Landscape fabric to make life easier

Discussion in 'Gardening For People With Disabilities' started by Fat Controller, Apr 30, 2022.

  1. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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    If we have them then they don't seem to come out into the daylight and no slug damage at all. I don't know what would happen if we sowed seeds directly into the ground but we grow everything separately and plant out when they are big.
     
  2. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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    Not very often at all. :noidea:
     
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    • noisette47

      noisette47 Total Gardener

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      Not any more than any other moisture-retaining material/mulch. I suppose, if there's a single drawback, it's that birds and hedgehogs can't furtle around and dispose of them like they would with a mulch.
       
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      • JWK

        JWK Gardener Staff Member

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        I took up the material from one bed yesterday and found this lot underneath waiting to be fed:
        20220502_170023.jpg
         
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        • Fat Controller

          Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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          Now that I have covered the bulk of my planting area with fabric and am really quite pleased with the concept... what about feeding? I have planted with some chicken manure pellets going into the soil around plants, but generally I feed with those and growmore as a top dressing - - how does that work with fabric? Does it breakdown/dissolve with watering and seep through?
           
        • JWK

          JWK Gardener Staff Member

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          I don't feed anything on the allotment, maybe growmore prior to planting but I haven't bothered with that for a few years. If I were to use something for areas with membrane I would try a liquid feed aimed at the planting holes. Granular stuff and pellets might just sit on top and be wasted.
           
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          • pete

            pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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            I don't do much feeding either, just an initial FBB before planting.
            Might throw some growmore around just before I know we are going to get a downpour.
            I think as John says, liquid feed might be best on the membrane making sure it gets through.
             
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            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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              We don't feed our veg area, where we have the membrane, because we dig in compost each Autumn and that seems to easily be sufficient. Any veg that has deep roots will also feed from the clay soil.
               
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              • Fat Controller

                Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                Thanks all, I am going to have to look for some liquid feed then because I have not put all that much chicken poo in (didn't want to overwhelm the young plants) and have definitely not dug any manure in for the past couple of winters. Any suggestions for good liquid feed welcomed?
                 
              • pete

                pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                I wouldn't bother unless things look like they need it.
                For ease of use I think you can get those spray things that fit on the end of your hose but other than that I'd just use a few cans of miracle grow.
                 
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                • noisette47

                  noisette47 Total Gardener

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                  Miracle-Gro...every time! You lucky, lucky person....you can get it in UK but not over here. As it happens, I've found a list of the ingredients and I'm going to have a go at making my own. If you see a report on News at Ten or whatever, of a gert big explosion in SW France, that'll be me gone to the great garden centre in the sky :biggrin:
                   
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                  • Fat Controller

                    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                    You do know you have friends in the UK willing to send it to you? ;) Or would it not be allowed into the country?
                     
                  • pete

                    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                    Too risking moving contraband in the EU.
                    Noisette would probably get the Guillotine and you would be on the run from Interpol.:biggrin:
                     
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                    • Jocko

                      Jocko Guided by my better half.

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                      I got one of those Miracle-Gro attachments for my hose and it gave the UK blend as 24-8-16 and the EC blend as 24-3.5-13.3.
                       
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                      • noisette47

                        noisette47 Total Gardener

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                        Ah bless, you, Russ! With the kerfuffle over customs, duty and shocking postage costs, as well as French protectionism, I don't think it's feasible. But thank you very much anyway :) It's extremely frustrating not being able to send seeds and cuttings/plants to friends in UK anymore :sad:
                         
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