I used (literally) a truckload of spent mushroom compost in each of 3 large borders I made when this was a new garden. It's not necessarily the best product (not as bulky as farmyard manure and usually alkaline) but it was all I could afford and, spread 6" thick and slowly incorporated into the soil, it provided a decent start.
Those beds are now mulched annually with 3-4" of homemade compost and, after about 3 or 4 years, I started to realise how lovely the soil was becoming. Rich and easy to dig. So very different to a few remaining areas where access and improvement are very difficult. Those are a grey slimy mess through winter and will set like concrete when everything dries out.😬
@Jenny_Aster - if somebody comes along at some stage and suggests adding sand to your soil - please don't. Just don't. Bulky organic matter is the best. You can add some large grit as The Green Man suggests but I haven't found it necessary. I rake leaves off the pea shingle drive and add those to the compost bin. A bit of 10mm pea shingle therefore makes it into my beds and does nothing but good.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
They're based at Haverhill so you probably fall into their green delivery zone. I found them very helpful and their delivery driver went to a lot of effort to crane the delivery to where I needed it. 🙂
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Unless you're a millionaire, you'd never use vermiculite or perlite [or grit for that matter] in beds or borders. Pots/containers only. Organic matter of any kind improves drainage. Manure is particularly good as it works for light soil as well as heavy clay. Retains moisture on the former, and opens up the latter. The commercial manures are simply not the same as the stuff fresh from the animal, but they do a reasonable job if you have no alternative. Horse manure is by far the best though, whether it's from shavings or straw bedding, although shavings tend to be easier and it's what most stables use now. Straw tends to get eaten so it's very expensive as bedding.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
They're based at Haverhill so you probably fall into their green delivery zone. I found them very helpful and their delivery driver went to a lot of effort to crane the delivery to where I needed it. 🙂
That's a good find, thank you again @Topbird - I've registered with the site so it looks like they accept may my postcode.
Quite a good vid today from Jason. Interesting insights on importing coir, ph of mushroom compost and some newer media. I suspect some of what he states might be controversial.
The Westland product is excellent - I've used several thousand litres over the last few years. When mixed with MPC for pots and containers, I've never seen any weeds appear, so assume it's composted at a high enough temperature to kill them.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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Those beds are now mulched annually with 3-4" of homemade compost and, after about 3 or 4 years, I started to realise how lovely the soil was becoming. Rich and easy to dig. So very different to a few remaining areas where access and improvement are very difficult. Those are a grey slimy mess through winter and will set like concrete when everything dries out.😬
@Jenny_Aster - if somebody comes along at some stage and suggests adding sand to your soil - please don't. Just don't. Bulky organic matter is the best. You can add some large grit as The Green Man suggests but I haven't found it necessary. I rake leaves off the pea shingle drive and add those to the compost bin. A bit of 10mm pea shingle therefore makes it into my beds and does nothing but good.
They're based at Haverhill so you probably fall into their green delivery zone. I found them very helpful and their delivery driver went to a lot of effort to crane the delivery to where I needed it. 🙂
Organic matter of any kind improves drainage. Manure is particularly good as it works for light soil as well as heavy clay. Retains moisture on the former, and opens up the latter.
The commercial manures are simply not the same as the stuff fresh from the animal, but they do a reasonable job if you have no alternative.
Horse manure is by far the best though, whether it's from shavings or straw bedding, although shavings tend to be easier and it's what most stables use now. Straw tends to get eaten so it's very expensive as bedding.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.