Veg bed fertiliser question

[gardening_gal]

I'm sorting out a bed to grow veg in. (It needs to be ready in a few days and we will hopefully be eating what we grow in it asap. Beans/brocc/cauli/onions/leeks/toms/cucs/courgettes/salad stuff etc are the types of stuff we eat.)

I've just got some free compost from the local council recycling place, it looks decent quality but am I right in saying I should dig in some fertiliser along with it?

Which fertiliser would I be better using? I see there is horse manure, chicken manure, fish blood and bone etc.

I have no clue. Advice would be welcome.

[planetologist]

I recommend humanure. Animal manure often contains pesticides. If you go for humanure you need to compost it; you can do that in situ or in a compost heap, but if you do it in situ don't grow anything that you eat raw on it for a year and no root vegetables for at least two years.

[SusieG]

Hi GG
Personally I dig in barrow loads of home made compost. It really helps with my clay-like soil here to give it a bit of texture/drainage.
I have been known to throw in an odd bag of shop-bought compost if I'd not got enough ready ...
As to horse/cow manure - depends on what veggies you intend to grow - my runner beans have been treated to a big load this year..!
Root veg : parsnips, carrots don't like it, they tend to 'fork'

[gardening_gal]

I should have been clearer about this, sorry. I will be using the bed in the next few days, I don't have time to sort out home made compost or manure.

If I'm digging in anything I need to do it now with something shop bought.

[skeggijon]

Farmyard manure is ideal if available - if you don't have a local dairy farm though, you can buy bags of it from BnQ, etc.
As Susie says though, if you're intending to grow root crops then don't

[Cadalot]

Blood fish and Bone and Chicken Pellets just drive the foxes crazy and they dig my plot up so I grown green manure and use comfrey leafs as a mulch / dressing. I also use coffee grounds

I produce a load of compost and the red wigglers love the coffee grounds I add to the dalek along with grass cuttings, comfrey and the woodchip paths when I need to renew them, shredded paper.

[bario1]

If it were me, i'd dig in some pelleted chicken manure nice and deep, and then rake in a little blood, fish and bone on the surface. Give it a good water and leave for at least a week before planting. Don't go mad though, plants will struggle if you use too much... there's probably more nutrients in the compost than you'd think, even if its sold as 'soil improver'.

[Kirk]

Compost I find is good for the general soil struvture but it either ahd none or little in it in the way of fertiliser. The shop/store bought compost tends to have enough in it for 4- weeks it is said, but you would in effect be "diluting" with the rest of the soil anyway.

You can add powdered or pelleted stuff, a few bags of manure is generally the best, however for time I would suggest somewhere like a Wilkinsons and a big tub of pelleted chicken manure. Scatter some over, big it in, scatter more over and dig it again.

I would at this time opt for the chicken manure approach as never surte how long it takes for a bag of manure to do it's stuff. I usually dig manure in a few months before I start setting out the veg bed.

At Wilkinsons their pelleted chicken manure is (I think ) £5 for a big tub. All depends if there is one close enough to you. Perthshire is a fair size.

[Jay-ell]

I'm sorting out a bed to grow veg in. (It needs to be ready in a few days and we will hopefully be eating what we grow in it asap. Beans/brocc/cauli/onions/leeks/toms/cucs/courgettes/salad stuff etc are the types of stuff we eat.)

I've just got some free compost from the local council recycling place, it looks decent quality but am I right in saying I should dig in some fertiliser along with it?

Which fertiliser would I be better using? I see there is horse manure, chicken manure, fish blood and bone etc.

I have no clue. Advice would be welcome.

I like blood fish and bone but If you aren't looking to do it organically you could also look at grow more

I recommend humanure. Animal manure often contains pesticides. If you go for humanure you need to compost it; you can do that in situ or in a compost heap, but if you do it in situ don't grow anything that you eat raw on it for a year and no root vegetables for at least two years.

I do like this idea - just not brave enough t
o poop on my garden.

[Jungle Jane]

I use BFB sprinkled on top when I plant things out,I don't get foxes in my garden.

[Martin H]

I would add a balanced feed, either BFB or Growmore, preferably at least a couple of days before planting.

I don't have raised beds, but whenever I spread home-made compost I add one of those to it to liven things up a bit.

[Penellype]

Another vote for BFB here.

[maverick451]

I use growmore, its cheap and works well.

I like the idea of the organic blood fish and bone but I found it attracts foxes

[Ryez]

If you want to use something that will take effect soon: I use organic and vegetable granule fertilizer that I buy online or in the garden centre, I just mix it with the soil and water, it slow releases nutrients for up to 4 months. so you could do that for now, and plant your crops in a few days, it will be fine. This way you can provide nutrients to your crops.

You can worry about manure and mulch in the winter as it takes many months for it to do anything effective.

[gardening_gal]

Thanks all, I'll have a look in town later today to see what's on offer that fits in with the suggestions.