Curiously the Persian cucumbers have started developing mostly females flowers and only a few males. This morning I had 5 female flowers opening but only 2 males. So I am wondering, is it possible to hand pollinate more than 1 female flower with 1 male?
Sure there is lots of pollen to go around, it only takes one grain to do the job, just dab the stamen on to the stigma of each female. Don't you have enough bees?
David
Is your soil clay in the sense of being a brick pit the London Brick Company hasn't exploited yet, or just, like most people's clayey soil, rather clayey? In the latter case, if you dig in plenty of organic matter, you'll probably find it is wonderful stuff for growing many kinds of veg.
Plants like peppers and basil often do better in pots than in the ground, because they would prefer a higher soil temperature than British ground often obtains. So don't be downhearted if your attempt to grow them in the ground is disappointing. I grew some peppers in the ground and some in pots last year as an experiment, got almost nothing from the ground-grown ones and lots off the pot-grown ones. Black plastic pots are the best for these purposes, to my wife's aesthetic disappointment.
When you dig your holes take a good look at the soil. Are there any roots of the grass or weeds that go deeper than three inches? If not your plants may do very well. By digging a bigger hole may help and may not. It depends on the plant. Corn will not grow well. If it rains allot the roots may get too much water and grow poorly. If it rains occasionally they may survive. Clay holds water. Could dig a small hole and fill the hole with water. If the water is still in the hole several hours later it will not be good for the plants.
Raised beds is the way to go for clay soil.
Sheez, are you so rich now that you can buy soil, rather than grow it?
Garden Soil
You're garden soil shouldn't be more than 10%, or less than 5% organic material.
Garden soil should be 30% - 40% sand, 30% - 40% silt, and 20% - 30% clay. You can check your soil by scraping away the organic material on top of the ground and then take a vertical sample of your soil to 12 in. (30 cm) deep (rectangular or circular hole). Mix this with water in an appropriately large glass (transparent) jar. The sand will settle out quickly, the silt in a couple of hours, and the clay within a day. The depth of the layer in relationship to the total (layer/total = % of composition) is the percent that fraction has in the soil.
Garden soil needs a constant input of nutrients, i.e. carbon, e.g. brown leaves, and nitrogen, e.g. manure in a ratio of C/N of 25. This is the same ratio you will what in a compost pile.
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Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition) (Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides) by Stu Campbell
(Available a a library near you, until they close)
p.39
Compostable Material Average C/N
Alder or ash leaves ............................ 25
Grass clippings ................................ 25
Leguminous plants (peas, beans,soybeans) ............................. 15
Manure with bedding ........................... 23
Manure ....................................... 15
Oak leaves .................................... 50
Pine needles .............................. 60-100
Sawdust................................. 150-500
Straw, cornstalks and cobs .................. 50-100
Vegetable trimmings ........................... 25 Aged Chicken Manure ........................ 7 Alfalfa ................................................ 12 Newspaper........................................ 175
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All organic matter is made up of substantial amounts of carbon (C) combined with lesser amounts of nitrogen (N). The balance of these two elements in an organism is called the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N ratio). For best performance, the compost pile, or more to the point the composting microorganisms, require the correct proportion of carbon for energy and nitrogen for protein production. Scientists (yes, there are compost scientists) have determined that the fastest way to produce fertile, sweet-smelling compost is to maintain a C:N ratio somewhere around 25 to 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen, or 25-30:1. If the C:N ratio is too high (excess carbon), decomposition slows down. If the C:N ratio is too low (excess nitrogen) you will end up with a stinky pile. (cont.)
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No reason to till after the first preparation of the garden (no reason to till the first/last time but it does speed up soil development). Spread out your soil amendments: ? N: ? 18.37 lb. chicken manure/ 100 sq.ft. (2.88 oz/sq.ft.) ? ? P: ? 3 lb. / 100/sq.ft. (.48 oz/sq.ft.) ? ? K: ? How much wood ash should you use in your garden? The late Bernard G. Wesenberg, a former Washington State University Extension horticulturist, recommended using one gallon of ashes per square yard on loam to clay-loam soil, and half as much on sandier soils.
? Manure Chicken Diary cow Horse Steer Rabbit ? N 1.1 .257 .70 .70 2.4 ? P .80 .15 .30 .30 1.4 ? K .50 .25 .60 .40 .60 ? Sheep Alfalfa Fish Emulsion ? N .70 3 5 ? P .30 1 1 ? K .90 2 1
? Sources: Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, An Illustrated Guide to Organic Gardening, by Sunset Publishing, and the Rodale Guide to Composting.
? Manure Chicken Diary cow Horse Steer Rabbit ? N 1.1 .257 .70 .70 2.4 ? P .80 .15 .30 .30 1.4 ? K .50 .25 .60 .40 .60 ? Sheep Alfalfa Fish Emulsion ? N .70 3 5 ? P .30 1 1 ? K .90 2 1
? Sources: Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, An Illustrated Guide to Organic Gardening, by Sunset Publishing, and the Rodale Guide to Composting.
Libraries, that word sounds familiar. Do they exist anymore? With all those government cutbacks these days. Still a good book.
I am financially dirt poor. However, I guess I can count myself lucky that I can get a pickup load of compost for free every Saturday from the local recycler. He has good stuff I had it tested from the state, cost $20. I have my compost piles as well for improving the soil.
However, gardening is not like rocket science. Anyone with half a brain and a strong back can compost.
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