Basil and radish plant growth results (Jason Daff, spring 2017)

01.10.20 0 Comments Tony Callaghan

Jason Daff (one of our testing community) set up trials using Levington’s F2 commercial growing media as the control. He added 10% and 20% SF60 with the F2. A fourth set of seeds were grown with F2 topped up with a commercial slow release fertiliser (Osmocote).  Summary Basil in F2 + 2...

Read more

Basil plant growth tests (Tony's kitchen, spring 2017)

01.10.20 0 Comments Tony Callaghan

We had some leftover basil stalks bought for cooking from a local supermarket. I decided to try and keep them an extra week by putting them in a glass of water. They sprouted healthy looking roots. It triggered the idea to transplant them into biochar and see how they prospered compared...

Read more

Giant Sunflowers using biochar super compost

01.10.20 0 Comments Tony Callaghan

Giant sunflowers are grown using biochar super compost  We planted our sunflowers (Russian Giant) into the test beds very late this year, in early August, after the Charlotte potatoes came out. The thinking was simple; sunflowers need lots of water and nutrients and they will really test the...

Read more

Improving Potato Crop Yield – Test Results

01.10.20 2 Comments Tony Callaghan

50% increase in potato crop yield achieved in raised vegetable beds amended with various biochar, humus and compost mixes.  The ‘second early’ Charlotte potatoes are now out of the raised container test beds. Wow! We have 50% more potatoes from the beds with additives than the clay based con...

Read more

Testing, Testing! Biochar and humus added to vegetable plots

01.10.20 0 Comments Tony Callaghan

We’ve been testing our soil additives by growing radishes in five sets of beds. And it makes interesting reading!  Spreading and digging in soil additives, be that lime, compost, colloidal humus, biochar or fertilisers, takes a lot of time and effort. The soil additives are costly; some are ...

Read more

Making a fantastic container growth medium

01.10.20 0 Comments Tony Callaghan

One of our long-term goals is to use our knowledge of compost, biochar, soil and colloidal humus to create a fantastic container mix for hanging baskets and vegetable raised beds.  But this isn’t easy! Ask those who have been trying to redevelop the John Innes 1,2,3 compost range since the d...

Read more