[woodburner]

I'm probably getting an allotment in the next couple of weeks. It looks quite good, covered in nettles but not much else if anything.
The only problem is that in one corner the soil has been dug out one spit depth and replaced with subsoil, well just dumped in a heap actually. Well that's what it looks like. You can see the edge of the 'hole' quite clearly on one side and the soil dumped in the middle has almost nothing growing on it and is lighter than the undug soil. It has been weathered so it's definitely been there long enough for weed seeds to have germinated so I can only presume that there are none and the only reason for that is that it has either been sterilised (yeah right lol) or that it is in fact subsoil.

Sooo what can I do with this patch? I don't really want to put a shed up even if it's allowed.

Edit: the area is a fairly neat rectangle about 6x8ft.

[nobby]

plenty of muck and a good rotivator will work wonders

[Yorkie]

How about making it the compost bin site  :?:

[compostqueen]

good plan!

Why don't you want a shed by the way    I can't imagine a plot without a shed  

[woodburner]

How about making it the compost bin site  :?:

Well the traditional advice is to base bins on soil (rather than concrete) so that worms and bacteria come up and help the composting process, so, as this stuff is as barren as concrete I'm not sure that it'd be any good for compost either.

Shed: don't see the point  :oops:
No-one else has one either so I reckon it's against regualtions.

[woodburner]

I've had an idea. Maybe I should start a new thread but reckon I should give it a go here first.

How about wild flowers, they're supposed to actually like poor soil aren't they?

[Dominic]

So, I'm obviously missing something, whats the problem with subsoil?

Ok, its not perfect, wouldnt advise anyone ploughs 8 feet down to get some, but all it needs it beating into shape doesnt it?

[woodburner]

It has no nitrogen and precious little of anything else useful to plants, no worms no food for worms, no bacteria, no organic matter. On the plus side it has no weed seeds either, but by all accounts it can take years to turn into fertile soil.
Bottom line is: If it was any good the chap that dumped it, wouldn't have!  

[Dominic]

Well then, pop to B&Q or some such, buy a few giant bags of compost, liberaly apply.
Or thats what I would do anyway.

[Aidy]

We have to deal with sub soil all the time on our site, its only 1 spit down. Of all the suggestions, tons of muck and dig/rotivate it in is the one we use. I have no problem growing on it. If there is nothing growing at all I would suspect that something else is wrong, there will always be a weed of some sort growing in it. I would be tempted to chuck some radish in to see if they germinate, there pretty quick and not to choosey.

[survyman]

you have to ask the question as to why they dug a hole then filled it with subsoil ?
I personnally would dig it out and remove the body before planting anything.
If your plot is covered in nettles you are lucky as this is a sign of very fertile soil.
Cut the tops off the nettles before digging up and throw them in a water butt, it makes great plant feed.

[sawnee]

Hello Woodburner and congrats on getting yourself a plot
I think I would investigate a bit more, I'm with Survyman "dig up the body" or failing that.... ask the neighbours why it is there, just introduce yourself and then slowley bring the subject up
How big is the heap?
If it isnt huge cant you spread this 'subsoil' over the rest of the plot?
Or take a chance with a packet of seeds and see what happens

[pedro]

you said it was  8x6.
could it just be that there was a shed there previously!!
weeds dont grow on barren sub soil (well not to good anyway)

[woodburner]

Scurveyman, now you've got me worried    I was just going to level it and go from there but now I'll have to dig it out just to make sure there there's nothing 'untoward' underneath. :shock:  
I'm actually quite pleased with it being covered with nettles, as well as the indication of fertile soil, they are relatively easy to remove, much easier than couch grass, or even ordinary grass.

Thanks, Sawnee, although it's not quite mine yet
I think that if the neighbours had seen the body being buried they'd have already called the police The current/soon to be previous occupant has done nothing on the plot in two years apart from this strange excavation  :shock:
I think I would rather take the chance on some seeds rather than spread the infertility around the plot. Apparently buckwheat actually prefers poor soil, so if I can get some seeds of that, it should be ideal as it is a 'green manure'.

Thanks everyone for your input, if the buckwheat doesn't do the trick I will have to get my name to the top of next years muck delivery list  

[peterjf]

bang in plenty of animal manure, dig it over and you might get some over wintering crops in then a big head start for next spring , the manure needs to be brocken down into the soil , good luck