Having moved into our new build before xmas, I'm now trying to sort out
the garden. Firstly, I had a load of 'soil improver' (supplied by local
council using household waste / compost) rotovated into the soil - the
lawn has now been laid on top of this and is establishing well (although
I need an outside tap so that I can water it properly..). I have also
planted an Akebia and a Nelly Moser on a north facing brick wall
(following climber advise from you lovely people), and have a Japenese
Maple in a large pot ready for me to chose a good placing.

Today's question relates to the veg patch that I'm planning. The lawn
man rotovated about 2" of well rotted horse manure (cardboard based)
into the area that I want to plant some veg. I have now weeded this (as
best I can) and its ready for planting. However, before I do, would it
be a good idea to fork in another load of manure ?? My thinking is "the
more the better", but is it possible to over do it ?

I'm planning to plant potatoes (do these go shoot-up, or shoot-down when
planting ?!), carrots, garlic, parsnips, ?fennel, ?broccoli and anything
else I like the look of and have room for !

I'm planning to plant potatoes (do these go shoot-up, or shoot-down when
planting ?!), carrots, garlic, parsnips, ?fennel, ?broccoli and anything
else I like the look of and have room for !

I'd try looking somewhere like the BBC Gardener's world site under veg
growing as some veg like manure and some don't.

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

"NC" wrote ((snip))

Today's question relates to the veg patch that I'm planning. The lawn man
rotovated about 2" of well rotted horse manure (cardboard based) into the
area that I want to plant some veg. I have now weeded this (as best I can)
and its ready for planting. However, before I do, would it be a good idea
to fork in another load of manure ?? My thinking is "the more the better",
but is it possible to over do it ?

I'm planning to plant potatoes (do these go shoot-up, or shoot-down when
planting ?!), carrots, garlic, parsnips, ?fennel, ?broccoli and anything
else I like the look of and have room for !

You can't really overdo the manure as far at potatoes go, which go in shoot
up.
The rest don't want so rich a soil so don't put any more manure where they
are to be planted.
The brassicas (broccoli) like a bit of lime too, especially if you soil is
below pH7.(i.e.acid)
Garlic should have been planted in September or early October and I
personally wouldn't bother planting it now, you will only get small heads.
How about some early peas? Home grown ones are so much tastier than those
overly sweet frozen things, they freeze well, and it's the right time to
plant. Early Onward, Feltham First, & Kelvedon Wonder only grow to about 2ft
tall.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

NC wrote:
Today's question relates to the veg patch that I'm planning. The lawn
man rotovated about 2" of well rotted horse manure (cardboard based)
into the area that I want to plant some veg. I have now weeded this (as
best I can) and its ready for planting. However, before I do, would it
be a good idea to fork in another load of manure ?? My thinking is "the
more the better", but is it possible to over do it ?

It depends of your soil to start with. You need to rotate your beds -
where you put your spuds this year, next year you lime and then put in
your brassicas or legume. Have you planned to do this?

"NC" wrote in message
...
snip
However, before I do, would it
be a good idea to fork in another load of manure ?? My thinking is "the
more the better", but is it possible to over do it ?

I'm planning to plant potatoes (do these go shoot-up, or shoot-down when
planting ?!), carrots, garlic, parsnips, ?fennel, ?broccoli and anything
else I like the look of and have room for !

Potato - shoot up, don't mind 'raw' manure
Root crops, carrot, parsnip etc will grow in interesting shapes in 'raw'
manure. Called 'forking' so use
early types for golfball type carrots.
Fennel likes a deep tap root, since it grows quite tall. Doesn't like over
rich soil IMO. YMMV

Might be better stacking the manure somewhere (in a barrel?) and making a
'tea' to fertilise your plot.
Then when it has rotted down, preferably with other compost material, add it
to the beds in six months time.

I have also created a raised bed, filled it with fresh manure, covered that
with a bag of bought compost,
placed a sheet of glass over the whole bed and grew fresh salad in the
middle of winter with a Victorian
hot bed. Six months later it got dug in as part of the spring dig.

HTH

Dave

NC wrote:


Today's question relates to the veg patch that I'm planning. The lawn
man rotovated about 2" of well rotted horse manure (cardboard based)
into the area that I want to plant some veg. I have now weeded this (as
best I can) and its ready for planting. However, before I do, would it
be a good idea to fork in another load of manure ?? My thinking is "the
more the better", but is it possible to over do it ?

I'm planning to plant potatoes (do these go shoot-up, or shoot-down when
planting ?!), carrots, garlic, parsnips, ?fennel, ?broccoli and anything
else I like the look of and have room for !

Don't like the sound of the cardboard base,I'm afraid, NC.Cardboard is paper
is wood,and as it rots down it depletes the soil of nitrogen.Your 'greens'
and other nitrogen lovers will need a supplement, such as chicken manure
pellets,otherwise they will be stunted.
Pulses make their own nitrogen and you will be able to grow organic
broad beans
the envy of kings,Also peas.
When you harvest them cut off the haulms at ground level,since the roots
have
many nodules containing nitrogen.This will give you good soil for the
following
year.
Good Gardening!
Sam

In article ,
sam wrote:
Don't like the sound of the cardboard base,I'm afraid, NC.Cardboard is paper
is wood,and as it rots down it depletes the soil of nitrogen.Your 'greens'
and other nitrogen lovers will need a supplement, such as chicken manure
pellets,otherwise they will be stunted.

That is seriously overstated. While the fungi that break down lignin
use (and tie up) nitrogen as they grow, they release it as they die.
In any case, it is a minor effect.

So, don't worry either way.

Pulses make their own nitrogen and you will be able to grow organic
broad beans the envy of kings,Also peas.

Grrk. They fix nitrogen because they need it, and don't thrive in
low-nitrogen soils. Some legumes do, but they tend to be weedy.

When you harvest them cut off the haulms at ground level,since the roots
have
many nodules containing nitrogen.This will give you good soil for the
following year.

I dig them up and add them to the compost heap. That needs nitrogen,
too.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"K" wrote in message
...
sam writes
Pulses make their own nitrogen

Wow! That's impressive ;-)
--
Kay

Do not be so critical --he got it slightly wrong.
Nitrogen lasers produce intense pulses

"NC" wrote in message

Today's question relates to the veg patch that I'm planning. The
lawn
man rotovated about 2" of well rotted horse manure (cardboard based)
into the area that I want to plant some veg. I have now weeded this
(as
best I can) and its ready for planting. However, before I do, would
it
be a good idea to fork in another load of manure ?? My thinking is
"the
more the better", but is it possible to over do it ?

It depends on what your soil was/is like now. It's it's friable and a
good rich colour, then don't bother but if it's pale and cloddy still,
then add some more but get "real" horse manure (as it comes from the
horse) if you can.

I'm planning to plant potatoes

I live in Australia and potatoes were frequently used as the pioneer
crop of newly cleared land for new settlers in the 19th century and
they are still recommended for exactly the same reason before
establishing a lawn in new housing developments. You won't get a
great crop but they do a good job of breaking up the soil and getting
it ready for subsequent crops/lawn.

In article , Rupert wrote:
"K" wrote in message
...
sam writes

Pulses make their own nitrogen

Wow! That's impressive ;-)

Do not be so critical --he got it slightly wrong.
Nitrogen lasers produce intense pulses

We have some of those lighter-than-air party balloons that have
remianed floating for over a month now - most impressive, as the
older ones used to flop after a day or two.

A friend said that this was due to the use of specially long
lived helium.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Janet Baraclough" wrote
The message
from "Rupert" contains these words:
Do not be so critical --he got it slightly wrong.
Nitrogen lasers produce intense pulses

Yebbut do they make live bacteria by fungusification? Keen science
students want to know.

The keen science students will recognise this a really great advance -
they can now eat these intense pulses rather than boring old ordinary
lentils and therefore be able to have more beer in the Uni bar instead,
and that'll protect against any additional bacteria production.

--
Sue

Nick Maclaren wrote:
[...]
We have some of those lighter-than-air party balloons that have
remianed floating for over a month now - most impressive, as the
older ones used to flop after a day or two.

A friend said that this was due to the use of specially long
lived helium.

It's the special homoeopathic helium: once it's been properly succussed
and potentiated by extreme dilution, its memory is enhanced, so it lives
longer. Perfectly scientific once you understand the principles, though
it does take years of expensive training, of course. Ordinary
factory-made helium wouldn't work, as you have seen. It must be true, as
it works on animals.

--
Mike.

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
sam wrote:

Don't like the sound of the cardboard base,I'm afraid, NC.Cardboard is paper
is wood,and as it rots down it depletes the soil of nitrogen.Your 'greens'
and other nitrogen lovers will need a supplement, such as chicken manure
pellets,otherwise they will be stunted.


That is seriously overstated. While the fungi that break down lignin
use (and tie up) nitrogen as they grow, they release it as they die.
In any case, it is a minor effect.

So, don't worry either way.


Pulses make their own nitrogen and you will be able to grow organic
broad beans the envy of kings,Also peas.


Grrk. They fix nitrogen because they need it, and don't thrive in
low-nitrogen soils. Some legumes do, but they tend to be weedy.


When you harvest them cut off the haulms at ground level,since the roots
have
many nodules containing nitrogen.This will give you good soil for the
following year.


I dig them up and add them to the compost heap. That needs nitrogen,
too.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Speak as you find, Nick.

Regards,
Sam

In article ,
sam wrote:

Speak as you find, Nick.

Oh, I do, indeed I do.

If you have first-hand evidence of the "nitrogen loss" being a serious
issue, let's hear it. It certainly occurs, because you can observe it
in every fairy ring, but is it a significant issue on a well-manured
vegetable patch? My experience is that it is not.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Rupert writes

"K" wrote in message
...
sam writes
Pulses make their own nitrogen

Wow! That's impressive ;-)

Do not be so critical --he got it slightly wrong.
Nitrogen lasers produce intense pulses

:-)


--
Kay