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As my garden is pretty much just a lump of concrete I have pondered on how to grow stuff in it. Unfortunately it is also rented so I can get a lump hammer out on it.

I thought that perhaps a hotbed might be a way forward. Four doors bolted together and full of the manure etc that I will need. This brings problems too though. Where am I going to get enough earth to fill it? It will work out to be a small fortune it I use shop bought compost and my own compost bin is still a long way off producing enough for me to use.

Any help or ideas will be most welcome.

G'Day mate!

Around here you used to be able to pick up free loads of horse manure and straw from stables - particularly the mounted police stables - but you need a car and trailer........any of your mates have a car with trailer?

Nev

It would have to be well rotted which can take a long time. Can you plant directly in rotted manure? You'd need some other nutrients surely. Not sure what a hotbed is exactly unless it is something along the lines of growing pineapples the Victorian way (Victorian era not state in Oz!).

As far as I understand M3, a hot bed (as opposed to a cold frame) provides heat by piling up compostable ( but not composted) materials inside a framework then putting soil or containers on top, in which to grow plants. The heat prodced by the bugs composting the materials then keeps the plants at a comfotable growing temperature in cold weather and at the end of the season you get a load of lovely compost.

Does that sound right Andy?

Nev

That pretty much the long and short of it. The victorians were pretty big on hotbed though.

Thanks, couldn't remember exactly how/what it was. I remember seeing the Victorian pineapple hot beds (in a sort of cold frame!) at the Lost Gardens of Heligan (Cornwall, England).

ooh... now that sounds like something we can try here too - we've got a reliable source of horse manure too from the lady up the road, not to mention the chicken **** that our chooks provide in abundance.

We've got three empty slot together wooden compost bins (cheap via the council) which we could fill with manure and then use your hotbed technique to grow veggies!

Inspired... thanks Andy

Looks like I might end up making it out of four old doors bolted together. The trouble is getting the poo and the doors to my garden on a train or bus. Pretty much all of my mates don't drive. So fingers crossed that I can come up with something. Might have to wait until I get a visitor with a car

I used to move some pretty large items on the bus when I lived in Aberdeen - chairs, stepladders... Depends on the type of bus (the modern ones with access for wheelchairs are better) and the time of day. You might get into a bit of trouble or at least dirty looks during the rush hour...

Bags of muck, though - I once heard very distinct muttering behind me when I returned from a shearing course on the bus ! But you could transport muck on a bike trailer. In Germany I had one which held two large bags of compost easily (alternatively, two crates of beer).

If you have time and opportunity, you could collect molehill earth for your beds, too. It's brilliant earth, sieved and loosened by animal power, and free. (I keep meaning to go and get some; we have a few VERY active beasties in the area!)

Ina

a bike trailer now there is a good idea, you know that had not even crossed my mind. Ina you are a genius. As for the buses in Bristol, no chance. I have not been on one that does not have at least one or two people standing on it. The local train is not too bad though (and cheaper) I moved a chair using that last night, funny look from the driver though, which I can handle

Will also be on the look out for moles, it does indeed look like good soil from them.

Andy, also try a search on Malawi hand cart, there are plans available if your materials are in walking distance and you could push a cart!

Nev

When we lived in Holland (land of bicycles) we had a gardener who had a bike trailer. What?!! I hear you scream. Well, we were renting a house and his services came with it - the owners were keen gardeners and obviously didn't want their garden to fall to rack and ruin.

Anyway, he used his trailer for taking green stuff to the rubbish tip, to bring his tools in, compost etc.

Might be hard work pedalling though - hope you don't have any hills (they don't generally, in Holland!).

No hills in the west country afraid there are a few.

That is about the only thing I miss about the midlands it is really flat, in Northapton there is one hill to speak of.

Hello from a newby...

I have a couple of very old gardening books from my granddad which cover this topic in detail.

The basic ingredients recommended are equal quantities of horse manure and dead leaves. If there are trees near you then you could collect the leaves in carrier bags, not heavy. Apparently the leaves help the bed to maintain its heat for longer.

You need a layer of normal soil on the top to sow your seeds or to plant into because the manure would burn the seedlings otherwise. Then they recommend a cold frame on top.

The only aspect that im not sure would be easy is the fact that it would be on concrete. Maybe if you could raise the unit off the ground and put something there to collect the liquids as you will have to water the plants or allow rain in. These could be used as liquid fertilizer if collected.

Do you have a wormery? I've never got around to one but understand that worms can chomp through all manner of household waste including paper and could maybe make a nice top layer for you?

I suppose the horse manure is hardest to get hold of. Never a horse around when you need one.

Good luck.

fl

Cheers flower lady,

I have my eye on two baths that I have seen a couple of streets away so I am thinking that I could make use of them. - They could easily be lifted off the ground. I have also seen a field of horses about 20 mins walk from my house so I might have words there. - But leaves yep, there are a few parks nearby so could certainly pick up some. Thanks for the advice.