[newatthis]

hi, i have manged to clear most of the weeds from a 10 pole plot, and i have started putting in some raised beds 6ft wide by 12 ft long and i have started digging  them over get all the weeds out, but how or what do i do with the beds when i have finnished and when do i start getting the soil ready for the pots next yr? and how do i get them ready
thankyou for any help or advice thankyou

[peapod]

Get yourself some well rotted muck - horse or cow- if at all possible and either dig it in or use it as a mulch and let the worms work it in over winter. (this helps with the weeds but isnt as good for the soil) I do my beds around October when everythings harvested, but you can start now.

Id dig it in roughly (if you can dig your raised beds) and let the frosts break the clumps down over winter and then give it a good dig in spring

Bear in mind though, you cant put muck in a bed where carrots or parsnips are going to live

[tode]

If you've got really solid clay (can make a ball with it when wet), then after Peapod's muck in Autumn, it would help to spread some lime in Spring. But you're not supposed to use both at the same time.

[Ice]

I built my raised beds because I have clay soil.  Unless you are willing to work very hard you won't get them perfect for next year, but much improved.  I threw in everything I could afford compost wise and a load of sharp sand.  As you dig and break down the clumps add more sand.  As the others say, add loads of well rotted manure and wait for spring.

Don't fill the beds up to the top as you will be adding to them over the seasons anyway.

[newatthis]

thankyou, we do have some winter cab to go in to the raised beds and some purple broc i think and brussels to go in, will it be ok to put some horse poo in and then plant them in afterwards, as fot the rest of the polt we will dig some over then cover with horse poo, what about the weeds will they come through the horse poo still , sorry about all the questions

[Ice]

I wouldn't put manure in a bed that you are going to put winter cabbage in.  Blood, fish and bone would be my choice.

[Goosegirl]

I would add any kind of manure (well-rotted or not), garden compost, mushroom compost and anything you can get on areas that will not be planted until next spring so the winter weather can do its stuff (except where you are going to plant carrots and parsnips next year). On areas to be planted now, I would dig in sharp sand and / or grit to open up the soil structure. This would also needed to be added when you dig in the manure etc next spring then add BFB on planting as Ice said. Add lime in spring for your brassicas each year as you rotate your crops. This flocculates (binds) the clay particles and opens up the soil.

[newatthis]

thankyou, i can get fresh horse poo(very fresh), is this ok to put on the soil?,
 i can get well rotted stuff but not as much as the fresh stuff(my 9yr old goes horse riding and the school said help yourself to as much as you want)...

[bluealf]

thankyou, i can get fresh horse poo(very fresh), is this ok to put on the soil?,
 i can get well rotted stuff but not as much as the fresh stuff(my 9yr old goes horse riding and the school said help yourself to as much as you want)...

Get both, build yourself a 3 sided box out of pallets and line with plywood/thick cardboard, tarp or something to keep the wind from drying it out, make a door for the front for access and put your fresh poo in, for future years etc.

[newatthis]

thankyou i will get both some for now and some for later..

[peapod]

Mine last year was quite fresh.  I put it on the beds in October and planted spuds in March, when it was quite broken down but not fully.  The spuds have been great this year, but cant vouch for another veg putting up with that

[Salmo]

Be careful that the muck you put on does not protect the soil from winter weather. Dig in muck in the Autumn before the soil gets too wet. Leave it in rough clods over Winter for the weather and frost to break it down. Keep off it in the Spring until it starts to crack and crumble as it dries. What is known as going mouldy. Better to wait a little in the Spring than to get on too early and spoil what the weather has done for you. This may be an old fashioned approach but it works.

[Mr Bean]

As advised in some of the above posts the best thing you can do with clay or any hard ground over winter is to dig it in the autumn leaving the clods as large as possible. Use the fork and don't break the clods up. A few hard frosts and the lumps will break down in the spring with a rake or fork.

You can dig any muck in at the same time, which is my favourite option, or leave it on the surface in Spring.

[newatthis]

hi, i have just put a layer of about 2inchs (i think), of mixed horse poo(rotted and some fresh), on and covered it with black plastic stuff, is this ok?, i didnt dig any soil under it as it was a bit on the hard side...

[Trillium]

Rather than black plastic, try putting down cardboard. It will degrade with the poop, keep in moisture and the lower soil will be soft by spring. Only catch is you'll have to put rocks or bricks to keep the cardboard from flying away in winds.