[ChrisTheAllotmentNewbie]

Hi fellow allotmenteers. I'm new to all this and have just taken over a very overgrown plot. Turns out the majority of it had been covered by layers of matting. Once this was pulled up the soil was very compacted, I've turned all this over and it's looking really good. My question is, how do I know how good the soil is and what should I put on it to get it ready for next year. I have no intention of growing anything this year, I just want to get it in the best shape possible ready for next season. I have access to fresh manure, should I dig this in now and leave to rot in the soil, compost the fresh manure in bins and apply this closer to the time of planting or dig in now well rotted manure. There seems to be a bit of mixed advice online about the best way forward. Thanks in advance

[New shoot]

I've moved this over to GYO as you'll get more replies here Chris 

[ChrisTheAllotmentNewbie]

Thanks

[mumofstig]

If you don't want to grow anything this year, I'd just pile as much manure as you can get hold of, on the surface and let the worms work on it. 

[ptarmigan]

I'd cover most with manure as suggested above, but it's not too lTe in the year to buy veg plants such as PSB, cauliflower and cabbage to overwinter and give you a crop in the spring.  If you google lasagna planting you'll get ideas if how to prepare a bed. Layer up with cardboard and mulch, manure and compost straight into the compacted earth. Plant through the cardboard, net the plants and you'll be picking stuff come spring.

It's lively to have stuff growing over winter while you are clearing a plot.  You could overwinter onions and broad beans too.

[Wiltshire Worms]

Definitely go for overwintering onions, consider green manures as well

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

consider green manures as well

But perhaps not Hungarian grazing rye unless you're still keen on the digging after all that hard work! Lots of others to choose from.

[rowlandwells]

I think I replied to something like this in another blog so I will repeat myself for what its worth if I was going to take on a new plot i would draw a plan of what i intended to grow next season obviously a soil testing kit would be a sound investment before commencing any cultivation

so a load of good cattle dung would be essential leaving a space for my root crops that dislike manure it is a bit premature for winter digging but you could dig  it over now and then later on turning the manure in on a second dig and as said you could try some onions although I've never had the best results from my ground for overwinter onions but again it depends on the ground you could grow some green manure winter tares jose sowing july to September to overwinter not recommended for acidic soils

hope this info helps 



 

[snowdrops]

Or you could look at lasagne gardening or Back to Eden style of gardening

[Thrutchington]

Work an area up for overwintering garlic and onions, use pelleted chicken manure to fertilize it and plant the sets in October to November.