Frost resistance

[VirginVegGrower]

Whereas I would actually like some melon plants that grow long enough to overwinter........

I'll have some won't I? You need a tub.

[binley100]

I have melon plants.......this year I'm hoping for five leaves and maybe even a flower

[VirginVegGrower]

Chuck some round its base and hoe in!

[binley100]

Bit difficult to hoe in a three inch pot......

[VirginVegGrower]

I'd like to say whip them out!

[binley100]

Better not , don't want to scare the neighbours..........

[VirginVegGrower]

Might help me with that salmonberry

[Carbon Gold]

Randomised plot design?
How small is a small trial?
What sort of CofV and SD's are you planning for?

Was winter survival rate the purpose of the trial? If not why weren't the plot managers protecting each treatment equally so they could go through to harvest?

Empirical evidence should lead to an experiment IMO not be reported as a result.

I was just reporting as anecdotal evidence - not a result!

[Carbon Gold]

Just seen picture (added while I was posting, I assume). I am pleased for you customer but my over wintered greens in a north facing poly look just as healthy and they are growing in soil and compost that has been mulched with nettles and comfrey during the previous growing season. You can check the pict's on the "Things you do want to see thread" or on my profile page album.

Charles Dowding recommends making comfrey / nettle compost tea without water for a liquid feed that he claims doesn't smell - so put the leaves in a bucket with a weight on top and leave. Has anyone actually tried this? Making it with water does tend to smell really bad!

[Carbon Gold]

In the search for perfection in all weathers I have purchased a heavily remaindered tub of Biochar from Carbon Gold. I will be trialling it around my overwintering melon plants and hoping it affords them the ultimate protection.
I intend to distribute it liberally for best effect I think.

James Wong (of Grow Your Own Drugs TV&book fame) is currently trialling the soil improver around some of his more exotic plants as an alternative to black plastic mulch to keep them warm.

[VirginVegGrower]

Hmmm he also sells common place olde English seeds as exotica. Not sure I'm swayed by that. Isn't Jekka's McV using your Biochar? Is she using it around her capers do you know?

[marchogaeth]

And someone from Harper Adams agricultural college who was doing a small trial planted some lettuces in our compost that got covered in snow and survived whereas the one's planted in regular compost nearby died.

I was just reporting as anecdotal evidence - not a result!

I have to write something or the post won't go up.

[marchogaeth]

Hmmm he also sells common place olde English seeds as exotica. Not sure I'm swayed by that. Isn't Jekka's McV using your Biochar? Is she using it around her capers do you know?

Do either of them pay for it or does this whole thing work like "famous" people who don't have to buy their wardrobe? (No tangents allowed!)

[VirginVegGrower]

Ooh that's a good question! I nearly got mine free 75% off

[marchogaeth]

Ooh that's a good question! I nearly got mine free 75% off

What was wrong with it?