Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: garddwr on March 07, 2010, 09:38

Title: Onion Planting - Add compost and growmore the same day ?
Post by: garddwr on March 07, 2010, 09:38

Hi,

I'm going to plant my onions and shallots and garlic later on today if the soil thaws  ::)

Anyway I've got some growmore from Wilko and bags of homemade compost and leafmould

Can I add some compost/leafmould first then some growmore raked in then plant the same day ?

Thanks

Title: Re: Onion Planting - Add compost and growmore the same day ?
Post by: peapod on March 07, 2010, 09:41

HI g

Long time no speak!

From what I can remember on the back of the growmore pack, you dig a handful of growmore in before planting, but not letting it touch the plants, if that makes sense?

Compost and leafmould is always good on any bed for the soil structure.

Title: Re: Onion Planting - Add compost and growmore the same day ?
Post by: garddwr on March 07, 2010, 09:45

Hi peapod,

Sorry been quite busy recentley mostly gardening though just preparing.

So I can definatley add compost and leafmould today and would you say its safe to add the growmore as well ?

Thanks

Title: Re: Onion Planting - Add compost and growmore the same day ?
Post by: DD. on March 07, 2010, 09:46

The two should compliment each other.

Your compost will probably not have a lot of nutrients in it and the Growmore is lacking in humus.

The things NOT to mix are lime and fertilizer.

Title: Re: Onion Planting - Add compost and growmore the same day ?
Post by: garddwr on March 07, 2010, 09:49

Quote from: DD. on March 07, 2010, 09:46

The two should compliment each other.

Your compost will probably not have a lot of nutrients in it and the Growmore is lacking in humus.

The things NOT to mix are lime and fertilizer.

Thanks again DD. well I did a Ph test the other day and it said my soil was 8.0 - alcali but I'd always thouhgt it was acid  ::) Anyway  I don't think I'll need any lime at all as its fine - not sure if I got a ph reading of the tap water though as it said on the pack that this could happen

Title: Re: Onion Planting - Add compost and growmore the same day ?
Post by: Salmo on March 07, 2010, 15:05

You should really have put the growmore on a week ago and worked it in. If it is freshly applied, especially if the soil is dry, you can burn the roots of young plants/germinating seeds.

As you are planting dry onions and shallots I you should be OK as it will take a week or so before any roots are produced.

Timing of compost is not critical.