growing spaces
gardens, yards & patios
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At the time of writing, there are only 13 council operated allotment locations (a total of 84 plots), across Pembrokeshire. . . with a waiting list of over two years! A similar lack of available allotment space exists across the whole of Wales. , **** Facebook Group **** and offers the means to register your interest.
no dig growing!
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sheet mulching
Rather than turn over the existing ground surface, a barrier of recycled cardboard boxes is laid down to smother weeds or grass. (You don’t need to remove tape or staples, these will naturally be released as the cardboard decomposes over time).
Compost is then layered on top and you have an enriched planting bed perfect for no-dig growing, as described below. . .
no-dig growing
This easy method of cultivation means that there is no need to till, rotavate or dig the soil at all!
Simply add a 2 inch mulch of fresh compost every year. . . allowing you to plant crops densely and produce greater yields within a smaller area.
This gardening method also encourages nature into the garden, making pest management less of a problem. . . and is far easier on your back!
composting
A lot of household waste can be effectively composted; vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, eggshells, dead flowers. . . even the contents of your vacuum cleaner!
However, to avoid attracting vermin, do NOT include meat, bones, cooked food, oily waste and dairy products.
As an added benefit, composting means that there is far less 'rubbish' taking up valuable space in your limited general waste collection!
urban growing
recycling old rubber
You can still participate in the project, even if your outside space is limited or fully paved. However, there is no need to spend a fortune on terracotta pots or purpose-built timber planters. . . when a tyre garden works just as well.
Upwards of 10,000 worn-out tyres are removed from cars, vans and lorries in Wales. . . EVERY DAY! With a ban on general landfill, it can cost a garage or tyre fitting centre around £3 per tyre for disposal via a licensed recycler.
As a consequence, what you need for an urban tyre garden or raised bed can usually be picked-up locally, free of charge!
[ Is growing in tyres safe? ]Whilst the synthetic rubber used for road tyres can leach potentially hazardous chemicals, research has shown that most such off-gassing occurs during the first year after manufacture.
Given that tyres typically are 3 to 5 years old when discarded, this would not really seem to be an issue.
However, if you are still concerned, inserting an impervious barrier (such as a simple layer of black garbage bags or a Butyl rubber 'pond liner') offers a solution. Pond liners are extremely strong, durable. . . and inexpensive.
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tyre gardens
Growing with tyres is simple. Take potatoes as an example. . . place a tyre on a sheet of cardboard, pop in a few chitted potatoes and cover with earth.
As the plants grow, add more earth (or your homemade compost) and another tyre and so on, until you get a stack of tyres bursting with spuds!
Although they can be painted, leaving the tyres naturally dark helps the soil they contain warm more rapidly in the sun. . . even in winter.
raised beds
Whilst perfect for patios or back yards, utilising old tyres as growing containers is not restricted to urban settings.
Tyres can be a really useful solution in rural locations where soil quality is poor or too shallow.
Plus; raising the level in this way also makes growing far more accessible to those with limited mobility.
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