[Kiddy]

Hola from a long time lurker.

I almost all the time find what I need to know on this site but would like some thoughts on my idea for my new plot.

I just took up one more plot this week at a other site. The problem is that due to flooding I think the soil is kinda baked and very hard to dig and break up.

I plan to have eight beds about four at 2mx3m and the other four 4mx2m.

What I was thinking is buying 3000 ltrs of really rotted manure and spreading on top of each bed along with some kind of soil improver about 1000ltrs or so.


Ill then if you can just grow though without digging then and the end of the season I plan to dig the manure in good and proper.

So what ill like to know is....
1) Will I be able to do this and will the roots of the veg break though the harder soil underneath?
2) Is what I am buying enough?
3) Does anyone know where I can get a soil improver in bulk ie by half or full pallet loads? As Google not helping much.
Also it has to be in individual  bags due to where this plot is, not loose which is much cheaper.
4) can someone ID this for me seems I have a lot of growing right now.



Thanks

[Kiddy]

Sorry forgot to re-size pictures 

[allotmentann]

I don't think that I can help much with your questions, but hello and welcome. I think your dry compacted soil problem could be solved by using the lasagne method (see Angeladavis's diary for lots more info), you wouldn't need to buy in loads to do this, you can use layers of cardboard, newspaper, grass clippings, etc. Then just top with a little compost. Can't help with identifying the plant I am afraid.

[mumofstig]

Your plant looks like mustard, which is sown as a green manure, just strim/cut it off, before it sets seed, and leave on the surface, before you add your/compost/manure/cardboard etc.

[Salmo]

Your weed is charlock. Cut it off before it seeds. Common weed of arable land.

[mumofstig]

Sinapis arvensis is an annual or winter annual plant of the genus Sinapis, belonging to the family Brassicaceae. It is commonly known as Field mustard, Wild mustard or charlock. Wikipedia

so we agree - it's mustard   

[Kiddy]

Thanks it make's sense to be mustard, due to all the farm land around the site.

[agapanthus]

I was going to say rape because mustard doesn't normally flower until the summer and the rape plant is now coming into flower.......and it stinks. We have a whole field behind the garden...poo!!!!!

[Beetroot queen]

I was going to say rape because mustard doesn't normally flower until the summer and the rape plant is now coming into flower.......and it stinks. We have a whole field behind the garden...poo!!!!!

Ahh maybe that's why my nose has turned into a tap. Glad I do t live near you  I hate hayfever

[Salmo]

Sinapis arvensis is an annual or winter annual plant of the genus Sinapis, belonging to the family Brassicaceae. It is commonly known as Field mustard, Wild mustard or charlock. Wikipedia

so we agree - it's mustard   

We definately do not agree!!! I call it charlock, so that is what it is. As far as I am concerned mustard is the crop used to make hot mustard or sown as a green manure. Field mustard is a name used by people who "know about wild flowers" but are not proper countrymen.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=28

[mumofstig]

I call it charlock, so that is what it is.

  Is that so :blink: 

The site you linked to says

Charlock
( field mustard, karlock, kedlock, kilk, shallock, yellows, wild mustard )
Latin name: Sinapis arvensis L. ( B. arvensis, B. kaber, Brassica sinapis, B. sinapistrum )

I call it mustard you call it charlock - it's still the same plant - whatever you want to call it   

[Baldy]

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