[criostoirmac]

this is my first time with an allotment and i need some advice please, my plot has not been worked for at least 4 or 5 years, i`ve been in with the strimmer and cut down quite a bit ground seems to be wet/very wet squelch when you stand on it. its compacted seems to be heavy clay, i dont have any home made compost to dig in yet can i use multi-purpose? what type of sand should i dig in? should i start digging now or leave it and hope it drys out a bit for spring? thanks


Title clarified for search purposes

[snow white]

Don't dig when it is squelchy.  You will ruin the soil structure.  Wait until it dries up more.  Manure is the best thing for clay soil, followed by mushroom compost.  Best to wait till spring now.  Try not to walk on it until it has dried up.  Clay soil is either too claggy, or too much like concrete but if you are patient you will get the perfect time to dig.  You will know when.  Then add manure or compost then.

[millimole]

My plots are on heavy clay - but unlike you, at least mine drain!
The best advice I got - which I'll pass on to you : 'talk to your neighbours, find out what they do, find out how they got started. Discard half the advice, and use the rest!'.
I'd advise not using bought multi-purpose compost (or sand) unless you have extremely deep pockets - you'd need to buy an awful lot to make a significant difference.
I'd also suggest that you start a compost bin NOW - start composting your kitchen waste, and by this time next year you should have a bin full of extremely good stuff to put on your plot.
I'd agree with not standing on it too much, and not to dig it yet-awhile.

[azubah]

Wait till we have a few sunny pleasant days, then give it a go.

[Dev]

I would suggest having a look at Charles Dowding's website. He advocates no dig and started on a heavy clay soil using well rotted manure and compost - but you do need a lot of it! If you don't have access to manure or compost I would follow the advice of waiting for a dry period (if you have any in Ireland) and letting the frost get to it.

[criostoirmac]

thank you all for the great advice heres hoping for a long dry spell in ireland lol now i know why its so green happy growing, , merry Christmas and a prosperous and productive new year to all

[sunshineband]

I can offer a little advice from experience, as our soil is naturally heavy clay with stones, and then more stones.

1. Take heart: clay soils are usually very fertile
2. If you decide where you will create paths/beds, you can void walking on the "bed" areas, and still get access to other areas of your plot
3. Compost everything possible. Millimole mentioned a compost bin: we have three made from pallets and they are invaluable
4. Try to get some rotted manure from a farm or stables, stack it and cover it until you can use it. The way forward is adding organic matter to the soil
5. Cover the areas where your growing areas will be with black plastic or light-proof tarpaulins as I will help weaken weed growth (we left some on for  a year in one place, and everything under it died, and the ground was easily dug over
6. Consider all models of growing: lots of info on this site in the articles under the buttons at the top of the page: useful when it is too cold or wet to get out

We have slightly raised beds, which helps a bit with surface drainage, but any areas not being used to grow crops are covered with weighted down black plastic , which prevents nutrients leaching and helps keep it drier through the Winter. Lots of ways to organise your plot though!

Hope that helps a bit

[criostoirmac]

thank you

[juvenal]

This is just the time of year to start a leaf mould bin.....

[ARPoet]

My garden is heavy clay, but since i covered the beds with cardboard and then rotted manure and woodchips a few years ago things have improved massively. I now don't dig at all.
Its not a quick fix, but worth it

[Aled]

Hi criostoirmac
I too have a heavy clay soil, and have learnt a lot from the posts here. My patch is looking better every year, next spring will be year number 5. I have access to lot of wood ash, which I mix with my compost. I'm also very lucky to get access to plenty of horse manure.
Good luck, its actually really good fun to see your soil improve year on year.
Cheers
Aled


 

[Roger of Lytham]

I agree with the general advice. Mine is similar. Loads of compost and manure, and  don't walk on it, preferably never, but certainly not when it's wet and claggy! I don't dig, it just brings to the surface more clay you could make bricks from. Just plunge a fork well in, and lever it about a bit. That breaks up the sub-soil and enables drainage. I also sprinkle on top several handfuls of builders sharp sand, which is cheap and if you buy it in bags you get a full analysis of what's in it printed on the bag. Likely a bit of lime in the sand won't matter anyway on clay soil as described.

[mikem]

I see that there is a riding centre in Strabane, most of these schools/farms are usually very happy for you to take it for free - give them a ring.  You may be able to collect or if there is access to your plot they may, for a contribution for delivery, drop a load on the plot.  I believe that they can't charge you for the manure as they would need an EU certificate so they charge for delivery instead - still very worth while.

[criostoirmac]

thank you all so very much for all the help really appreciated you will be hearing a lot from me i think in the new year so thx in advance a nice gentleman down the allotment gave me a bag with 10 jermor shallotts in it to get me started he said, is it to late to plant them?

[sunshineband]

thank you all so very much for all the help really appreciated you will be hearing a lot from me i think in the new year so thx in advance a nice gentleman down the allotment gave me a bag with 10 jermor shallotts in it to get me started he said, is it to late to plant them?

No it isn't Jermor is an Autumn/early Winter planting shallot. back in the day the traditional day for planting the sets was Christmas Eve, so time to get them in!

Don't screw them down into the soil though ot the clay makes a hard bit around the root plate and hampers the roots growing. Poke a hole deep enough for just the very tip of the shallot to show and pop one in, about 12 ins apart. They need cold weather to divide into a bunch of shallots under the ground: they are as hardy as they come