Just found out I am finally have operation on my Leg in May time and will be out of action rest of year. Now this I feel gives me a great opportunity to green manure the whole 10 poles, now I dont want to rely on other to do work for me so want to leave it for the year or there abouts the question is has any one manured for the year and or had to leave plot for year how did you leave it, how was it when you got back.
I don't think I would use a green manure, too easy for weeds to invade and get established.
I think I would be tempted to cover the plot with a good layer of manure, green or well rotted and then cover that with a membrane to block the light.
Come back in a year and you will have a wonderful crumbly fertile top layer of soil that will require minimal digging to get it back into production.
Jerry
then my next question being that I have ten poles to cover, where would be the cheapest place to get some black liner as I want to do this properly I have all the horse manure I need in order to cover the plot but a good black liner needs to be brought.
GO to a builders merchants and get it from there its so cheap :)
If you do cover your plot with plastic ensure that it can stand up to UV light, 8) I had to be away from my blot for 8 months in 2003 and bought in a big roll of plastic direct from polypipe, but unfortunately it did not last more than a couple of months exposure >:(, whilst more expensive plastic sheet that I had optained from the organic gardening catalogue has survived for nearly 4 years now.
As far as green manure goes you might try buckwheat, not used it myself, but did have some invade my plot last year and it seems to grow very quickly and smother most other plants, I have used winter tares and if left long enough will produce good cover, but weeds will have to be controlled till it does.
Trev ;)
Quote from: salad muncher on January 17, 2005, 11:43:12
then my next question being that I have ten poles to cover, where would be the cheapest place to get some black liner as I want to do this properly I have all the horse manure I need in order to cover the plot but a good black liner needs to be brought.
Try at a farmers store, ask for silage clamp sheeting.
Jerry
Yes - don't just use blcak plastic- cos it rips in the wind and might be blown away by the time you come back. Whatever you put down, anchor it well.
Good luck with the op!
Sarah
I'd be tempted to try a clover as a green manure? Or plants for bees - phacelia? Fraction of the price, and just think of all those slugs sheltering under your plastic?
Dunno - I've not tried it.
All best - Gavin
How about trying to make a sterile seed bed? Covering the plot in clear plastic for an extended period during the summer would have the effect of cooking the very top of the soil (assuming you get some sunshine) and killing weed seeds (it would also keep the slugs away). This is a commonly used technique among organic growers who they can set aside land for an extended period. Old greenhouse plastic would be ideal for this as it will still have some useful life before it degrades too much. As soon as you are able you could then follow with a green manure.
Thankyou for all the response ..
(Cheers Sarah-b)
Now I have started to lay manure at top end and will get black sheeting to cover and was going to go over whole plot but price of sheet NO WAY got a friend who is in building trade looking out for freebies but I also have loads of Tares winter so going to do a third of the plot in that and finally last bit of plot going to carry on with right to last minute and lottie holders and going to look after it, so thanks for your help everyone.
Hey Salad Muncher, Please be careful with plastic sheeting. My neighbours cover blew onto our allotment and you'd be suprised how much damage heavy plastic sheeting can do to young crops :'( . It needs loads of pinning down.
It could be a good opportunity to try an experiment, cover half with manure and half with green manure and observe the results on the soil! The organic catalogue has a mixed selection of longer-term green manure if you don't have enough with the Tares.
Quote from: shug on January 19, 2005, 20:20:54
Hey Salad Muncher, Please be careful with plastic sheeting. My neighbours cover blew onto our allotment and you'd be suprised how much damage heavy plastic sheeting can do to young crops :'( . It needs loads of pinning down.
It could be a good opportunity to try an experiment, cover half with manure and half with green manure and observe the results on the soil! The organic catalogue has a mixed selection of longer-term green manure if you don't have enough with the Tares.
Very cheap way to make weights, fill plastic 2 pint milk containers 3/4 with water and place ontop of the plastic/covering. These will happily last for 12 months and if only 3/4 full they will last through winter as the water has room to expand upon freezing.
The more the better....
Jerry
Good Tip Jerry like that idea. As this was going to be my first year using Green Manure will have to do part of plot with it to see how it goes using tares winter as well as covering other part with Manure and sheeting will let you know the out come of which was harder to get in to production.
I recommend covering it with cardboard, and then if possible cover the cardboard with a mulch of leaf mould and grass clippings. Probably not that many grass clippings around right now though.
Dig