manure

[yellow strawberry]

we have just got a new plot it not officially called an allotment it is a community growing area anyhoo at the moment there isn't any compost or manure bays and as everything has to pass through the comity it could take a while to get them built (husband is willing to build and supply to wood for these ),any way to get to my question i can get hold of manure but its not rotted ,,i have managed to get hold of enough rotted manure for a couple of beds so i can plant in those ,,but can i put the fresh manure on my beds and just leave it to rot and will it be rotted enough to use the beds next year

[Two_Sheds]

You don't actually need manure. I've never used any in all my life

[yellow strawberry]

You don't actually need manure. I've never used any in all my life

the soil is soooo bad it need something ,,i have yet to see a worm ,,i thought this would be the easiest and cheapest option to improve the soil ,,unless you have another idea to improve the soil ,,,plus the fact we cant dig the ground its so hard we would have to hire a rotavator

[rustylady]

Do you have your own designated area? If you're not planning to plant anything till next spring then you could spread manure over your beds and leave nature and the worms to incorporate it into the soil.

[yellow strawberry]

Do you have your own designated area?

yes we do,, there are also communal growing areas where anyone can do there bit ,,right i will get a load of manure and dump it on my beds ,,,thankyou muchly

i will plant a couple of beds up that i can put my rotted manure the rest will be left till next spring

[Aberdeenplotter]

If the ground is really poor, then yes manure will improve it no end but it may well be an ongoing process over a number of years until the soil is in really good heart. It's good to establish a compost bin as well so that you can plough back into the plot as much as possible of what comes out of it (apart from what you eat of course). At this time of year, it may be worthwhile planting a green manure crop which when dug in will also help improve things.

[arpoet]

Last year we collected hos muck from a local stables.
The first we collected in the spring was left in darleks ro part rot down in the summer then spread over a bed left fallow for the winter, while the summer and autumn collected muck was put into a square made from pallets for use on another fallow bed this winter.
We have now started collecting for next winter (2012/13). Its a continuous process.
Roger

[endymion]

Our new veg patch was reclaimed grass, the soil was dreadfully stale (stoney clay) and there were no worms. We double dug it and put loads of manure, and compost, at the bottom of the trenches and sprinkled and raked BFB onto the top before planting anything. When I lifted the onions and shallots I spotted a few lovely little brandling worms tangled in amongst the roots, and a few bigger worms in the soil! It was magical to see.

[yellow strawberry]

If the ground is really poor, then yes manure will improve it no end but it may well be an ongoing process over a number of years until the soil is in really good heart. It's good to establish a compost bin as well so that you can plough back into the plot as much as possible of what comes out of it (apart from what you eat of course). At this time of year, it may be worthwhile planting a green manure crop which when dug in will also help improve things.

yes i know that it wont happen over night ,,,which is why i want to get some goodness in it straight away ,,i think this year we will put card down and manure as we need to put a couple of inches growing medium,, the ground is rock solid

[yellow strawberry]

Last year we collected hos muck from a local stables.
The first we collected in the spring was left in darleks ro part rot down in the summer then spread over a bed left fallow for the winter, while the summer and autumn collected muck was put into a square made from pallets for use on another fallow bed this winter.
We have now started collecting for next winter (2012/13). Its a continuous process.
Roger

yes hopefully by next year we will have some manure bays on the plot so we can get it rotted down and ready to go

[snohare]

Manure first, then cardboard on top. If you want, add newspapers before you put down the manure, it encourages the worms and adds humus to the soil.
Well done for planning ahead, instead of asking a week before you plant !

[SarzWix]

If you can get hold of bales of straw they can be very useful too. One bale goes quite a long way when it's decompressed On some of my poor ground I put a layer of shredded paper, topped with a layer of manure, topped with cardboard, topped with straw. Gave it a good soaking and then covered the lot with weed fabric. It was great to dig over the following year

[Dynamo]

<SNIP> at the moment there isn't any compost or manure bays and as everything has to pass through the comity it could take a while to get them built <SNIP>

I would say "why bother?" Just get the manure and plonk it onto the dirt ASAP and then dig it in soon as you can. The sooner you do that, the sooner the worms will start to live in the soil.

[Snadger]

I would plant the beds up with winter veg. (not into this leaving land fallow idea!) Chuck the manure into a heap and let it rot.
Come spring/summer as the winter crop is taken out, add the, by then, well rotted manure, and plant up again straight away!

Whatever you do with the manure, don't dig it in, let the worms take it in or only tickle it into the top 4 inches of soil.

[Newton]

Would you put it on top of weeds and grass or get these out first. I have an area to clear which is grass and weeds but the soil is rock hard.

It's really daunting and I don't know what to do so I have just left it....but it is getting worse! Thankfully the rest of the plot is now under control.

Help!