Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Goosegirl on July 06, 2014, 11:53
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Last year because I lost my dibber, I had to use my trowel to plant my leeks. It made a bigger diameter hole but I didn't notice any difference when harvesting and it was a lot easier to get them right to the bottom of the hole. Using a dibber and, despite trimming off the longer roots on planting, it was still a problem fitting them down into the hole. Why are we supposed to use a dibber and does it really matter in the end?
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I use a sawn-off spade handle, its thicker than the normal dibber which makes it easier to slot in the little plants.
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Any method that means they're planted deeply will work.
Sometimes it's easier to plant in trenches - it really doesn't matter how you do it.
Dibbing holes is easier for some people than digging holes, that's all ;)
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I've always used a trowel, it makes a slightly deeper and wider hole for planting, it also makes it easier to give them a decent watering if needed.
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I use a trowel, partly because I feel a dibber might compact the soil at the bottom of the hole and make it harder for the leeks to root, but mainly because I ain't got a dibber! :lol:
I also tend to underestimate the number of plants I've got, so finish up having to dig a trench to accommodate the rest of them that can't be planted individually. ::)
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I use a sawn-off spade handle, its thicker than the normal dibber which makes it easier to slot in the little plants.
:ohmy: Sawn off. I use one of the many broken handles I have here. I've just done 82, only another 3 tray to do ::)
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Dibber, with a big wide waggle. Trowels don't do it for me.
A 2 and a half feet circus big top tent spike, my pride and joy. Lots of weight behind it.
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Old spade handle for me as well to make good deep holes, nice and easy and comfortable tried droping a couple of grains of BFB in the hole this time and a good water in as usual, and there off like rockets :D
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I use a sawn-off spade handle, its thicker than the normal dibber which makes it easier to slot in the little plants.
I have a broken off spade handle - the holes are huge for the little leeks!!
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Dibber and a wiggle
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I use a 1/12" dia steel tube with a slot 8" up so the soil plug comes out and leaves a clean hole
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I water well beforehand then use a dibber. I find the watering makes a big difference to the ease of making holes.
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An old pointed spade handle with a 6 inch mark and an 8 inch mark,push wiggle water voila :D job done nice long blanched white stems ;)
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I'm with the trowel brigade, make hole, put in plantlet and then water to fill in with soil. Fortunately only got about 50 to do as I managed to stop Paul from doing the whole packet again this year! ::)
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I have a long broken spade handle, works for me, waiting to put mine in....
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I use a walking stick :)
You can use one of those cheapo bulb planters too. They're quite nifty
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I don't dig so I haven't got a broken spade handle - narrow width trowel for me.
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I use an old dibber left behind by the previous owners, made from an old spade handle. I've also found that watering well beforehand makes it easier to make the holes. Last year I used a trowel and I struggled to get the leeks in. I found it much easier with the chunky dibber.
Each to their own, I guess!
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I'm planning to use the other end of my hoe - 8ins marked off on it with a white chalk pen.
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I use a 1/12" dia steel tube with a slot 8" up so the soil plug comes out and leaves a clean hole
I use something similar - a bit of old plastic pipe of around the same diameter fitted with another piece inserted through the top to make a T for ease of pushing in (Mr Snoop made this and even padded it with leather for greater comfort). Don't have a slot but a core of soil comes up cleanly. Getting the core out of the pipe can be a challenge. I sometimes need to bash the pipe a bit on a handy stone (lots round here) to loosen it so I can shake it out. The roots go in nicely and it leaves relatively loose rather than compacted soil at the bottom and the sides, so it works well for for watering the leeks in.
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I'm planning to use the other end of my hoe - 8ins marked off on it with a white chalk pen.
That's what I have done this last week ;)
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I use a 1/12" dia steel tube with a slot 8" up so the soil plug comes out and leaves a clean hole
I use something similar - a bit of old plastic pipe of around the same diameter fitted with another piece inserted through the top to make a T for ease of pushing in (Mr Snoop made this and even padded it with leather for greater comfort). Don't have a slot but a core of soil comes up cleanly. Getting the core out of the pipe can be a challenge. I sometimes need to bash the pipe a bit on a handy stone (lots round here) to loosen it so I can shake it out. The roots go in nicely and it leaves relatively loose rather than compacted soil at the bottom and the sides, so it works well for for watering the leeks in.
I like this idea; a length of water waste pipe with a length of broom handle to push the soil plug out with. Now all I need to do is remember it for next year!
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... Getting the core out of the pipe can be a challenge.
This is the very reason I don't do it any more. 10 seconds to create the hole - 15 minutes trying to get the soil out of the pipe. :mad:
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Good answers on here - thanks. On my silty soil akin to clay and, even adding compost and new top soil to the raised beds, it is still rather easily compacted. My thoughts exactly about compacting the soil at the bottom of the hole when dibbing. I'm going for the trowel jobbie as it is easier on my hands and doesn't require a lot of strength to pull it out either.
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I used to plant lots of leeks so dibber it was!
Also when watering in, water to the side of the hole to take a bit of soil down or you can float the freshly planted leeklets back out. :mad:
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I use the handle end of my rake for everything, peas, beans , leeks, onions, just walk along move the end and lean, a quick twist as you pull out leaves a nice clean hole, drop the pea / bean / onion in, and flip the rake and rake the soil into the holes, minimal bending if you are a good shot with dropping the bean into the hole.
Grendel
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... Getting the core out of the pipe can be a challenge.
This is the very reason I don't do it any more. 10 seconds to create the hole - 15 minutes trying to get the soil out of the pipe. :mad:
That is why I use a steel pipe with a slot 8" up, the soil comes out on it own no banging needed.
I have heavy soil when it is dry you cannot dig it so the steel pipe bashed in with a heavy hammer does the job
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Used my faithful pointed spade handle 500 times today planting pencil leeks,only another 800 to go tomorrow :lol:
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Used my faithful pointed spade handle 500 times today planting pencil leeks,only another 800 to go tomorrow :lol:
With those amounts to plant a trowel would be an extra days work sore knees and a bad back ! :lol:
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Old spade/fork handle here. The rate at which hubby is breaking the forks and spades I will be selling them off as dibbers :lol:
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Years ago, I bought a lawn aerator, which was basically four hollow tines, on a square frame, which you trod into the turf to make holes.
It didn't work at all well, as of course, the tines clogged up immediately, so I've taped a Spear and Jackson metal pointed dribbler to the bottom, and make the holes with that, also having a handy foot to assist the downward pressure.
It does make life so much easier - there's a pic of it somewhere here...
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I'm very excited about my leeks this year - they're the pencil variety, as compared to last year's blades of grass!
Making holes was a struggle last year on our sandy soil, so I'll be going for the water first approach and dibbing. Fingers crossed!
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This year I'm going to try using a long-handled bulb planter ;)
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I used to plant lots of leeks so dibber it was!
Also when watering in, water to the side of the hole to take a bit of soil down or you can float the freshly planted leeklets back out. :mad:
Ah - that's a good idea, though I found I didn't have that problem when I used my trowel, possibly because the soil was looser around the hole edges. Now - how do I stop my "talking tortie cat" Daphne from suddenly having a playful moment and runnning off with a newly-planted leek like she did last year!! :ohmy: :lol:
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I used to plant lots of leeks so dibber it was!
Also when watering in, water to the side of the hole to take a bit of soil down or you can float the freshly planted leeklets back out. :mad:
Ah - that's a good idea, though I found I didn't have that problem when I used my trowel, possibly because the soil was looser around the hole edges. Now - how do I stop my "talking tortie cat" Daphne from suddenly having a playful moment and runnning off with a newly-planted leek like she did last year!! :ohmy: :lol:
You can use a dibber or a trowel for that !
My friend had to have a serious word with his cat for running up and down a row of seedlings inside cloches !
I believe VET was mentioned ! :)
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Goosey, here's the one I made earlier...
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Goosey, here's the one I made earlier...
Brilliant, shame the spikes are not wider as then you could dib four holes in one go.
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Goosey, here's the one I made earlier...
Brilliant, shame the spikes are not wider as then you could dib four holes in one go.
Ha ha ha, BQ, I could just cut them off I suppose...
The only small issue is that you have to tread the thing down without letting the other tines twiddle soil in the previous hole, or whack the planting line, but it's not a real problem, probably only a small curse-word is enough..;0)
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I water the ground pretty well so the hole does not collapse back in once I've made it. I use an upturned hoe and get a good leverage as I put my weight on it to make the hole, and give it a twist as it comes out. Nice and clean
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Bulb planter! Takes a core of soil out with nice walls and doesnt compress the bottom. Excess soil between the rows .....