To add topsoil or not?

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Larissa68

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To add topsoil or not?
« on: March 21, 2021, 01:25 »
My new allotment is lower than the surrounding area by 4 to 5 inches.  It isn't waterlogged but I was wondering whether I should build it up a bit with topsoil or is there a benefit to it being lower. 

I would need 6 tonnes of top soil and manure to build it flush so wouldn't be done in one go due to cost.  Just thought I'd ask here first for some advice.  Top soil is dear!

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mumofstig

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Re: To add topsoil or not?
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2021, 10:33 »
If it's not waterlogged now, after winter rains, I wouldn't worry about it tbh
Cultivation - digging and adding  your HM compost, or going no-dig and adding lots of bought in compost, each year tends to gradually raise soil levels anyway.
You'll get a better idea what your plot needs as you use it. Good luck!

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Christine

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Re: To add topsoil or not?
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2021, 10:59 »
So long as when you put the spade or fork in you have enough soil to grow stuff in. If that's a problem then you are going to have to slowly improve the situation. Do each growing area and don't worry about any paths you need.

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snowdrops

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Re: To add topsoil or not?
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2021, 21:07 »
As mum & Christine say, also if you lay the plot out you can always shovel the paths onto the beds to give you a bit more depth of soil. The danger of importing top soil in is you don’t know what weeds you might bring in. If you could get hold of any turf sods from anyone taking a lawn up you could stack those, grass to grass side,cover with thick black polythene and wait for at least a year. After that it should give you a lovely loam to add as you need.
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hasbeans

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Re: To add topsoil or not?
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2021, 07:26 »
Yes there's a potential benefit to it being lower - surface water will trickle into your plot which means less watering.



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