Improving your soil can cost little or nothing
This month’s topic is a look at some further cheap or free ways to increase the organic content of your soil.
Leaf Mould
Leaf mould is made from leaves and is one of the finest soil improvers. It’s easy to make and it’s free!
Leaf mould can be used:
1 As a mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds. The worms will help incorporate it into the soil to improve the soil structure.
2 To Dig into the soil to improve the soil structure and improve drainage or aid water retention
3 Used to make low cost seed or potting compost.
Collect leaves in the autumn avoiding collecting leaves near busy roads to avoid pollution. Oak leaves make the best leaf mould. Evergreen leaves take a long time to decompose, and are better put in your compost heap.
Fungi decompose leaves it takes 1-2 years to make. This can be speeded up to as little as six months by chopping the leaves up first. Easiest way to do this is to run a lawn mower over them three or 4 times until they are shredded. As with compost making, make your leaf mould in the shadiest least productive part of your plot. One year old leaf mould is good to use as a mulch. Sieved older leaf mould is good for seed compost.
Leaf mould is not high in nutrient value, but it’s a great soil conditioner.
Making leaf mould using black rubbish sacks.
Pack the leaves into a plastic sack and wet the leaves thoroughly and tie up the bag. Make some drainage holes in the sack. Then leave in a shady places to rot down.
Using a wire cage or compost bin or builders sack.
Using chicken wire and four sticks stuck in the ground make the sides of a cage or use your compost bin or builders sack. Add your leaves wetting the leaves well as you go. Fill the container up and cover the top. Leave them to rot watering periodically to keep the leaves wet. The fungi need moisture to rot the leaves down.
If you want an acidic leaf mould for acid loving plants like blueberry then make a separate cage full of pine needles, which are very slow to rot down.
Adding a handful of forest soil to your leaf mould will act as an activator for your leaves, its rich in fungi needed to break down your leaves.
Making seed and potting compost from leaf mould
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/8565586/Monty-Dons-peat-free-compost.html
Vegetables and fruit for shady places
Few vegetables will grow well with less than 4 hours sun.
Growing early vegetables such as spring cabbage, winter lettuce and broad beans (Aquadulce) is one solution. Sow in early autumn so they are well established by early spring.
Try growing some shade tolerant vegetables like Asparagus, beetroot, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, cabbage, Carrots, calabrese ,Cauliflower, Celery, Chinese cabbage, Endive, Garlic, horseradish, Kale, Swiss Chard, kale, kohl rabi, Leeks, lettuce, Parsnips, Peas, Potatoes, Radish, swede, Spinach, Squash, turnip and herbs - chives, mint and parsley are all shade tolerant.
Fruit such as raspberries, blackcurrants, gooseberry and rhubarb are plants of the woodland edge and will thrive in this environment.
Save seed save money
A great fun way to save money is to save your own seed. This has certain advantages apart from saving money. You can over time select the best plants that like growing on your plot You know your seed is fresh and you will get much better germination rates. I save my pea and bean seeds. This year I will be sowing home saved parsnips as an experiment; fed up with poor germinate because the seed is not fresh. You cannot save F1 seed as they will not breed true.
An excellent site which sale only heritage seed varieties suitable for seed saving, and encourage seed saving by telling you how to is https://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html
How to grow Celeriac
Many people have trouble growing celeriac. First year I grew it I got turnip sized celeriac. I changed my growing practice and ever since my celeriac are about 1 Kg plus in size. This is how I now grow them.
1 I used the RHS website to select an AGM recommended variety (Award of General Merit). I grow Monarch because it has a smooth skin and has grown well on our site for the last 2 years.
2 Sow my seed the end of January beginning of February. They are slow growing and benefit from the long growing season. I use a propagator and sow my seed on the surface of the compost. Pressing them into the compost but not covering. They need light and warmth to germinate. Remove from the propagator when the seedlings have germinated. You don’t want your plants leggy.
3 I grow on a south facing window seal indoors in a cool but frost free room. I use grow lights to stop the plants getting leggy, but have succeeded without grow lights. Dont keep them too warm when the days are short.
4 When you get your first set of true leaves prick plants out. I plant into modules then into 3 inch pots
5 When weather is warmer at night I grow on in a place with more light a cold greenhouse, cold frame conservatory would be ideal.
6 By the end of March beginning of April the potting compost will be exhausted so feed weekly with tomato fertilizer.
7 Plant out mid-May into well manured soil and keep very very well-watered and feed weekly with tomato fertilizer.
8 Cover the plants to avoid celery fly and flea beetle
9 Late May to early June the roots begin to swell. In midsummer Give an additional nitrogen rich feed once, to boost growth but not essential
10 Late summer remove drooping leaves, it helps the roots swell.
11 The roots will keep in the ground till December then lift and store in cool dry place for several months.
Things to Sow in April
Beetroot, Broad beans, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chard,Kale,
Kohl Rabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Peas, Rocket, Spinach, Radish
Plant Outdoors
Asparagus, Globe Artichokes, Jerusalem Artichokes, Onion sets, Shallot Sets
Under Cover in Greenhouse, Coldframe and Polytunnel
Celery, Outdoor Cucumbers, Tomatoes
Sow Outdoors Under Cloche
French beans, Lettuce, Sweetcorn
Regards
Kevin
This month’s topic is a look at some further cheap or free ways to increase the organic content of your soil.
Leaf Mould
Leaf mould is made from leaves and is one of the finest soil improvers. It’s easy to make and it’s free!
Leaf mould can be used:
1 As a mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds. The worms will help incorporate it into the soil to improve the soil structure.
2 To Dig into the soil to improve the soil structure and improve drainage or aid water retention
3 Used to make low cost seed or potting compost.
Collect leaves in the autumn avoiding collecting leaves near busy roads to avoid pollution. Oak leaves make the best leaf mould. Evergreen leaves take a long time to decompose, and are better put in your compost heap.
Fungi decompose leaves it takes 1-2 years to make. This can be speeded up to as little as six months by chopping the leaves up first. Easiest way to do this is to run a lawn mower over them three or 4 times until they are shredded. As with compost making, make your leaf mould in the shadiest least productive part of your plot. One year old leaf mould is good to use as a mulch. Sieved older leaf mould is good for seed compost.
Leaf mould is not high in nutrient value, but it’s a great soil conditioner.
Making leaf mould using black rubbish sacks.
Pack the leaves into a plastic sack and wet the leaves thoroughly and tie up the bag. Make some drainage holes in the sack. Then leave in a shady places to rot down.
Using a wire cage or compost bin or builders sack.
Using chicken wire and four sticks stuck in the ground make the sides of a cage or use your compost bin or builders sack. Add your leaves wetting the leaves well as you go. Fill the container up and cover the top. Leave them to rot watering periodically to keep the leaves wet. The fungi need moisture to rot the leaves down.
If you want an acidic leaf mould for acid loving plants like blueberry then make a separate cage full of pine needles, which are very slow to rot down.
Adding a handful of forest soil to your leaf mould will act as an activator for your leaves, its rich in fungi needed to break down your leaves.
Making seed and potting compost from leaf mould
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/8565586/Monty-Dons-peat-free-compost.html
Vegetables and fruit for shady places
Few vegetables will grow well with less than 4 hours sun.
Growing early vegetables such as spring cabbage, winter lettuce and broad beans (Aquadulce) is one solution. Sow in early autumn so they are well established by early spring.
Try growing some shade tolerant vegetables like Asparagus, beetroot, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, cabbage, Carrots, calabrese ,Cauliflower, Celery, Chinese cabbage, Endive, Garlic, horseradish, Kale, Swiss Chard, kale, kohl rabi, Leeks, lettuce, Parsnips, Peas, Potatoes, Radish, swede, Spinach, Squash, turnip and herbs - chives, mint and parsley are all shade tolerant.
Fruit such as raspberries, blackcurrants, gooseberry and rhubarb are plants of the woodland edge and will thrive in this environment.
Save seed save money
A great fun way to save money is to save your own seed. This has certain advantages apart from saving money. You can over time select the best plants that like growing on your plot You know your seed is fresh and you will get much better germination rates. I save my pea and bean seeds. This year I will be sowing home saved parsnips as an experiment; fed up with poor germinate because the seed is not fresh. You cannot save F1 seed as they will not breed true.
An excellent site which sale only heritage seed varieties suitable for seed saving, and encourage seed saving by telling you how to is https://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html
How to grow Celeriac
Many people have trouble growing celeriac. First year I grew it I got turnip sized celeriac. I changed my growing practice and ever since my celeriac are about 1 Kg plus in size. This is how I now grow them.
1 I used the RHS website to select an AGM recommended variety (Award of General Merit). I grow Monarch because it has a smooth skin and has grown well on our site for the last 2 years.
2 Sow my seed the end of January beginning of February. They are slow growing and benefit from the long growing season. I use a propagator and sow my seed on the surface of the compost. Pressing them into the compost but not covering. They need light and warmth to germinate. Remove from the propagator when the seedlings have germinated. You don’t want your plants leggy.
3 I grow on a south facing window seal indoors in a cool but frost free room. I use grow lights to stop the plants getting leggy, but have succeeded without grow lights. Dont keep them too warm when the days are short.
4 When you get your first set of true leaves prick plants out. I plant into modules then into 3 inch pots
5 When weather is warmer at night I grow on in a place with more light a cold greenhouse, cold frame conservatory would be ideal.
6 By the end of March beginning of April the potting compost will be exhausted so feed weekly with tomato fertilizer.
7 Plant out mid-May into well manured soil and keep very very well-watered and feed weekly with tomato fertilizer.
8 Cover the plants to avoid celery fly and flea beetle
9 Late May to early June the roots begin to swell. In midsummer Give an additional nitrogen rich feed once, to boost growth but not essential
10 Late summer remove drooping leaves, it helps the roots swell.
11 The roots will keep in the ground till December then lift and store in cool dry place for several months.
Things to Sow in April
Beetroot, Broad beans, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chard,Kale,
Kohl Rabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Peas, Rocket, Spinach, Radish
Plant Outdoors
Asparagus, Globe Artichokes, Jerusalem Artichokes, Onion sets, Shallot Sets
Under Cover in Greenhouse, Coldframe and Polytunnel
Celery, Outdoor Cucumbers, Tomatoes
Sow Outdoors Under Cloche
French beans, Lettuce, Sweetcorn
Regards
Kevin