[Tonyh]

Hi, having grown a few veggies and had a few chickens in the back garden for a couple of years now,the chance of an allotment came up so I decided to take the opportunity.Over the last couple of months I've cleaned and tidied my plot up,built pens and settled my birds in and have just started preparing my ground for next year.The soil is quite clay so I've put on horse manure and dug that in and have just spread on two old and wet bails of straw and dug those in as well,I've got a couple of compost bins on the go which will eventually go on to.Ive just been reading about granulated gypsum which sounds quite a useful product.If any of you guys have any hints and tips for working with clay type soil it would be much appreciated.
Regards Tonyh

[finleyfreyaseth]

think you wont go so far wrong with getting as much manure and compost on as possible wouldn't bother digging it in much if you've already dug your plot over id just bang it on the top and let your friendly worms get it in the ground for you

[Headgardener22]

Try raised beds if you can get wood to make better quality & warmer soil.

I divided mine up into sections and put weed suppressant down as paths so I wouldn't have to dig the bits I walk on (but if you've got access to a rotovator its possibly better to leave as much as possible so you can run straight through.

Put sand where you want to grow carrots to lighten the soil.

[Tonyh]

Thanks for the advice guys,I'll go with that and see where it takes me.
Will any sand do to help lighten the soil for the carrots ?

[wbmkk]

Hi !

I too have just been allocated an allotment, but today is only day 8, so I'm a bit behind you.

You mention having chickens on your plot. I actually saw on Youtube a film about a couple who made raised beds over their whole plot, then made a chicken house which fitted over the beds. They seem to call it a chicken tractor in the USA. the chicken live here for I suppose a few weeks, their droppings passing through to the soil below. They then lift the whole lot, placing it on another raised bed.

No doubt by the time the spring arrives, all the beds have had a good supply of fertilizer dropped on them.It just seemed a great idea to me.

Regards !

ps I had chicken when I lived in S Africa. Sadly, we could never eat any though ... as my wife had given each chicken a name. When I asked her, whether we were going to eat Gladys or Samantha for tea, the idea seemed to put her off.

[gremlin]

Will any sand do to help lighten the soil for the carrots ?

I dont think it matters, but you will need a massive amount of sand.  50-50 mix just to see any difference.   
I prefer to use loads of compost as it is free.

[Tonyh]

Hi yes I've seen the tractors your talking about they do seem a good idea.
I have chickens,layers and meat birds, ducks and have just bartered a couple of turkeys for some odds and ends I had in my shed.Im also looking at getting some meat rabbits so eventually I should have most of my meat covered.

[Sparkyrog]

Hi yes I've seen the tractors your talking about they do seem a good idea.
I have chickens,layers and meat birds, ducks and have just bartered a couple of turkeys for some odds and ends I had in my shed.Im also looking at getting some meat rabbits so eventually I should have most of my meat covered.

I will be very interested to here how you  get on ! I dont feel its viable anymore for little people like us 

[Headgardener22]

Will any sand do to help lighten the soil for the carrots ?

I dont think it matters, but you will need a massive amount of sand.  50-50 mix just to see any difference.   
I prefer to use loads of compost as it is free.

Obviously you need a reasonable amount of sand, but you can put it just where you need it, you don't need to do the whole allotment each year.

Compost helps as well (though large amounts are not free either).

Remember to look at the soil over the whole bed, mine is clay but its lighter over about 20% and I grow carrots mainly in that area and brassicas where it is heaviest.