[sharone]

Hi am new to this allotment business and need the benefit of your experience please!! have just acquired my new allotment and am preparing the ground.  I have made four beds for rotation of my veg.  Does the brassica plot need manure?  I have bought some fresh manure from the local farm but warey of which beds to manure. 

[Sparkyrog]

If its fresh wait till autumn .

[Yorkie]

I agree that it shouldn't be used on the plot until autumn as it's still fresh.

On the specific question, brassicas need the soil to be very firm when you plant them out.  Digging in manure in the days or weeks before planting tends to leave the soil a little too loose.

[Gandan57]

When I worked on the farm and had access to cow manure by the trailer load, I used to roughly dig in November/December and spread a six inch layer of fresh strawy dung on top, then leave.

The following May/June, brassicas were simply transplanted straight through the manure into the soil beneath, which, because of the dung mulch, was always lovely and moist, in those long hot summers of the `70s and `80s!

[mumofstig]

That works well, cos by the following summer it wouldn't have been fresh any more 

Adding now would be too close to planting IMO

[sharone]

thanks all for your advice, maybe a bit too hasty buying the manure.  will leave it to one side for autumn then.