[Rincon]

Hi

the soil on our allotment seems really poor. Over the years we have put rotted horse manure on the plot but its the odd bag here and there rather than enough to really do any good. We probably need a good trailer load but not sure I can afford that. We always add in rotted compost that we collect off the plot. But is there anything we can do to improve the soil that wont break the bank? And if so, when should we do it?

Thanks

[Nobbie]

Green manuring is cheap and good for the soil. I used Phacelia last winter on some bare ground and it really improved the structure compared to the bare clay soil which was compacted by the rain. The roots seem to aerate the soil making it easier to work in the spring. You can either dig it in directly or compost in a heap and add later.

If you sow it early enough you may even be able to save your own seed if you let it flower. Bees love it.

[mumofstig]

Do you know anybody that keeps rabbits or chickens, because the cleanings from their cages is good stuff.
If not try 6X Pelleted Chicken Manure, which is what I used on my plot..
You can also sow Phacelia, in autumn,  when/if you get a hard frost the top dies back and I just left the roots to rot in situ and fork over lightly/or dig if you can, in spring
If the tops don't get frosted enough to kill, just strim the tops off and leave it to wither on the soil. Literally chop and drop composting. You can do this with mustard or spinach as well, if you have any seeds left in your seed box.

[Subversive_plot]

On the green manure theme.  Toward the end of the growing season, if you have access to grass clippings from a good lawn (not a seedy, weedy patch) spread them thickly on the soil, allow them to rot for a month or two, dig into the soil. Dig in a couple more times during winter before spring planting.

[steven c]

Do you have stables nearby if you can collect bags of horse manure even fresh [as a longer term idea] they are normally glad to let you have it for free  we have 2 nearby and they both welcome people to take what they want i normally collect enough to cover all beds and to mix for tomatoes and spuds in tubs  now we have great soil conditioner in tubs that grew potatoes.   good luck. ps we also have 6 dalek compost bins and try to make as much as possible.

[Rincon]

thanks everyone, its really helpful. Ive contacted a few stables, seems quite a few people ask so might have to wait my turn on that one.

Ive wondered about green manure route, tempted to try an area and see what happens

I'm also going to chat to a few other plot owners about getting a very large trailer load of rotted manure delivered and split the costs.

Thanks everyone

[Harry998]

We green manure every winter it's cheap easy and gives so huge benefits on our heavy clay. Phacelia, black oats and Egyptian clover are all killed by frost so you don't have to worry about killing it in spring.

Also up the amount of composting you are doing. We have about 80m2 of growing space and make about 3m3 of compost a year with a bit of effort and food waste from home

[rowlandwells]

yep I tend to agree with those fellow gardeners who grow  green manure we grow green manure  every year usually mustard then before it flowers plough it in we are  going for brown mustard this season its a bit hardier than the tilly or white mustard and as a rule of thumb you must put back what you take out of the ground to get good results we also use horse manure that's over 12 months old but you can't beat green manure what ever variety you grow

[Snow]

Most of my beds have crops in them through to winter so I don't really have space to do green manure. However I do sow white mustard when I plant my garlic. Simply plant the garlic, then spread the mustard all over the bed. The mustard will grow straight away while the garlic slowly takes root. It's quick growing and dies when frosts hit -5c, no need to dig it in at all. Another option is field or broad beans, you can sow them in say September and get a harvest of tops of them which is quite nice in a stir fry. They'll typically get too big to survive winter if you sow them that early, but if they make it through then you also get an early crop of beans if you want. Otherwise chop and drop them in late winter/early spring

[missmoneypenny]

Our local recycling centre has compost, I guess from broken down green waste either domestic or from council run parks etc. Worth checking if yours does.

[mumofstig]

Our local recycling centre has compost, I guess from broken down green waste either domestic or from council run parks etc. Worth checking if yours does.

The trouble with much of the compost produced by recycling centres, is that it has the cuttings from lawns that have been treated with a selective lawn weedkiller. The composting process doesn't stop the weed killer from still working when you use it where you will be growing vegetables.

Do not put grass clippings treated with a persistent lawn weedkiller into your council's green waste collection as this risks residues contaminating green waste compost sold back to gardeners as as
soil improver or in potting compost mixes

https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/weedkiller-damage

[vikingraider]

Our local recycling centre has compost, I guess from broken down green waste either domestic or from council run parks etc. Worth checking if yours does.

The trouble with much of the compost produced by recycling centres, is that it has the cuttings from lawns that have been treated with a selective lawn weedkiller. The composting process doesn't stop the weed killer from still working when you use it where you will be growing vegetables.

Do not put grass clippings treated with a persistent lawn weedkiller into your council's green waste collection as this risks residues contaminating green waste compost sold back to gardeners as as
soil improver or in potting compost mixes

https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/weedkiller-damage

Our council gives 2 20l bags away for free. I'm more worried about people putting dog muck and the like in it, as well as grass with weedkiller in it

[missmoneypenny]

Oh dear I didn’t realise that @mumofstig. Yesterday I was in the supermarket and someone was pushing a trolley through checkout that was exclusively filled with spray bottles of Roundup, I wanted to lecture her but managed to control myself. 

[Richard Yates]

Oh dear I didn’t realise that @mumofstig. Yesterday I was in the supermarket and someone was pushing a trolley through checkout that was exclusively filled with spray bottles of Roundup, I wanted to lecture her but managed to control myself. 

Roiundup and others similar are not a problem in that way - hormone weedkillers such as aminopyralid or clopyralid can be. They may be used on pastures to control broad leaved weeds. Livestock is unaffected, but fresh manure may contain residues which affect plant growth. Well-rotted manure is unlikely to be a problem, since residues will have decomposed by the time it's used.

[Richard Yates]

the soil on our allotment seems really poor

OIs it poor in terms of structure, or plant nutrition (or both!)?