[wendyalice]

Hi there
The soil on my new allotment is incredibly soft to dig, but it dries out very quickly on
top. When you dig down an inch or so it is still quite moist. Does this mean it is too free draining? If so what di I need to bulk it up a bit?

[mumofstig]

Any soil you can think of, they are all improved by adding manure in the autumn or home made compost whenever you have it

[Ivor Backache]

Hello Wendyalice and welcome to the forum.
I too have got a new allotment and it sounds very similar to yours. I get the impression that the soil has been worked and  treated with just fertiliser and as a result has become 'thin' and sandlike.
I aquired it during the winter and have been able to use leafmould, compost, newspaper,
sawdust and just about anything that is vegetable in origin. I have used it in potato trenches and runner bean trenches, so I have able to make a start in improving the soil condition. But it nowhere near enough. I have not used manure and you do need to be aware of aminopyrilid. Do a search of it in this forum-there are several inputs on it. If you can get clean manure, then use it but I supect that you have already started planting.
This year I have resolved to make as much compost and leafmould as possible and then dig it during the close season.

[DavidT]

There`s no need to wait until the autumn to add humus. If you can get any well rotted manure use it as a mulch over the growing season. The worms will do a better job of taking it into the soil than you will by digging it in.

[savbo]

If it's still moist an inch down that doesn't sound too free-draining to me - Sounds like good stuff! Of course adding organic matter will only make it better...

M

[gawk]

Your soil sounds great! Not sure how this thread has become a 'sticky' already though? 

...and hey presto it is not a sticky any more!