[GraciesGran]

Last year when I debated taking on an extra allotment you kindly pointed me in the right direction.  We have now moved, I have dug over and weeded my new veg plot - apporximatley 20 ft by 60ft. NOT A WORM IN SIGHT. What would you advise to get the quality of soil up, I have access to unlimited but not rotted down horse manure.

[Pescador]

I think there are several options.
Stack manure until the autumn, then spread and dig-in with your autumn dig.
Spread now, and then dig in as time allows.
Buy a stock of worms to add in conjunction with either of the above.

[GraciesGran]

Sounds silly but where can I buy worms?

[snowdrops]

Get as much manure as you can & stack & turn as often as you can. Spread on the surface in autumn when it is well rotted, the worms will come & take it down into the soil. Keep weeded & plant in spring.

[Pescador]

You can buy worms at fishing tackle shops just to get things going.

[Aidy]

The other option for worms is as I used to do many moons ago when I did a lot of speciman eel fishing...

On a dark wet night pop out with a torch on a park or grassy area, be light footed and they will be hundreds of lobworms, just pick them as you go along, we used to get aroun 300 of a night.

[mumofstig]

When you start using manure from an untested source, make sure you do test it, to make sure it is free off Aminopyralid.
https://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-diary/321/testing-for-aminopyralid-in-manure/

[sospan]

We have the same problem on our site which has been there for around a 100 years. Not only is the soil exhausted it is really bare in places and being on a slope it makes it even worse.

Many of the plot holders have adopted various strategies to bring the soil and the worms back

Green manures. several of us now sow that at various times of the year and dig it in.

Compost heaps: Produced on site using plot and home waste. spread on top, dug in, trenched and left to rot.

Bulk compost: Our local authority sells compost made from recycled green waste. Remarkable value at £14   tonne if you collect it yourself.  We use it as a top dressing or make raised beds from it.

Wild flower beds / fallow.  To encourage the wildlife back into the plot, several of us have "wild" beds which apart from pernicious weeds are left uncultivated with flowers to attract wildlife.

In the last 18 months we have seen a huge increase in not only  the worms but also other elements of the food chain insects, slow worms,  snails and slugs, birds, foxes. Although the increase in birds brings mixed blessings and the slugs and snails much, much less benefit 

[JayG]

Whatever you decide to do with the manure, you shouldn't need to buy in worms if you create the right conditions for them (one of my Daleks has always stood on a concrete base yet is full of worms even though they can't fly as far as I know.  )

[grinling]

How deep are you digging? The weather has been hot and the soil quite dry so worms will be lower down.

[GraciesGran]

I dug down about 2 foot in a couple of places.  Half now covered in horse.manure and black plastic  - stops the dog rolling in it.  3 compost bins are full, have planted some courgettes and runner beans to see.how they go.

Back aches, going for a soak in the bath.

[Goosegirl]

Whatever you decide to do with the manure, you shouldn't need to buy in worms if you create the right conditions for them (one of my Daleks has always stood on a concrete base yet is full of worms even though they can't fly as far as I know.  )

I've found that as well and also when removing a used compost bag from wherever I left it.

[GraciesGran]

Just had a wander down the garden with my early morning cuppa, when I lifted the edge of the black plastic I HAVE 2_WORMS.  Feel like a proud parent.

[al78]

If you have access to partially or fully rotted manure, spread it on your plot. I collect well rotted manure from a nearby field and when I bag it, it is full of worms. If you can only get fresh stuff, stack it until it rots down and then spread it. If you add organic matter to the soil the worms will come, in the same way the amphibians arrived when a pond was built on the community allotment I work on.

[GraciesGran]

Am delighted to say I now have lots of worms!!!!!  Courgettes and runner beans did me proud. Taken courgettes out, cut runner beans to ground level added manure and black plastic.  Roll on next season!!!!

 The small nuclear explosion you will experience later is my husbands reaction to me taking on an allotment - I apologise in advance.