Topic: Soil Conditioning

[Svengali]

I live in Cumbria, about 500 yds from the sea. My soil is very light, sandy, and very short of nutrients. I started composting last year, but it is not yet ready to use, nor is the stuff in my new rotary composter.
I do have a pile of horse manure that has been standing in the open for several months, but is it safe to use this?
What other treatments, proprietory manures, fertilizers etc could I use to help condition my soil?
JeremyB

[sandersj89]

You say you are close to the sea...can you get access to the beach and barrow washed up sea weed onto the ground?

The manure may be fine to use now as it as stould for a while, burying it in trenches under crops such as beans should be ok as well.

HTH

Jerry

[windygale]

Hi svengali, a few ways that can change your soil/sand,
ask you local council if they recycle there green waste as compost, this can be used for digging into the soil or as a mulch. some councils give it away,or charge £1.00 -- £2.00 per bag or around £70.00 by the 3 ton skip full.
shredded paper/cardboard can also dug into botton of a trench (this will hold moisture) and mulches around the plants,  adding nutrients by  fertilizers,
standard stuff- can you get your hands on any grass cuttings as this can be placed around plants any time of the season, or leafmould, both can be dug in or used as mulches.
the more you turn your compost heap, the sooner it makes into a useable medium, that can be dug into the soil or used as a mulch.
Hope this helps
windy

[Svengali]

I will try the local council route. Unfortunately, our bit of coast does not have seaweed.
You can walk a mile out to sea & still be only 2' deep, but the tide races in, & weed could not take hold (Morecombe Bay).
JeremyB

[sba]

I also live by the sea with light sandy soil - except I am in the North of Scotland!

Seaweed does work wonders (fortunately I have a ready supply and the children are always willing to go out with a few bags).

I found mulching my onions with seaweed/horse manure then covering with plastic gave me some good crops.

I add seaweed to the compost in layers and it seems to break down quite well.

[supersprout]

Svengali, is there a small local brewery that would give you their supply of spent hops to add to the seaweed? My new lottie neighbour is craft brewer and delivers spent hops regularly rather than throw them away. I never had a supply before and it seems to work well on both clay and sand as a super conditioner. Good luck ;D