G-day

[pea weevil]

Hi all
Really looking forward to getting some real advice from the pros. I am a little bit blessed in the plot department, with two completely different plots. One is in the center of belfast at the back of my house. It has great soil but lacks a bit of light and also can be prone to one of the more common garden pests, the lesser spotted teenage toe rag! The second is in the countryside at my parents house, the soil is a bit heavy but it gets full sunshine but toe rag free. Both plots are roughly 8mx7m.
this will be my third year the first two being fairly successful growing a wide range of veg, although this was more luck than skill. What Im really not sure about is how much manure I need this year? and what type? I can get my hands on horse and cow manure. Think last year i over egged the cow manure on my broccoli and ended up with a little piece of rain forrest in belfast.

[Two_Sheds]

how much manure I need this year? and what type?

I don't use farmyard manure, never have

This might help you decide

[Florence Fennel]

Hello and a very warm welcome to the Vine. I'm afraid I can't advise you about manure, I rarely talk a load of it, but I'm sure there'll be someone along soon who can. You could always use the Search button as well and you'll find loads of information.

[chris]

Hello ! I'd love a plot that size, let alone at the back of my house, wow

[pea weevil]

It used to be waste ground at the back of my house where people had dumped years of rubbish, spend one saturday filling four trailiers of crap before I eventually discovered soil. The old lady next door was saying during the war all the neighbours including her father grew veg on the little plots but during the sixties it died out and since then it became the local dumping ground.

[ginger ninger]

Welcome to the vine from me as well.

[Jeanied]

Welcome to the vine pea weevil. Sounds like you have some good growing options there. Toe rags, unfortunately, happen all over. I know some people swear by cow manure as being the best - all I know is, make sure it is well rotted and doesn't have any nasty chemicals used on the grass / hay/ silage!

[Two_Sheds]

It used to be waste ground at the back of my house

Have you bought the land then?

... because if you haven't, and you tart it up, someone will be along to claim it, or say "you can't do that here mate". Even if you make it miles better, some Jobsworth will appear to rain on your parade

Don't be put off, but be aware that you might have to give the land

[chris]

It used to be waste ground at the back of my house where people had dumped years of rubbish, spend one saturday filling four trailiers of crap before I eventually discovered soil. The old lady next door was saying during the war all the neighbours including her father grew veg on the little plots but during the sixties it died out and since then it became the local dumping ground.

My brother in law found the same thing - really nice small cottage out in west wales, by a river - amazing setting, big plot next to house to grow veg. They went for a walk and found cars buried underneath the earth!! This was after they bought it though, their neighbours said it was the done thing if you had space - people would pay a bit to dump stuff.

[pea weevil]

Have you bought the land then?

... because if you haven't, and you tart it up, someone will be along to claim it, or say "you can't do that here mate". Even if you make it miles better, some Jobsworth will appear to rain on your parade

Don't be put off, but be aware that you might have to give the land

Apparently my house and the two next door where build at the start of century for men who serviced the railway, the garden ran right down to the tracks for easy access. It's hard to believe that at one time they where the only houses in that area and now it's city centre. The lady next doors father was a railway man and she pretty sure the land comes with the house but because of the state of it before I clear it I never thought about checking the deeds.