[dustcartkev]

please help, just taken over allotment, i know we have had alot of rain, but my allotment holds water really bad, so can anyone help please,

[Brummie]

I'd start by digging a trench around the border of your allotment about 20cm wide by 20cm deep; then fill it with any stones you dig out of your allotment. This should improve the drainage. If it is still water logged you may have to dig one through the middle.

This is what we had to do with our first plot and it improved the ground tenfold.

[dustcartkev]

thanks for that, i was just wondering if raised beds would help or not, as the soil is not that good aswel, every one on the site as raised beds, what would you suggest, many thanks kev. 

[mumofstig]

If you can get/afford the wood to build them and the soil/compost to fill them, then building raised beds would help if drainage is poor.

[dustcartkev]

the wood is no problem but compost will cost a bit, should i put just put compost or mix it with top soil, thanks

[angelavdavis]

Compost itself has little nutritional value, you want to mix it with soil.  Make sure your top soil comes from a good source - I have never had much luck importing top soil in the past.  In addition, you don't want to create beds which don't retain water (compost on its own may make it too free draining) - it would create the opposite problem than you have now.

I have built up my raised beds by using the lasagne bed method - beg grass cuttings, cardboard, newspaper, uncooked kitchen waste and manure from free sources and stack a layer of green on top of brown until you get to a good level and then add compost as the top layer to plant in.  It will rot down, but it will help gradually build up the soil level inexpensively.

[grinling]

Say what area you are. Even in my wettest area I could grow. If you go down raised beds then fill with manure, but remember to top up each year.

[savbo]

Compost itself has little nutritional value, you want to mix it with soil.  Make sure your top soil comes from a good source - I have never had much luck importing top soil in the past. .

I'd second that - unless you actually see the stuff before you buy, you usually get topsoil that is rubbish. Better to use your own soil and really work at getting it better, than paying for someone else's rubbish soil, and still  really working at getting it better...

[dustcartkev]

just like to say thanks for everyones advice, 

[TerryB]

You can raise the level of the soil in the raised bed and help your drainage at the same time by digging the soil out of the paths between the beds and putting it in the bed.
Then lay wood chippings on the paths.
If you don't get wood chipping delivered to your site contact some local tree surgoen's as they usually have difficulty getting rid of it.