[Griffo]

My first post here; like the site very much - good stuff.

I'm having serious problems with so many of my crops going yellow. I realise this has been covered in some previous threads but please bear with me.

I suffered some flooding on my plot, like so many others. However, I have raised beds, approximately 6" depth of soil above the path levels. The paths were under about 1/2 inch of water a while back, so capilliary action meant that, from a couple of inches down, everything was pretty sodden.

Everything survived - just! However, downy mildew got the onions. What is worrying me now is, some crops are getting more yellow and sickly even though it has gone warm and dry - I expected things to start to pick up??

My Butternut Squashes have a few fruits - so better than some are getting so far, but the plants are so yellow (except the newest growth) and the fringes of some leaves are going brown and starting to shrivell.

My leeks are also very pale and yellowish and seem to be worsening.

Surely the improved conditions should be resulting in some improvement in the plants by now?

Can anyone suggest what the problem might be and offer some solution(s) please?

[shaun]

hi griffo and welcome
could be a number of things realy,with all the rain we have had all the food in the soil has been washed away,also with the rain again the soil gets sodden and when it gets dry it sets like concrete and the roots cant breathe,i'm sure there could be more but for starters i would gently fork around the plants with a small hand fork and give em a feed with fish blood and bone or growmore

[muntjac]

as above yellow leaves signal nutrient deficiency usually  they need nitrogen

[Griffo]

thanks for the replies. BF&B I have and can gentle 'tease' some in around the base of the plants. What's the best method/product to introduce nitrogen, in your opinion please?

[WG.]

Organically (you don't say in your Profile)?  Dried blood.  Nettle tea is also good

[Griffo]

Much prefer organic. So Blood Fish & Bone then. Can one make nettle tea at this time of year when they're seeding? Is it just a case of cramming as much foliage into a bucket as possibel, then fikking with water and leaving for - a week (or what?).

I've never used nettles, other than on the compost but have loads growing in the wood alongside our boundary.

[WG.]

No problem with older nettles but it might take too long to help your ailing plants (2 - 3 weeks?).

Don't feed onions now - too late.

[Griffo]

Do you agree with putting BF&B on now? When you say nettle tea 2-3 weeks, is that how long you leave it to 'brew' before using?

[love-my-plot]

I think you leave it till it stops fermenting.
When you stir it  (hold your nose!) there'll be bubbles ..it kind of fizzes...
when it no longer does that, it's ready. Then I dilute it & use.

[WG.]

As I said, dried blood is best.  Bonemeal is slower release.

I also mentioned that I thought 2 - 3 weeks was too late to be of much use.  Possibly okay for leeks but the only other crop you mention is squash.  Will they be growing much in September?

If you have plenty of compost or manure, make a tea from that since you'll get some benefit without waiting for it to 'brew'

[Griffo]

Thanks for the instructions on the fermenting of nettles - that's what I needed to know.

I don't remember seeing just dried blood for sale only BF&B, I'll look for the former. I have a small heap of 'stable manure' which has been rotting down for a couple of months. I'll dig out some from the bottom of the heap and mix it with water, drain and feed. Should I worry about the strength of the liquid it produces?

[WG.]

Should I worry about the strength of the liquid it produces?

No it'll be fine.  Just dilute it enough to go twice over all of the crops which need it (I'm suggesting 2 applications a week apart are better than one).

Your BF&B will be okay too.  Just share it around the most needy.

[Griffo]

Good stuff - thanks folks.

[WG.]

Which part of Herefordshire are you in Griffo?  I've played golf at Kington GC