I have been bust emptying plastic fish boxes and emptying baths and filling them with soil and sowing seeds into the polytunnel and planting leeks that I have grown from seed and moved and transplanted into baths outside the polytunnel. I am always on the look out for free or cheap containers like old plastic heating oil tanks and baths to fill with topsoil and fym and make more raised beds.
I have been making the most of this Indian/Irish Summer and clearing and weeding and preparing for Autumn and Spring crops next year.
Old second hand baths that are made of plastic and I made drainage holes in the baths along with the plug hole.
Maybe not aesthetically pleasing on the eye? Yet the vegetables don't seem to mind growing in them.
Like I often write on here. You don't have to own a garden or rent an allotment to grow your own organic vegetables.
I shovelled many shovels of topsoil and well rotted fym into the baths.
Then I used an old wardrobe hanger pole for a dibber and made wide and six inch deep holes and dropped the leeks in and puddled them in and filled the holes with water from the watering can. It's back to the mizzle and rain today!
The water washes a bit of soil around the leeks roots. It will also ensure the holes blanch the white sock and they will gain girth with the thickness of the planting hole.
We ("me!") have planted lots of leeks. I can't wait for leek and onion soup this Autumn/Winter with homemade/baked soda bread.
Anyone else growing leeks?
I have 19 leeks in, 1 failed, I followed your advice, but not totally, after planting my leeks and watering them, I raked the soil to close the holes. Oh well I will do better next year. I'm busy taking cuttings from my snowberry plant, Marlene, Poppypatchwork
ReplyDeleteI moved some more leeks today Marlene in the rain. I wanted more growing space in the polytunnel. So you could re do yours if you wanted? Leeks are very hardy and don't mind being moved about. Good luck with the cuttings.
DeleteYes leeks here. My son and family use baths on their allotment...the whole site is overrun by mare's tail...and she can't bend very well...so they are ideal
ReplyDeleteHi GZ. I love all the Allium family. Mares Tail is a prehistoric plant. Full of Silica. You can inherit a lot of plant diseases in old allotments soil. I knew some one who grew his brassicas in compost filled plastic buckets on his allotment. He never had a problem with Clubroot. I knew someone who dried their onions in a old supermarket trolley and his shed roof was held down with lumps of concrete and boulders.
ReplyDeleteI imagine Jean saying, "You've had your larks over in England now get out there and do some work David!"
ReplyDelete"Yes ma'am!"
I think she liked her peace and now wants some organic peas!😃
ReplyDeleteAll we are saying is Give Peas A Chance!
DeleteYou can't beat the Legumes. They are nitrogen fixers.
ReplyDeleteThose baths are such a good idea. I hope I can plant leeks this year. They grow so well here. Not till next month though
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda. Get your husband to look out for the plastic baths. They make great veg planters. Your growing season is so different to ours.
ReplyDeleteI have never grown leeks, but I might try next year. I've just dug up the last of my potatoes, and pickled some of the beetroot.
ReplyDeleteHi Jules. Leeks are hardy and a good vegetable to have in winter. I am going to buy my winter onion sets this month and garlic and plant some Spring cabbage plants.
ReplyDeleteYou are probably the happiest person I know in blogland. That's not a joke either. Give you something to grow and you're perfectly happy with life. I really like that about you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Debby. I live for my plants and vegetables.
ReplyDelete