The spuds don't care when they are planted LOL No joy in lifting speared potatoes! I've just bought 2 more straw bales - £4 each 🙂 100% with you on the peat ban as you know - totally uncalled for and greenwashed into legislation! 😮 Great video Nigel!

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Great price one the straw, I use it to top dress the spud buckets..... Yes the peat battle is a pain, but I may stock up just in case 👍👍👍

@DigwellGreenfingers

13 күн бұрын

@@MuddyBootz I keep stocking up, then using it! 🤣

Hi Nigel Great update again. I am so behind this year but getting there slowly. 👍👍👍👍👍

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

We will get there mate with a bit of help from Mother Nature. Another sharp frost the other night that seen off lots of young potato growth. Mine still in the tubs....now whos behind...us or the early starters 🤣👍

Great compost the clover peat based Nigel, I bought 9 extra bags for next year just in case the ban comes in at the end of the year, I have 3 varieties of main crop I'll be growing in 30L tubs, Cara Picasso Maris Piper, I can remember a few years ago you put them in tubs with the fish blood bone meal added and the foxes had a go at the tubs, fertiliser I mix with the old compost is potato fertiliser hoof and horn and fish blood and bone meal. great update, Steve

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Good memory Stephen!!! Yes I remember in the morning, the huge holes and the odd tuber pulled out. Ive covered them now with straw, scaffold netting and barrier fence 🤣👍

Hi Nigel Looks like your in full scale production again this year. Cheers

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Back up and running mate, but we still get the odd frost at night....rapidly running out of space 🤣👍

Thanks Nigel, quite cold here so fingers crossed it warms up soon, great video as always 🙂

Hard to beat Clover compost,also it is well milled and prepared. Co Down

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

One of the best value on the market now that Bathgate have ceased trading 👍

Great stuff again

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Thank You 😀

Really interesting comment about the peat free compost Nigel I’ve been using Durstons with added gro boost and normally found it good, but this year it’s absolutely full of plastic and twigs in virtually all the bags I bought !!! And is grew with you on germination I’ve had some shockers up to now, but we’ve got to keep going 😂👍 stay safe David 👍👍

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Hi David, I plan on stocking up on Clover to use as a buffer until the PF gets sorted 👍

@davidwormleighton2839

10 күн бұрын

Can you order that online Nigel as my local suppliers do not have that ??

Yes..a late start to the season for me too cos of poor wearther conditions!!

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Mother Nature has a great way of catching up 👍

I don't think the germination problem is the compost as seeds will germinate on wet kitchen roll I've found any seeds I saved myself and some are three to four years old have high germination rates but bought seeds from popular varieties like White Lisbon have been less than ten per cent

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Hi Chris Seed quality has been questionable on some varieties for a few year, but with the PF composts I have tried, a lot dry out too quickly and then become difficult to rewet, also for seed germination I want the finest compost possible. Lots of twigs etc can cause air pockets which will effect germination rates. If you compare some of the PF seed and cutting composts against something like Levington's F2+S, the difference is miles apart. 👍

Cheers nigel 👍

Good luck growing this year hopefully the weather will be good enough to to get a decent cropping. Nigel how do you deal with creatures and the beds. We are still having rabbit and chipmunk issues in the beds. Take care Nigel enjoy the gardening Cheers Harold

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Hi Harold, I am fortunate apart from the odd fox and mole, the beds get undisturbed. Saying that, the brassicas and onions are all netted. I think the foxes keep the rabbits away, but I have spotted a badger a couple of times. 😀

Very interesting about the peat moss. Will keep an eye out for that sort of trouble here. Thanks so much!

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Hopefully we can keep some form of peat for a few years until the can produce something of a reasonable standard. 😀

Great video again Nigel. I have had germination and growth problems since using peatfree compost; it's been an issue with leeks, cabbages, Brussels sprouts , cauliflowers and Calabrese all of which I start in modules. I have never had any difficulty before using peat based compost.

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Would be interesting to try peat again as a comparison. I am convinced it is the poor quality. Stock up if you get the chance on peat based until they get it sorted. 👍

Great update Nigel , you make it look so easy , your problems with germination for your spring onions is the same problem I have with my Globo's, I have given up lol and changed to Ailsa Craig and hey ho nearly 100% success , anyway thanks for your helpful tips and advice keep up the good work 👍

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Hello Jim, I think I have struck lucky, the ones sown in Clover Peat are popping their heads up 🤣👍

@Jimsraisedbedgarden

13 күн бұрын

@@MuddyBootz good stuff Nigel, makes it all worthwhile doesn't it 👍

one imortant thing i realised a couple of years ago. i can't firm plants in like i used to. it might sound petty but an example is my brassicas. i planted some caulis out in early march. they were growing fantastic til the heavy winds. the root rock was so severe i had to replace them.....................brian

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

I sympathise with you Brain, I had similar problem a few years back. Too lazy to stake the Brussels and most of them blew.. A hard lesson learned!!!👍

Ive been using coco coir to retain some moisture, really happy with the results.

Another great video nige one question when growing the crimson crush Tom's outside do you treat them like glasshouse growing pinch out side shoots ect many thanks ian

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Hello Ian, yes I doo remove the side shoots but sometimes the odd one gets missed and grows at a rapid rate 😱

Hi Nigel, I sowed 2 batches of White Lisbon and had next to nothing germinate, (new seeds) I got a variety called Welsh Onion "Kroll" which I did in the same compost and have had virtually 100% germination, never heard of it but has all come up well sown in bunches 8-10 in modules...

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Great to hear that Shawn. Will look in to that variety. Keep me posted how they perform over the season please 👍

👍👍👍

I'm lucky I managed to find Clover this year .I won't be using peat free .

@davidwhite5917

12 күн бұрын

I still have some bags of Jack's Magic, but have experimented for when peat free is the only one available

Same here with poor germination with spring onions not sure why either grrrr

ive not bought any earlies either. i think they are getting out of hand with the pricing..................brian

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

My Charlottes lasted almost to Christmas so I just double up on those 😀

I use the same Clover and I love it. Bought as much as I could this year in case I can’t get next year. I’ve tried so many peat free and they’ve all been rubbish, literally. Great video thankyou ❤

@robertlee6479

14 күн бұрын

Klasman 2 is the No, 1 in my book and have used it for years. is German peat and first class, no peat no grow.

@MuddyBootz

13 күн бұрын

Hopefully common sense will prevail and the deadline will be adjusted until something acceptable is available of content quality. Bathgate Champions Blend was by far the best that I have trialed but unfortunately the horticultural wing of Bathgate closed down 👍

Hello Nigel, agree with you, peat free compost is very poor, why the rush to introduce it? It is of course because of 'climate change'. Coir one of the main constituents of peat free, needs huge quantities of water to clean it, and has to be transported by ship. How is this enviromentally friendly? I understand, that professional gardeners can continue to use peat. Load of nonsense.

@DigwellGreenfingers

13 күн бұрын

The ban applies to the trade in 2028 as well.

@alessandrogensale8817

13 күн бұрын

Completely agree. I find it's best to add a load of vermiculite to it to try and hold some moisture and then once sown I cover in perlite to keep the moisture in.

@davidwhite5917

12 күн бұрын

@@alessandrogensale8817 We should not have to use substandard product.