Hello from beautiful Lincolnshire

[caliandris]

My name is Fee, I recently moved from London to Lincolnshire. I'm very interested in Permaculture methods, but have discovered a lot of ash in the soil in my kitchen garden. As I know the previous owners used coal in their fires, I am not going to eat the very abundant tomatoes and kale, leeks and beetroots etc I have in the garden. I will be switching to container gardening for the moment, and trying to decide whether to remove all the topsoil in the kitchen garden, or turn it over to growing flowers and shrubs instead.

I have only a smallish garden, but I have been astonished how much work there is in keeping it up... I'm spending hours in the garden - how anyone manages with an acre or more is beyond me!

[Bigmallly]

Hello Fee & welcome to the vine.

[veggiechicken]

Welcome to the Forum, Fee. Time spent in the garden is never wasted - far more enjoyable than housework

[Glutton4...]

Hello, and welcome to the Madhouse!

[BigV]

Hello Fee.Must think how much you save by not having to go to the gym.The exercise is productive,healthy, and will last you into old age.I speak from experience


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[PyreneesPlot]

Hello and welcome to the wonderful Vine.

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine Fee, I also grow in my back garden and often wonder how folks manage large allotment plots.

[mothhawk]

Welcome to the vine Fee.

Have you had the ash tested for toxins? If you want to "remove" all the topsoil, where do you intend to remove it to? If it contains toxins, you will most likely have to pay to dispose of it, you can't just dump it on someone else. It would also cost a lot to remove and replace it, so the cost of having it tested and checked out might be more economical in the long run.

Or perhaps you have lawn elsewhere? In which case, you could swap areas, put the veg garden down to lawn, and dig up the lawn for veg

[cariann88]

Hello and welcome Fee

[Noosner]

Hello and welcome. My Mr Noosner is from Lincs so I am very fond of it!

[Greenleaves]

Welcome Fee....chances are its just wood and coal ash so won't do no harm at all. Whilst growing up all the ash from the grate when on the veg patch

[Martin H]

Personally I wouldn't worry too much. Coal is only very very old partially decomposed and compressed organic matter after all. Ignorance is bliss!

[Strawberry patch]

Hello and welcome Fee

[Jeanied]

Welcome to the vine Fee!

[Knight of Albion]

A very warm welcome to the forum, dear Fee.