My older relatives used to put the ashes from the coal fire on the garden, as did many miners. Their soil was black and friable but I don't know what it did to the fertility. Using ash as a slug barrier is a good idea.
That's interesting quercus - I've had a few bonfires recently - paper, cardboard and garden clearings and prunings and was wondering about adding it to the compost heaps a bit at a time.
Just a thought - I now have compost ready to use from last year and was thinking about using some of it to grow cucumbers and courgettes in a cold frame (later) do I need to add anything to it or is it ok as it is?
Amazing how obsessive composting is! A whole new gardening adventure!
Nightgarden, why don't you just add paper and cardboard to your compost without burning? It's a good source of carbon and breaks down easily.
I use compost for top dressing, but also add a small amount into the soil I'm planting in e.g. raised beds. It's great for lots of veg
Another tip for anyone who works in an office where they use printer toners, or if you ever replace a toner in a printer at home. The toners are usually packed in "egg box" type of cardboard. It's a great addition to compost.
Quercus-rubur, yes - I do add paper and cardboard to the compost heaps but also start bonfires with it and burn any glossy paper that doesn't rot down so well.
I too add compost to rows before sowing or planting, just a skim to get things going!
Some good tips here, never thought of leaving my cats fur combings out for the birds etc to use for bedding. As for the composting I'm using a beehive style composter. Only had it for a year and today I was surprised to find the bottom part actually had compost in it. Yippee!!! I also have a wormery which ive been using for some time and while the two items cannot quite cope with all my 'green' rubbish, most goes into one of them. The wormery is excellent for putting shredded bank details and addresses in. Absolutely no way you could piece togather anything once the worms have had a nosh.
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My older relatives used to put the ashes from the coal fire on the garden, as did many miners. Their soil was black and friable but I don't know what it did to the fertility. Using ash as a slug barrier is a good idea.
Some good tips here. I'd not thought about leaving the moss for the birds. Ash does keep slugs at bay - I also use coffee grains
Ash in compost is fine as long as it's well incorporated into the compost
That's interesting quercus - I've had a few bonfires recently - paper, cardboard and garden clearings and prunings and was wondering about adding it to the compost heaps a bit at a time.
Just a thought - I now have compost ready to use from last year and was thinking about using some of it to grow cucumbers and courgettes in a cold frame (later) do I need to add anything to it or is it ok as it is?
Amazing how obsessive composting is! A whole new gardening adventure!
The ash from burning twiggy garden prunings is high in potash - use it around your fruit bushes
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Nightgarden, why don't you just add paper and cardboard to your compost without burning? It's a good source of carbon and breaks down easily.
I use compost for top dressing, but also add a small amount into the soil I'm planting in e.g. raised beds. It's great for lots of veg
Another tip for anyone who works in an office where they use printer toners, or if you ever replace a toner in a printer at home. The toners are usually packed in "egg box" type of cardboard. It's a great addition to compost.
Quercus-rubur, yes - I do add paper and cardboard to the compost heaps but also start bonfires with it and burn any glossy paper that doesn't rot down so well.
I too add compost to rows before sowing or planting, just a skim to get things going!
Some good tips here, never thought of leaving my cats fur combings out for the birds etc to use for bedding. As for the composting I'm using a beehive style composter. Only had it for a year and today I was surprised to find the bottom part actually had compost in it. Yippee!!! I also have a wormery which ive been using for some time and while the two items cannot quite cope with all my 'green' rubbish, most goes into one of them. The wormery is excellent for putting shredded bank details and addresses in. Absolutely no way you could piece togather anything once the worms have had a nosh.
Rhododenrdron leaves can be used as a fertilizer just spread it over the fields it is a natural fertilizer.