What winter covering would you recommend

[Bren In Pots]

I can also see your new beds Rary, they're looking good.

[rary]

After a discussion at a garden club, where one member said his harvest was very poor, due to him using horse manure, which he thinks contains a weedkiller, so on considering some of the compost I have added to my veg bed, which contains horse manure I decided to remove this compost, I will keep it separate and check if anything grows in it next year, its basically droppings from horses out in the field rather than stable sweeping, but still feel better safe than sorry

[Andraste]

Hi Rary,

I've seen a few people online recommend a small scale trial to check your manure is ok. Sow a few seeds into a small pot with the manured compost and a few of the same seeds in a small pot of compost/soil you know to be uncontaminated. The idea is that over the course of a few weeks you should be able to see if there's any comparable difference/failure/damaged growth. Maybe worth a try before shovelling it all out of the beds?

I'd imagine something fast and cheap like lettuce seed that you could pop on a windowsill would be ideal at this time of year.

[Vince G]

I have just completed setting up a raised bed, it contains some timber from a felled tree covered with about 1ft.(30cm) of soil, the soil is a mix of various layers of an old raised bed. I am now intending putting a covering on it for the winter I have garden compost as well as seaweed, of the two choices what would you recommend using, and why

My answer Rary: none at all.

I have covered beds on my lottie in past only to uncover them and find weeds still growing and loads of weird fungi. I also think it's good for the frosts to get into the plot and kill pests and diseases rather than providing them with somewhere nice and warm to overwiner.

[rary]

Hi Rary,

I've seen a few people online recommend a small scale trial to check your manure is ok. Sow a few seeds into a small pot with the manured compost and a few of the same seeds in a small pot of compost/soil you know to be uncontaminated. The idea is that over the course of a few weeks you should be able to see if there's any comparable difference/failure/damaged growth. Maybe worth a try before shovelling it all out of the beds?

I'd imagine something fast and cheap like lettuce seed that you could pop on a windowsill would be ideal at this time of year.

Thanks for the suggestion Andraste, I will try that with some lettuce seed and possibly some peas as well, as for the trial before shovelling it out, it's too late for that

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks for the suggestion Andraste, I will try that with some lettuce seed and possibly some peas as well, as for the trial before shovelling it out, it's too late for that

Rary, I'm starting to think you're a glutton for punishment.

[rary]

Rary, I'm starting to think you're a glutton for punishment.

Ah Snoop I don't like to let the grass grow too long. Actually after I cleared out the compost I cut the grass and mixed it with some shredded cardboard and is now covered with a sheet of cardboard topped with seaweed

[rary]

Have been out hoovering up the leaves as they are quite dry have lifted 4 bags of them one into the compost bin one mixed with the grass and cardboard in the veg bed and two tied and stored
I have taken a couple of photos of the veg bed mix which I will try and load, all going well the first will be the leaves mixed through the grass and cardboard the second will be that recovered, I also noted that it's time the birds were going through the seaweed as there are a number of maggots in it, maybe I am feeding them too much, though that hasn't stopped them from pulling out my garlic
Right here goes. Didn't load the way I wanted but they are loaded