Allotments 4 All

My soil at the allotment seems to cap quite badly. I think it's too late to sort it out this year- isn't?

Therefore, I'm going to try my luck and sow seeds and hope for the best, then sort it out over the winter.

I'm planning on getting some carrots and peas in over the next month or so. Can you tell me of this is a good method?:

-Dig and aerate the soil as much as possible.

-Make a drill around 1" deep, line it with compost.

-Sow seeds (thinly for carrots) and then fill the drill up with compost up to the level of the rest of the soil.

-For the carrots, have alternate rows of onions and carrots.

How is that sounding?

Is it possible to position only 1 carrot seed at 2" intervals to prevent the need for thinning completely?

Also, do I need to tie the pea plants to the canes, or will they find their own way?

Thanks........again!

I wouldn't bother filling the drill with compost.

I'd sow your carrots and then thin them, you can always eat the thinings.

I tie a few of my peas and the rest tend to follow.

So, I should just lightly cover the seeds with a sprinkling of compost?

If you have the patience to sow one fiddly little seed then good luck,sow as thinly as possible the thinnings are lovely to eat

I've got the same problem with the capping.  I think your approach is right, see what will come up this year and do it properly for next, we got a late start didn't we?  Still it will be fun seeing what works  :)

Lushy x