can anyone tell me how i should prepare the soil for growing veg on an allotment, i grew potatoes in this patch last year, but i didn't put any :rolleyes: manure down in the autumn, is it to late to do this now?
If it is well rotted manure you could wait until planting time. Some veg like potatoes and beans love a bit of manure others like last years manured area. Plants and veg generally do not like fresh manure, this is where compost is handy. I have never tried the no dig gardening where manure is spread on in the atumn and the straw content raked off before planting in Spring.
When you say "well rotted manure" does that include the bags of FYM you can get from garden centres? Often wondered! I do use this but there's a riding stables just down the road ....... just wondered!!!!
fym from garden centres would be well rotted, from the riding scool , you d have to ask, i think carrots would not like manured ground but potatoes are greedy ,,,, spreading manure just now and forking in in lightly is prob the best idea try a 3/4 year rotation, ie move the veggies around the plot, therefore loads of manure on the 1)potatoes, next year grow 2)legumes, then 3)everything else http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/outdoors/93 leafy crops/fuity crops/rooty cropy/legumes
Good advice Lady G Have to agree, carrots would bolt in fresh manure if it didn't kill the roots first. Forked or otherwise mis-shapen roots are also a sign of soil that's too rich.
whatever you do make sure the mulch you put on is very well rotted, if not the manure will draw out the nitrogen from the soil, producing far weaker vegetables
I normally throw the contents of last years growbags & hanging baskets on the bed I will be using for carrots & beetroots as it adds bulk.
If you put manure down now, you will be protecting the slugs and eggs from the frost which sometimes has the tendency to kill them. I would wait till end of frost time and dig in the stuff well - but again, it must be well-rotted from the compost heap not the farmyard.
