Very true @GardenerSuze . I've got well-drained sand but within a short walk there are areas with clay, loam with high water table, and peat. You can sometimes see where it changes just by what grows well. Soilscapes is useful to see the local variations https://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/ .
Fascinating link; thanks for posting!
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
I'd suggest you're inventive, hiacedrifter. I've got three 200 litre blue plastic barrels, obtained from a farmer @ €5 apiece, full of dark brown lawn mowings that have been allowed to 'compost' over several years. Any well rotten vegetable matter will improve the make up of a soil, even if not much good in terms of nutrition, and things like grass can often be found heaped up in the corner of a sports field or churchyard where those who maintain them dispose of it week after week. Add nutrition to taste?
I'd suggest you're inventive, hiacedrifter. I've got three 200 litre blue plastic barrels, obtained from a farmer @ €5 apiece, full of dark brown lawn mowings that have been allowed to 'compost' over several years. Any well rotten vegetable matter will improve the make up of a soil, even if not much good in terms of nutrition, and things like grass can often be found heaped up in the corner of a sports field or churchyard where those who maintain them dispose of it week after week. Add nutrition to taste?
The problem is my small garden is almost totally devoid of plants (it was mostly concrete when we moved in 2 years ago), and I would like to plant this spring. Which is why I asked what I can buy, not make.
I do have three 300 litre compost bins, but it'll be a few months minimum before they produce anything.
I'm sure I've seen various animal manure for sale at the garden centre, I might give that a go.
Bagged manure is the easiest way to go about it if you have no access to stables etc. I'm fortunate that I worked in one, so that made it easier. Otherwise, I'd have had the same problem as you @hiacedrifter, with most of the gardens I've had. This one had about three shrubs and that was it- slabs and gravel over compacted, sticky clay. You can't just magic up the contents of compost bins to use on a bare plot
It'll be ages more than three months to have any viable compost - you have to get the material for it, so unless you can glean loads from other people's gardens, and have plenty of grass to cut, and masses of kitchen waste, plus cardboard etc, and have enough heat to get it breaking down, it's simply not going to be there. Next year maybe. Until then, you need another approach so that you can start creating the material for it. Leaf mould is also excellent, so if there are any neighbours who have deciduous trees, you can cadge some of the leaves in autumn - either shred them [lawnmower is fine] and add to your bins, or have a separate cage for them as it's a different process for them to break down compared to other green material. You can also keep them in black binbags with holes in them, and that works very well
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Bagged manure is the easiest way to go about it if you have no access to stables etc. I'm fortunate that I worked in one, so that made it easier. Otherwise, I'd have had the same problem as you @hiacedrifter, with most of the gardens I've had. This one had about three shrubs and that was it- slabs and gravel over compacted, sticky clay. You can't just magic up the contents of compost bins to use on a bare plot
It'll be ages more than three months to have any viable compost - you have to get the material for it, so unless you can glean loads from other people's gardens, and have plenty of grass to cut, and masses of kitchen waste, plus cardboard etc, and have enough heat to get it breaking down, it's simply not going to be there. Next year maybe. Until then, you need another approach so that you can start creating the material for it. Leaf mould is also excellent, so if there are any neighbours who have deciduous trees, you can cadge some of the leaves in autumn - either shred them [lawnmower is fine] and add to your bins, or have a separate cage for them as it's a different process for them to break down compared to other green material. You can also keep them in black binbags with holes in them, and that works very well
It looks like the local stables (there are lots, as I'm in an equine area) sell to a company who then mature and sell via garden centres. I know it's not free, but happy to know it is locally sourced
If they'll let you have a few bags, you can store it and let it rot down, or use it direct on any area you don't need to plant up for a while. There was nothing here [apart from the aforementioned slabs/gravel in an enclosed square] except compacted grass. I put in a boundary fence, stripped off the turf along the inside of it, and stuck some manure down to overwinter on it. I covered it and added some bark, just so that it didn't look too hideous. Ready by the following spring for planting. I just added a bit of compost every time I planted, and it gets some laid on top each year. The soil is really good now, and easy to work with. I don't mess about with it either though, the planting is pretty permanent unless I want to change things, or remove/add a plant
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If they'll let you have a few bags, you can store it and let it rot down, or use it direct on any area you don't need to plant up for a while. There was nothing here [apart from the aforementioned slabs/gravel in an enclosed square] except compacted grass. I put in a boundary fence, stripped off the turf along the inside of it, and stuck some manure down to overwinter on it. I covered it and added some bark, just so that it didn't look too hideous. Ready by the following spring for planting. I just added a bit of compost every time I planted, and it gets some laid on top each year. The soil is really good now, and easy to work with. I don't mess about with it either though, the planting is pretty permanent unless I want to change things, or remove/add a plant
I suspect they have a contract to only sell it to the company, but that's ok, I don't begrudge anyone trying to earn/save money.
Your approach to planting sounds like mine - I have a full time job, 2 kids and a long list of DIY jobs. As long as I can get some nice wildlife friendly plants/shrubs/climbers in, a bit of lawn and somewhere to sit with a drink in the evening I'll be happy. At a later stage I might try plants that need more ongoing attention, but for now it mostly needs to be plant and forget. I'm determined to try tomatoes/runner beans as a tribute to my late grandparents, but at least they can go in grow bags.
OED: humus |ˈhjuːməs| noun [mass noun] the organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms.
You can't buy it, but it results from any organic material. One never can make enough leafmould and compostheap compost, you just have to make as much as you can.
You can buy decomposed vegetable and garden waste from the local council.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
I've always had other commitments too, until fairly recently when I retired, so yes- the garden has to suit your needs. I was on my own with two children when I moved here, and working, so I had to do it all myself, but I'm used to that. Get the basics in place for your space, decide what matters most, and go from there. A few pots can do the job until permanent planting happens. I just posted a pic on a thread about pruning buddleias, from the 2nd year we were here. When I was looking for it, I'd forgotten just how hideous the plot was! Dodgy fence enclosing some slabs and gravel, compacted grass, and totally uninspiring, but that's the advantage of a clean slate -you can make it what you want
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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I do have three 300 litre compost bins, but it'll be a few months minimum before they produce anything.
I'm sure I've seen various animal manure for sale at the garden centre, I might give that a go.
I'm fortunate that I worked in one, so that made it easier. Otherwise, I'd have had the same problem as you @hiacedrifter, with most of the gardens I've had. This one had about three shrubs and that was it- slabs and gravel over compacted, sticky clay.
You can't just magic up the contents of compost bins to use on a bare plot
It'll be ages more than three months to have any viable compost - you have to get the material for it, so unless you can glean loads from other people's gardens, and have plenty of grass to cut, and masses of kitchen waste, plus cardboard etc, and have enough heat to get it breaking down, it's simply not going to be there. Next year maybe. Until then, you need another approach so that you can start creating the material for it.
Leaf mould is also excellent, so if there are any neighbours who have deciduous trees, you can cadge some of the leaves in autumn - either shred them [lawnmower is fine] and add to your bins, or have a separate cage for them as it's a different process for them to break down compared to other green material. You can also keep them in black binbags with holes in them, and that works very well
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
https://puckamuck.co.uk/
There was nothing here [apart from the aforementioned slabs/gravel in an enclosed square] except compacted grass. I put in a boundary fence, stripped off the turf along the inside of it, and stuck some manure down to overwinter on it. I covered it and added some bark, just so that it didn't look too hideous. Ready by the following spring for planting. I just added a bit of compost every time I planted, and it gets some laid on top each year. The soil is really good now, and easy to work with.
I don't mess about with it either though, the planting is pretty permanent unless I want to change things, or remove/add a plant
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Your approach to planting sounds like mine - I have a full time job, 2 kids and a long list of DIY jobs. As long as I can get some nice wildlife friendly plants/shrubs/climbers in, a bit of lawn and somewhere to sit with a drink in the evening I'll be happy. At a later stage I might try plants that need more ongoing attention, but for now it mostly needs to be plant and forget. I'm determined to try tomatoes/runner beans as a tribute to my late grandparents, but at least they can go in grow bags.
You can't buy it, but it results from any organic material. One never can make enough leafmould and compostheap compost, you just have to make as much as you can.
You can buy decomposed vegetable and garden waste from the local council.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Get the basics in place for your space, decide what matters most, and go from there. A few pots can do the job until permanent planting happens.
I just posted a pic on a thread about pruning buddleias, from the 2nd year we were here. When I was looking for it, I'd forgotten just how hideous the plot was! Dodgy fence enclosing some slabs and gravel, compacted grass, and totally uninspiring, but that's the advantage of a clean slate -you can make it what you want
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...