Killing a lawn

Yes it is. It is against the law to use it as a herbicide and has been since May 2010.

 

Really?? That's so strange. What's the reason? Better hand myself in! Lol.

 

In this diagram, I don't get why they are digging the manure into the subsoil. I thought the manure is best in the topsoil where the plants will be able to access the nutrients it contains, and where they will benefit from the improved soil structure it offers.

I thought the point of loosening the bottom of the trench is purely to aid drainage in most cases, with the only exception that I know of being for planting larger fruit trees, so encourage the trees to put down deeper roots to give them a fair chance against strong wind.

Or maybe its to stop the bottom from simply compacting up again, but in that case I wouldn't use valuable manure, I'd just bust up a bale of straw to go in there.

All of the above is not meant as me saying its wrong, it just challenges my understanding so I'm just interested to see what people think on the subject.

 

Because it's horrible.
http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1287148061089

 

Up to you what you do, as far as I'm concerned , but care needed with advice on a public forum lest the owners of the forum are deemed to be complicit or culpable in some way :(

 

Back in the days when I was young and went to the trouble of double digging I did incorporate manure into the bottom spit. Must have been 'coz someone told / showed me. My understanding was that it was to improve the fertility of the 2nd spit. Around here it will be subsoil (clay) and very different to the topsoil in the top spit. Perhaps the idea was that having introduced some air into the bottom spit, by loosening it, that bugs (previous absent) could be encouraged to get to work?

If you put in, say, straw that would need some Nitrogen in order to break down - dunno if there would be enough of that available (although it washes out readily enough, so presumably any added at the top would wash "downwards").

I also incorporate manure into the top spit, but that tends to take the form of a mulch in the Spring which is then incorporated in various ways - digging a hole to plant something, worms, or any subsequent cultivations in the following Autumn or later.

 

Lots of veg benefit from deep manuring. Potatoes, Cucurbits, Corn, Legumes, brassicas ...

 

Thank you all for the advice, sorry for what was a fairly 'amateur' question. im new to the game. Thats the weekend sorted !

 

Have tried the digging today and have hit hardcore roughly half a spade depth down. the area is not overly big (2.5m x 1.2m) which i was going to use for either veg or flowers. If i were to raise it by the depth of a sleeper and fill with compost / soil would this be enough to enable me to use the area as i wanted. sorry if the question is a bit novice but thats axactly what i am in the garden, but very keen !

 

It depends on what you want to grow. A good long carrot or parsnip will certainly have trouble, but most other "leafy" crops should do okay.

 

Domidani, half a spade depth and the depth of a sleeper combined will give you 18 inches of depth at the most. It would only really be suitable for specific vegetables and annual flowers, it wouldn't be deep enough for shrubs and trees.

 

Thanks both. I was only going to it a few flowering plants in so assume that would be ok. Do appreciate your help

 

That should be fine and the stony base should help it to drain well.
Hope it goes well!

 

Thanks Kris