Talkback: Mulch, mulch, mulch - Talkback

01/01/2007 at 00:00

We have recently collected seaweed blown up in a storm and left above the usual high tide mark. We have just started growing vegetables this year in deep beds - not grown any before. Any comments as to how we can use the seaweed. We have put some in the bottom of the potato trench.

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20/02/2008 at 15:47

it wouldn't have been so bad if you took it and mixed it with some water!

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20/02/2008 at 17:05

Ok, I suppose I'm going to have to stop procrastinating and just do it, aren't I! I've been putting off mulching my beds this year partly because everything already seems to be sprouting and, in places, there's not much actual soil free to put the compost onto. Also, I have one of those plastic compost bins with a little door at the bottom which is great in theory but getting to the good stuff at the back can be difficult without the rest all falling on top of me! Oh well, perhaps the best thing would be to just scoop off the top layers, take the whole bin off the pile and dig - mucky and tiring but I'm sure it'll be well worth it in the end!

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21/02/2008 at 08:10

I live in Cardiff. Can anybody tell me where I cold get some mushroom compost please. Thanks

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21/02/2008 at 16:56

Don't you use your chickens' poo, James? I had saved mine from some months ago, mixed with straw, and that has gone on the garden this week; like you, I let the worms get on with it. Got a few feathered visitors too - after the worms I suppose.

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23/02/2008 at 11:29

Alas I have no room for a compost bin but I munch up prunings during the year and store them in black bin liners, under the oil tank. They take between 12 and 18 months to rot down enough but make a good mulch. Its surprising how many worms find their way into the bags too.

Things are looking up though as I got a wormery for Christmas so I'm hoping to make better use of the kitchen waste this year. Can't wait for the weather to warm up a bit more to get started and order my worms.

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25/02/2008 at 16:26

I have two of those black plastic compost bins, which I use in rotation. Usually, when I start the new bin, it's not long before I notice lots of bugs and worms doing their work. However, although one of my bins is choc full of worms and bugs, the one currently in use does not seem to have any, even though it's almost full. I have checked for tunneling around the bin, in case there may be a rat under there, but cannot see anything. I compost all the usual stuff, tea bags, coffee grounds, cardboard tubes, vegetable peelings, plant & grass waste,& occasional newspaper. I do make sure also, that it is not too wet or dry. Please can anyone offer an explanation as to why this particular load is not attracting the usual 'workers'?

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25/02/2008 at 19:06

The chicken poo goes into the compost heap. Those who have chickens be wary of putting neat poo on anything - it is very strong and can burn your plants. Always compost the stuff first - as Trudi has very wisely done.

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10/04/2008 at 16:30

Is manure organic? Does any antibiotic or inoculation that the animals may have had make it non-organic?

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23/04/2008 at 09:06

I use loads of leaf mould, that I collect from my local park, where the council gardeners kindly dump it in the same place year after year. By digging down a bit, I find wonderful, well rotted stuff that my garden loves. I put about 20 bags down last year, using it as a mulch/soil conditioner. It beats carrying it back by the carrier bag full from the local woods! Tip: try not to use conifer leaf mould, it takes longer to break down and is very slighly acidic.

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13/05/2008 at 15:27

Hi all, I can get free horse manure from two very friendly shetland ponies near me. Am a bit new to this, but can anyone tell me how i make it 'well rotted' manure?

I know it sounds silly - presently the manure is dry due to the lovely weather we have - if i put it in my compost bin for it to rot down, do i need to add anything? I presume it needs moisture!

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14/05/2008 at 14:01

Hi Country Bumpkin, well-rotted manure is just manure that has been composted down. You can tell it's rotted down because it is crumbly in texture and sweet-smelling. Adding fresh manure to your beds can leach nutrients from the soil and can even scorch delicate plants, so it's important to make sure it's 'well-rotted'. The best way to rot down manure is to pile it up on its own and cover it with tarpaulin or similar material, and leave it for about six months. Don't add it to your compost heap, as it can leach ammonia and lead to the loss of nutrients from the compost. Hope this helps! Kate

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02/06/2008 at 09:09

Can anyone give me a guide of how much manure to lay? I've just started an allotment and have made my first small bed and have no idea how much manure I'll need (I'm planning to buy bags of ready rotted manure to get me going as it's late in the season). Thanks Caroline

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24/06/2008 at 15:39

I'd like to get a wormery but I'm not sure which to buy. The sort like a big bin are cheaper but look harder to manage than the sort that have 2 or 3 trays for the worms to work through. I looked on line but got very confused by sellers rubbishing the competition! I only want a small one -any advice or unbiased recommendations would be welcome

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17/07/2008 at 14:24

I have a horse at a large yard so have the choice of quite different manures! This might be an odd question, but which is best? Grass fed, hard feed fed (oats, corn etc.) and it normally comes from their stables so is mixed with a bit of straw or shavings. Are any of these better than others? I'm thinking of growing raspberries. I've dug a trench for them, can I bung in a fresh pile and let it rot until they're ready to plant in? Or should I let it rot elsewhere?

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19/08/2008 at 12:52

I have a plastic compost bin which is filled with mainly garden waste and fruit and vegetable waste but it has attracted hundreds of flies and wasps so much so that I can't near it to turn the compost - any ideas?

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11/09/2008 at 12:32

We're putting in 120 metres of new hedging. Can anyone tell us how much mulch we will need? We're thinking of using horse manure or leaves (we get plenty falling around here) both of which we can source for free or very cheaply. Will fresh horse manure damage hedging?

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27/02/2009 at 14:11

Hmm, very cognitive post. Is this theme good unough for the Digg?

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17/09/2009 at 22:49

Helping avocados survive the winter. I disappear to Australia for 3 months in winter & to preserve tender plants eg cannas I bury them in horse manure. This year I have two avocados,about 150 cms high,flourishing in a sheltered corner of my garden. Will burying them in horse manure help them survive until I return in April..or is there a better way ?

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21/10/2009 at 11:31

many trees in our village, but which are thet best for leaf mould