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sheilawickens |
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| Part of the Grow North project will also involve participants carrying out growing experiments, and sharing findings with the group - whether this be as photographs, or regular updates, or even final results comparing yield from different methods used. Here are some of the initial suggestions. There will be more details to follow on the different experiments, but it would be great to hear from participants if there are particular experiments that you would like to carry out at home. Grow North Experiments Spacing of plants Try out different spacings to investigate the different results in yield. Crop: Beetroot, carrot, onion Watering – life cycle Being aware of timing of watering required during a plants life cycle can make a difference to the amount of watering you need to do. Crop: Potatoes Watering – time of day of watering Using a soil moisture probe, investigate the difference in soil moisture from watering in the morning, mid day and evening. Crop: cucumber, tomato Watering – application Experiment with different ways of providing your crop with water, comparing spraying / misting with regular application of water to the roots. Crop: Runner beans (could be suitable for pot growing) Mulching Investigate different mulch materials, and no mulch. Crop: onions, courgette, cabbage. Pinching out You are advised to pinch out side shoots in cordon tomatoes. In this experiment you can see for yourself the difference that this can make to your yield. Crop: tomato Propagation Find out the difference that rooting hormone can make in taking soft wood cuttings. Crop: sage, lavender, rosemary, tomatoes Composts Try out different growing mediums for your seeds, compare seed sowing compost, multi purpose compost, peat free organic compost, vegetable growing compost, and of course home-made compost. Crop: squash, basil, runner beans Manure Try growing in your soil as it is, and soil with manure added, and compare the difference in the health of your plant and the yield. Crop: courgettes Grow North Experiments Spacing of plants Try out different spacings to investigate the different results in yield. Crop: Beetroot, carrot, onion Watering – life cycle Being aware of timing of watering required during a plants life cycle can make a difference to the amount of watering you need to do. Crop: Potatoes Watering – time of day of watering Using a soil moisture probe, investigate the difference in soil moisture from watering in the morning, mid day and evening. Crop: cucumber, tomato Watering – application Experiment with different ways of providing your crop with water, comparing spraying / misting with regular application of water to the roots. Crop: Runner beans (could be suitable for pot growing) Mulching Investigate different mulch materials, and no mulch. Crop: onions, courgette, cabbage. Pinching out You are advised to pinch out side shoots in cordon tomatoes. In this experiment you can see for yourself the difference that this can make to your yield. Crop: tomato Propagation Find out the difference that rooting hormone can make in taking soft wood cuttings. Crop: sage, lavender, rosemary, tomatoes Composts Try out different growing mediums for your seeds, compare seed sowing compost, multi purpose compost, peat free organic compost, vegetable growing compost, and of course home-made compost. Crop: squash, basil, runner beans Manure Try growing in your soil as it is, and soil with manure added, and compare the difference in the health of your plant and the yield. Crop: courgettes | |||
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| Martin |
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Veteran Posts: 275   | Lots of interesting things here - but we only have very limited ability to take part this year. One other thing I'd be interested in is the impact of different harvesting strategies for "cut-and-come-again" salad crops - I'm never sure how much greenery it's best to leave on the plant. Also, for herbs, whether it's best to take leaves from the tips or the base of the plant. | ||
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| nutrientz |
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| Anyone tried growing with the Moon cycles. There is a good e-mail weekly on what is suitable each week and what isnt. I'm trying this- only planting or sowing as advised and it does seem to make a difference-very good establishemnt partic with brassicas. I'm not sure how you prevent the mice from eating my peas- so have gappy rows just as usual. I seem to have deleted the e-mails but should get a new one next week and will post details. | |||
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| Martin |
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Veteran Posts: 275 | We tried one year, and had very good results, but somehow we've never got our act together again since. It sounds a bit bonkers, but I suspect there's something in it, it would be very interesting to do some kind of experiment. | ||
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