Gardeners!

[Heltor Chasca]

Roses don’t have massive or particularly fibrous root systems. Quite woody. I rarely have any transplant problems. The ones that have failed are ones I didn’t prune back enough. The reduced/damaged root stock in the basement couldn’t cope or sustain the amount of foliage upstairs.

I am a bad person I know.

 

[Dave7]

AND NOW SOME MULCH QUESTIONS.
Now that I am sorting a rose section out I read that mulch & feeding are vital for good results (hence my poor previous results).
I read that I can use grass cuttings. As I have good size gardens that should be no problem........BUT......
Do I put fresh grass cuttings down or should I compost it first?
If so how long should I leave it to break down/compost ?
Should I buy a compost type thingy and chuck other things in?

 

[Dave 123]

AND NOW SOME MULCH QUESTIONS.
Now that I am sorting a rose section out I read that mulch & feeding are vital for good results (hence my poor previous results).
I read that I can use grass cuttings. As I have good size gardens that should be no problem........BUT......
Do I put fresh grass cuttings down or should I compost it first?
If so how long should I leave it to break down/compost ?
Should I buy a compost type thingy and chuck other things in?

You can use anything to mulch really. You could use just grass, and use it fresh, but I wouldn't advise it. Too much grass will turn into smelly slime, and it'll be a mega nitrogen hit for the plant. You'd be better to compost the grass with some other plant material and mix it with a few shovels of garden soil.

Look at my long winded post up thread about composting.

A good mulch with garden compost will help retain moisture in the soil and give the plant a feed.

 

[Dave7]

You can use anything to mulch really. You could use just grass, and use it fresh, but I wouldn't advise it. Too much grass will turn into smelly slime, and it'll be a mega nitrogen hit for the plant. You'd be better to compost the grass with some other plant material and mix it with a few shovels of garden soil.

Look at my long winded post up thread about composting.

A good mulch with garden compost will help retain moisture in the soil and give the plant a feed.

Thanks.......how far back is your post.
Strike that.....I have found it.

 

[Dave7]

@Dave 123 I have 2 questions.
1. You are obviously making commercial quantities of the stuff.....can you kindly drop the odd load off at my house?
2. Yours looks excellent quality. So if option 1. is not possible can you occasionally nip up and pee on my new compost?

 

[Dave 123]

@Dave 123 I have 2 questions.
1. You are obviously making commercial quantities of the stuff.....can you kindly drop the odd load off at my house?
2. Yours looks excellent quality. So if option 1. is not possible can you occasionally nip up and pee on my new compost?

Both of those options incur a delivery charge!

 

[Dave7]

Both of those options incur a delivery charge!

Well if you are going to be tight fisted I will go option 3. Pee in a bottle and post it to me.

 

[PaulSB]

@Dave7 if you want to build compost bins but avoid the cost of @Dave 123's excellent bins you can use pallets for the sides instead. You will have to replace them from time to time. Some tips from me

• If it was once organic it can be composted
• Kitchen waste, veg peelings can be composted but not directly in the compost bin as it attracts rats. Compost in a plastic compost bin before adding to the heap
• Place a layer of twigs at the base of a new pile aas this rots the twigs and helps with drainage
• When composting grass tear old newspaper in to strips and mix with the grass. This absorbs moisture and prevents the slimy mess grass can turn into
• When adding new material first loosen the top six inches and mix with the new
• Newspaper and cardboard are a good source of carbon and help keep the compost pile open and aerated. Be sure to remove packing tape, sticky labels, staples etc. from cardboard before composting.
• With the exception of noxious weeds such as couch, mare's tail, Himalayan balsam, bindweed etc. even perennial weed can be composted. I rip off the foliage and then damage the route to stop regrowth. Takes seconds when wedding.

 

[Dave7]

@Dave7 if you want to build compost bins but avoid the cost of @Dave 123's excellent bins you can use pallets for the sides instead. You will have to replace them from time to time. Some tips from me

• If it was once organic it can be composted
• Kitchen waste, veg peelings can be composted but not directly in the compost bin as it attracts rats. Compost in a plastic compost bin before adding to the heap
• Place a layer of twigs at the base of a new pile aas this rots the twigs and helps with drainage
• When composting grass tear old newspaper in to strips and mix with the grass. This absorbs moisture and prevents the slimy mess grass can turn into
• When adding new material first loosen the top six inches and mix with the new
• Newspaper and cardboard are a good source of carbon and help keep the compost pile open and aerated. Be sure to remove packing tape, sticky labels, staples etc. from cardboard before composting.
• With the exception of noxious weeds such as couch, mare's tail, Himalayan balsam, bindweed etc. even perennial weed can be composted. I rip off the foliage and then damage the route to stop regrowth. Takes seconds when wedding.

Thanks for that. Having looked at the size of the rose bed.........and the proposed extension.....I am thinking of starting smaller ie with one of those plastic composters the local council are (supposedly) giving grants towards. BUT...........I feel they dont look very big.
I will recheck the advert and ask your opinion.
However......I assume the general principle of the advice you give will apply ?

 

[Dave 123]

@User9609 The grass will grow, but try not to leave to big bits of hardcore in there.

Here in college there is a big building project going on. There were archaeological digs on the main lawn. Basically when they built the 'new' chapel in 1800 and something, they dug a hole and put the old chapel in it. There are 2 small areas of lawn just off the main lawn that have always been a pain. The old chapel is in here too. They never grow lush.
The soil is always bone hard. We push garden forks in and wriggle them about for a 2 inch wide hole, sometimes we fill them with sand, yet still it remains compacted. I guess the soil has nowhere to go a the hardcore is there. (It's also a problem trying to get the forks in and out sometimes!)

If you just want green it'll probably be ok, if you want half decent I'd remove it.

 

[PaulSB]

@Dave7 yes the general principle still applies. In my opinion the plastic compost bins don't do a very good job. Air is important to composting and the nature of these bins are such that air is effectively excluded.

Get three pallets, back and sides, four stakes, drive these in, fix pallets in place and bingo you have a cheap, small compost bin. Cover with old carpet, plastic sheeting, cardboard etc.

 

[PaulSB]

I usually shuffle around with both feet together and a light tread. Do this in two directions. If you're grassing over rake the surface gently afterwards.

If grassing, which looks likely, I would wait 2-3 weeks to let the soil settle before adding top soil and treading down again. Some rain would help to settle it. If it's a new border add topsoil when you like as routine cultivation will soon level it up.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

FWIW it may take up to a year for the levels in a lawn to find themselves. Lots of thumb sucking, gambling and Murpy’s Lawbreaking involved.

 

[Dave 123]

Corn marigold and banana leaf (sounds like a craft beer)

 

[Dave 123]

What’s the story morning glory