GREAT RETURNS
‘April brings the primrose sweet,
Scatters daisies at our feet.’
(Sara Coleridge, 1802-52)
To paraphrase the old saying, ‘you only get out of something, what you put into it.’ That applies no less to the garden. If you want great vegetables, fruit, and flowers, you must feed them, or the soil, or preferably, both. Therefore, we need to think about compost, fertiliser, and manure. In many people’s minds, especially beginner gardeners, there can be a bit of confusion about the differences between these things. They are often thought of as being much of a muchness, which they aren’t of course. So let’s analyse what the differences are, and how they are used. Let’s begin with…
COMPOSTS
Now there are two very different types of compost and have distinctly diverse purposes. The first type is the one we would make ourselves in our compost bins. This garden compost is made of decayed and rotten organic material and is added to the soil as an improver or mulch. The other is for seed sowing, potting on, and propagation, and for growing plants in garden containers.
Garden compost can make the garden very productive indeed. It does add a few nutrients, but more than that, it increases the soil nutrient retaining capabilities and improves both drainage and water holding capacity, besides helping with aeration. It boosts the soils beneficial micro-organisms. Overall, it keeps the soil in good heart.
A new way of composting that’s becoming very popular is the wormery. It’s a useful way of disposing of kitchen waste, whereas the garden compost heap will take the garden waste. This is a valuable way of composting because it produces not only rich and friable worm-worked compost, but also a beautiful liquid run-off. If saved in old plastic milk bottles it becomes a brilliant foliar feed, no need to buy the expensive seaweed based product. It must be said though that this is a rather slow way of creating compost and it doesn’t make a great volume.
Leaf mould is great compost too. Leaves often go into the compost bin, but it is better to rot them separately, because they need less air and warmth to decompose. Leaf mould doesn’t need turning either (which is labour saving.) Finally, it becomes one of the best soil conditioners and mulches available. Some leaves are attractive to look at too (see photo.)
FERTILIZERS
Inorganic fertilizers such as National Growmore differ from composts and manures in that they add nothing to the soil. If one only uses fertilizers indefinitely, the soil becomes thin and weak. One of the main reasons for their popularity is their instant impact. There’s no need for anything to be broken down by soil organisms and worms to be absorbed into the soil. They are convenient to use too. They come in a bag or tub and is generally broadcast over the land.
Traditionally, the organic fertilizer blood fish and bone was one of the most popular fertilizers (although it had no potash content,) but with a growing number of groups who disagree with this use of blood, I feel there is a much more fun product to use, namely, pelleted chicken manure. Better still why not keep your own hens and collect your own chicken manure and let it rot down (see photo of my friend Sheila and May, the hen.)
Essentially, fertilizers should not be used in isolation, but rather, in conjunction with bulky organic manures and composts. It’s good to remember that these improve the soil and keep it healthy.
MANURES
There are varieties of organic manure that are an excellent way to maintain garden fertility. The animal-based ones are most people’s favourites. We all know about good old traditional farmyard manure (FYM). Cow manure is just as good. If possible, try to find manure that is high on straw rather than sawdust or wood shavings.
Spent mushroom compost is excellent, but remember, it does have high lime content. Therefore, make sure not to use it on plants that are ericaceous. It can cause scab on potatoes.
Green manure must be mentioned because of its value to fertility. Green manure is a crop of plants such as Hungarian grazing rye, or clover, or vetch. Grown between the harvesting of one crop and the planting of another, or over winter, they are then chopped down and dug to release the nutrients they have drawn up for the kidneys of the earth.
By using all these methods together, you should be able to create a friable loam that is rich in nutrients, earthworms, and beneficial micro-organisms. It will have a good structure and remain workable even in hostile conditions. It won’t dry out quickly during drought, and won’t become too sticky when it’s wet. You will have the ideal soil!
You can contact me on [email protected]
You can visit my website at cherrytrees.weebly.com
Until we meet again next month, happy gardening!
‘April brings the primrose sweet,
Scatters daisies at our feet.’
(Sara Coleridge, 1802-52)
To paraphrase the old saying, ‘you only get out of something, what you put into it.’ That applies no less to the garden. If you want great vegetables, fruit, and flowers, you must feed them, or the soil, or preferably, both. Therefore, we need to think about compost, fertiliser, and manure. In many people’s minds, especially beginner gardeners, there can be a bit of confusion about the differences between these things. They are often thought of as being much of a muchness, which they aren’t of course. So let’s analyse what the differences are, and how they are used. Let’s begin with…
COMPOSTS
Now there are two very different types of compost and have distinctly diverse purposes. The first type is the one we would make ourselves in our compost bins. This garden compost is made of decayed and rotten organic material and is added to the soil as an improver or mulch. The other is for seed sowing, potting on, and propagation, and for growing plants in garden containers.
Garden compost can make the garden very productive indeed. It does add a few nutrients, but more than that, it increases the soil nutrient retaining capabilities and improves both drainage and water holding capacity, besides helping with aeration. It boosts the soils beneficial micro-organisms. Overall, it keeps the soil in good heart.
A new way of composting that’s becoming very popular is the wormery. It’s a useful way of disposing of kitchen waste, whereas the garden compost heap will take the garden waste. This is a valuable way of composting because it produces not only rich and friable worm-worked compost, but also a beautiful liquid run-off. If saved in old plastic milk bottles it becomes a brilliant foliar feed, no need to buy the expensive seaweed based product. It must be said though that this is a rather slow way of creating compost and it doesn’t make a great volume.
Leaf mould is great compost too. Leaves often go into the compost bin, but it is better to rot them separately, because they need less air and warmth to decompose. Leaf mould doesn’t need turning either (which is labour saving.) Finally, it becomes one of the best soil conditioners and mulches available. Some leaves are attractive to look at too (see photo.)
FERTILIZERS
Inorganic fertilizers such as National Growmore differ from composts and manures in that they add nothing to the soil. If one only uses fertilizers indefinitely, the soil becomes thin and weak. One of the main reasons for their popularity is their instant impact. There’s no need for anything to be broken down by soil organisms and worms to be absorbed into the soil. They are convenient to use too. They come in a bag or tub and is generally broadcast over the land.
Traditionally, the organic fertilizer blood fish and bone was one of the most popular fertilizers (although it had no potash content,) but with a growing number of groups who disagree with this use of blood, I feel there is a much more fun product to use, namely, pelleted chicken manure. Better still why not keep your own hens and collect your own chicken manure and let it rot down (see photo of my friend Sheila and May, the hen.)
Essentially, fertilizers should not be used in isolation, but rather, in conjunction with bulky organic manures and composts. It’s good to remember that these improve the soil and keep it healthy.
MANURES
There are varieties of organic manure that are an excellent way to maintain garden fertility. The animal-based ones are most people’s favourites. We all know about good old traditional farmyard manure (FYM). Cow manure is just as good. If possible, try to find manure that is high on straw rather than sawdust or wood shavings.
Spent mushroom compost is excellent, but remember, it does have high lime content. Therefore, make sure not to use it on plants that are ericaceous. It can cause scab on potatoes.
Green manure must be mentioned because of its value to fertility. Green manure is a crop of plants such as Hungarian grazing rye, or clover, or vetch. Grown between the harvesting of one crop and the planting of another, or over winter, they are then chopped down and dug to release the nutrients they have drawn up for the kidneys of the earth.
By using all these methods together, you should be able to create a friable loam that is rich in nutrients, earthworms, and beneficial micro-organisms. It will have a good structure and remain workable even in hostile conditions. It won’t dry out quickly during drought, and won’t become too sticky when it’s wet. You will have the ideal soil!
You can contact me on [email protected]
You can visit my website at cherrytrees.weebly.com
Until we meet again next month, happy gardening!