Yea, i get cow manure from my neighbour but i am very paranoid about bringing in slugs, an abundant pest in most of the country but absent here. Which is why I’m so stubborn on making soil from only local ingredients. I have my own gravel pit so thats no issue, and an abundance of trees. Rotted birch has been good but finding and hauling it in any quantity becomes too much work.
Yesterday was a very frustrating day as every blend I made just turned to poorly draining muck in my pots. Even though my last mix has been perfect for my seedlings. So posted here to get inspiration for soil additives to help with that. I think i will up the quantity of wood chips and try again. Good advice tho, for those leas scared of slugs!
Haha yea, hay can be great! But, if you cover your land with hay as mulch it needs to be thick enough to starve out itself from growing. I know this because last year i turned my garlic field into a very dense lawn… The grass seeds really loved that fresh soil and took off like nobody’s business The garlic on the other hand suffocated under the mulch layer. I think the lesson is, mulch out, then cut holes in the hay carpet and plant in those holes. Don’t just cover your crops..