[cmf]

Can anyone suggest the best way to provide nutrients to my allotment plot.It is the 3rd.in from the main access road to all the allotments and the only way is for a load of manure [for the purpose] to be dropped is here. It is a huge amount and I'll have to shift it on the day because of the situation.I can't necessarily rely on help.The alternative is for me to 'dig it into bags and transport it that way, which I've tried,can do, but it's extra time and a lot of effort. I also have to find trailer and driver!
My question is:- 1] Can I have sucess with the allotment if I only use 'man made fertilizers.ie. chicken pellets
2] What would be the most sucessful 'green manure' for a site that is probably mostly clay but so far seems reasoable to dig.Is it really a good alternative?
I sound like a 'moaning minnie' but I aint getting any younger and to get my men folk to help is equally hard work !

[paintedlady]

I'm in a sort of similar position - my half is at the back of the front half of the plot which is next to the track if you know what I mean - so parking my car or getting a delivery of manure there is impossible.  Luckily my full size plot is fine for parking/manure delivery but at the other end of the site - yes, I could bag some up and move them to the half plot, but I'm not a spring chicken either and have enough to do!

To answer your question - with the benefit of having both a manured full size plot and a non-manured half plot, I have to confess that manure does seem better (it is bulkier than chicken pellets so a good soil improver too) and my crops on the full size plot generally do so much better but location could be factor too.  But, adding compost, chicken pellets, growmore, fish/blood & bone and bonemeal (not all together mind  LOL) has been perfectly fine on the half plot.  Maybe for the odd bed such as the potatoes, you could perhaps buy a bag of manure from somewhere like B&Q and dig it in?

As regards green manure - one of those things I've been meaning to try myself and have ordered some seed (I'm going for forage peas from Moles seeds) to overwinter on both plots - so I'm afraid I can't help you there.

[mumofstig]

I sowed mustard green manure on one part of my plot last year and it made a great difference to the soil structure, but I don't think it makes any real improvement to the fertility of the soil. You would still need to add fertilizers to do that,as painted lady says.

I'm going to sow Phacelia as soon as my peas/beans bed is cleared, and see how this works out as it is supposed to be good for my sandy soil

[peterjf]

get it delivered , barrow it onto the plot where you going to grow your brassicas then, heap the rest up on your plot , should be ok , let the worms and winter take the manure down , dig over through winter and then bobs your uncle , i think ,

[savbo]

can you go halves on a load with someone young and fit and then you can both barrow it to both allotments (if you see what I mean) - problem shared is a problem halved etc and with luck they'll end up doing most of the owrk!

[Redgoat]

I agree very few on our allotments have a bulk load of manure delievered so there are bound to be takers.

Even if there are none the effort is worth the reward.