Search found 11 matches

by JohnB
Tue May 31, 2022 7:54 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Non peat based composts
Replies: 28
Views: 14274

Re: Non peat based composts

I would just like to add one small item to the above. People question the difference between peat and non-peat organic materials. There is a difference and that is the formation over many years of laying down organic material in an oxygen-free environment of two organic acids, fulvic and humic. Thes...
by JohnB
Tue May 31, 2022 7:36 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Non peat based composts
Replies: 28
Views: 14274

Re: Non peat based composts

Sorry about the long post, although I rarely post on here yet love to read all your comments, this time I thought you might be interested in my experiment. Last year I decided that during 2022 I would do some objective tests on coir versus peat. If I could get away from peat I'd do it. I bought some...
by JohnB
Wed Aug 04, 2021 10:02 am
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: Rootfly - help! Please!
Replies: 5
Views: 5156

Re: Rootfly - help! Please!

Hi Folks, Thanks for the input - I love the idea of BLASTING them with a gas blow torch! Yeaaaahhh! and I'm going to give that a go. I've done a bit more hunting on this and there is a similar fly, same family actually, just a different species called "Turnip Root Fly" which tends to attac...
by JohnB
Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:49 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Mid Summer Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 104
Views: 37193

Re: Mid Summer Bits and Bobs.

Monika, it's not 'just me!' then I've found Jermor do really well where I am but they do grow thick stems and like onions with thick stems, they just don't keep as well as thin necked varieties, so I understand now, leave them till they are really ripe, as per Shallot Man comment and dry really well...
by JohnB
Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:43 am
Forum: General chatter
Topic: Mid Summer Bits and Bobs.
Replies: 104
Views: 37193

Re: Mid Summer Bits and Bobs.

Never mind, it'll soon be Chr .... ouch (hit from behind with frying pan!). I can't seem to quote @Monika do you find Jermor shallots don't store well? I had to pickle mine last year because they all suffered from neck-rot. This year I have grown Zebrune from seed - as well as Jermor and Yellow Moon...
by JohnB
Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:33 am
Forum: Ask the team
Topic: Rootfly - help! Please!
Replies: 5
Views: 5156

Rootfly - help! Please!

Hi Folks, Although a gardener for many years, on and off as time, space has permitted, I have recently become an allotment tenant. I have found a problem on my plot and wondered if anyone can suggest a remedy - I'll try to uppload a pic of the problem in a minute. The first time I noticed was a crop...
by JohnB
Wed Jun 30, 2021 7:50 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Non peat based composts
Replies: 28
Views: 14274

Re: Non peat based composts

Our pseudo-science on this topic began with seeds not germinating, we reverted to peat and Lo! and Behold! success. I decided to do a bit of investigating. The problem with anything like this is that certain magazines, the press in general and most definitely 'Celebrity' gardeners (without naming na...
by JohnB
Wed Jun 23, 2021 9:25 am
Forum: Weeds, Pests and Diseases
Topic: Pernicious weeds.
Replies: 6
Views: 6004

Re: Pernicious weeds.

There's not much more pernicious than this stuff - Galinsoga or gallant soldier. In some states in the US it is a notifiable weed.
by JohnB
Sun May 30, 2021 8:38 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Use of well composted horse manure in the veggie plot
Replies: 9
Views: 5623

Re: Use of well composted horse manure in the veggie plot

I'm definitely with Geoff on this; horse manure with plenty of straw, if it has been well composted (to kill weed seeds) along with other manures, cow muck or in college called FYM (Farm Yard Manure) is the best thing you can use for conditioning soil, adding humus, increasing bacterial load and fee...
by JohnB
Sun May 30, 2021 8:29 am
Forum: Best practices
Topic: Non peat based composts
Replies: 28
Views: 14274

Re: Non peat based composts

Peat-free composts will become the only available medium for growing; says Monty Don. On our allotment we have done a few VERY SIMPLE trials, mainly a few seeds from the same packet in 3 or 4 different growing media. We found the best seedlings all round were from the peat based compost, especially ...
by JohnB
Wed May 26, 2021 7:30 pm
Forum: Harvesting Q&A
Topic: Can somebody help me with sorrel please?
Replies: 6
Views: 4721

Re: Can somebody help me with sorrel please?

In France, many years ago, I had dinner in a rather fancy restaurant. The fish course was [I think brill], anyway, a white fish. It had the most wonderful sauce with it and simply a few French beans, very small and crunchy. I asked about the sauce which was something I'd never even heard of (young a...