Riddled Soil

[Rosymacposie]

I am slowly clearing a little plot in my garden which has been used as a builders yard while we have been making changes to the house.  Work all done now so I can use the ground for planting.  There was so much rubbish, bricks cement etc I have decide to clear it before planting anything.  I have double dug trenches across then put a layer of compost and chicken pellets in the bottom before riddeling the next trench over it.  (Getting rid of all the rubbish that way)  My question is how long should I leave it,  to let the soil settle down again or should I be doing the "truffle shuffle" over it to compact it down again before planting anything?

[davyw1]

It should drop naturally in a couple of weeks. Not sure why you have put your pellets in the bottom though i would have raked them in the top so they release down to the roots.

[Unwashed]

Don't plant brasiccas, they don't like lose soil, but parsnips might enjoy it, or certainly tatties.

[allaboutliverpool]

As Unwashed says, do not plant brassicas unless you are prepared to stamp on it.
Otherwise the soil will settle as the seeds germinate and start to grow.
Apart from apart from onion sets, shallots, garlic and possibly broad been seeds, there is not much you can sow or plant until the ground has warmed up.

http://allaboutallotments.com/index.html

[1066]

How exciting a new bit of cultivated land. 

I made our builders take all their c**p with them and had major hissy fits if they tried to dump anything in my garden  But having said that the previous occupiers built raised beds and filled them with rubble - fair enough I hear you say but the rubble also included panes of glass  .

Anyway having got that off my chest, I'd go with what Allabout Liverpool says and leave it, there isn't much that can be planted direct at this time of year. But you could start some stuff off in pots indoors ready to transplant - peas etc would be good 

1066

[Robert_Brenchley]

I had to clear a pile of broken glass from my plot, so I know exactly how you feel. Rubble in a bed is OK as long as you're going to grow something undemanding; some plants do best in poor soil. But it doesn't help your successor.

[Rosymacposie]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. Dr George what can I say.  Looked at your web site......gorgeous allotment.  You have really worked hard there!
           1066 I would love to blame the builders but in fact the builders where 'us'.  We do most of the building ourselves (saved a fortune), but both working full time, its taken a  long time.  Stupidly instead of hiring a skip at the start we just put all the rubbish where my little veggie plot is going to be to be moved 'later'.  Well its now 'later' and thankfully all the big stuff has gone and now I am just left with what is left in the soil, stones,ivy and massive thick roots from an old tree. I cant believe how stupid some people are.......fancy putting glass in a raised bed        Anyway Im  getting there slowly and incorporating lots of lovely compost at the same time. Have started some bits and pieces off in pots on the kitchen window cill.  

[1066]

Rosymacposie  - well at least once you've cleared it you can sit back and enjoy it even more