Allotments 4 All

Just spent my first day on my new plot. Hard work but I enjoyed it.
Well I managed to get half of it strimmed, my compost heap built and my first bed cleared.

Should i spread manure on all the beds when i clear them as we have a huge great pile of it on our site. Or should I leave some without, maybe get some spent mushroom compost for a few of them?

When I cleared my bed I removed the top 2inches like you would turf. I have piled them up in my compost heap with layers of grass between them, will these rot down OK or will the roots just lay dormant?

Gary.

Don't manure any bed that you intend putting root crops into next year, also the brassica bed prefers the manure to have been applied for a previous crop.

Hi Gary,
Your upended turves should rot down by this time next year to make good loam.
Keep it covered.

crikey you deserve a beer gary ;D

Should i spread manure on all the beds when i clear them as we have a huge great pile of it on our site.

I would if you have it, but heed wise old mikeb and don't put them on next year's root beds. If it's free and you have a lot of it, IMO nab it all and spread at least 3 inches thick - it will also keep weeds down over winter :)

When I cleared my bed I removed the top 2inches like you would turf. I have piled them up in my compost heap with layers of grass between them, will these rot down OK or will the roots just lay dormant?

Depends - turf can be laid in slabs upside down and will rot down beautiful, but will probably do with leaving for a year. Cover your turf heap and peek from time to time, and when you have nice crumbly stuff, use it - hoik out any nasty perennial roots and burn/drown them then, you'll be able to spot them easily. The grass layers will help the rotting.

You ARE organised! :o ;)
Happy plotting 8)

I thought spuds liked manure? What's the reason for not manuring the root crop beds - is it timimg or something else?

oops :P sorry all, in this context root crops = carrots, beet, parsnip, celeriac - not patooties
you're right Barnowl, spuds LOVE manure ;D

why?

veg are greedy  :P or not :-X

potatoes, brassica and blackcurrants are greedy :P - they need lots of nourishment, so will enjoy manure straight away
carrot, parsnip, beet etc. prefer a lighter diet :-X; too much nourishment makes them fork, so they do better when the manure has had a chance to decay over a season or two in the soil

the bean family bring their own picnic! ;D
if you leave the roots in the soil, following crops can use the nitrogen they make - including roots :)

If you go into a 'good newsagents' and get this months copy of "Kitchen Gardener, November 2006" then there is a nice article about manure types & uses.....costs £3.35 and the article is page 37 to 40.  

...I've found that both "Kitchen Garender" and "Grow your own" magazines are useful whilst getting to grips with my first plot.....

Thanks for clearing that up for me - I was going to manure the spud bed this w.e. When it's your first year there's a lot of new info to absorb and I worry it's getting scrambled  :)

Hi All

         SS is correct spuds love manure but  rootys don't especially carrots the manure makes them fork. When i cut off inches of turf i laid them up side down and covered but not in the compost bin, when it half rotted i earthed up the spuds with it , don't work 4 everyone but done alright 4 me. I bought a book called allotment gardening an organic guide for beginners, on Amazon.co.uk found it very useful. Happy digging.


                      May the corn be with you.

Quote from: Barnowl on October 19, 2006, 13:00:37
When it's your first year there's a lot of new info to absorb and I worry it's getting scrambled  :)

I agree!

I am getting my first ever manure this weekend, free horse manure already composted and bagged. I think I will let it stay on the plot and spread it in spring as some people here have said that is good and then it won't lose all its nutrients.

What would us beginners do if it wasn't for asking questions here??