Topic: Heavy Clay Soil

[davyw1]

davyw1
what is the Kiln fire method please
lbb

Make a large fire and put on all the weeds, roots with or without soil potato tops. tomato plants any old rubbish then cover it completely with soil old compost and and let it burn away under all of the soil it goes for days. When its cold you can riddle the soil for carrots/parsnips etc. I will be doing one as soon as the rain stops so will try and put a photo on.

[albacore1854]

I sometimes wonder if there should be aptitude tests for new plot holders.

Why do people take plots on and build raised beds without a thought for clearing and levelling the site.

Nearly as bad is the dimwits that get a plot and start cutting beds in willy nilly.

Its fairly simple, start at one end, and in one corner and dig the lot.If you don't like hard work, hand the plot back.

Some silly mare the other day started moaning to me that she ached, and had blistered her fingers, she'd only been there half hour.She got the hump when I said give the plot to someone who can hack it then.Bloody lightweights.

A testament to today's culture of instant results, without wanting to put in the hard yards.

[betula]

What an ignorant person you are

[albacore1854]

What an ignorant person you are

Ta love. The caring sharing group hug piffle I leave for the no-diggers.

[Gazfoz]

I don't really think that you can blame newcomers who take a plot on after reading glossy magazines and watching Monty Don and friends on telly telling them how easy it is to grow your own and save 3 grand a year in the process.
These people are to blame for the situation, they have a vested interest in promoting gardening and the products that they endorse.
I wish people would take more time however to consider the time effort and cash needed to create  a well managed productive environment because if we did we may well see smaller waiting lists and less plots being handed back on a regular basis.

[springbok]

I sometimes wonder if there should be aptitude tests for new plot holders.

Why do people take plots on and build raised beds without a thought for clearing and levelling the site.

Nearly as bad is the dimwits that get a plot and start cutting beds in willy nilly.

Its fairly simple, start at one end, and in one corner and dig the lot.If you don't like hard work, hand the plot back.

Some silly mare the other day started moaning to me that she ached, and had blistered her fingers, she'd only been there half hour.She got the hump when I said give the plot to someone who can hack it then.Bloody lightweights.

A testament to today's culture of instant results, without wanting to put in the hard yards.

Did you get out of bed the wrong side when you wrote this LOL!! :D

[albacore1854]

Agreed Gazfoz.

I get frustrated being asked for advice that isn't heeded and ultimately a waste of my time when the askers give in.In addition my rent increases due to the council offerring rotavating, or spraying of a new plot, following feedback from outgoing tenants that it was too hard work.

I agree that the culprits are the HFW's, Jamie Oliver's, Monty's etc that show week after week transplanting nursery grown seedlings into potting compost raised beds.

Our plots have lost their identity with the fashion conscious newbies.The very same people who bang on about organic, food miles, and global warming.Putting up brand new sheds, and greenhouses.They'd recycle, but by their own admission, wouldn't know where to start taking down a shed or greenhouse.Their ''greenness'' doesn't extend to the company car they bring their ''RTU'' weedkillers to the plot with, which is invariably German, and spotless.

[betula]

If nobody ever purchased new greenhouses or sheds there would never be any second hand ones.

What a lot of anger because people are not clones of you.

Times are changing .

Anyone that sees a fault with someone having a clean car is a joke .

[albacore1854]

First off love its not anger.

I drive a new motor, which I am pleased to say is a real gas guzzler.I work hard I deserve it.

Its fine to do so, just don't harp on about caring for the planet and all the other crap that goes with it.

I have no problem with people buying new sheds or greenhouses, I was more pointing out that we are being deluged by a group of newbies so daft that they can't even research how to bolt a basic thing like a greenhouse together.

[betula]

Why don't you offer to help them then.

A glasshouse is a dangerous place to be if not erected properly.

People learn by other people showing them how.

Incidentally my name is not LOVE!!!!

[albacore1854]

Betula, sorry love, but since I don't know you I have to ask.

Admin here ....

I have removed a comment which was not appropriate

Admin gone ...

I've posted saying these people waste my time, why on earth would I help them.

I've dug plots for retired people who have had them years, I've helped single plotholders put sheds up, or unload muck.

I spend my week grafting, I can spot grafters, and I'll help them, but I beggared if I'm gonna put my self out for someone that's not prepared to help themselves.

You really don't get it do you?

Back you go to your fluffy little world where everyone loves one another, and you can spend all day discussing how to do something without actually achieving anything.

[springbok]

Betula, sorry love, but since I don't know you I have to ask.

Are you retarded?

I've posted saying these people waste my time, why on earth would I help them.

I've dug plots for retired people who have had them years, I've helped single plotholders put sheds up, or unload muck.

I spend my week grafting, I can spot grafters, and I'll help them, but I beggared if I'm gonna put my self out for someone that's not prepared to help themselves.

You really don't get it do you?

Back you go to your fluffy little world where everyone loves one another, and you can spend all day discussing how to do something without actually achieving anything.

Oi Mister....No need to get nasty!!!!

[betula]

I will treat that last post with the scorn it deserves.

Retarded.People do not use that horrible word anymore.What a stupid horrible old g*t you are.

I will give you the last word as you are not worth arguing with.

Have a nice day.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Betula, sorry love, but since I don't know you I have to ask.

Are you retarded?

I've posted saying these people waste my time, why on earth would I help them.

I've dug plots for retired people who have had them years, I've helped single plotholders put sheds up, or unload muck.

I spend my week grafting, I can spot grafters, and I'll help them, but I beggared if I'm gonna put my self out for someone that's not prepared to help themselves.

You really don't get it do you?

Back you go to your fluffy little world where everyone loves one another, and you can spend all day discussing how to do something without actually achieving anything.

Now this is really nasty. Do you just come here to upset people or what? If you're so arrogant you think anyone who does things differently to you is a waste of time, go back to your plot and sulk. I know Betula can sort a plot out with the best of us because I've seen her do it. I've seen plenty fail, and surprise surprise, they were mainly people who came and tried to do it the traditional way. We've got several people using raised beds on our site, and so far, none of them has made a mess of it.

[albacore1854]

I'm sorry if it came out as nasty, but what can you do when despite saying repeatedly I dislike lazy people who are too bone idle to invest their own time in finding out how to do something.The same happy clappy, tambourine banging rubbish comes back at you.

Some people are worth helping, most aren't.Fact of life, people who work hard succeed, those that don't find other unsuccessful people and talk about it.

[Ishard]

Now back to the subject of heavy clay  ::)

Builders sand smotherd over the plot helps break down the clay and aids drainage. You dont have to dig it in if you dont want as the rain and worms will do that for you, but it will take time.
Then plant spuds as these will break up the soil further

Buy bales of straw and spread that out on the soil too (and or spuds).

Cheap and cheerful.

[springbok]

I'm sorry if it came out as nasty, but what can you do when despite saying repeatedly I dislike lazy people who are too bone idle to invest their own time in finding out how to do something.The same happy clappy, tambourine banging rubbish comes back at you.

Some people are worth helping, most aren't.Fact of life, people who work hard succeed, those that don't find other unsuccessful people and talk about it.

Go crawl back in the hole you came out of LOVE, as this is a positive site and that kind of attitude is not needed.
Does not matter how people do their plots, its up to them!!!.  If they ask a question folk on here answer it to be helpful.
If you only here to slate how things are done, go elsewhere!!!

[albacore1854]

Now back to the subject of heavy clay  ::)

Builders sand smotherd over the plot helps break down the clay and aids drainage. You dont have to dig it in if you dont want as the rain and worms will do that for you, but it will take time.
Then plant spuds as these will break up the soil further

Buy bales of straw and spread that out on the soil too (and or spuds).

Cheap and cheerful.

Its organic material that'll break it, one of my guys took a plot on on heavy clay, we dumped 14 tonnes of compost on it, and trenched it, seemed to do the trick.

[bupster]

Albacore, I really wish you would go away. We all work hard, but we don't need to put down people who are only just learning. You're a thoroughly horrible poster and perhaps you should find another board to vent your spleen.

[twinkletoes]

I agree with bupster - go find another site to vent your spleen.  Perhaps one that deals with boats and stuff seeing your user name refers to such a vessel.  And you have been thoroughly unnecessarily rude and aggressive in your postings to betula.  There is not a right and wrong way of gardening.  If you are so good at judging whether someone is a grafter or not then you should be able to work out whether it is worth wasting your time offering advice.  Don't talk about digging - go and do it and leave others to offer advice.
twinkletoes