It is very frustrating that I have so many problems with direct sowing on my allotment. Most things seem to germinate then disappear, presumably due to nocturnal predation by slugs. I dare say there are other culprits too, voles, snails maybe, but it hardly matters.
I managed to grow carrots successfully this year by direct sowing and at the end of July I sowed beetroot which is growing well, though it remains to be seen whether I get a usable crop.
The latest fail though was a block I sowed with a mix of things as a cover crop. (see blog of 24/7) It germinated, then over a week or two disappeared. Another block sown at the same time but without nearby mollusc cover (headland weeds) has fared much better and looks set to perform as intended. When the seedlings were showing in the first block I’d sown some spare runner bean seeds between the rows which are growing well, so the ground is not bare and they may fix a bit of nitrogen too..
I have sown a couple of cell trays of Phacelia and Italian rye which I will plant to improve the cover. I want a good dense stand of something, almost anything will do, before the growing season comes to a halt.
Elsewhere on the plot I have planted cell raised cover crop species following maincrop potatoes and in the bed where the onions were I have planted cell grown Phacelia and rye between the various volunteer plants, mainly antirrhinums, that were already there. It would all benefit from some rain, watering with a can is no substitute, though it keeps things alive. If the food crops give me a return that is good but they will serve as a cover crop in any event.
My aim is to have no bare ground over the winter; it should all be growing crops, growing cover crops/green manure or be covered with shredded vegetation. All in the service of protecting and improving the soil. I absolutely couldn’t care less what it looks like and where one person sees a mess another sees flowers for insects and benefit for the soil.
garden ruminations 
I really enjoy your site. Very informative, I’m glad I came across it.
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Glad to hear you’re finding stuff of interest and thanks for letting me know.
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You’re very welcome Jim. You may enjoy my site also, about plants. Have a great day 🌱😁
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I’ve just found it and signed up to follow you. I have some reading to do.
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I hope you enjoy!
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I’ve used green manure the last few years and I like them. Haven’t had problems with it being eaten but there’s always a first time. This year I need an industrial size quantity. This year planted out some of my annuals on the veg plot as by July the ground was so hard I couldn’t get anything in the borders. My top compost self seeders are verbena b and a pretty mallow. The vb gets pulled out but the mallow I have left this year. Good luck with it all.
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I included seed from Malva sylvestris in my cover crop mix, I am persuaded that a good mix of species is better than one or two and that the real action is below the surface; roots exuding compounds into the soil and breaking down when their tops are removed. The top growth provides protection and traps the sun’s energy, then that also goes to benefit the soil when it gets shredded and spread in my regime.
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I find I have to protect seedlings from pigeons and pheasants and I find netting effective.
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Pretty sure my problem is molluscs, I’ve not seen pheasants and only occasionally pigeons, for which I count myself lucky. Slugs, voles, moles, leatherjackets and the occasional rat are enough to be going on with.
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I’m my own worst enemy as I feed the pheasants and the pigeons come along to pick up after them.
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Yet still they eat your plants! No gratitude.
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Interesting technique. My son-in-law in France has the same philosophy but he plants in straw and feeds the ground with lots of manure. When I first saw his polytunnels, veg beds etc last year I thought ‘what a mess’ but the produce was incredible, even if I did have to hunt for it LoL. This year the land is more established and his planting even more chaotic but his veg really do grow like weeds. This year I had a ‘twee’ strawberry bed which I fed with soil from the compost heap. Forget the strawberries, I had a crop of self-seeded butternut squash, physilis, and courgettes, and now I have spotted a cherry tomato plant pushing its way through the jungle. I will be following this post with interest as I also want to introduce green manure.
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There are a few earlier posts I’ve done around the subject, select the category ‘no dig growing’ to find them. I’m still very much the student, probably always will be.
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