help and advice

gibra6 · August 2020

hi

hope you may be able to point me in the right direction or help.

Earlier this year i totally cleared up a piece of land at the back of my local church about 15m by 10m which was covered in cow parsley weeds and nettles. It is quite a shaded area as it has about 9 trees growing in it but sunlight does get to it.

I placed some weed matting on the area and using breeze blocks - 104 in total - made some planters about 12 in total.

I also painted up some tyres and placed these in the area to be used as planters and covered the area in gravel - about 5 tonnes worth, this gravel is very light in colour and helps reflect light and keep the heat in.

I ordered some compost and filled the planters and planted some seeds - swiss chard, lettuce, beetroot, cauliflower and broccoli.

I also transferred some plants from a cold frame into the planters these were runner beans, spinach and lettuce.

I also planted some potatoes.

I mixed some chicken manure and growmore into the soil also.

The potatoes are growing along with the transplanted spinach but the runner beans have nearly all died, no other seeds have taken, the swiss chard has started to grow very small shoots but nearly all the soil-compost is developing a hard crust on the surface.

I do not know if I should mix some garden soil and more manure and growmore into each planter and leave it to absorb into the compost or try and plant things which suit the shade more. Someone mentioned about mixing gravel into the planters to try and prevent the crusting as they say this helps keep the soil loose so seeds can grow not sure on this.

I have planted another area with 6 tyre planters with courgettes cucumbers tomatoes and runner beans and so far these are growing well with the same compost but in a very sunny area.

any advice greatfully received thanks Lui

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/6r/4qx8n7ig27gc.jpg

Lyn · August 2020

As you’ve put weed fabric down, your plants only have what is it, 9” deep soil?
Thats not enough.. they need a bit deeper especially for potatoes, beans and tomatoes.

growmore will have killed you seedlings, it wasn’t needed for new plants, seeds need to be grown in trays of low nutrient compost, so next year get some ordinary multipurpose compost or seed compost and start them off in trays.

if you can put another row of brick on tops then fill with top soil, that will weaken the feed you’ve put on this year, then you’ll be away, everything will do just fine.
It looks very neat and tidy, good design just a bit shallow and overfed for this year.

gibra6 · August 2020

hi Lyn,

thanks for your thoughts.

On the soil depth not being enough I have created another garden area at another local church and we have grown runner beans and lots more other veg in about the same height of soil the difference being that is in a full sun area. I am using tyres to grow potatoes in so add a tyre as the plants shoot up so yes agree with you re breeze blocks are shallow to grow potatoes.

Any thoughts on how to prevent the crusting on top of the compost?

thanks

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/cm/kaykxacnk167.jpg

nick615 · August 2020

If it's not a daft question, gibra6, what exactly is the purpose of all this effort and expense? I can't help feel that it would have been cheaper, simpler, and more effective to dig or rotavate the plots - possibly use weed membrane to prevent weeds reappearing - but then plant seeds/plants through holes in it, maybe on top of 3-4 inches of farmyard manure for added weed suppression, and use the area for greater benefit. Is there significance in the church(es) environment?

gibra6 · August 2020

hi Nick,

yes both areas were unused and it was to try and set up a growing area for both parishes which could be used as a focal point for both church schools and parishioners.

I wrote to some local companies and received a number of items for free including timber, soil paint tyres etc.

Recently we have given a lot of things away including lettuce spinach courgettes cucumbers beetroot runner beans to members of the parish and school

We did consider rotavating but decided it would be easier to look after and maintain if we used raised beds.

Thanks for your comments.

Any advice?

nick615 · August 2020

Advice? Not really. I applaud what you're trying to do but the exorbitant VALUE, not necessarily the cost, of materials sourced would be totally irrelevant for a general householder with that sort of area to use. The trees, or more exactly their root stocks, will leach much of the water and nutrients out of the ground, thus depleting what's available for your crops. As a community gesture to parishioners and children, it's a great idea. The tyres are a well established means of creating mini-beds, but runner beans will need a tyre full of manure, or other moisture holding material, before adding at least one more tyre in which to plant the seedlings. Other than that, the very best of luck to you.

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