[webby139]

Hi All,

I was due to get some manure delivered but it hasn't materialised and i don't know anywhere else to get it from really.

So was wondering is there anything else i can do to help restore the soil.

I have actually got 2 large barrels of compost which i used to grow potatoes in.

I was keeping it as soil improver for next years flowers but was wondering whether it would be advantages to dig this into my beds over the winter.

Also, should i cover with tarpaulin or leave open to eliments ??

Thanks,
Web

[TerryB]

Hi Webby139
You can use the compost, depends which you thing needs it more, the veg or the flowers?
Home made compost would improve the soil, but you don't say if you have a compost heap.
You could dig trenches and fill these with any green stuff that comes available over the winter, as you would with a bean trench.
As a last resort you could dig some leafs in as these will break down quicker in the soil than left in heaps.
I don't cover during winter because my soil is clay, but others do.

[Poolcue]

Have you got a council recycling site near you?
Ours has a large container of council compost that is free to take

[bigben]

If the cover you plan on using is waterproof then it will keep the soil dry which tends to not be good  in the long term. It would not be a problem if your cover lets air and water thru. In which case you could always do a layer of leaves under the cover and leave them to start to rot down and decompose then dig them in when you come to get ready to plant stuff in the spring.

[JaK]

Do you know anyone who keeps chickens? Chicken manure is a fantastic alternative.

[Kleftiwallah]

Ditto spent mushroom compost.    Possibly a contact in the local paper.     Cheers,    Tony.

[Yorkie]

Do not put your used compost where you plan to grow spuds or tomatoes next year.

[davejg]

Do not put your used compost where you plan to grow spuds or tomatoes next year.

Why?

[mumofstig]

cos the compost may have pests and diseases in it that are specific to the potato/tomato family.
You wouldn't want to pass them on to next year's crops

[Hesse2509]

As someone who has only just got their plot, and is in the same position, manure wise; how much harm will it do to not add manure this year, and still try to grow crops?

By the time that I have managed to get my plot in shape to sow some seed I expect it will be too late to add manure, and even then I won't be able to get my hands on any well-rotted stuff until next Autumn.

[sion01]

Hi Webby139
You can use the compost, depends which you thing needs it more, the veg or the flowers?
Home made compost would improve the soil, but you don't say if you have a compost heap.
You could dig trenches and fill these with any green stuff that comes available over the winter, as you would with a bean trench.
As a last resort you could dig some leafs in as these will break down quicker in the soil than left in heaps.
I don't cover during winter because my soil is clay, but others do.

I struggled with a heavy clay soil for years and the greatest step for me to getting it to be a good workable soil was to dig it really well in the autumn and cover it .It stopped it getting compacted by the rain/snow .It also makes it workable when you want it to be in spring which can be weeks earlier then normal.I can only speak from my own experiance but covering every inch of soil I can has been a win ,win situation so far.This will be the third winter for me to cover so I just hope that it works again.

Do you know of any stables localy webby.They normaly have load's of manure to give away

[mumofstig]

As someone who has only just got their plot, and is in the same position, manure wise; how much harm will it do to not add manure this year, and still try to grow crops?

By the time that I have managed to get my plot in shape to sow some seed I expect it will be too late to add manure, and even then I won't be able to get my hands on any well-rotted stuff until next Autumn.

As long as you regularly use fertiliser of some kind, you will grow crops with some degree of success.
I had 2 summers on my allotment before I managed to get manure on it. I did have home made compost to dig in though, and I used large amounts of chicken manure pellets. You can often get these on BOGOF offers 
I

[Yorkie]

I haven't used manure in 6 years but don't tell the others 

I do add compost and chicken pellets as well as growmore or fish blood bone though.

[Madame Cholet]

green manures comfrey ect

[min200]

I haven't used manure in 6 years but don't tell the others 

I do add compost and chicken pellets as well as growmore or fish blood bone though.

Hehehehehehehe me neither!  Lots of chicken and Duck poo though!