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Help with fertiliser

SarahD3SarahD3 Posts: 6
in Problem solving

Hello

We have a small garden border with really poor quality soil and our plants are not thriving.  I want to put down some fertiliser but there are so many to choose from!  We could do with putting a bit of extra soil down as the top level is quite low, so I'm thinking one of those giant bags would be best.  Can anyone recommend a particular type of fertiliser that works for them please?  Our plants are a mixture of rose, flowering bushes and general greenery.  As you can tell I'm not really an expert as I'm not even sure I can identify the plants that well.  I just appreciate some help and feedback thank you!

Posts

  • SarahD3SarahD3 Posts: 6

    Thank you Edd - I will do that and post some photos.  I appreciate your help very much!

  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,953

    I'm with Edd.. add BFB now, and do all you can to improve the soil as you can.  Contents of your compost bin, leaf mould, grass clippings, manure, the compost from last years pots, etc.  

    Utah, USA.
  • SarahD3SarahD3 Posts: 6

    thanks again - can I compost with cooked food, or only raw food?  We don't really have enough garden waste to create that much compost but I'd love to recycle our food if that would work.  Are there any brands of fertiliser that you recommend in particular if I'm going to buy a bag - we can get pretty much all the UK brands here in Spain.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 83,896

    No cooked food, meat or fish in your compost bin - but all your potato, fruit and veg peelings and cores, vegetable outer leaves etc, brown paper bags, newspaper, brown cardboard, vacuum dust-bag contents, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grounds, lawn mowings, pet hair ........... lots of info here http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/problem-solving/compost-ingredients/182400.html

    image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SarahD3SarahD3 Posts: 6

    oh wow - I had no idea that paper worked!  thanks for the link!

  • CurmudgeonCurmudgeon Posts: 38

    I swear by 6X fibrous fertiliser.  It is chicken derived and you only need a couple of trowel dibs per plant. It really is rocket fuel for anything in the garden . It also improves the structure of poor soils . However

    1. do not handle the product, unless you are trying to get rid of someone who is becoming a pest.

    2. water it in after applying to nullify the aroma.

    3 . you will have to obtain it on line delivery as no garden centre will stock it due to it's tendency to make customers eyes water .

  • SarahD3SarahD3 Posts: 6

    thanks for your help - as a vegetarian I would love to use a vegetable based organic fertiliser - especially with Wun's comments above on the chicken fertiliser!  Apart from fish, bone and chicken, is it possible to buy vegetable based organic fertiliser please?  

    I will also post some photos of the plants so you can see what they look like now!

  • SarahD3SarahD3 Posts: 6

    hey thanks Edd!  I don't mind smelly if it's vegetarian smelly!

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