[8doubles]

Ah but then I dont particularly listen to the old timers, I have the cold corner anyway, hedges to the east and south that shade the plot from the morning sun.

Always pays to listen to 'em , a lot of the old knowledge is still of use today ! Sometimes needs tweaking with a bit of science !

And of course some is a load of manure !

[gemando]

I haven't looked at my patch recently but as it was raining again yesterday its probably still too wet. Haven't had a week of no rain yet! At least the rain frequency appears to be decreasing.

[gemando]

Has anyone in the north with clay soil dug over yet? It's sunny all this week (I hope) although frosty and rainy at the weekend. I was thinking about digging this weekend but someone local said I should still wait a bit longer before doing it?

[Goneterseed]

I would say it's down to local conditions. You could try a small patch and if it sticks to the spade and your boots, then it's too wet. Leave it a while longer.

[mumofstig]

If there's still frost on the surface........

you don't want to be doin that, your digging the frost in

If I'm honest, that is what I thought - but didn't like to say so 

 

[Fairy Plotmother]

Patience, patience! Far too wet for digging.

[gemando]

I am not a patient person! But I shall try and develop some patience and wait. When's the latest I can dig? Can't remember when my first seeds are recommended to be sown,  but I think up here it's probably April for most things. I'm not planting garlic or onions.

[gemando]

Also I think our last possible frost date is in April. I guess any frosts after that I'd just have to get some fleece down if I've planted /sown anything.

[Fairy Plotmother]

I have realised ( took me a long time) that you can't argue with Mother Nature. And if she says the earth is too wet then.....so be it. Also, it doesn't pay to sow or plant too early as everything will struggle. When it's done in the warmer weather everything takes off!

[gemando]

I will endeavour to be patient then. And try and time my indoor sowing! How long after digging over should I leave it before sowing or planting? Assuming I'm digging over in probably April -mayish. There's about a third of the plot which hasn't been dug in multiple years.

[al78]

I will endeavour to be patient then. And try and time my indoor sowing! How long after digging over should I leave it before sowing or planting? Assuming I'm digging over in probably April -mayish. There's about a third of the plot which hasn't been dug in multiple years.

Once you have it to a fine tilth, try leaving it for a couple of weeks to give any weed seeds a chance to germinate, then hoe them down. Then sow your seeds and they should have less competition from weeds in the early stages of growth.

In addition, start some seeds indoors and plant out later when (if!) the weather improves.

[gemando]

Okay so the latest to dig over is 2 weeks before sowing or thereabouts. Will have to keep an eye on the weather!

[mjg000]

Looking at your original planting plan, it looks as though at least 1/2 of your plot will have veg that go out in late April, May and June ( Sweetcorn, French Beans, Summer squash etc.) so I think what I would do is perhaps cover at least half your plot with some sort of compost and then something over the top like weed control fabric or cardboard, this would encourage the worms to take the compost down into the soil and it could well be nice and crumbly when you take it off to do your sowing/planting in late Spring/ early summer, at least 2 or 3 months away. 

Also, I think you are confusing the "average" last frost date with reality..... we are in Richmond, Surrey and I have had frosts in the middle of May on many occasions, losing courgettes, beans and getting the potato leaves burned by it, so please don't assume that there won't be frost in May where you are just because a website tells you that, it also depends on how open your site is and how protected a particular allotment is.

[gemando]

I might do that for the areas that got dug over last year. If i put fabric over will I need to lift it occasionally to air it out or is the fabric generally permeable enough?  I don't want to encourage a grub breeding ground!

Yeah the guy I was speaking to said we've had snow in June up here before which I'd forgotten about!

[mjg000]

You can get different weights of ground cover fabric. The lightweight one would do for this short period but does tend to tear if left on longer. The slugs etc. would go if you leave it clear for a short while pre planting out. 

I always try to have some beds covered with compost and fabric through the winter and the soil is lovely when you lift it in the Spring, very few weeds and nice and crumbly, it's my version of no-dig gardening.