[colin120]

Went to my allotment again today and still cant do any digging as my beds are still waterlogged, could only make graves at the back of my allotment for my spud seeds to go into LOL

[tinyallotment]

Do you think that the reason why your beds are not draining is because you dig them?

paul

[jrko]

That would be a bit extreme.

 Far more likly to be london clay as the postcode is SE2

[colin120]

Do you think that the reason why your beds are not draining is because you dig them?

paul

[Kristen]

Digging them will improve the drainage - instead of the water sitting on the surface it will easily percoate through the dug soil, and then sit underneath that from where it should soak away, over time. Either way the surface will drain more quickly, and break down in the frost over winter.  Should Don't dig when the soil surface is wet though - would have been better in autumn ... although you can dig when there is a hard frost and the surface is frozen.

Its possible there is a hard pan - particularly if the plot was regularly rotavated in the past, or ploughed (if it was a farmer's field) - if so it needs "double digging" to break up the sub-soil pan.

[colin120]

Digging them will improve the drainage - instead of the water sitting on the surface it will easily percoate through the dug soil, and then sit underneath that from where it should soak away, over time. Either way the surface will drain more quickly, and break down in the frost over winter.  Should Don't dig when the soil surface is wet though - would have been better in autumn ... although you can dig when there is a hard frost and the surface is frozen.

Its possible there is a hard pan - particularly if the plot was regularly rotavated in the past, or ploughed (if it was a farmer's field) - if so it needs "double digging" to break up the sub-soil pan.

I only got my allotment in July last year, when I cleared the plot of weeds and bushes I double dug it then, before I took the plot on it had not been used for THREE years.

The previous plot holder when he had the plot NEVER did any digging he just used beds and dug little holes where he wanted to plant, he had the plot for four years SO that's seven years the plot had not been dug before I took over the plot.

I do not see the point of having an allotment and not cultivating properly, just digging little holes where you want to put a plant is a waste of time and not good for the soil, allotments NEED to be dug to keep it in good order and to get the best out of the soil.

[mumofstig]

Not all soils benefit from digging, but I think clay soils definitely do.

By the same token backs don't always benefit from digging (ouch!) so don't be too harsh on how other people manage their allotments 

[m1ckz]

each to his own

[jrko]

I do not see the point of having an allotment and not cultivating properly, just digging little holes where you want to put a plant is a waste of time and not good for the soil, allotments NEED to be dug to keep it in good order and to get the best out of the soil.

The Amazon rainforest has some of the most fertile soil and it hasn't been dug over for...... 

Check out the 'no dig system'

[colin120]

Check out the 'no dig system'
[/quote]

Had a look at the no dig system completely different than just making a hole the stick in plants also watched  Charles Dowding no digging video

Would not plant his way as he does this, The grass was never weeded or dug out, instead, Charles laid down year old cow manure and then old carpet on top.

I don't use carpet on my allotment never will to many chemical's in carpets so basically he is not using the soil at all he is using manure homemade compost put under a carpet for 8 months then removing carpet then planting on top of the manure.

Just a lazy way of planting, I use horse manure and homemade compost, I also do Sheet mulching but I dig all mine into the soil after it has been sitting on the soil over the winter months.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

I read the Charles Dowding book on No Dig and don't remember him advocating the use of carpet, but maybe I missed that bit!

Anyway, it sounds like you know what you're doing and you're happy with how you're doing it...so you just need to be able to control the weather and you're sorted 

[colin120]

Charles Dowding video is called NO DIG ABUNDANCE  and is on YouTube

[LilacSandy]

Correct me if I am wrong folks, but I think the soil is too wet because it never stops raining long enough for the flipping soil to dry out!!!!!!!!!!!

[pigguns]

my silt plot and garden clay are a half mile (up the hill!) apart.  last week there was no way I could touch the clay, however the plot was lovely to dig over...no judgement here- so many variables.

[Mr Dog]

.... to many chemical's in carpets...

It's likely that more 'nasty' chemicals will get washed from the atmosphere into your soil from normal rainfall than would be leeched from old carpet, certainly over a few months of use to surpress weed growth before any sort of 'cultivation'. Most 'nasties' in carpets are insoluble and 'bound' up whereas even the insoluble nasties in the air get incorporated into raindrops. Leaving carpet in place for many months/years is of course a differnet kettle of fish.

Without wishing to pass any judgement on the pros and cons of both dig and no-dig I think you've completely misinterpreted Dowding's way of gardening.