What can I plant on compost heap?

[Demeter]

Oh, I wish after reading all these inspiring replies that we had more compost heaps to plant stuff in! We could use the muck heap, but that's within the domain of our chickens and they'd probably scratch up or eat anything we tried to plant there! Anyway, the pumpkins have gone out today - one on the heap and another in the corner of a bed we haven't yet started to fill up - ha, I reckon the pumpkin plant alone will probably cover a third of it!

The one that isn't on the heap I planted on a small mound - is that right??

Percy Thrower!...takes me back!

Always come back to a marrow or two after my summer holidays! I think smaller the better and few of them is good with marrows. I enjoy the occasional stuffed marrow but to be frank...They are tough fibrous tasteless things!

You might try the cukes with the sweetcorn, but If your going with the courgettes keep them toward the edge so you can pick them ( unless you like marrows!)

Good thinking - the cukes it is.

As for the courgettes - they are, I've just remembered, compact bush varieties anyway - does this mean they will grow into nice bushes or do they just trail/scramble less?? (I have gold rush and all green bush) - dunno, just need to figure out how much space to give them, but I guess they could always go in buckets then I can move the buckets if I need to! We plan to let a few turn into marrows as City Farm Guy wants to do some Famous Marrow Recipe or something and we promised to oblige!

[Paulottie]

The pumpkins will be huge and they can really get about. I haven't found slugs to be a problem really. If you have an old slate it is worth putting it under the developing fruit,

The bush courgettes are ideal, I find them much more convenient than trailers... not too big and very productive... about 3ft between plants should be fine.

I Re -read your post and if you do have butternuts, on consideration, they might be better under the corn as it takes time for them to ripen for storage also love grass clipping or straw mulches like the corn. Cukes take less space and need more picking. I often grow three on cane tripods with a few tiers of string tied round to keep them compact,

[Demeter]

Thanks Paulottie!

The pumpkins will be huge and they can really get about. I haven't found slugs to be a problem really. If you have an old slate it is worth putting it under the developing fruit,

The bush courgettes are ideal, I find them much more convenient than trailers... not too big and very productive... about 3ft between plants should be fine.

I Re -read your post and if you do have butternuts, on consideration, they might be better under the corn as it takes time for them to ripen for storage also love grass clipping or straw mulches like the corn. Cukes take less space and need more picking. I often grow three on cane tripods with a few tiers of string tied round to keep them compact,

(1) Great, will do - thanks.
(2) Yay! Based on that I reckon we can get all the courgettes in the same bed together with the pumpkin. Might even squeeze in enough space for a cucumber tripod, as luckily enough, 3 is how many I've got. Which will leave...
(3) ...Butternuts for under the corn. Once everything is established we can get some straw in there too for a mulch, although it'll be slightly soiled straw from the farm rather than clean, which I assume will be ok?



Just got to find a home now for the peppers, melons, okra and the *extra* tomatoes that someone gave me today