I’ve been growing pak choi and other Oriental vegetables in the Grow Dome over the winter. They’ve done really well and look very healthy. While I was out in the Grow Dome this morning I noticed that the Pak Choi was flowering, which means it’s definitely time to start eating it. I’ve pulled this plant out and we’ll have if for dinner tonight. I’ll harvest the others over the next few days.
The concrete blocks I used to build the raised beds in the Grow Dome have large holes in them, which are great for growing small plants (with some restrictions, I’ve learned). The problem is that the holes line up and so are more than 2 feet deep – and I don’t have enough soil or compost to fill them all. I’ve been pondering this problem for months and have come up with a possible solution.
Back in September I was partially filling the large raised bed itself with cardboard sheeting, to lessen the amount of soil needed to fill it. At the same time I got hold of lots of moulded cardboard (it’s old computer packaging), which I was going to gradually add to the compost heap.
In my gardening hour this morning I have been tearing these bits of cardboard into chunks and pushing them into the planting holes, crushing them down and leaving a few inches on top for compost. I’m hoping that the cardboard will gradually compost down and settle, so I can top the holes off with compost every season. I had enough to fill 16 holes, which is space for 16 more plants in spring. As to whether it works, I will have to wait and see.