Growing in mud.

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Growing in mud.

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Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Feb 27, 20 11:52 pm Post subject: Growing in mud.

We moved a lot of mud this week.
My co-worker is concerned that nothing will grow in the piles of mud that we have made what was there before will die and the mud will bake hard into solid lumps.
He may have a point, although that last would require a significant amount of actual sunshine., so I think I am happy to risk it, but judging by all the worms found drowning in it, I reckon it is good mud so the right plants should thrive in it...

But what are those plants?

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16006

Posted: Fri Feb 28, 20 7:51 am Post subject:

It will depend very much on the composition of the mud. If there are worms in it, it should produce good growing conditions. Any seeds that are already there will germinate, and that will depend upon the habitat the mud came from. The mud we dig out of the sumps in the woods readily produces bluebells and wood anemones, but from a field or open ground, grass and arable weeds are more likely. Good for the garden. I am hoping to bring some of the sump mud home for my garden.

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Fri Feb 28, 20 11:08 am Post subject:
You might not get a good crop of anything for a year or two, but the early stages might be good for a variety of invertebrates. Mining bees and such come to mind. But most of the clay heaps in my garden do a good crop of nettles, given the chance, and annual weeds should leap at the chance, judging by how much they enjoy the barren wastes of my m-i-l's gravel front garden! Henry

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16006

Posted: Sat Feb 29, 20 8:32 am Post subject:
Judging by the worms, I don't think it is too much clay, and plenty of organic matter. Even if, as Henry says, you only get nettles, you can harvest the tips of them to eat and the rest is good for butterflies.

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Sat Feb 29, 20 2:23 pm Post subject:
Only good for butterflies if they get plenty of sun! Henry

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16006

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 20 8:56 am Post subject:
The larvae of several butterflies use it as a food plant, so do you need sun on it all the time?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 20 1:20 pm Post subject:

depending how big they are , how far apart and if it is appropriate you could let them settle and grow whatever comes up(or a sown seed/seed mix)
once they slump and stabilise use them as a "plant high never die" spot for top fruit trees

clay and worm combo sounds like decent soil, in a heap like that one option would be to green mulch it or even use lawn clippings and let the worms mix it about for a while before trying to plant anything other than what ever is in the top few inches as seeds or root bits

pop a foot of manure on the top and grow pumpkins first and spuds second, after that it should be ace soil

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 20 1:24 pm Post subject:
There will certainly be a much higher chance of getting caterpillars on your nettles if they are growing in more open, sunlit situations. I've certainly never seen caterpillars on the dense stands of nettles growing under the trees in my orchard! Henry

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16006

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 20 8:17 am Post subject:
We have had them on the nettles in partial shade in both the garden and woods, but there was either a fairly sunlit place near by, sun part of the day or more dappled shade. Would agree with Dpack on the potential for the mud.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 20 9:17 pm Post subject:
Rice. Or trout.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16006

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 20 7:47 am Post subject:
Rice does of course seem the first choice, but not sure it grows well in the UK.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6614
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 20 12:18 pm Post subject:
People can grow it here, so I know they could grow it there! You might need uplands varieties, iirc

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16006

Posted: Sat Mar 07, 20 5:18 pm Post subject:
I didn't realise that. Perhaps it might be a crop for some of our farmers this year if they can get the seed.

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