The boggy plot

[organic_gibbo]

Took on this 10x10m plot last year but with exams etc all i managed was to get three raised beds together. When paying for the allotment the council offered to fill any raised beds as the plot could become 'waterlogged'.

Fast forward to today and parts are like a bog! I understand the advice is too leave it alone to dry out but living in n.ireland it rains alot...

Any further advice guys?

(unfortunately I cant post pics as of yet)

[bario1]

My plot was very boggy when i took it on, I've addressed it with a combination of raised beds and drainage trenches, these are the two most effective and immediate solutions. Long term, adding lots and lots of organic matter to your soil will also improve general drainage and soil quality/fertility.

[bario1]

Btw, as you've now made 10 posts, you should be able to post pics, so have another try... we love pics here!

[organic_gibbo]

great! i have two trenches dug so far so hopefully thatt will help! I hsve also stsrted to cover parts in breathable membrane in a hope that will help!

Thanks for your quick reply! Pics to follow!

[organic_gibbo]

Took me a while lol, think the pictures are too many mb's

[organic_gibbo]

will these boggy bits eventually dry out?

[organic_gibbo]

Whoops these boggy bits....

[Scarlet]

I think the membrane may be more trouble than it's worth. I think you need trenches all around the perimeter so that the water will drain into them and hopefully run off....

That is seriously wet

[organic_gibbo]

And thats the breathable membrane The rest of the plot is covered in non breathable black plastic which I will also remove to help it all dry out. Until it rains again

[bario1]

You'll be amazed how much it dries out come summer... however, your soil looks like pure clay, which may dry into a kind of impenetrable concrete. It really needs a lot of organic matter added to open it up, but that will take time. What are your neighbours doing to dry theirs out?

[organic_gibbo]

Plot to my right is empty and covered with plastic, guy to my left has a drainage ditch and raised rows but lost all his potatoes two years ago. I have three raised beds filled by the council so I may contact them and ask for more.

[Scarlet]

You'll be amazed how much it dries out come summer... however, your soil looks like pure clay, which may dry into a kind of impenetrable concrete.

I'm on clay and in the Summer I can't break through unless we've had some rain....

[Stan79]

If the council are providing you with soil for your raised beds, will they provide you with a couple of tonnes of woodchip or something similar to put on top of the areas between the raised beds?

[Snoop Puss]

The plot to the right in your first photo looks a lot drier, possibly because it's higher. Your plot seems much lower overall. Very odd.

You might find that removing the black plastic might help the drainage overall.

Drainage trenches round the edges and lowering the path level and piling everything you dig out into your raised beds looks like your only option. Not going to be nice walking around on a wet day, though.

How high are you proposing to raise your beds? What are you using as the side walls of your raised beds? Wood might rot very quickly in those conditions.

[organic_gibbo]

Ive availed once so far and they filled three 4 x 12ft beds 6 inches deep with a sandy gritty type stuff thats apparently used to fill graves at the local cemetary. I will email them over the weekend and see whats available : )