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Green Propagation

• Message 1. 

  Posted by FallingApple (U14555521) on Tuesday, 5th April 2011

  I have been experimenting with grass cuttings as a means of providing heat for propagation. I have been impressed with the results. You may have seen my 'April Courgette' thread which is now in flower and fruiting. My tomatoes are also progressing well.
  
  
  
  I hope some of you could also give this a try even if on a smaller scale. I have a box in my greenhouse made of pallets that I filled with compostable material, last autumn in the hope that it would provide some heat, fairly useless at the time. About a month ago I started putting grass cuttings into the top and mixed it in. This fired it up and it started generating some heat.
  
  
  
  I made a lid and put in my a courgette and some tomatoes that were getting too big to be in doors. At night I would cover with a few layers of bubble wrap. The lid was remove during the day provided the greenhouse temperature was above 20C - most days at the time and every day now. At night the temperature would never fall below 10C and mostly a good way above that.
  
  
  
  
  
  The pots were sunk into the grass cuttings keeping the roots even warmer. This promoted strong root development which increased even more as I pottted on and the bottom of the pots were deeper in the grass cuttings.
  
  
  
  The tomatoes and courgette have now grown too big for the box so I have moved this out into seperate beds filled with more composable material - mostly grass cuttings. I cover these at night as well but it is getting more difficult to keep them warm as they get bigger. I hope I dont get caught out!
  
  
  
  Please give it a go if you can , you will need a supply of grass cutting and not too spread out to generate good heat. I find I need to added to them ever week. Slugs are a problem, and don't risk all your plants.
  
  
  

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Thursday, 7th April 2011

  I found it
  
  I'm very impressed, I have enough grass to make hay in my garden and I'm always poor so this is perfect for me. I'm in the process of putting up my polytunnel and I'm definitely going to put something together for this winter.
  
  Thanks Falling Apple, I feel very inspired! Off to call some builders merchants to see if I can score some pallets!

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