Topic: loss of soil

[hoonteo]

I seem to be losing a lot of soil now that I've dug out some of my couch grass. Any suggestions on how to conserve some of it?

[star]

Are you losing it on the roots? Its not totally clear why you're losing your soil.

You can bulk it up with lots of well rotted manure, but not where you're putting carrots, parsnips.

Sorry if its not the answer you're looking for, maybe you can explain a little more what you mean ;)

[cambourne7]

is this settlement? I know the soil on my plot dried out and when i dug it over had lots of volume. When the rain came down the soil compacted a little.

[hoonteo]

I'm losing it on the roots.

[kt.]

I'm losing it on the roots.

Shake off the excess prior to root disposal. Give the area another dig when you are ready to sow. I would also consider adding some fresh multipurpose compost to give it a bit of a boost if you are worried about nutrient deficiency. A thin layer raked over the top should do it, let the rain wash it in.

It will build back up over time as you add fertilizers, compost and manure. I wouldn't worry about it. I also agree with Cambourne has said.

[Vortex]

A lot of people make this mistake. They dig up their perennial weeds bung them in a bag and cart them off to the tip, there by losing both soil attached to them and nutrients contained within them.
There are also another breed - the skimmers, those who regularly skim the weeds off and make an ever growing pile in the middle of or at one end of their plot, which is never touched.
Apart from mares tail which is so pernicious that its very difficult to deal with most perennials can be composted if tackled in the right way, and with the occasional aid of a dose of glyphosphate if you're so inclined.
Virtually all plants die when their roots are exposed to the elements particularly the sun. So having dug your couch grass/bind weed/nettle root mat up and shaken as much of the excess soil off, and yes this even works in heavy clay if you wait until its reasonably dry but not baked, you make a nice shallow narrow pile and leave it like that. Over a summer, assuming its not as wet as last years, most of the pile will slump and compost. You then carefully turn it over removing any that has started to regrow and transfer this to a new pile. Over a period of a few years you'll get back every thing that was taken out in the first place by the weed growth and won't lose any soil.
If you want to short cut the process, make the piles bigger and  spray any regrowth with glyphosphate in the middle of summer, or spread the roots out on wire racks and then burn - which is about the only way of dealing with mares tail and brambles.
If there is no box, how can you think outside it? ;D

[delboy]

I just stick it all in a dustbin of water and then use the gunk as foliar and root feed. Lovely green colour!

After 6 months or so I turn out the slimy yukky stuff and add it to the compost.

Just no brambles or mares tail..

[Robert_Brenchley]

I had the same experience when I dug my couch out. It was solid turf, and there's was no way to separate it from the roots till they'd rotted. So I piled it, covered it with black plastic, then spread put it back. I still have a couple of soil mountains, which diminish slowly, but most of it went back long since.

[helenmcg]

we had the same problem when we cleared our allotment last year.
 the lady on the next door plot was very thorough and shook her turves out by hand, then burnt the roots.
we choppped ours out, build a big pile. the soil level was slightly below the paths. but it didnt seem to matter.
 the pile has composted down now, and the soil is lovely and crumbly. some of it then went back onto the beds.
 
We plan to use the rest of the pile  to grown pumpkins on.

[hoonteo]

Thanks you all for your help! So to recap, my best bet would be to finish digging it over and then shake the roots out by hand once it's dry and to leave the weeds in a pile to compast down. My patch is all turf as well. One more thing. Can anyone tell me why we dig the ground over twice instead of once?

[Robert_Brenchley]

If it's in the sort of state mine was you'll need to dig it more then twice to clear out the perennial weeds!