Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: andyf75 on February 19, 2015, 14:53

Title: fertiliser
Post by: andyf75 on February 19, 2015, 14:53

Hi all,

Was going to try and get a load of manure from somewhere this winter, but realistically am not going to get around to sourcing and transporting anything on that scale.

What is the best garden centre product to buy to fertilise vegetable beds? I have some home made compost but need something else as well.

bags of manure? fish, blood & bone? chicken manure pellets?

many thanks!

Title: Re: fertiliser
Post by: m1ckz on February 19, 2015, 15:28

chicken manue pettets for me

Title: Re: fertiliser
Post by: JayG on February 19, 2015, 15:52

Depends on your soil type - if it's in good condition then your home compost and possibly a 'balanced' dried fertiliser should supply most plant's requirements.

If it's neglected, or very sandy, and you think it lacks organic material, you could do with possibly more compost than you have available, although you will probably find bagged manure from GC's very expensive.

Beware of FBB, and even chicken pellets, if you have foxes in your area.

Title: Re: fertiliser
Post by: Kristen on February 19, 2015, 16:23

Are you able to take a bulk delivery? if so Mushroom Compost (or Spent Hops if you have a brewery locally) might do, and be reasonably cost effective.

Title: Re: fertiliser
Post by: andyf75 on February 19, 2015, 16:41

Quote from: Kristen on February 19, 2015, 16:23

Are you able to take a bulk delivery? if so Mushroom Compost (or Spent Hops if you have a brewery locally) might do, and be reasonably cost effective.

Yep I could do, but not keen on spending much money

Title: Re: fertiliser
Post by: beesrus on February 19, 2015, 19:22

I also couldn't source in time the cow manure I wanted, so a Winter seaweed dressing was applied to some of my beds.
If money is an issue, chicken pellets are, in my opinion, the most productive for the cost, and of course it can easily be applied selectively. A couple of 15kg bags for £5 each does me. Makes all the difference with my brassicas.
I have never found fish blood and bone particularly user friendly for some reason, awkward to judge quantities and it so easily gets damp.

Title: Re: fertiliser
Post by: Salmo on February 19, 2015, 22:53

A basic dressing of Growmore on all your beds and then give things like brassicas a top dressing nitrogen. Chicken manure is a little high in nitrogen for most crops and tends to produce too much foliage in crops like peas and potatoes.

Title: Re: fertiliser
Post by: Hampshire Hog on February 20, 2015, 09:25

I use spent mushroom compost plus or minus chicken manure pellets. Tend to buy big containers of pellets in the end of season sales at garden centres. Also occasionally use a bit of growmore.
Cheers HH

Title: Re: fertiliser
Post by: andyf75 on February 23, 2015, 10:00

Quote from: beesrus on February 19, 2015, 19:22

chicken pellets are, in my opinion, the most productive for the cost

great, thats exactly what I wanted to know
Thanks