tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35875504.post5271217774487826016..comments2023-11-25T10:20:39.198+00:00Comments on MustardPlaster: WildingsMisshathornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11861177604834725742noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35875504.post-64770967147856562842007-11-11T22:20:00.000+00:002007-11-11T22:20:00.000+00:00Cheers for all the info. I can get a whole bale fo...Cheers for all the info. I can get a whole bale for a fiver at the stable down near the allotment, and I need some anyway for the artichokes.Misshathornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11861177604834725742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35875504.post-70703036135027518772007-11-11T20:10:00.000+00:002007-11-11T20:10:00.000+00:00There's a bit of a trick with straw and garlic. I...There's a bit of a trick with straw and garlic. If you put on a layer about 15cm thick it does two things. First it kills most of the weeds, and second it insulates the garlic from winter temperature changes and helps it grow larger. <BR/><BR/>University studies have shown garlic covered with straw develops bulbs about 10% larger than uncovered garlic. I don't know how important 10% really is in a home garden, but it is nicer to have larger bulbs. <BR/><BR/>Bulb growers in Holland do something similar with a peat moss layer in order to make their flower bulbs grow bigger.<BR/><BR/>The thickness of the straw is not very important, and besides you're going to notice a big difference in thickness between right after you lay it and after it gets compressed, so 15cm is just a rule of thumb.<BR/><BR/>15cm may seem like a lot, but the garlic will just grow through it. Sometimes in the early spring (early April), if I think I might have put on too much straw, I take some off. You'll probably notice the garlic coming through it in January or February, but even if not, don't worry it will eventually.<BR/><BR/>You also don't usually need to worry about the straw blowing away, because it gets very heavy when wet.<BR/><BR/>Of course it makes your garden look like a manger, and it can be a little expensive, but it does helps a lot...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35875504.post-91899869760153479872007-11-11T11:03:00.000+00:002007-11-11T11:03:00.000+00:00Oh, that's good to know. And some straw covering a...Oh, that's good to know. And some straw covering as well then.Misshathornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11861177604834725742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35875504.post-370021179715672592007-11-10T22:29:00.000+00:002007-11-10T22:29:00.000+00:00You're not too late at all with the garlic. We we...You're not too late at all with the garlic. We were just talking about this on Skippy's Garden. If anything, garlic likes to be planted late November or maybe even December, but really it doesn't matter.<BR/><BR/>I just got mine in a week ago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com