[NewSteve]

Hi all,

I'm working gradually through the garden/plot double digging all our new beds (which will become 'no dig' beds from that point on) and I'm now starting to think about the beds we'll be using for autumn sowings - spinach, chinese cabbage, chard - that aren't going to be used for the next few months.

Is there anything I could usefully do to prepare the ground in the mean time? Especially for the spinach, which will want a good rich soil.

I was thinking of a green manure, but it needs to be one that won't set seed over the summer!

Cheers,

Steve

[Goosegirl]

Good forward planning there! Not knowing what your soil is like, I would get hold of as much compost (home-made, price-reduced stuff, mushroom compost) and manure (fresh or not) as you can and keep the beds topped up with it. Not only will it help your soil structure and add some nutrients, but will also act as a mulch for the weeds. You could sprinkle some dried poultry manure about a month before sowing your spinach etc just as an added nitrogen feed if you feel it needs it. I've never used green manure so can't help with that.

[Annen]

I've grown phacelia and not been much troubled by unwanted ones later, you can pull them out quite easily if they do come up later.  And the bees love the flowers.