The boggy plot

[organic_gibbo]

The boggy plot remains slightly less boggish but its been raining a lot, thinking of those who have lost their plots to flooding.

A bit of a spring tidy needed when things dry out, as of yesterday got a short hour to start filling the trenches with drainage stones, looking forward to the year ahead!

[Small pumpkin]

Great transformation, well done .

You’ve given me great hope for my boggy plot

[Bren In Pots]

Its looking good and hopefully you'll have a productive year.

[Snadger]

Has your plot deffo got clay soil? I just mention it because mine is a silty soil and retains loads of water and looks similar to yours..

[Can the Man]

Just discovered this thread, congratulations on your progress from what you started with, look forward to seeing what 2020 brings you.

[rary]

Personally I would lift the membrane and dig drainage ditches into a deep soakaway and to me it looks heavy soil but not clay, if possible fill the dranige ditches with stones or at a push wood chip, but most definitely the soakaway with stones

[organic_gibbo]

Has your plot deffo got clay soil? I just mention it because mine is a silty soil and retains loads of water and looks similar to yours..

Half a spade down its that real dark grey stodgy stuff, full of nutrients I'm told but a real pain to work with!

[organic_gibbo]

Personally I would lift the membrane and dig drainage ditches into a deep soakaway and to me it looks heavy soil but not clay, if possible fill the dranige ditches with stones or at a push wood chip, but most definitely the soakaway with stones

All trenches are going to be filled with stones and then covered with the weed proof membrane then woodchip. In time all paths will given the same. £36 for a tonne bag is quite reasonable I reckon. Got a couple of hours this morning in the sunshine.

[organic_gibbo]

Both my wife and I are NHS workers doing opposite shifts plus the allotments where closed for 6 weeks due to social distancing. Have you ever heard so much rubbish! How ever I stuck lots of different things and left them to it! We are still harvesting spring onions and beetroot as needed.

As for the drainage issues I have wheelbarrowed 3 ton of drainage stone to the plot so far with another 2 ton waiting patiently at the gate. The difference is remarkable.

Over winter onions and garlic growing nicely at the minute. There's hope for pak choi and Chinese cabbage and some hope for the snowball turnips I planted late.

[Snoop Puss]

What a difference all your drainage work has made. Your plot is looking lovely. And at least you have something to show for your efforts. Best wishes to you and your wife in these difficult times.

[Puddephatt Plants]

I'm just finding the site after googling similar challenges.
I hope you're doing well Gibbo, as the changes you've made are looking great.
Just some pointers with improvements - no guarantee but try and see what you think:

Plastic 'breathable' means water can get through it.

If you continue with water surplus in the winter months consider where you can get the ditches or paths as they now appear to be draining away to. Collecting water has a limit quite quickly, bit of your can shift it away should be continually good. French drain suggestion earlier could be good if there's an out-flow to a lower area of land.

If you dig down, immediately below the normal cultivation level, ie around 25cm - 30cm and there's a lawyer 5cm or 10cm deep is grey smelly stuff, indicates a 'pan' which forms a layer than won't drain through. In these cases it can change to anaerobic soil biology.
I've hammered through a lot an layer on my plot by pick axe through the bottom of a trench but it's real hard work

Wood chip is good, but in the quantity that will make a difference (ie 15cm deep over anywhere you walk) you'll notice it increases acidity especially if it's conifer trees, which is usually the easiest available.
Straw could be a good sponge for the really wet spells but a down side of straw decomposing is it tends to lock up nitrogen & some nutrients. Might be worth it for more organic matter.

Air is important for balance in the soil. Compaction from walking on it could be trouble for some crops. I found prolonged use of plastic also turned the majority of soil anaerobic on my plot before I started on it. Regular fork cultivation helped 3 or more times a year - it smells bad when it's anaerobic as you dig it. Also this helps balance the soil bacteria & animals which you'll need for organic growing.

Hope you're winning through in this difficult year!
"‹"‹"‹"‹"‹"‹

[Snoop Puss]

Hello and welcome to the Vine, Puddephat Plants. From your comment, it sounds like you have a lot of experience dealing with soggy sites.

[organic_gibbo]

I'm just finding the site after googling similar challenges.
I hope you're doing well Gibbo, as the changes you've made are looking great.
Just some pointers with improvements - no guarantee but try and see what you think:

Plastic 'breathable' means water can get through it.

If you continue with water surplus in the winter months consider where you can get the ditches or paths as they now appear to be draining away to. Collecting water has a limit quite quickly, bit of your can shift it away should be continually good. French drain suggestion earlier could be good if there's an out-flow to a lower area of land.

If you dig down, immediately below the normal cultivation level, ie around 25cm - 30cm and there's a lawyer 5cm or 10cm deep is grey smelly stuff, indicates a 'pan' which forms a layer than won't drain through. In these cases it can change to anaerobic soil biology.
I've hammered through a lot an layer on my plot by pick axe through the bottom of a trench but it's real hard work

Wood chip is good, but in the quantity that will make a difference (ie 15cm deep over anywhere you walk) you'll notice it increases acidity especially if it's conifer trees, which is usually the easiest available.
Straw could be a good sponge for the really wet spells but a down side of straw decomposing is it tends to lock up nitrogen & some nutrients. Might be worth it for more organic matter.

Air is important for balance in the soil. Compaction from walking on it could be trouble for some crops. I found prolonged use of plastic also turned the majority of soil anaerobic on my plot before I started on it. Regular fork cultivation helped 3 or more times a year - it smells bad when it's anaerobic as you dig it. Also this helps balance the soil bacteria & animals which you'll need for organic growing.

Hope you're winning through in this difficult year!
"‹"‹"‹"‹"‹"‹

Thank you, lots of good ideas to think about over the coming months!