Topic: to cover or not to cover

[Growing4twins]

Ive finally got my little veggi patch in the garden sorted ready for next spring.  ive dug in some manure & im leaving it alone untill spring.  Should i cover the bed or not?? What are the pro's & cons of covering the ground over winter??  Does it help the soil to break down?  Ive never covered the ground in the lottie but ive seen other people do it, is it just to stop weeds growing in your beds?

[elvis2003]

hi,opinions vary,but mine is not to cover for two,no three  points,one is that it will only provide a snug home for pests and diseases,another is that you wont be able to let the frost get at your soil,and another,a personal one here,is that it just dont look so good,oh and weeds wont be germinating over the winter months so dont worry bout them,hope this helps

[Crystalmoon]

I tend to cover at least half or more of my lotty for the winter months when not growing winter crops & grow green manure on the remainder. My soil is heavy clay & the covering seems to stop it getting so water logged & also warms it up for earlier planting out in the spring. I never use plastic though. x jane

[manicscousers]

we've just chopped the phacelia down, covered with cardboard and then weed control. By spring, there will be little left of the card, the soil will be warm and full of worms and we will uncover a couple of weeks before we plant so the birds can hoover up any slug eggs etc  :)

[Digeroo]

I do not like to see bare soil.  Nature rarely produces much bare soil.  I believe that the sun on the soil adverse affects the soil structure.  Though frost is very good at breaking up the soil.

Last year I covered several beds with compost several inches thick.  In the spring I either raked up what remained for carrots, or planted through it for broad beans potatoes and tomatoes. 

I can only say that I have been extremely pleased with the results so far and I am planning to cover more.   Under the cover the soil became very friable and most of the compost had disappeared.  I worm count is important I did very well indeed.

I am also wheat and phacelia as green manure.  My soil is very free draining, so I believe that this mops up the remaining nutrients  and stops them being washed out of the soil. 

Several plotholders are now starting to cover with large sheets of black plastic which is very worrying since under the surface soil is still as dry as a bone.

[Growing4twins]

Ive covered the ground with tarpaulin so the rain can still get to it, my theory behind covering it was to get the worms up to the manure, but the soil (i use the term loosly!) is very clay so i want it to break down, will the manure & worms do this or is it a job best left for jack frost?

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

I rotavate and then spread a good thick layer of mushroom compost all over then leave over winter. Winter over, rotavate in and you are ready for planting.