: "Money is like
manuer. If you pile it up in one place it starts to stink and does no
good, but if you spread it around, it can grow stuff that provides for
you and your family." Pretty funny given the topic.
--
RayZorback