Peat AND peat-free - My last trial of the year

[alan refail]

Not another comparison experiment. This time it's "all or nothing".

Given my relative satisfaction with Vital Earth multipurpose in trial #2, I sowed some lettuce on 10 August in a 50/50 mix of Clover and Vital Earth. They germinated beautifully and have been pricked out into the same mixture and are looking good.

The Clover peat lightens the woody texture of the Vital Earth, and the Vital Earth aids water retention and darkens the colour of the peat.

Today I have used the same mix to sow the first half of my "autumn" sowing and will use it again in about ten days' time for the second part of the sowing. Today's sowing was lettuces, endives, chicories, bunching onions and parsley. Next sowing will be cabbages, kales, pak choi and Japanese mustard and a few various salad leaves.

What I want to know now is: would members be interested to be kept up to date on progress, pictures etc?

[Bren]

Alan Yes please I would like to see them.
Bren

[oldherbaceous]

Afternoon Alan, i think everyone on here would be interested in the results.

It was just unfortunate timing last time, with all the other things that were being angrily discussed.

[alan refail]

I have changed the title of the thread, lest members think it's another "debate"

[Primrose]

Yes please, because I am certainly no expert on composts and reading about experiments conducted by others is really helpful.

[alan refail]

Update #1

Some lettuce, endive and chicory germinated after four days. Looking good so far - no trouble with germination in this mix.

[alan refail]

Update #2

A week after sowing and all lettuce, chicory and endive are through; onions and parsley just beginning to germinate.

[Westi]

Alan this is great - you are obviously so much more disciplined then me doing this for so long but I really appreciate the results and will be taking them into consideration for next year.

Thanks so much for sharing this.

Westi

[alan refail]

Lettuce/chicory/endive and bunching onions seventeen days after sowing

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[alan refail]

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Lettuces sown 10 August in same mix and now planted out.

[alan refail]

I made my second autumn sowing on Saturday 10 September.
Claytonia, Wild rocket, Coriander, four varieties of Pak choi, Choi sum, four varieties of Japanese mustard, five varieties of Spring cabbage and six varieties of Kale.

After three days most of the brassicas had germinated. So I am again happy with my 50/50 compost mix.

[glallotments]

I wonder if 50/50 John Innes and peat free would work as well? WE use this mix in our tubs. Maybe another test for next year

[alan refail]

I wonder if 50/50 John Innes and peat free would work as well? WE use this mix in our tubs. Maybe another test for next year

You offering?

[Nature's Babe]

If soil is in good condition and if the drill is well watered I find it works fine during summer months to plant brassicas and green stuff where it is to grow and then thin out for transplanting saves on CO2 emissions from composts trundling around the country and saves the cost. The ones not transplanted receive no check to growth at all so it helps stagger the crop too. My father always did that, and most of the old gardeners around us.

[alan refail]

If soil is in good condition and if the drill is well watered I find it works fine during summer months to plant brassicas and green stuff where it is to grow and then thin out for transplanting saves on CO2 emissions from composts trundling around the country and saves the cost. The ones not transplanted receive no check to growth at all so it helps stagger the crop too. My father always did that, and most of the old gardeners around us.

I am sowing in modules for planting out later in the polytunnel when space becomes available. Hence my "trial". What used to be done outside (I used to do exactly what you describe when I had four and a half full allotments) is really not relevant here. I am trialling composts - for my own interest and methods - and not ways of growing. I certainly would not sow any of the things used here outdoors at this time of the year.