tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696848737322316179.post3692865086086657795..comments2012-07-13T17:23:03.656+02:00Comments on Our Tuscan Garden: All The Dirt On SoilRobyn Sinclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01663604160297996421noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696848737322316179.post-60167497007458057782009-10-23T13:52:13.668+02:002009-10-23T13:52:13.668+02:00Yes, there's nothing like fresh broad beans. I...Yes, there's nothing like fresh broad beans. I planted seeds last November. They managed to survive the depths of winter and produced a nice crop early in Spring this year.The Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12097218348073711257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696848737322316179.post-23991716725464503042009-10-23T13:07:58.873+02:002009-10-23T13:07:58.873+02:00My favourite thing to grow is broad beans. I just...My favourite thing to grow is broad beans. I just put the second lot in the ground. They won't need any further vattention until May / June when they are ready to harvest. Theu seem to grow on anything too, although less prolifically on poor soil.Heikohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17999245793961798308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696848737322316179.post-88580440865782858842009-10-20T15:20:57.022+02:002009-10-20T15:20:57.022+02:00Diane, I can probably access horse poo easily enou...Diane, I can probably access horse poo easily enough, the problem here is access to the orto. It's either (a) through the apartment and across the footbridge into the orto, which is less than preferable; or (b) via the neighbour's back gate, which is about a hundred and fifty yards around the back wall.<br /><br />Option (b) sounds feasible, except that to access his back gate means bringing (probably) an Ape up the main street, through the main piazza, up a couple of steep, narrow medieval ramps, then with nowhere actually to dump the stuff.<br /><br />I don't grow a lot of things I'd like to grow only because (i) I lack growing space; and (ii) the height of the back (south) wall means that the orto loses all sun from early October to early March.The Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12097218348073711257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696848737322316179.post-6581575626050561582009-10-19T05:04:55.043+02:002009-10-19T05:04:55.043+02:00Can you get any manure? Our soil is similar to yo...Can you get any manure? Our soil is similar to yours (minus all the construction rubbish) and we had great tomatoes this year because the shepherd (a relative) brought over a tractor full of aged sheep stabio. Did wonders. Also I've begun to see some earth worms, finally. Last year, every time I worked in the garden, I complained about how dead the soil was.<br /><br />You mention that you don't grow cabbage and broccoli and such. Is it too cold by you? Our brussel sprouts, cabbages, broccoli, broccoli rabe and kale do beautifully all winter long with next to no work or pests! Kind of makes up for the pinching, staking, and watering watering watering we were doing all summer for the tomatoes. <br /><br />Also, frying peppers do very well in this junk soil, without the addition of anything special Have you tried them?Dianehttp://www.diane-underanolivetree.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com