Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: newspud9 on October 13, 2022, 16:00:23
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Over the years, this forum has been great with advice on ways to improve my difficult soil. This year was spent not growing but getting things in the best state for next season. I've just covered up all the beds and noticed how good so much of the soil structure is... I'm guessing the crazy weather has played a part. So, instead of asking how to improve the soil, what I'd really like is suggestions on how I might retain as much of the black gold which is there now.
Thanks for all the advice.
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This was my way in the day;
https://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/S/Soil-Preparation/Soil%20Cultivation.htm (https://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/S/Soil-Preparation/Soil%20Cultivation.htm)
I also suggest you use the items in the related link column for added information!
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I differ from Tee Gee in that I don’t routinely dig at all but rely entirely on mulches. I find it convenient to mulch as many areas as possible at this time of year with whatever matter I have available - compost, rotted woodchip, leaf mould or horse manure. I then cover any bed which is empty with black plastic. The mulch continues to rot down through the winter and begin to mix with the top layer of soil. On removing any plastic when the bed is needed in spring, there is the black gold beneath. If the mulch is homemade compost I quickly get a flush of annual weeds so tend to wait a couple of weeks for them to germinate and be removed before any direct sowing.
So in brief I’d say that my way to retain soil structure is to mulch regularly, probably about annually.
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Many thanks for those two responses....a lot of really good advice to be had from both. Think I'll mulch up.