|
|
 |
 |
FORUM |
|
> Browse and post on our forum |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Tangent
Member
United Kingdom
340 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Mar 2006 : 02:06:05
|
Can anyone help with my latest dilemma?
I have built an edged bed to sit inside another edged bed. I have just got the mesh to staple to the base of this frame (I have chosen greenhouse shading - a strong plastic mesh of very tiny holes). I then intend to attach guttering all around the top of the frame.
The idea is that you fill the bed with clean soil and keep the guttering filled with water. The slugs can't get up through the mesh but the water can drain away through it and the slugs can't get across the guttering without drowning in the water.
It is a large bed for a Butcombe Box about 3' x 8' and I intend to use it as a seedbed as well as grow some lettuces in it.
Not sure what to fill it with though. Would be VERY expensive to fill it full of bought compost. Would rather use a mix of compost and top soil but not sure if I can guarantee that the top soil would be free of slugs and slug eggs.
If anyone has any ideas I'd be very pleased to hear them.
Thanks for reading,
Lois
The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the
same level of thinking we were at when we created them
Albert Einstein
www.pallister.co.uk
|
|
|
maidstonemike
Member
United Kingdom
247 Posts |
Posted - 13 Mar 2006 : 08:33:46
|
| You could water it with Jeyes fliud. |
 |
|
|
Dave n dogs
Member
1393 Posts |
Posted - 13 Mar 2006 : 10:13:36
|
| I wouldn't worry about it too much. Slugs live in the soil so they will just pop under your edging boards. |
|
|
|
johnslottie
Member
United Kingdom
451 Posts |
Posted - 13 Mar 2006 : 10:38:48
|
Can't see how you'll keep slugs out, even if the netting stops the bigger ones, the smaller ones will get through somewhere. They can squeeze through suprisingly small gaps.
A neighbour of mine swears by Jeyes fluid, waters his caulis, carrots etc weekly with it, and although he is a very fit old boy, still doing a 3 mile walk every morning, I'm not too keen on the idea myself.
Let there be sun! |
|
|
|
Tangent
Member
United Kingdom
340 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2006 : 04:19:04
|
Thanks for your help guys but not sure that you realise exactly what I'm after.
I know it works cos there is an example at the HDRA gardens at Ryton. My problem is finding 'soil' to fill the bed with.
Does anyone know if bought top soil is likely to contain slugs or eggs? It would be slightly cheaper than using all purchased potting compost.
The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the
same level of thinking we were at when we created them
Albert Einstein
www.pallister.co.uk
|
|
|
|
pinsrap
Member
United Kingdom
274 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2006 : 09:39:20
|
Tangent, most pre-packed topsoil from garden centres is sterilised, so I would assume that this would kill off any slug eggs within. (At least I hope so as I have just put four bags worth into my greenhouse beds). Have seen the Butcombe Boxes in the HDRA encyclopedia (fantstic book for anything Organic), and may try them myself if the frogs don't work.
Pinsrap
My Blog http://pinsrapsplot.blogspot.com
Do it Organic http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk |
|
|
|
bobthepipe
Member
United Kingdom
821 Posts |
Posted - 14 Mar 2006 : 11:26:30
|
| Just a shot in the dark but, if you a sugarbeet or food proccessing plant near you I believe they use steam to clean the veg so a trailer of soil from them should be pretty safe. |
|
|
|
mcommon
Starting Member
3 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2006 : 19:59:13
|
quote:
Originally posted by Tangent
Can anyone help with my latest dilemma?
I have built an edged bed to sit inside another edged bed. I have just got the mesh to staple to the base of this frame (I have chosen greenhouse shading - a strong plastic mesh of very tiny holes). I then intend to attach guttering all around the top of the frame.
The idea is that you fill the bed with clean soil and keep the guttering filled with water. The slugs can't get up through the mesh but the water can drain away through it and the slugs can't get across the guttering without drowning in the water.
It is a large bed for a Butcombe Box about 3' x 8' and I intend to use it as a seedbed as well as grow some lettuces in it.
Not sure what to fill it with though. Would be VERY expensive to fill it full of bought compost. Would rather use a mix of compost and top soil but not sure if I can guarantee that the top soil would be free of slugs and slug eggs.
If anyone has any ideas I'd be very pleased to hear them.
Thanks for reading,
Lois
The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the
same level of thinking we were at when we created them
Albert Einstein
www.pallister.co.uk
The HDRA encyclopedia says you can use soil then treat it with the nematode phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita. They say to use a "porous membrane" for the base.
Hope this is useful |
Edited by - mcommon on 16 Mar 2006 20:03:55 |
|
|
|
NoForknGood
Member
United Kingdom
500 Posts |
Posted - 16 Apr 2006 : 20:11:23
|
Blimey, try saying that with a Rowntree's fruit pastel in your gob 
What have you done in the end Lois?
P..
http://NoForkandGood.blogspot.com/  |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| Allotments-uk Forum |
© Allotments-uk |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
What soil/compost to put in my Butcombe Box???
