But I still need to figure out how to get that message across to Mr Fox! Seriously though, this weekend completed the digging for the entire plot. This time last year, that seemed like a long way away.
I’ve gotten over my sulk and tidied up the shredded cardboard – yes, YOU Mr Fox.
My plan for this long bed is for brassicas (PSB, swede, kale and calabrese), winter squash – this year I’m trying sweet dumpling and courgettes. I’ve put my usual sunflower hedge at the front of the bed, edging the access path and I want to shoe-horn in another cut flower bed.
My dilemma is that I think I’ve introduced contaminated soil in the shape of the mushroom compost and top soil blend from Sempervirens aka Otter Nursery. Perfectly healthly plants go in and the leaves start to go brown around the edges as if burned or frosted (this started before the frosts) This works progressively up the plant and the only solution seems to move the affected plants in to multi-purpose compost. I wonder if the soil is now too alkaline – it was alkaline to start with. Would sulphur help to correct it do you think?
These are the swede seedlings – some went into a raised bed and others went into this long bed. Those in the raised bed are green, healthy and growing and the others are struggling.
The broad bean story is similar; beautifully healthy pot grown plants turned brown and dying after two weeks. Transferring them to bottomless pots with multi-purpose has helped and they are perking up. Today I noticed the top leaves are furled and I don’t know why. I know that I prefer years when all I need worry about with broad beans is blackfly!
So, dear reader, what should I do about this long bed? The mushroom compost covers about a third of the total growing area.
Any ideas what’s causing the broad bean leaves to curl in would be appreciated too.
Enjoy your week.
Allotment Life 
Hmm. I have also used spent shroom compost on the veg beds. Belatedly, I read that it is best to mulch in the autumn so that any lime content is washed out by rain before spring. My mulch went on over the last few weeks. Oops. That said, I am not seeing the I’ll effects that you are. Not yet, anyway. Are they getting plenty of water? I’m paranoid now, will have a good luck when I get home this evening…
When I noticed their distress I increased the watering but I think that may have made the problem worse. Makes sense about mulching in the autumn but I’ll be going back to manure. I hope your veggies are OK
There are some signs of browning, yellowing etc. More on broadies than borlotti. I think it’ll be down to the compost not being sufficiently broken down, too rich, burning a little. Dunno, really.
We could be the founding members of the dunno club 😜
It seems highly unlikely that this is because the soil is too alkaline, especially for swedes. It is conceivable that there was a chemical contaminant in the mushroom compost I suppose, or that it has got into the soil in compost/manure, or drifted from somewhere nearby? I think it is going to be something more basic, like frost, or too much or too little water when the weather was very dry. Were the beans well hardened off before they went out? Are the roots in good shape?
I’d rule out chemical drift – there are other beds in close proximity doing very well. This happened to the beans before the frost and the swedes went in after the frost. Both had been hardened-off for about a week before planting out with lovely roots. Dry weather and not enough water seems like the best bet, but then the swedes in the raised bed have been watered the same as the poorly swedes. It’s a mystery. Maybe a RHS soil test would be a worthwhile investment. Wanders off muttering and scratching head…
I used mushroom compost too, and I’ve noticed my cut flower plants are looking “odd”. The aqualegias have curled leaves, as if they’re too dry and dying, and the Verbena has turned a yellow shade of green. I wondered if it was the compost to blame, that they might be getting burned. Other plants seem to be doing fine. I’ve stuck to pony poo and farmyard manure everywhere else so I’ll be able to tell if it was the mushroom compost. It’ll be interesting to find the solution.
I’m sorry to hear you’re also experiencing problems. It’s so frustrating to see healthy plants slowly decline and not know the cause.
I’ve removed the mushroom compost from all around the affected plants now, hoping the rain will wash the rest of the stuff away!
Sensible – I’ve got a cubic metre of the stuff!
Thought provoking post.
Congratulations on completing the digging!
I like the “sunflower hedge” idea, until now I have just planted sunflowers at the ends of runner bean rows. Might give your idea a go.
Mushroom compost is often ‘limey’ – which would fit the symptoms. It was suggested as a good mulch to improve acidic soils. Maybe sulphur might help, perhaps as a foliar feed since they look rather poorly. Like the bottomless pot idea just to give them a boost, but does it work longer term solution? Keep us posted & good luck!
I hadn’t thought of a using sulphur as a foliar feed, I’ll try that. Thanks 🙂
Mmm, may have been having foliar feeds too much on my mind since my courgette leaves developed interesting yellow stripes. So I’d try with a lot of care…