Manuring the plot advice please

[Super Sprout]

I have just taken delivery of some well rotted cow manure on the allotment.

Where I have harvested crops and have bare soil, I wanted to improve the soil for next year by applying the manure.

Is it simply a case of applying a layer of manure onto the bare soil and let the worms do the work over winter, or do I need to lay a layer of cardboard onto the soil first, then the manure.

Do I need to cover the laid manure, or let the elements get at it to break it down and wash nutrients into the soil?

Am I over-thinking what should really be a simple task?!

Many thanks,
Paul

[Bill Door]

Yes let the worms do the work. You should make sure that you leave an area for root crops (they don't like too much manure). Then cover the rest of the bare ground as thickly as you can and leave it to the worms. Any manure left in spring can be raked up and piled up for later use when you come to plant. No need to cover. If you have cardboard stacked to get rid of then you could lay that down but there is really no point.

If you watch farmers they just spread a light cover and leave it to the worms. They also don't pick up the cow pats in the fields and they do ok.

best wishes
Bill

[ESBkevin]

If you dig it in the worms will still digest it and you will work up a sweat as well as disturbing the soil life layers which is supposed to be a bad thing these days.

A covering of cardboard will obstruct the light and stop any weeds growing between now and planting next year, but it 'might' slow down the early digestion of manure. However the worms will enjoy the cardboard jsut as much if not more.

So if you have enough to put down 5"+ manure, that will block the light and no cardboard needed. If you only have a smattering of about an inch worth I'd go cardboard first.

[hamesy]

What I tend to do is cover the beds with manure and then cover the manure with homemade compost. I've found the manure breaks down a letter better doing is this way.

[Super Sprout]

Thanks for the responses 👍

[Two_Sheds]

Worms take their food from the soil surface, so mulch don’t ‘dig it in’. Also there are more detritivores on the surface than underneath

[Two_Sheds]

More on muck:

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...uck_75789.html

[Super Sprout]

Worms take their food from the soil surface, so mulch don’t ‘dig it in’. Also there are more detritivores on the surface than underneath

On that basis should I not put any cardboard down?

Thanks for both posts.