Fertiliser: Fish, Blood and Bone

Fish blood and bone works by providing plants with the three main nutrients that they require: nitrogen for growth and foliage development; phosphate for the strengthening of roots; and finally potash for improved fruit and vegetable ripening, as well as superior flower colour. These ingredients combine to make fish blood and bone an excellent all-round fertiliser.

It can be used in flower beds, fruit gardens and vegetable patches to boost growth and improve disease resistance in all types of plant life.

Leek Trench Fertiliser

You can buy a specific leek trench fertiliser which is designed with show leeks in mind. 

This product was formulated specifically with the North Eastern leek grower in mind, but has found its devotees in other areas of exhibition growing. The formula is designed for early application to beds and trenches as soon as possible after the old crop is removed and the site tidied up.  Trench Fertilizer is essentially a high phosphate, potash feed which will benefit from time in the soil over the Winter months thereby fully charging the soil with nutrients for the coming season. The nitrogen content is entirely slow release, which will not leach in the cold, wet soil conditions of winter, and as the weather improves this is a valuable reserve of this most important plant food.

Trench Fertilizer is also very high in magnesium and trace elements, again in slow acting form, which will not be lost from the soil.

Trenches are traditionally double dug and Trench Fertilizer should be incorporated uniformly throughout both spits. If lime or sulphate needs to be added to correct the pH or manures to improve soil structure, it is quite safe to do so at the same time.

Trench Fertilizer is recommended in beds and trenches for exhibition growers of sweet peas, chrysanthemums, dahlias, leeks, onions and all other vegetables. Rate of use 4-6 oz/sq.yd.

It is recommended as a final preparation to hoe the soil about 2/3 weeks before planting out to a fine tilth, and apply 4oz. of B.T.D. Fertilizer to each square yard. This will ensure the soil is fully charged with nutrients for the coming season. Liquid feeding may or may not be necessary depending upon the state of growth and the weather.

Growing and Showing Leeks – A traditional Northumbrian art and science

That’s what the blog says anyway.  It makes interesting reading and it tells of fairly local growing and showing for many long years.

There is also a light hearted article here from a leek grower which starts from the basics and is simply written.

You must realise that these are not your everyday leeks grown for the family to cook in the kitchen and eat as part of a meal. These are leeks grown to show. It’s a whole different world from those of us who just grow leeks for food.

 

 

Fertilisers on the allotment

Information on fertilisers quoted from the RHS:

There are two main types of fertilisers: inorganic (man-made) and organic (derived from plant or animal).

Inorganic fertilisers: These are synthetic, artificial forms of plant nutrients or naturally occurring mined minerals. Inorganic fertilisers are usually more concentrated and faster acting than organic fertilisers. Examples of inorganic fertilisers include: Growmore, Miracle-Gro, Phostrogen, Sulphate of Ammonia, Sulphate of Potash, and Superphosphate and Tomorite

Organic fertilisers: These are derived from plant or animal sources and contain plant nutrients in organic form. Organic products tend to be slower acting, as large organic molecules have to be broken down by soil organisms before the nutrients within them are released for plant use. Examples of organic fertilisers include: seaweed, hoof & horn, dried blood, fish blood & bone, bone meal, poultry manure pellets and liquid comfrey or nettle feeds.

Inorganic and organic fertiliser can be found as the following types of products:

Compound fertilisers: These contain a mixture of different nutrients, and may be balanced (containing similar proportions of all the major plant nutrients) or may supply more of some nutrients than others, as per the requirements of different crops. They may be organic or inorganic, or contain both.

Straight fertilisers: These contain only one or mainly one nutrient. They are usually used to provide different nutrients at different times of the year, or to correct particular nutrient deficiencies. They are usually inorganic.

Controlled release fertilisers: These are almost always granules of inorganic fertilisers coated with a porous material such as sulphur or synthetic resin. Water enters the granule and the fertilisers leach out into the surrounding soil. The warmer the soil, the faster the leaching; this corresponds to plant growth which is faster in warm weather. By varying the thickness of the coating granules can be designed to feed plants for different periods of time.

Slow release fertilisers: These degrade slowly, usually under the influence of soil micro-organisms to release their nutrients and again are dependent on soil temperature. These are usually organic and include hoof & horn and bone meal.

More detailed information can be read by following this link.

Seed sowing techniques

We are all now wanting to get on with sowing seeds and planting up our allotments. However, spring 2013 seems to have been seriously delayed by late snow and strong easterly winds.

The Royal Horticultural Society has some basic advice on sowing seeds, including the fact that most seeds will not germinate when the soil temperature outside is less than 7 degrees Celsius.

Remember that the soil temperature at the surface will be warmer than it is a couple of inches below. A soil thermometer will help you to judge the temperature of your soil. The instructions on the back of the seed packet will also help you to judge when to sow seeds.