Walled garden harbours damp and pests

[Marb67]

We had our chimney swept a few years ago and I kept a bag of the soot. It has been outside so I will give a good dose of that on the garden which will hopefully do for the pests and fertilize the plants. Ruth Goodman was using it in Victorian Farm on plans as well as Harry Dodson. If it's good enough for Harry, it's good enough for me.

[veggiechicken]

Wood soot or coal soot? I wouldn't use coal soot on the garden, whatever Harry Dodson may have done.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Wood soot or coal soot? I wouldn't use coal soot on the garden, whatever Harry Dodson may have done.

It was very widely used in the past. It's why city centre gardens have very black soil

[Marb67]

Coal and wood soot. So Harry Dodson didn't know what he was doing ? I kind of had a feeling there would be something wrong with that as well.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Harry Dodson began to train as a gardener at the age of 14 in 1933 becoming a journeyman in 1939. He lived to the ripe old age of 85 years so he must have been doing something right.

Having said that would I dose my garden with coal soot no......... but it is a personal choice.

We have moved on since Harry's time and now know more about the subject, we know that coal soot/ash contains traces of arsenic, cadmium, lead and others. Whether there is enough to cause harm is still a subject for debate and the specialists don't seem to want to give a definitive answer. That could be due to nothing more than our 'blame game' society but I prefer not to take the risk.

Marb, before you spread anything on your garden do you not think it might just be an idea to send soil samples from the worst affected areas for analysis. This will clear up once and for all the debate about poisons and will tell you exactly what you need to do to improve your soil.

Not to do so would leave you guessing and having to face the prospect of yet another disappointing season.

[Alison]

Coal and wood soot. So Harry Dodson didn't know what he was doing ? I kind of had a feeling there would be something wrong with that as well.

Nobody said he didn't know what he was doing, I think you must have misunderstood. I read it as a simple statement that just because somebody did something one way didn't necessarily mean it was the right thing to do. I learnt a lot of my gardening knowledge from my grandad and he was very successful but I build on this knowledge and do what suits me and my situation. You asked for advice so people have given you some. You don't like some if it and obviously it's your choice as to which bits you act on but people really are trying to help based on what you tell us.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Well, I for one give up. It's abundantly clear that sound advice is being given and ridiculed.

[bearded bloke]

I would as well AP, but as a Mod it is encumbant on me to at least read the posts, which is why it is easy to remember the similarities between this & previous threads (etiquette prevents me from daying more)

[veggiechicken]

Same here. I read all the posts (everyone's - I really need to get a life ).
Often, I have this sense of deja vu!! The same questions asked by different people or, sometimes, by the same person!
Forum members are very generous with their time and advice and I thank you for that. However, there's only so much that can be said, the rest is up to the OP.
I'm saying no more.

[mothhawk]

Monty Don still has giant greens on his plot. Mine are nothing like his although they look healthy enough. .... Also perhaps make the garden less cramped and allow more air to get around.

Yes, but look at the amount of space MD has in which to grow stuff. I think you're trying to grow too much, too close, Marb. That's why it all starts out strong and healthy, then as everything gets bigger, it's all in competition for space light and nutrients.

Take a look at the GYO growing guides. Kale, for example, grows best spaced at 45cm between plants in all directions, so each plant needs at least half a square metre all to itself. Do you give them that much?

Growing Kale | How To Grow | Grow Your Own

[bearded bloke]

Forum members are very generous with their time and advice and I thank you for that.

Spot on VC I think I can safely say that the rest of the Mod Squad & all our Admin would entirely agree with you on that statement

[sparrow100]

However I am grateful to all suggestions and will try them. I like the idea of limeing the walls, especially in the greenhouse where they are starting to grow green algae. This could solve a lot of problems. Also perhaps make the garden less cramped and allow more air to get around. I do have plenty of birds, frogs and a hedgehog that visits from time to time so I take pleasure in small blessings like that at least.

Sounds like a plan for next year - more space between plants, more air to circulate and some judicious liming. I do hope that eases your problems somewhat. Personally I would dig in any veg wastes and I wouldn't stick coal dust on/under things I want to eat, though obv that's up to you what you choose to do. And if your garden is attracting so much damp I'd experiment with one bed of minimal/no watering just to see whether you might be keeping the soil too wet.

When you've posted pictures before it's looked lovely, a really peaceful place to be, with some lovely flowers. Look forward to hearing how you do with your improvements next season.

[Marb67]

To be fair I have said I will take on board some of the suggestions here but for some reason ( as I have found more often on gardening forums) there is a clique of folk who kind of gang up and get quite pedantic and look down on you.

[Nicos]

No cliques on here Marb...just people offering their advice.
Up to you if you choose to follow it

It'll be interesting to see the difference in your garden next year...fingers crossed the changes you make will work.
Trial and error to a certain extent eh?
Personally I prefer to learn from other people's errors and advice

[Bigmallly]

Good luck Marb, hope you get to the bottom of your problems. If it's any consolation, we all have problems of one kind or another.