Hobbit Allotment!

[VirginVegGrower]

Go to the recycling unit and lift the lid on the paper/cardboard ones. They're not the council's until they pick them up!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Thank you, two_sheds!

Was just about to head out. Only pops has already taken our great big heap of papers to the tip. My own fault for firstly not getting up earlier, second not asking for them to be kept. I have two from yesterday that have stayed.

My leaf mold is cooking away. It's only been cooking since kismet. Going to newspaper mulch the squash patch that is empty for the next fortnight. I'll then plant through it. Going to now weed heavily. I drew chastisement from Aunty VVG and our lovely curry sniffer.

[Two_Sheds]

Right, some photos of my mulching for HH

some before and afters. I used whole newspapers, soaked in a bucket until thoroughly saturated. These can be torn to size if you want to go round individual plants for instance.

The mulch is leafmould, made from autumn leaves collected on my cycle route (I can carry one sack per journey, they soon add up). Leafmold takes 6-18 months to make. I'm quite happy to use the semi-rotted leaves for mulching, but save the well-rotted for use as seed compost

[snohare]

We'll arrange something for when you have time off for good behaviour .........

Never happen, Binley !

[binley100]

Red, my lovely. If mine aftually survive. I would love to grow a decent cabbage-either colour- and say "Nanaji, I grew this!"

I do think of you, Binley, everytime I go into the garden centre by school. One day, might think about finding you!

We'll arrange something for when you have time off for good behaviour .........

[horticultural_hobbit]

What, keet and Mick?

Oh, I will. I got plenty of moves like jagger. Looks an awful like me Landing flat on me rump in the clay...

[snohare]

Come on young'un, if you can't get a good crop of stones in your very first year, when the crop should be greatest, you're really not trying !

[horticultural_hobbit]

Red, my lovely. If mine aftually survive. I would love to grow a decent cabbage-either colour- and say "Nanaji, I grew this!"

I do think of you, Binley, everytime I go into the garden centre by school. One day, might think about finding you!

[binley100]

pickled red cabbage or pickled green HH?

[horticultural_hobbit]

Possibly. Just thought. Could put the bark chippings on the top...but I do like your logic ^_^

[Two_Sheds]

Wonder how I would weigh it down...

Lumps of soil?

[horticultural_hobbit]

Interesting. I'm hypothesising, then. Sheets of the evening mail and the mirror; soaked and very wet. Carpeting each bed. Rather than shredded. Wonder how I would weigh it down...I wouldn't have grass cuttings til the lawns are mowed. Plan to plant out the triffids and tomatoes in a fortnight. Making holes in it wouldn't be difficult really.

Going to seriously try it. There will most definitely be comments. But it's my 88 sq yards, innit. Haven't got on too well with the bark and chipping mulch, so this could be a strategy.

[Two_Sheds]

Could I then, theoretically, plant through it?

Zazen does, so I'd say so !

[horticultural_hobbit]

Thank you

Could I then, theoretically, plant through it?

I feel smug today. Planted out my cabbages beneath a net, with collars, ceramic deterrent stuff and those evil blue pellets. Dedicated to my lovely grandad Rana who came down a few weeks ago and told me I can grow whatever I want. Years ago he would pickle them and I really want him to tell me how!

[Two_Sheds]

If i spread shredded newspaper everywhere that is currently barren; what would that achieve exactly?

I haven't tried it with shredded, I just lay down whole newspapers, soaked first. They mat together like papier mache, making a weed-suppressing mulch. It works really well, and saves a hell of a lot of time you would have spent weeding.

I'm doing my front garden today: laying down wet newspapers, topped with semi-rotted leafmold (about a dozen bags so far). I'll post a photo if I get round to it, I'm just off up the lotty to get more newspapers