New bed problem

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mumofstig

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New bed problem
« on: July 22, 2017, 16:58 »
In the spring I weed-killed a small lawn to turn it into a raised veg bed. Once the grass was dead I forked over the top as best I could (it was very compacted so didn't do a good job tbh) and made the sides. Filled it with some soil from a neighbour who was having her patio extended, so mostly heavy clay plus 6 x 70lt bags of mp compost, about 6in above the old grass level.
Lettuce and spinach growing very well but peas and beans are distorted and not growing as they should - it looks like herbicide damage tbh.

I don't know whether the glyphosate was still on the old lawn surface to affect the plants, or whether it came in the bagged compost.
Either way, I don't know what to do now to clear it for next year  :( Answers on a postcard please......

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New shoot

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Re: New bed problem
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2017, 17:10 »
What about using something like field beans over the winter.  If they come up OK, you'll know the bed is clear and either let them crop if they are Wizard beans, or use them as green manure if not. 

If they still look a bit distorted and it is a more lasting herbicide from contaminated bagged compost, you could use them as sacrifice plants to remove any remaining herbicide out of the soil, then pull them and bin them if need be.

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Growster...

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Re: New bed problem
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2017, 06:51 »
Might need another dig over this winter, Mum. Spinach goes down a long way, so I suspect it's not the glypho, but beans are having a funny year here too! They're just not thriving like they should.

I'd reckon that by next year, you'll get the balance you want, with the worms getting at all that compost, but yes, digging up an old lawn is damned hard work...

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sunshineband

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Re: New bed problem
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2017, 11:06 »
You could try a mixed green manure over the Winter, which would help the fertility a bit and give you a chance to see if there is further damage. Some mpc do seem to have a germination preventer mixed in.. Wickes did a couple of years back and it gave lots of us all sorts of problems, so I wouldn't rule that out either.

A little crop of "Christmas" potatoes would also be a possibility and would certainly show any glyphosate damage if that is the problem

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Growster...

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Re: New bed problem
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2017, 12:48 »
"A little crop of "Christmas" potatoes would also be a possibility"

What a great idea, Sunny! I'd never have thought of doing that!

:0)))

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sunshineband

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Re: New bed problem
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2017, 08:50 »
"A little crop of "Christmas" potatoes would also be a possibility"

What a great idea, Sunny! I'd never have thought of doing that!

:0)))

As long as you can avoid blight though, sadly. I should have said that earlier. In circumstances other that MoS, where clearly she would need to grow them in the ground, they are good in sacks or large pots as they can be taken under cover if necessary

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Salmo

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Re: New bed problem
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2017, 17:41 »
Glyphosate is broken down very quickly on contact with soil so it is unlikely to be that.

With the hot and dry weather that we have had the distortion could be pea thrips biting the leaves or black aphids.

If the plants are still growing may we have a photo please.

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ilan

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Re: New bed problem
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2017, 09:16 »
I would think with this strange weather with long hot periods the bed may not be deep enough to retain the moisture, In my garden you need to have 12-14 ins of soil before you start to get sustainable moisture with a heavy compacted sub soil the roots simply wont get deep enough .
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