Broad bean ignoramus

[singleseeder]

In the 70s my neighbour used to get 'stuff' from the local treatment plant for his garden.

The number of tomato plants that came up were amazing!

[kathyd]

In the 70s my neighbour used to get 'stuff' from the local treatment plant for his garden.

The number of tomato plants that came up were amazing!

Lol SS, I've heard other people say that too . Strangely, I found a tomato plant in a pile of rubble in our garden which is situated ever so close to .. the fosse septique tank. I wonder how it got there.. ?

[Two_Sheds]

Is that too big for this time of year, and would cutting them back help them at all?

The first year I grew autumn broadies, I sowed them early, got them real big and though yes ! I've cracked it. Great big plants, full of flower in late winter. Then we got our frost, and gales, and the whole crop was lost.

Last year I grew some in the gh, to see how they'd do, and the same thing happened. Nice big lush green plants, flowers in March, which then got frosted and ruined

(yep, they were Aquedulces, but I'd grown them too soft. The ones I grow outside in November do really, really well)

[Loudbarker1]

Do broad beans not need bees and suchlike to pollinate them?

Lst year I planted aquadulce very early (laet decmber if I recall) in a greenhouse, and yes I did wonder about pollination. The plants were soft but there were quite a lot a beans. The later outdoor beans had an excellent year, so I think the pollitionation could have been better.

LB

[kathyd]

Well I'm going to go and bung some into my new raised bed now and see how they do. Although it means I'll be messing up my rotation system for next year before it's even started! You can't win, can you .

[Kaiya]

I've never been sure why animal waste is OK, but not human. Anyone care to clarify? Bearing in mind I'm currently eating my dinner...

Parasites mostly. Untreated cow manure is not ok for cows, and untreated human manure is not ok for humans. However untreated cow manure is ok for humans. The parasites are species specific and faecal-oral transmission (eating grass near cowpats if you're a cow, or not washing your hands after toileting/before eating if you're a human) are how eggs and/or larvae are transmitted between hosts. You can ingest parasites from other species but with a few exceptions we're not an ideal host, and the parasite either dies or encysts harmlessly, waiting for us to be eaten by a predator. The most notable exception (and one of the reasons for not using carnivore manure) is Toxacara - Toxocariasis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - we're still not an ideal host, but in it's efforts to complete it's life cycle the parasite migrates and causes damage.

Nowt wrong with treated human manure though, nor proper composting toilets!

I have seeds to plant this week... and also eight plants about 3-4 inches high that I grew as aminopyralid sacrifice plants to test a load of pony poo. (the pony poo passed: plants in the poo not only grew without any evidence of contamination but are bigger and stronger than their control plants) Hoping they don't get too big to survive the winter!

I'm in exactly the same position - planted mine Oct 9th for a amino trial, got lovely plants now. I started them undercover because I wanted to know the results of the trial before my lottie turned into a clay based river for winter but now the poo has passed they are out in the open in an attempt to stop them growing! Planted a load of onions, garlics and shallots in modules on Oct 17th for planting out to overwinter, thinking the weather was on the turn, and then Summer number 3 occured and the onions are now 8 inches tall

[kathyd]

Hi Kaiya - I should have thought of the parasites issue, thanks for enlightening me .

Now I stuck some shallots and onions and garlic into a raised bed at some point mid-late October (forget exact date), and mine are only peeping through at the moment despite the lovely mild weather! Lol . Maybe your onions will go on to become massive pumpkin-sized beasties next year!

[planetologist]

I've never been sure why animal waste is OK, but not human. Anyone care to clarify?

It's the other way around. Getting rid of the poisons in animal manure is much more difficult than composting humanure. For starters, poisons in agribusiness are so widespread that they're very difficult to get away from, whereas a human fed on organic food who is not particularly likely anyway to carry parasites can actually improve the soil and ecosystem as a whole over time. Note the toilet in the photo and the lush vegetables (I admit that I haven't manured the whole garden yet, so not actually claiming a causal relationship between the two).

[kathyd]

Hi Planetologist

The site certainly looks as though it's thriving . I must admit I've only ever had one encounter with a composting toilet, and I found the unit itself quite scary - a big black hole from a first floor - and it did smell quite bad.. I didn't go away saying 'I want one!'. But I'm sure things have moved on since then, and it does seem completely logical to me to recycle our own waste if possible. Reed bed systems fascinate me though - maybe something to explore in my next life .

[Two_Sheds]

They had composting toilets at the eco-farm I once stayed at in Cornwall. It was weird, to "go" in the open air, but no smell, nothing.
You went up some steps to a wooden tower and sat on the throne (real normal loo seat). You got a marvellous view out across the fields but nobody could see you at all. It was a "long drop" from you to the bottom of the pit, and instead of flush water you chucked a handful of ash down after you'd been.
It was actually really good, and felt much more hygienic than most public loos you might visit

[kathyd]

I think they're a great idea in principle Two Sheds, but they'd need a bit of further development before they'd encourage me to 'go' down that route to be honest.. outdoors and up steps in the middle of the night in winter?? I think probably not... and I'd need a guarantee of no pongs too. But you're right about public loos, they can be pretty grim can't they?

[chris]

You can get them for in the house, too - it's something I'd look into, but not for a few years yet...

[Two_Sheds]

.. outdoors and up steps in the middle of the night in winter?? I think probably not...

No, me neither. This was on a farm, so they were "public" toilets

I wouldn't put one in this house (imagine trying to sell the house on...!) but if I built my own I'd def. look into it: Composting Toilet and Waterless Toilets by Separett - Odour Free & No Septic

[kathyd]

Thx for the link Two Sheds, it'll make interesting reading

[Two_Sheds]

untreated human manure is not ok ...Nowt wrong with treated human manure though, nor proper composting toilets!

This has been turning over in my mind for a few months now, and I might have a go at making a compost loo in my shed. Note to self: build instructions are on p.161-170 of Humanure Handbook

outdoors and up steps in the middle of the night in winter?.... and I'd need a guarantee of no pongs too.

The simple system in the HH is indoors, waterless (no flush water) and smells are not present, so long as enough carbon is added in the form of leafmold/sawdust etc. I'm really tempted to have a go