Using Seaweed in the Garden

Early Winter is a great time to put fresh seaweed on your empty beds. I just gather the wet seaweed that washes up on the beach (not the stuff still growing attached to rocks) and lay it out on the beds and let the rain wash it clean. By Spring it will have decomposed into the bed. It can get a bit glutinous and unappealing during this process but unless you are hoping to have quality time hanging out beside it, it's nothing that will bother you. You could also cover with soil.

The above photo is a bag of seaweed I collected on my local beach last week. I tried to avoid the large stems that are often attached as they are slower to break down, although as I am typing I am recalling someone telling me that the stem is the most nutritious part.... not sure if that is a real memory. Seaweed definitely improves the soil. My main vegetable patch in my old house produced its best crops in the season directly after my first application of seaweed. The effect was unmistakable.

And thanks to my penchant for taking photos of the garden constantly, I have before and after photos. The first photo was taken in November and the second photo was taken in the following July:

Not only does applying seaweed cover the bare soil reducing leaching of existing organic matter, it keeps the soil moist and adds nutrients including nitrogen, potassium, phosphate and magnesium. It also contains elements that plants need in small amounts like iron, manganese, copper, boron and zinc, which can be lacking in other fertilisers. It doesn't contain any weed seeds either. You can safely apply fresh seaweed directly as a mulch to your growing crops as well as digging it in to the soil. Opinions vary as to whether you should rinse it first or not. Some people think the salt will deter slugs, others say it might damage certain plants.


This is my new garden where I am just beginning my vegetable patch. I made a few beds last year which produced some beautiful vegetables but I've decided that they are too close to the septic tank for comfort. I'm worried about contamination in the soil from the soakaway. The following photo is the other side of the garden. All I've done here so far is cover three areas with large pieces of carpet to kill off the undergrowth. The carpet has been down two months. One bed has been covered with seaweed this week, and two more to go. For the other two beds I am going to shovel a load of compost from my garden heap on to the bare soil and then cover with seaweed. I am significantly excited writing this. Better get my wellies out tomorrow.

 

Leafmould: Making Fallen Leaves Useful

The serene orange and yellow hues of leaves on lazy mild evenings is what earns Autumn its place as my most-loved season. The low sun searing through the curtain of illuminated foliage is blinding and beautiful. Too bad the wind usually picks up and strips the trees bare in a matter of days. And with the rain, soon what once crunched deliciously underfoot now sticks to your boot like sludge threatening to slip you up.

Instead of sweeping up the leaves and adding them to the compost heap, you can isolate them to make your own soil conditioner called leaf mould. By digging the finished product into your soil, you will improve it. For an acidic mix, use pine needles instead of leaves (they are shed all year around but particularly in the Spring). The leaf mould can also be used as a mulch or soil coverer.

The easiest process is pack the leaves into a black refuse bag. If the leaves are dry, add some water to accelerate the decomposition process and tie. Leave for at least one year, preferably two. Indeed it is not quick gratification but the effort required is minimal.

The photo below is of a bag I ripped open today, which had been sitting there for one year. The leaves have broken down into papery sheets. Some larger leaves could break down further but it is certainly useable. 

Leaf mould is not particularly nutritious but it's crumbly texture will help loosen your soil to move it closer to that illusive "friable" state. It also provides a perfect habitat for beneficial soil life like earthworms and fungi. It is extremely moisture retentive, making a great mulch. If added to the compost heap, it brings good levels of carbon helping achieve that perfect carbon:nitrogen ratio which can be difficult to perfect with the usual high levels of nitrogen in most plant life.


Make it. You've no excuse.

My Garden: 24th April 2014

I massacred my brassica seedlings. I planted a mix of purple sprouting broccoli, calabrese and cabbage indoors in early March and they were looking well for a while:

Unfortunately even though indoor sowing is great for sprouting seeds, it is quite difficult to maintain seedling health as the soil dries out quickly. The only window sill I had available was the sitting room, and it was still stove lighting weather so my seedlings perished in the dry heat:

Doh.

But there is still time! Not deterred by my failures, I planted a new batch of seedlings, even better than the first! They remain outside in boxes that I can cover at night. I am making an effort to shade them when the sun is strong. Honestly sometimes I think it works better when seeds are sown outside and you just leave the rain and sun do their work. In the words of Queen, too much love will kill you[r brassica seedlings].

In other news I took a shovel to the compost bin and what started off as disgusting bits of rotting food, egg cartons, toilet rolls and leaves, is now more attractive and usable:

My comfrey plant which had died back for the winter is full of growth so I've started a batch of fertiliser:

My broad beans have gone out to the big bad world, and I've planted mange tout around them, plus some sweet pea flowers to attract the pollinators.

Composting with a Wormery

It kills me to dump food waste and I try my best to use up every possible morsel, but every day I find myself visiting the bin. As I live in a built up area, I am worried about attracting vermin and other wild animals so had always ruled out a normal compost bin. Then I began reading about composting with worms and it seems like the perfect solution for someone with space restrictions.

Worms aid the decomposition process by eating the dead plant material, breaking it down and enriching it with minerals and nutrients.

 The first piece I read as I began my research was a review on the Hungry Bin by The Compost Bin blogger, CompostWoman:

 Manufacturers description:

The Hungry Bin is a unique design. It creates an ideal living environment for compost worms. The worms convert organic waste into worm castings and a nutrient-rich liquid, which are both high-quality fertilisers. The liquid drains freely from the bin and into a tray placed below it. The tapered shape of the bin compresses the castings, encouraging the worms to move to the surface layer to access fresh food. Compressed castings are easier to handle and largely free of worms. It is a simple process to collect both the castings and liquid produced by the hungry bin.

Further investigation of worm and bin suppliers brought me to a great information page on the Irish Peatland Conservation Council's page which shows how to make a basic bin suitable for containing composting worms.

 What is required?

• At least 250g of worms - suitable worms are Tiger/Brandling worms (available at fishing tackle shops).
• A big large enough for your needs, with a well fitted lid
• Drill holes for drainage at the bottom of the bin, but it is worth collecting the liquid that seeps through, as it is highly nutritional for the garden.
• Layer the bottom of the bin with drainage material, e.g. gravel
• Place a sheet of heavy perforated plastic over the gravel
• Layer on some bedding for the worms. This should fill almost half the bin. It must be moist. This can be one of the following materials:

1. Moist leaf mould
2. Moist shredded paper
3. Straw manure
4. Rotted compost

• Add the worms on top of the bedding
• Cover the worms with sheets of wet newspaper. This will help retain heat and moisture.
• Allow them to acclimatise for a week before adding food.

Worms like to be warm so keep the bin in a sheltered location. However, keep out of the sun as this may cook the worms. During the winter, when the temperature may drop below 0, keep the bin in a shed to keep the worms active. It is claimed that the worms can process half their body weight per day, so 1KG of worms should produce 1/2KG of compost per day. Productivity will slow down in the cold weather, so do not overfeed or the bin will begin to smell.

What can be composted?

Virtually any organic material can be composted in your wormery. Chop food up to aid digesting.
Avoid citrus fruits, grass clippings and perennial weeds.
Small quantities of meat can be added, but large amounts will only develop maggots, which will grow into flies.

Add

Kitchen scraps like fruit and veg

Cut flowers, tea leaves, coffee grounds, crushed egg shells

Small amounts of torn cardboard and paper but avoid magazines and coloured paper. Mix well with other items.

Grass cuttings can be added with caution. It is high in nitrogen and a good activator but can only be added in minuscule amounts so it might be better to just leave it out as it can take over the mix.

Leaves can be added a little at a time, but it might be best to make leaf mould separately.

Human and animal hair can be added, but dampen it first.

Wood ash which provides potassium and lime

Don't Add



Dog and cat droppings or droppings of any meat eating animal

Man made fibres - these will not rot

Materials sprayed with weed killer

Meat bones

Material infected with disease


Harvesting the compost

After 3-5 months, there should be enough compost to harvest. To prepare the bin for harvesting, do not add new food for two weeks. To separate the worms from the compost, it is recommended that you push all the contents of the bin to one side. Add new bedding and food to the other side, and the worms will begin to cross over to the new bedding and food. Harvest the compost when most of the worms have moved to the other side.