over wintering of beds

I have just taken over an allotment which has several raised beds which has been covered with carpet and other felt. I have just dug the beds over and I would like advice from anyone re putting the coverings back over the beds for the winter, or leave the beds open.

 

I would say it is a matter for your own choosing.

Personally I dont, for the simple reason I like the weather to work on my soil and its contents.

Its not that my soil is particulary rough and requires frost action to break it down (as you can see in the attached pictures of my two plots taken a few weeks ago)

I like the frost to get into the soil to kill off at least some of the pests / diseases and weed seed that are lurking in it.

True! covering it will keep the soil a couple of degrees warmer than it would without a covering but I always think I am creating a relatively warm habitat for things such as slugs & snails.

If I want to warm up the soil I cover two or three weeks before I want to plant out.





Note; the top bed with the chysants in has now been dug over.

 

as TG said each to there own i like to let the winter weather into the soil helps break it up if it is a heavy clay soil but if it has alot of weed matter growing through it cover it to kill them out.

 

I have a largish veg plot up by my orchard. It always get very weedy, even through winter. I am very fortunate in having 50 little manure machines. I use the house litter from all my chickens and ducks to mulch the veg plot. I use it all year round to either smother the whole bed or just cover between rows. I have surpressed it with carpet before and even black plastic. But now i go for the more natural alternative. I just can't face having to weed after winer, when i've weeded before winter. So i know i prefer to cover.

 

Compostee - you have 50 chickens and ducks? Wow

We are thinking about getting a couple of chickens in spring 07 - I've got to get round to building them a shed first though!

 

Thanks to all for your comments and advice, this has been very helpful