A link to Supersprout's Allotment...

[zazen999]

This is for anyone who is trying to tame a wild allotment; this provided me with tons of advice and inspiration when I first visited this forum.

This is nestled in the Growing Techniques board; and Supersprout is no longer with us but her legacy lives on in mine, and many other people's plots.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ment_5573.html

[Snadger]

Nice to be reminded of this thread Zaz. A truly wonderful gardener and a truly wonderful person!

[zazen999]

I'm using these techniques in the schools that I'm gardening in Snadger; it's great to be able to spread the word.

Some of the teachers are dead excited and are going to be doing the same in their gardens.

[Lazgaot]

This is brilliant. Thanks for bringing it back to life, should be a sticky.

[chris]

interesting to read about the lack of slug problems when raised beds weren't used. I had planned on bulk buying scaffolding boards, but I think i will try this method.

[zazen999]

Just bumping this as there have been a few 'OMG - my allotment is a nightmare' threads recently; so if this helps then great.

It might be worth newbies looking at the references mentioned in the original thread - they might just change your way of growing veg.....

[ecoprincess]

I'm glad I found this. Looks amazing and definitely something to try on my (completely overgrown) allotment.

[SunnyU]

Oh my god!!! I'm off to get some string - lots of it and then see where I can get hay or straw from. This looks to good to be true but as I seem to be too busy to keep on top of the weeds - never mind getting anywhere with digging any beds, I will certainly give this a try!!

Thanks for bumping this!

[Two_Sheds]

I'm off to get some... hay or straw

Or use grass clippings, newspaper, autumn leaves etc etc.

Supersprout mentioned Ruth Stout. Here's a linky: Ruth Stout' s System

[Jelliebabe]

Hello! Do you actually plant the plants in the mulch? or in the soil through the mulch or plant then mulch???

[zazen999]

You brush the mulch open, dig your hole, and once planted, brush the mulch back again.

[mrbadexample]

You brush the mulch open, dig your hole, and once planted, brush the mulch back again.

What about seeds? If weeds won't germinate through the mulch, seeds won't either, surely? I really want to give this a go, coz I'm reet lazy, me. I'm sure this is my way forward.

So if I throw the contents of my compost bin over my raised beds, and then want to plant eg. beetroot, should I move the mulch, sow & not replace the mulch, or start the beetroot in modules first?

[zazen999]

No, not seeds. Put into modules first.

[roitelet]

Just for anyone who hasn't tried mulching, IT WORKS and saves huge ammounts of work and watering!!

[Snadger]

You could 'part' the straw mulch, sow your seeds and once they've germinated pull the mulch back next to them!
If I could get enough straw cheaply I would give this method a go. I did it one year with good results!