Forum home› Talkback
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Talkback: Digging beds and borders

dianetdianet Posts: 1
in Talkback
After planting green manure I resolved never to do it again! It grew strongly and was very difficult to 'dig in' and was indistinguishable from weed growth. I dug it all up and left on the surface of the bed but it became fibrous and woody- too difficult to dig in ( I am a mature female allotmenteer). By spring planting time the bed was in a complete mess so I removed the whole lot. These days I prefer home made compost or manure and I'll tackle the weeds in spring!
«1

Posts

  • D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184

    So glad to hear these comments, have been thinking about green manure but was not convinced as I wondered how on earth you know the difference between that and weeds. Seems that you don't. Will stick with compost and my endless free supply of manure - how's that for a bargain Verdun? image

    • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
  • D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184

    image Verd. 

    • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
  • GWRSGWRS Posts: 8,478

    Hello , I have been using a mixture , some green manure , some beds covered horse manure and left over the winter  and some bark Chipping's 

    I do intend to use more green manure , personally I have found it useful but everybody to there own but important to get the right stuff at the right time 

    All this on the allottment not at home image

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,887

    I looked at growing " green manure" but found the cost of seed ridiculously expensive. so didn't bother/

     

    Devon.
  • chickychicky Posts: 10,409

    We used it last year, but won't bother again - it kept coming up again all summer, like a persistent weedimage.  Horse manure is much better - we have local stables who are happy for us to take it away for them - great findimage

  • GWRSGWRS Posts: 8,478

    If you know of a local seed merchant some still sell green manure such as mustard loose , much cheaperimage

    definately not had the problems people are reporting , must be lucky image

  • sterelitzasterelitza Posts: 109
    I have a section of border that really needs to be dug up and replanted, problem is theres so much growing there and I dont know where to start as I dont want to loose any of the annuals growing there. How and when should I tackle this job? Sorry this is not about green compost ??? !
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Hi sterelitza -  might be best to start a new thread as your query will tend to get missed here. Having said that, if you're revamping your border, the annuals won't survive anyway, other than any seed that any of them have produced, so you could move plants now if the weather is fine and the soil isn't too heavy or frozen. It's a job that most people prefer to tackle in spring , because the newly lifted plants will tend to grow on more successfully then, especially if any of them are being divided  image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sign In or Register to comment.