[scaldow]

I now tend to overwinter a green manure crop after the beds are tidied up in autumn, then shallow dig them in as soon as the soil is dry enough after winter is gone.  If there is a crop which might be going in later than June I would pop on a half measure of chicken manure pellets two week before the transplants.  Assuming you are composting on an annual basis you should really only apply additional feed to your most hungry crops (Onions, Garlic).  I do still tend to trench in raw green kitchen waste for beans, peas and corn.  Bucket full spread across the trenches, covered with fresh compost so you have some real lovelies to plant in come Easter (oh, and the courgettes go in amongst the corn!).   

[DavidT]

If you apply growmore or other inorganic fertilizer now the potash and phosphate element will stay around long enough for the plants to take them up when they are sown/planted. Nitrogen on the other hand is very soluble and may be washed out, especially if we get a lot of heavy rain or snow melt. The nitrogen in organic fertilizers such as blood meal or chicken poo/pellets are just as liable to wash out.

Any lost nitrogen goes straight into the soil water and ends up in our streams and drinking water which is not what we want.

Actually, Potash is soluble too. Growmore is only viable in the soil for about 10 to 12 days. Then you must re fertilise. JayG, I disagree, if Jamie wants to learn, then this type of thread is EXACTLY what he wants.

[sunshineband]

If you have foxes around remember that they love chicken manure pellets -- the ones near us dig like mad to find the chickens and I've had to give up using it. 

[mumofstig]

That must save you doing much winter digging though

[JayG]

Had to stop using blood, fish and bone fertiliser as the local urban foxes found it irresistable (especially when sprinkled around my spuds, some of which I subsequently had to retrieve and re-plant from all over the garden!)

As regards DavidT's point which seems to be that a variety of different advice from experienced gardeners is "exactly what Jamie wants" I have to beg to differ; everything about growing your own is unfamiliar to a beginner who surely wants advice to be simple, straightforward (and correct!)

Jamie himself may yet well put us all in our place; I was just trying to make the point that by manuring his plot he has made a good start and that he should enjoy what I am assuming is his first growing season without getting too bogged down in the technicalities at this stage.