Wet wet plot

[Aid]

Hi all,
I got an allotment april last year, it needed a lot of work so I didnt use more than a third of it. In areas it's no more than a spades depth to solid chalk, so as part of a plan to add organic matter, in september, I bought a trailer load of manure and following common advice, put a thick layer on the areas that wouldnt get touched until spring. So, recently I thought I'd agitate it a little in preparation to planting. It's heavy, wet and still very 'manury'. A lot of things I want to plant dont want manury soil and it all looks too sloppy. I'd welcome advice and thoughts on this?
Thanks. Aid

[Two_Sheds]

The ground is well wet isn't it? I don't know where you are in the country (?) but I reckon you'll have to wait a few weeks for it to dry out before you can start digging in your manure and planting. Spuds like manured ground...but I guess you want to grow carrots? !

[Aid]

No, potatoes are on the plan, just not that many
I've got 3Kg of earlies and 3Kg of mains on order. There's only my fiance and I to cater for so we're going for variety over volume. This'll be our first whole year with the allotment so we're going to try lots of stuff out to see what grows well etc.
So just sit and wait huh?

[OverWyreGrower]

Hi Aid

Yup, sitting and waiting! Got to be good at that if you want to grow things!

I've been sitting and waiting for my ground to dry out for approx 4 months now....

That's because we're really near the coast and on the water table (that's what I've been told)

I'm thinking of scrapping my plans for potatoes and growing rice instead (yup, it's that wet!!)

[Sue]

Yup
Rice is about my only option at the moment here in Tunbridge Wells - trying to rise above it and remember my despair in the Summer when the ground set like concrete in the drought, it just doesn't seem to spend much time in between boot-sucking mud and being bone dry and undiggable.
Won't be long now before my raised beds float away...
Sue

[Snadger]

You could use cloches to help dry out parts of your garden? These will allow the soil to warm up as well giving you an early start in your planting regime!

[Stroppy scotte]

Makes me realise how lucky we are ! Our plot is obviously well drained but we pay for that over the dry months!!!

[Alice]

Hello Aid, I think we have had higher than average rain fall over the winter and the water table is very high everywhere. My garden is pretty well drained, but at the moment, just a shower of rain is enough to have it saturated again. I don't think you're being specially picked on - the ground is just wet, wet, wet.

[chicky]

Could someone please help. I have spent the last week digging my patch I knew the more I dug, the more stones I would find. I have got rid of as many as possible but will they cause me any problems growing my veg?? I read some where that carrots are not to keen on stony ground but what about spuds parsnips and other root stuff???

[carlseawolf]

Hi aid , hello and welcome.
just a quick question , the manure you applied on to of your plot was it straw based and was it dug in or layed on top as a mulch because if its layed as a mulch then that is why your plot is wet as the mulch manure is doing the job of keeping the water in and not drying out the soil in the sun.

[chicky]

ok,thanks Lesley. I think I am going to have to spend more time digging and sieving the soil. What about salad etc.....will that be ok or does the same apply? Thanks.