Adding b&q compost as a soil improver?

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Goosegirl

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Re: Adding b&q compost as a soil improver?
« Reply #15 on: November 20, 2013, 13:53 »
I garden on compacted alluvial silt here, so did raised beds about 6-8"" high and dug the ground over by digging a trench and forking into the base to aerate it, added rotted manure in the bottom then re-filled it, avoiding bringing any sub-soil into the top layer. I could see by the colour that my top soil varied in depth between 4"-6" so didn't have a lot to work with initially. By adding home-made compost and rotted manure over the years, it has improved the soil structure, but found that the initial top soil level still sunk quite a bit, so I topped it up with some good-quality top soil that I went to examine before buying. If I were doing it again, I would buy some sharp sand/grit to initially mix into the base of the trench and also the upper soil layer as it would give instant results; both for aerating the soil and improving drainage - essential on clay soils. I have had some really good compost from B&Q in those very large bags and also get my Wednesday discount, so I would say get some and work it into the top layer when re-filling your trenches. You can work out your nutrient needs next year, but you are right in getting a good initial soil structure to start with before you begin growing.
I work very hard so don't expect me to think as well.

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Beano

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Re: Adding b&q compost as a soil improver?
« Reply #16 on: November 20, 2013, 14:39 »
We have 4 raised beds and when we started them years ago the soil was clay. Over the years we have put compost bags in them, used growbags, horse manure, our own compost and ashes from our wood fire. It takes a long time for it to build up to a nice loam. The compost will deffo. help and some horse manure would be good also because a clay soil takes an age to warm up in the spring. One of the best things to work I have found is digging trenches in the winter and filling them with compostable material from the kitchen and covering them over when full. It works well to warm the soil up also. Beware the potato peeling though!
El.

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wbmkk

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Re: Adding b&q compost as a soil improver?
« Reply #17 on: November 20, 2013, 16:52 »
Jut a question for the experts here ..

would it be worth the OP adding seaweed to his new raised beds to add a bit of 'bulk' and organic matter, ready for the next growing season ?

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grinling

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Re: Adding b&q compost as a soil improver?
« Reply #18 on: November 20, 2013, 18:01 »
bear in mind that it is illegal to take seaweed from the beach.

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wbmkk

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Re: Adding b&q compost as a soil improver?
« Reply #19 on: November 20, 2013, 19:47 »
bear in mind that it is illegal to take seaweed from the beach.

Is it ?

I've often seen folk carrying buckets of seaweed from the beach. I know you are not supposed to take any that is still attached to rocks, a\s this is still living, but washed up stuff, perhaps after a storm or high tide was OK to be taken, although not too much (as some wee critters live in the seaweed pile)

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adri123

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Re: Adding b&q compost as a soil improver?
« Reply #20 on: November 20, 2013, 21:29 »
Thanks to all for your opinions.

 Had to use a bed today and bit the bullet and tipped in a whole 125 l bag. Mixed in some rotted manure (2 buckets) and then forked it over to mix.  I'm no soil structure expert but it certainly seemed a lot lot better for the additions.

Our own kitchen compost solution is now in progress but where we live we have to be careful about encouraging rats so it will have to be a sealed plastic barrel affair...

Adri

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Goosegirl

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Re: Adding b&q compost as a soil improver?
« Reply #21 on: November 21, 2013, 12:57 »
bear in mind that it is illegal to take seaweed from the beach.
Is it ? I've often seen folk carrying buckets of seaweed from the beach. I know you are not supposed to take any that is still attached to rocks, a\s this is still living, but washed up stuff, perhaps after a storm or high tide was OK to be taken, although not too much (as some wee critters live in the seaweed pile)
Any seaweed (attached or otherwise) found on land above the high water mark belongs either to its private owner or the local authority and you need permission from them before removal. Any on land between the high and low water mark belongs to the Crown. The Coastal Act of 1949 states it is definitely illegal to remove it if it is protecting the beach on specially-designated coastlines such as SSCI ones, and there is no public right to collect it unless it has been a past custom such as in crofting. Best get permission first, and some councils may welcome its removal especially after a big storm to save them a job of removing it.



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