[suecoops]

Being new and only having had the allotment since last October I'm thinking about manure.   Even though we dug the whole plot up and I thought got rid of all the weeds, it now seems to be covered.  Having read up on it I thought that we could have a delivery of manure and cover the plot in the autumn and this would suppress the weeds and obviously do the soil good.  Is that the way to do it, wait until Autumn?  And how much does it cost usually.  Hope someone can give me some advice.  Thanks

[WG.]

I apply manure as a thick top dressing for autumn sown garlic and onions, so yes.  You won't grow as much garlic as me but you can cover half or 3/4 of your plot each year as a mulch.  The uncovered bit is for carrot & parsnip the following year.

[shaun]

same as david
also if you keep some to one side in a pallet bin you can use this in your spud trench next spring,if i pay for a load its about 5ton for £15 but most farmers/stables will give it away if you collect it yourself

[WG.]

Yes, good point shaun.

I should also have said that some of the mulch will typically be raked aside in spring, e.g. for beetroot etc which wants bare soil.  Plan your planting so that this ends up in the potato patch.

[richyrich7]

You need to keep the weeds down now, also depends on what type of weeds they are perennial will just push through and say thanks for the feed  

But apart from that I'm with the others.

[suecoops]

Yes, we keep raking and hoeing but particularly near the potatoes there are loads, its a bit off putting, especially as the plot next door doesn't have any!! There again I think he's there all the time, which I can't be...

[richyrich7]

Don't worry, 1st year plots are hard work, mines just the same this is my first full year on this plot and every things lovely and green after the rain, 3 weeks ago it looked pristine   Are you doing it the organic way ? I'm just about to pull out the roundup again.

Earthing up the pot's soon helps clear the ground. I've just borrowed the "half hour allotment" book from the library, some great ideas in it for time saving.

Keep at it  

[suecoops]

Yes I don't want to put anything chemical on the weeds if I can help it, as thats the whole point of us growing it ourselves.

[shaun]

and dont forget to make some manure tea

[Sadgit]

and dont forget to make some manure tea

to drink?

[shaun]

well you cant help it sometimes
its like worms how do we all know what they taste like   :?

[tinshed]

A tractor trailer load of well rotted cow manure delivered from local farms costs about £20 here (Swindon).  This year's load is to be delivered tomorrow and I will use it on two of my four beds when I dig in the Autumn.

How does that price compare with other parts of the country?

[Sadgit]

same here in boro 20

[suecoops]

Thanks for all your advice does anyone know any suppliers in the Nuneaton/Bedworth Warwickshire area