Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi,

Westi, great to see photos - really useful. Do you use grass cuttings (or other) to mulch around brassicas? If so, afterwards, do you dig in or rake up and remove? I have rarely mulched - which I am keen to do but don't entirely know the rules. I always put straw around courgettes and squash but haven't to anything else. I used grass cuttings one year, but found when I came to dig the ground in very early spring, beneath where the grass had been was very wet and heavy. Almost clay like in texture and a nightmare to dig, so I haven't tried since. Should I have removed it maybe? Would be really interested to know more about mulching - when to do it, what to use, and how to treat it afterwards.

Thanks

Pawty

I'm not a great lover of using grass cuttings for mulching. Maybe I used to put it on too deep (usually 2inches plus) but it always ended up as a sodden mass. Much like when you sometimes place to much on the compost heap in one go and again it ends up a soggy sodden mass.

Good to get the Greenshaft planted out, makes me think I'm getting somewhere. Amazing germination with a mixture of old and fresh seed, 8 sets of rootrainers (256 modules) planted with 2 peas per module and only one with nothing in it. Quite surprising considering how many slugs were living in the gaps between the modules. I was a bit late cutting my sticks so I'm going to have a bit of a Birch hedge for a while.

You've been very busy Geoff. I've planted some brassicas out, but haven't even got round to sowing the peas. The climbing french beans and courgettes are romping away in the greenhouse and I've put the tomatoes in their ring culture pots in the greenhouse border. Isn't it funny how they look so much bigger as soon as they are planted out. I'm not using any heat in the greenhouse but still have the bubble plastic up and have plenty of fleece handy in case of frost. I'm leaving the aubergines and peppers in the heated propagator until they're a bit bigger.

Was about to make urgent appointment with doctor but Mrs S persuaded me that my funny colour was down to no more than green tinge of envy having looked at Geoff's pictures. Smashing bit of work.

We planted out the first peas on the allotment, too, today (like Geoff, Hurst Greenshaft and started in roottrainers). They and the 64 brassicas I planted needed an awful lot of watering in because we still have not had a drop of rain after just 2cm for the whole of April! It's been sunny again all day but accompanied with a strong to very strong northeasterly wind which comes straight off the moor to us and dries everything out. So I am just hoping the brassicas will survive constant blast.

Hi Pawty (& Pa)!

The secret to grass clippings is to dry them out a bit before you use them as a mulch. If you put them on green they do go slimey & quite disgusting! I bring my home clippings down to lottie & dry them for a bit on one of the membrane paths. If weather is not kind, I shove them in a large trug in the shed or under the table & give it a toss now & again. It practically rots away by end of the season if goes on dry & is easy to dig in.

When I use grass cuttings as mulch I use a layer of a couple of inches thick but lightly fork it in between rows or plants in the top couple inches of soil. I find this sufficiently breaks it up to prevent any slimey mess occurring.

Bright start to day here, looks like medium wind judging by tree branch movement I can see outside.

Should, with luck, be planting the last of the potatoes today.
Two maincrops, King Edward & Sarpo Mira, just 20 of each. Nowhere near the number some of you grow.

Will re-sow carrots today providing we have some new unopened varieties available. If not will wait until next week and replenish stock at Malvern Show.
Only a few of Mrs S's carrot sowing are showing and none of mine are. Think the seed I used had had its day.

I been working over the allotment this morning and hadn't realised just quite how dry things are over there. We desperately need some rain soon, before the warmer temperatures start.

Ground was dry as a bone here yesterday. Did some watering but people were queuing for the taps.
One of which was being used by one plot holder carrying out the serious function of washing their car. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keeping close eye on overwintered Senshyu Yellow onions, some are producing seed pods already which I am pinching off.
(too dry perhaps ????)

Dull start to day here, hope there is less wind than yesterday.

It's going to be a glorious day, Pa Snip....

Allegedly !!!!!

From 3pm onwards here. I want a bright evening & hope that double header steam train due through is not overly late tonight. Be too dark otherwise.

Trust me Pa Snip, i'm a gardener...

Just been and planted 50 Runner Bean plants over the allotment....i was given some long sheets of corrugated plastic, so have placed these round them....soon be picking beans i suppose....

Another lovely sunny day here with slightly less NE wind - we really need some rain now. We watered the brassica plants again yesterday, giving them a good soaking at the roots but it's the drying wind which can't do them any good.

On the other hand, it's good to see and hear the other signs of spring. Our large bird cherries are absolutely covered in white blossom including one which has a pink clematis montana growing right through it, gorgeous.