On 30/10/2010 18:56, Rusty Hinge wrote:
Baz wrote:
Janet wrote in
:
In article , says...
I have been advised only to dress the soil with bonemeal at planting
time to encourage rooting.
In spring, I will feed it on chix poo pellets .. then stand well
back :~)
Ideally one should dig a BIG, BIG planting hole ..several feet deep
and wide.. and load it up with as much organic material as possible,
including some that will break down slowly, like bones, old wool
jumpers, hair, leather boots, roadkill, seafood shells, dead fish,
plus manure (you can safely use fresh, down the bottom of the hole).
Rhubarb is a very greedy feeder and will be in situ for many years,
so a big start ensures prolific stems for years to come.
Sounds like a home landfill site.:-)
So it is - leather and woollens usually can be collected after jumble
sales for little or no cost. The butcher will usually supply bones f.o.c.
Spider has already planted his rhubard, but for future referance how
deep to put things like roadkill?
My guru recommended a four-foot deep pit, at least two feet by two. ones
and roadkill start the process, and smaller bones and stuff can be added
as the pit id filled.
The area should have a distinct alp over it, and the crown planted at
the summit. The compost, manure and other organic matter will decay over
time, and he alp will disappear.
Thinking of hygene and the thought of eating produce that has fed on
possibly a diseased carcass.
Makes sense on our soil as it is light and dries out quickly so
anything which will help to retain moisture such as wool and leather
is something to consider.
The wool and leather releases phosphates an nitrogen over a long period.
Any humus you put into the soil will be appreciated, and nicely mixed by
the worm population, but on light sandy soil the crown really needs
frequent mulching with stuff which will augment the humus level.
And don't forget the water..
My two crowns are planted fairly close to my compost bins, so they
should get a fair bit of humus from that. My guru (secretary of an
allotment society) said only to plant with bonemeal because of the
winter weather approaching, but to *really* feed it up in spring, which
is what I shall do. I'm on heavy London clay and the crowns came from
Yorkshire (birthplace of rhubarb:~)) clay, so they should be feeling at
home.
--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay