When do you do yours? Sorry if this has been discussed before. Last year we prepared the ground in late Jan/early Feb. because that's when we got the allotment. We had imagined the term "winter digging" to mean it's done in the winter, but a lot of the other allotmenteers near us seem to have done it ages ago, but we were still harvesting then, and I can't see the ground being diggable now for months. Have we left it too late to get the most benefit?
I do it for my own benefit to keep fit.
Activities such as running are just a waste of energy.
Agony Wardy? Not at all!!!
Caroline, mine spreads from October through to February or even March, depending upon access, I could not do all or mine in one go without killing myself !!!
RW, you obviously don't run, so why knock it. It is an excellent form of cardio=vascular exercise, and is easily accessible.
Derekthefox :D
I don't really dig mine until spring - I might occasionaly do a bit in autumn, but certainly didn't this year as I was on holiday.
Also, it doesn't all need digging - although I'm on heavy clay, where the soil has been improved with various manures, it really only need disturbing if I want to kill slug eggs etc.
But the winter freezes and thaws do help to break down heavy clods of clay though.
I suppose much depends on the type of soil?,mine is very light and can be dug anytime unless frozen.
Talking of which I am getting some enthusiasm back and spent an hour and a half this morning getting a well neglected garden slowly back to something for next year.
Might even go to the gym this evening-I could do with it :)
The purpose of winter digging as I understand it is:
1) To allow the frost to break up the soil so as to improve the tilth of the soil prior to spring planting.
2) To allow the frost to destroy any pests that are overwintering in the soil.
So basically anytime before last frost and I should imagine that the more frosts that work on the soil the better, hence the early you dig the better, but no time is too late unless it's after last frost
MikeB
The other issue Mike is time management, many of us cannot do all our digging prior to planting out, the spring is just too busy.
Derekthefox :D
Why what happens in spring? :D :D :D :D
::) ::) ::)
I dig when hit by digging urge, has deserted me for now, but am hoping to resume after Christmas, or not as the case may be....... I'm attempting covering this season, and much less digging, so hopefully I'll only have one small patch left to do...
It is the preposition which is missing, the advice given is about digging FOR winter. We tend to dig over as we remove crops. The only part left unused over Winter is where next seasons potatoes are to go. That area is covered in compost which is dug in as the pots are planted.
In an ideal world, I would follow those rules Eric, but most of my winter digging is concerned with removing perennial weeds ...
Lottie, I recognise your temporary abatement of digging, would this have anything to do with this wierd fixation some folk have towards a festivity known as Christmas ... ?
Derekthefox :D
Palustris
Without starting the crop rotation discussion again, I would say about 2/3 rds of my veg plot is empty at this moment.
Mine is about the same MikeB, perhaps three quarters ...
Derekthefox :D
Erm no Derek.....think it's technical term is plain old laziness!! ;D
Ha ha well I have that in abundance, I can't even blame the instinct to hibernate ... ;D
Derekthefox :D
I'm with Derek on this - digging is a marvellous form of exercise, but not the only one, RW.
As a Newbie, I have found that digging is invaluable for many reasons (besides exercise!).
1. Airation of my soil (as my plot is compacted, heavy clay)
2. Removal of perennial weed (as it is a new plot)
3. Excavation of glass / brick / metal objects / rolls of wallpaper / bed-springs, etc., left to me by a previous occupant (thank you, whoever you are!)
4. It helps me to get to know my plot, as each area seems to have slightly different characteristic, probably owing to previous crops in different beds and additions to the soil
Oh, and one more thing . . .
It gets me on my lottie at a relatively quiet time of the year, allowing me to meet my new 'die-hard' lottie neighbours and benefit from their vast experience and knowledge.
As my plot is a good two miles away from my home, I also have been known to run there and back, as if the digging wasn't arduous enough!
Keep running, Derek, and do you fancy the Cardiff Marathon next year, Mate?
Jimbo (the Splott Lotter Trotter!)
That's what I like to hear- no definitive answer! Think I'll go with the "when the urge strikes" school of digging! A lot of ours has been covered in plastic since before we took it over- so the weeds shouldn't be too bad, I hope!
Glad to hear you are enjoying the digging Jimbo, that is the bit that many find distasteful ... As for the running, well it is a bit thin on the ground at the moment, with the weather and dark nights and a heavy cold ... but I hope to get back into it properly fairly soon. As for the Cardiff next year, well that is a long way off yet, so we will see ... I am feeling the pain of putting my 50 year old body through its paces for this one !!!
Derekthefox :D
I do run and it is enjoyable. Done the half marathon which nearly killed me.
Digging in the winter is great. You see the results for a long time - no weeds growing for ages. But in spring I still need to dig the same areas again although it is much easier having done it during the winter.
While digging I also collect worms for the hens.
Hi Wardy,
Like you I got winter onions, broccoli, chad, Brussels, cabbage etc. This is basically my brassica group (not the onions which are in what will be the tomato patch in june) and so only forms a 1/4 of my plot. The roots I have harvested and made into my own 'stew' packs for the winter casseroles. The rest of the vegetable area is bare, but dug, limed, fertilised and manured where required. OK I have the fruit and flower area which still have vegetation, but these are not really the veg plot.
MikeB
Yes I agree on the spring digging, but I just go over with fork, almost just 'flicking' the soil over, as it is already turned and relatively loose ...
Derekthefox :D
Hi all, :D
Reading through this thread, I am surprised at no mention of green manures, my plot is divided into 16 beds, and those that have not got crops in are covered in various green manures, ie mustard, red clover, field beans. I understand that this serves various purposes, preventing nutrients leaching from the soil, generating nitrogen etc. These green manures will be dug into the soil in the spring prior to sowing & planting . Surely this must be the best way to plan your digging ???
Adrian.
Have been down to our site yesterday and Sunday - and have come to the conclusion that some people dig for cosmetic purposes only, or to show off how good they are at digging. ;D Immaculately dug and orderly - but nothing growing anywhere, what's the point?
I'm a dig as little as possible person. My plot was very heavily covered in bindweed and turning it over and removing the roots has certainly helped reduce it. Ditto docks etc. Like Wardy, quite a lot of my ground is currently in use, though I do have spare space. After 2 years my soil texture is improving enormously, so hope to get to the no dig position shortly. See Bob Flowerdew's article in the current KG mag.
We've had lovely mountains of stable manure delivered to our site - so my exercise has been of the barrowing variety!
Perhaps one day I will organise a system whereby green manures will be incorporated, but I haven't worked that one out yet ...
Derekthefox :D
Hi Wardy!
January 2006 issue - Front cover says Grow all of these fruits....pretty pic of fruits....DON'T DIG your plot says Bob Flowerdew on bottom right corner. P16-18 for the article. You will love it. Quote: Dig for exercise if you must, but for no other reason: unquote.
I've tried a little experiment this year, having two plots joined together I've dug beds in one of them and covered them with manure, the other is being left undug and covered with manure. I'll let you know the results.
Thing is I quite like digging
Wardy,
you don't have to dig green manure in, some of it the frost will kill off and you just leave it dead on the top, others you cut down and then cover the bed a month or two before you want to use it.
I did the latter with Grazing Rye last year, sowed in late autums let it grow till feb/march then cut it down (can't remeber now whether I left the stuff on the bed or put it on the compost heap) and then covered the bed for a couple of months before using it.
Jeremy
Quote from: wardy on December 13, 2005, 10:16:42
I don't do green manures as I can't dig em in ....
Wardy, you might like to try poached egg plant as a green manure? I use this because you don't have to dig it in - it pulls up easily or can be hoed off, leaving the roots in. Or if you just leave it to die down - about June/July, it forms a mat of dried leaves which still suppresses weeds. I do this, and also use sheet mulch, it all works pretty well.
I think I might try incorporating poached egg green manure as part of my four part planting regime ...
better still frost breaks the ground up for you with a good ole dig !!!
Like Adrian, I'm doing my digging for a more immediate purpose. The beds that I have been preparing have not been idle - I also have been planting green manure. I have a heavy clay soil, and read somewhere that a green manure could help my soil and add air and fibre to it.
I have planted two green manure crops this winter (my first winter): 6 weeks ago, I sowed some Winter Field Beans, and more recently, I have sown a mustard. I was a little disheartened recently, as nothing had yet broken the surface, so yesterday, I stuck a fork into one of my bean patches, and lo! There they all were, with a good 2" of root, and a good 1 1/2" of sprouting shoot!
I went to the pub immediately after my work was finished yesterday, and celebrated my first success with a few pints of beer (for medicinal purposes, you understand!).
It makes the 40+ hours of intense digging / weeding SO much more worthwhile, now that I can see that my labours have not gone unrewarded.
Keep on digging!
Jimbo
Quote from: carloso on December 14, 2005, 19:55:32
better still frost breaks the ground up for you with a good ole dig !!!
The roots of green manure plants will do the same thing, although some are more effective than others, plus the ground will benefit from the organic matter. Perhaps you could use the time saved digging for a bike ride or walk? You may also get extra exercise in the spring as digging in green manure will take more work than digging bare ground.