Topic: Carpet on plot for too long

[zeed]

A large part of my allotment has been covered in carpet for at least 10 years. I took over it in late May, and have cleared half. This was no easy task, as bramble had grown though the layers, some places 6 layers, and fixed the whole lot together. The ground, which is heavy loam, had compacted like rock, and as I slowly dug it over, I noticed a lack of earthworms, or indeed any other life forms, excepting fieldmice nests. It was also bone dry. I watered it well and added compost, and planted some beans to see what would happen. The resulting plants show appalling lack of nitrogen and potash. I will add lots more compost and manure as soon as I can. I read somewhere that the soil can be permanently damaged by excluding air for a long time. Does anyone know what is the best thing to do? The rest of the plot is very fertile. Zeed

[kt.]

Just keep doing what you are doing and hopefully it will be fine for next season.  Add loads of compost and or manure to it now.  Once it has been turned in - put another layer of compost over the top for the winter to soak down gradually.  Then again in spring.  You can also buy  supplements that you add to water to help replace lost nutrients.  (Just be careful using this watering can on some crops next year - might be worth getting another spare by then ;))

[zeed]

Thanks, yes , I've been doing that. I also have 2 large lots of compost cooking and stable manure. I just read that long term damage can be done to the structure and on going creation of new soil, because of the exclusion of oxygen over a long period. This can prevent the uptake of nutrients that you add to try and correct the problem. Ah well, only time will tell. Deez

[Derek]

Just a thought....could pollutants leaching from the various bits of carpet that have been placed on the plot over the years also have an impact on the soil?

[lewic]

You have my sympathy! I've just taken on an allotment and keep finding rotten half-buried rolled up carpets. They are too heavy to move so will have to stay. Fortunately mine seem to be dumped along the side of the plot, so I was thinking of using them as a makeshift path. Looks gross though, and I'm glad they have now been banned from our site!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I had the same problem with rotted carpets, though nothing like as bad. It was OK when they were made of organic materials, but these days so many are wool with an artifcial backing which never rots, and just ends up buried among weed roots.

Keep adding all the organic material you can to improve the soil. It's slow, but you do get there.

[Derek]

The primary backings of tufted carpets are usually made of Polypropylene (plastic) with a secondary backing glued on with latex...this secondary backing can be Jute, Polypropylene, a man-made felt, or a rubber.

[lewic]

Two weeks on and I've uncovered all manner of horrors on my new allotment, and I havent even started looking behind the shed. Emailed the council.. and amazingly they are going to send someone round to pick it up. Nearly fell off my chair when I heard. Might be worth gathering the stuff together and sending them a pic. They probably dont want their 'green' spaces looking an eyesore, and youre obviously a good tenant. Good luck.

[Chilipepper]

my allotment took over in april
17 rubble sacks of broken glass dug up
29 bags of rubble
carpets
metal
bones yep i said bones :(
and im only 1/3 of way through it :(
but good factors millions of worms and nettles
had 6 caulis, potatoes, beans etc so not all bad  huh

[lewic]

OMG Chillipepper, I am quite humbled! If you havent got one already, I'd recommend a mattock.

[Chilipepper]

whats a mattock?
once the brambles are cut down then its only grass nettles and usual weeds and i have kept that strimmed down :)

[Paul Dee]

A mattock is like a pickaxe but with a wide blade. A gift from god for those of us with bad backs  ;D

[shirlton]

Carpet is banned on our plot. Chemicals are used in the dyes etc. We had the horrible nylon carpet buried on our plot. You know the stuff that runs when you pull a thread. Tony was digging the last bit of un-cultivated ground on our plot and he dug up a pair of trousers,a shirt, a pair of socks and some slippers. I told him to stop digging and fill the hole in. I hate to think what he might have found had he carried on digging

[Larkshall]

A mattock is like a pickaxe but with a wide blade. A gift from god for those of us with bad backs  ;D

whats a mattock?

Unfortunately, this is what comes of shortening names. In my young days they were always referred to as a "Pick Mattock"