[smudger]

Hi everyone, sorry to be a pain but I have another question. I grew my green manure and dug it back in last November, before I plant my potatoes in March do I need to cover the area with well rotted manure as well now or do I just leave the area bare and then put some fertiliser in when I plant them.

Thanks

Smudger

[solway cropper]

Most folks believe that you can never add too much organic matter to the soil. Get it bunged on.

The farmers round here have been doing a lot of muck and slurry spreading while the ground is frozen and snow covered. The theory is that when it thaws the nutrients will be washed down into the soil.

[Salmo]

These farmers may be ignoring DEFRA code of practice? As the snow melts the nutrients will be carried off at great speed straight into our waterways. Not a good idea!

Mind you, like the farmers, it is very tempting to get on to the ground while it is frozen.

[solway cropper]

Salmo, the DEFRA guidelines on cold weather slurry spreading are complicated (like everything else from DEFRA) but they do allow for spreading if certain conditions are observed. The land round here is very flat so no sudden run-off and very few watercourses to pollute. And if a twenty metre buffer is left next to the drainage ditches there should be no problems.