Topic: Preparing the land!

[hippychik]

I am new to the allotment game and need some advice on getting the soil into a nice loose way so I can start planting. Rotavated in in late jan, then dug over with fork to try and break up large clumps, weeded at bit and then planted potatoes and broad beans last month. Weeds are growing so not sure which are weeds or tops of seeds! Should I have prepared my soil more? Will the seeds push through the large dry clumps? Want to get planting more stuff now warm but looked at my dry hard clumpy soil and wanted to cry! What tools etc and how do i get my soil nice so I can have loose fine soil?
Help please as feel like giving up already when everyone has been at it for years and I am a young novice! :(

[triffid]

Don't give up!
Your spuds will be fine: they're tough enough to elbow their way out of lumpy soil --in fact, planting spuds is a textbook way of breaking up soil.

The broad beans... well, they'd benefit from a bit of weeding. Alas, I haven't a close up picture of what broad beans look like, but if you planted your seed in rows, they should show up fairly clearly against a general hotchpotch of weeds.

About the rest of the soil. What will help it most is some good organic stuff. Compost, or rotted-down manure; mulches of grass clippings; anything that worms will pull down into the soil and feed on.  Cover the soil if you're worried about it drying out; I'm sure it's only dry on the surface. Squiggle a fork into it; you'll probably find it's nice and damp an inch or two down.

Tell us what you want to plant next and we'll give you what help we can. It's easier if you can be a bit more specific, as plants all have their own needs.

Be comforted -- go look at Heldi's thread and see what she's done in just a couple of years.   :)

[Trixiebelle]

Bit of a novice at soil preparation myself Hippy! But I've learned the following over the years with a lot of help from my experienced neighbours.

Winter dig in November. Turn over large clods of soil (leave in weeds/grass unless they're dandelions or docks)

When you're ready to plant in spring, just weed first, rake the clods over gently to about a couple of inches depth.  It doesn't matter if the soil isn't 'loose' to a spade's depth (although I'm not convinced about this for root veg!)

My neighbour told me that if you dig it over too many times the soil loses the nutrients and the seeds have less chance of establishing firm roots in loose soil.

I'm sure that other people have far more experience than me and will come with alternatives for you and probably tell me my neighbour's telling me a load of rubbish ... it has been known  ;D

I find the clods a bit easier to rake over when there's been a bit of rain. It's a bit windy here at the moment and quite warm (Nottingham) so the clods are a bit hard. Disheartening I know, BUT DON'T GIVE UP  ;D

[Trixiebelle]

SEE! TRIFFID GOT THERE BEFORE ME  ;D

[triffid]

 ;D ;D
Hi there Trixiebelle!

Popped back to supply the link for Heldi's allotment thread so you can find it easily, hippychik.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,8412.0
Have a look at the pictures on p1, then skip to those on p7. Then go and take some 'before' (or 'before-ish') pictures of your plot, so you can come and show off at the end of the season.

By the way, if you have perennial weeds (like couch grass with the long poky white roots) or bindweed, or brambles, rotovation won't help unless you pull the bits of root out. So do that as you go. Weed a bit, plant that bit as soon as you can... and don't try to do it all at once.

[manicscousers]

woah,hippychik, don't get disheartened, we all feel like this when we start, relax, do one little bit at a time, rake it down to a fine powder like soil, plant into it and move on to the next bit..most of all enjoy it  :)

I am new to the allotment game and need some advice on getting the soil into a nice loose way so I can start planting. Rotavated in in late jan, then dug over with fork to try and break up large clumps, weeded at bit and then planted potatoes and broad beans last month. Weeds are growing so not sure which are weeds or tops of seeds! Should I have prepared my soil more? Will the seeds push through the large dry clumps? Want to get planting more stuff now warm but looked at my dry hard clumpy soil and wanted to cry! What tools etc and how do i get my soil nice so I can have loose fine soil?
Help please as feel like giving up already when everyone has been at it for years and I am a young novice! :(

ah, everybody got there before me  ;D

[hippychik]

Thanks guys, feeling better about it all now!
Some fellow alloment holder said a hand held cultivator with 3 prongs is good for breaking up the clods, true or false? I am going to go and buy a rake tonight and may get a cultivator or do you think a fork is just as good?
Think you are right that the soil is moist an inch down, just it looks all lumpy and dry compared to my neighbours!
Will be back to ask more soon, as I know you are all here to help :)

[SMP1704]

I have one of those 3 prongs things and it is good for breaking up lumpy clay soil, but if the soil is damp, it usually ends up stuck on the prongs ::)

I have found that the back of a rake does the job just as well..........it is much easier to break down the drier clumps.

This is year 2 for me and I am still working towards powder fine tilth.  I cheat and sow into compost ;D ;D and it marks the row of seeds.

[manicscousers]

i use both, the 3 pronged one is better for finer soil, you're right, smp, the back of a rake is good for breaking down lumps  ;D