A few newbie questions

[bikermike]

uses of a bottomless bin
practical jokes?

Looks a nice plot.

I've put some field beans in two weeks ago and not seen anything yet, but I'll report back after the weekend.

the main problem with burning weeds IMO is that they are damp and need wood to get them going - which is generally a waste of wood. However, you seem to have a good pile there for burning, so that would seem an ideal opportunity.
If you can dig out the compost and get the bindweed out, it's a perfect opportunity to burn it. Don't forget to check your woodpile for hedgehogs before you burn it. Also it's a very good way of clearing weeds - I'd put the fire somewhere you want cleared.

(For that much, if you are handy at DIY, I'd build a screen (aka a very big sieve), with a piece of mesh that fits over a wheelbarrow with an edge barrier of say 10cm tall round the edges. Then you can put some shovels full on the screen and use the barrow to riddle it back and forth and catch the sieved stuff. The real issue for that is getting fine enough mesh.)

[nickdub]

Not sure if anyone picked up on your comfrey question - apologies if I'm repeating stuff.

1) Be a bit careful where you plant it as it will become a permanent feature once established - mine grows about 3' high - somewhere near the hedge might be best
2) Its v. easily propagated from root cuttings, so I'd advise starting with one or 2 plants and then growing more from them.
3) probably just as well to leave it alone for the first year before harvesting leaves the year after - it'll stand 3 cuts a year once it gets motoring.

[Seth L]

Hi again folks. Popping in for some more advice

I am making slow progress with my allotment but there are some things I'd like to change around. Here is a plan I made of the site:



There are houses along the southern edge. The bottom orange dotted line shows where the plot is shaded in summer, and the higher orange dotted line is where the shade reaches in mid winter. The bottom half of the plot does get sun in winter but only for a couple of hours a day and it tends to stay frosty a lot of the time when it's cold.

Right now I have some rhubarbs and fruit canes just south of 'shed 2' and they're really cramped together so I'd like to relocate them at the end of summer. My question is should I put them in the sunnier end or the shadier end, or doesn't it matter? I want to build a trellis/cage for the raspberries so once I decide where to put them I can get on with that.

Cheers!

[Seth L]

By 'shed 2' I mean the upper shed next to the greenhouse. Forgot nobody but me knows what I named my sheds. (tried editing my post but it didn't work)

[nickdub]

I'd put the permanent stuff like rhubarb and soft fruit where its least likely to be in the way - eg along the long edge to the north side of the shed in the center perhaps. They do need sun but as long as you have no overhanging trees or blocks of flats nearby to cast intense shade, you have quite a bit of leeway.

[Seth L]

I have yet another question...

Half of my plot hasn't been used yet and is all weedy and grassy, and I want to start preparing it for next year. I have some green manure seeds and also just got a load of horse manure from a friend who has a stables. If I dig in the manure now would it be okay to sow the green manure on top? Or do I need to leave more time after putting the manure down? It is quite well rotted. Or should I just sow the green manure now and then dig in the horse poo at the start of next spring?

[nickdub]

I have yet another question...

Half of my plot hasn't been used yet and is all weedy and grassy, and I want to start preparing it for next year. I have some green manure seeds and also just got a load of horse manure from a friend who has a stables. If I dig in the manure now would it be okay to sow the green manure on top? Or do I need to leave more time after putting the manure down? It is quite well rotted. Or should I just sow the green manure now and then dig in the horse poo at the start of next spring?

Depends mostly on the type of weed involved - some things like say bindweed or ground elder need to be tackled when there is no planting going on, as its difficult to eradicate it otherwise - other weeds like annual bits and pieces or lot of grasses require less determined eradication - and you can follow whatever plan suits you, if that's all you have.

If in doubt dig up a few random lumps in your weedy part and fork through the block - if there are a lot of long, strong roots under the surface, odds on you need to consider a plant to deal with whatever it is.

You can always pile up the manure in mini-volcanoes and plant something like a courgette of pumpkin in each caldera (bit of earth first to insulate the roots), if you want to get a double bonus BTW.

[Seth L]

The weeds are mainly annuals and dandelions, with a little bit of couch grass in one spot. I've been digging the couch grass out, and some of the dandelions though to be honest I don't mind them that much.

[Scarlet]

If it was me I would put the manure down and cover with card. You've got lots of growing yet this year. It will be well over grown by next spring if you leave it.

[SarrissUK]

Personally I would put the cardboard down first, then cover with horse manure and any other grass clippings, wood chippings or whatever you might have to that can rot down on top until next year