New Beds Conundrum

[Abdel]

Thank you very much again, two sheds!

[Two_Sheds]

Do you use the well rotted manure directly on top of the grass, or is it advisable to put cardboard in between?
Also how thick should the rotted manure be to plant in?

Put wet cardboard on top of the grass, then use WRM or soil, or garden compost, or molehill soil, as much as you've got, to hold it down

[Abdel]

As long as the manure is well rotted, you can plant straight into it. No-dig would be the least back breaking option if you have easy access to manure, compost and cardboard for raised beds. If your plot is very weedy then it is worth going slow and covering, as recommended by Dowding, for 6-12 months (12 months is for killing off / weakening particularly pernicious weeds). I have lots of couch grass at my allotment so I have some beds I am planting straight away and some that I am going to cover for longer. Perhaps you could do a mix.

Thanks Carbon,
Very interesting. Do you use the well rotted manure directly on top of the grass, or is it advisable to put cardboard in between?
Also how thick should the rotted manure be to plant in?
Many thanks.

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Thank you two_sheds. I can show that to the boss and hopefully I will be permitted to lasagna unimpeded.

[Two_Sheds]

Would peelings etc not be attractive to Mr Rat?

I don't think they like greens, no. They love poultry food, and "mostly prefer grain, livestock feed, and meat"

Article Source: What Do Rats Eat?


I had them on my plot, once. They were living under my shed eating my sweetcorn (when I found out, I stuffed scrunched chicken wire in the gaps)

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

That's a shame. Let's hope the new occupiers liked it and addressed it correctly (eg. 9 not 6). Hehe

[zazen999]

What happened to the no. 9?

It got left in Huntingdon in a shed when I moved once. It was too big for the next flat. It was over 6ft tall and made of polystyrene and painted bright yellow

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Sorry, another Q....

I read some of the info on your link two_sheds, it explains about layering green and brown items. Would peelings etc not be attractive to Mr Rat?

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

What happened to the no. 9?

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Being a glutton for punishment I have been down the garden this evening digging! However, the area I have deturfed and dug I will next add some compost/manure to and use for rooty things.

Whilst I was out I went armed with some rather large cardboard boxes and laid them out on the next area I was planning to hit, I then covered with some of the upside down turf. I might just give this a go!

Thank you for all the helpful replies.

[Two_Sheds]

Look at Lasagna Gardening - Two_sheds on here is always posting about it.

sorry 'bout that

Lasagna Gardening ~ Raised Bed Lasagna Gardening ~ Lasagna Composting

This is what I started with in 2010:



1. our lasagne bed

2. planted up

3. just one thing that came from it

4. some more crops from the area that was a weedy old car park. Compacted and horrible, full of couch grass and yarrow.

5. a view of the beds, in the car park

[SarzWix]

When I first got my plot I dug over 2 beds and lasagna-ed 2 beds, which meant I was ready to plant sooner. Sweetcorn, squashes and spuds did really well in the lasagna beds, onions and roots went in the two dug over beds

[zazen999]

Looks like I really need that time machine. Only kidding, it's only an 1.5 hrs lost and to be honest I needed to get out of the house!

I will look up Lasagna Gardening, sounds great.

I will admit that I still have reservations though, perhaps once I have looked it up my fears will subside.

One really good way is to put manure or compost along a long half metre wide strip, and then put your spuds in the manure, add whatever is to hand - straw, compost, old weeds etc, and cut the turves so that they are hinged on the side of the strip - and fold them over the top of the potatoes and then just leave them be. By the time you come to harvest, the potatoes are clean and the grass has rotted down and lo and behold - you have a long new bed with very little work.

Called a lazy bed.

[zazen999]

I was just playing 12 reasons the other day, I remember seeing My life story in a strange aircraft hanger type place - where it was slips my mind.

the 'Number 9' in that video - we obtained off the band after a gig in London Village - and I had it for about 5 years - used it as a seat in my flat and used to lean all my vinyl up against it. Sigh.

[Samurailord]

With lasagne gardening you could put the turf back upside down and cover it with cardboard, then a thick layer of manure (at least 4 inches) then some soil or compost, then some straw or more manure and a final thick layer of soil or compost.

You would then be able to plant into the pile straight away - I did this on several of my beds last year with great success, but if you want to plant deep rooted crops like carrots or parsnips you might be better off with a double dug area, simply for the additional depth.

Andy