Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: spade or shovel? on September 17, 2010, 12:02
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Managed to get all the top soil off on tuesday and today have dug and turned the plot over. I do have some manure coming soon , so I have 3 questions I could do with some help with please
1. my plot is 15 ft by 9 ft how much manure should I add ?
2. Can you over manure/ should it be added in stages or all at once
3. Has anyone got a spare can of deep heat they can send me :D
Right just off to see a chiropractor to ease my back :)
Thanks all
Regards
Dave
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Before you manure you need to decide what you plan to grow. I have read that some things like root veg are encouraged to fork if the soil is too rich with manure. Also have picked up the idea that onions and garlic can rot if the soil is recently manured when you plant them.
Spuds and cabbage/sprouts are heavy feeders so will appreciate it. I am not sure if you can overmanure. Some of the nodig people really go for it with thick layers of manure to suppress weeds and feed the soil so you will probably be ok.
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First there are some questions about the manure. How well rotted is it? If it's very fresh then you might well be best off letting it rot down for six months at least before using. I'd also advise you to read the information on this link. (http://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/257/aminopyralid-herbicide-residue-in-manure-killing-crops/) Although the problem has calmed down, a couple of lads on an allotment in the area where hit by the problem last summer. Their spud crop and tomatoes went toes up but their cabbages and other brassicas were not affected at all.
bigben is right about carrots and parsnips not liking manure - you plant them in areas which have manured the year before and just add compost before planting. For these crops this year use some fertiliser like Growmore, Chicken Pellets, Blood-fish-and-bone or whatever your choice is.
bigben's also right about spuds being heavy feeders. If you put the manure down soon it will be nicely worked in ready for planting spuds next year. But see above. Another heavy feeder that likes lots of manure is sweetcorn if you like the stuff.