Novice question - no dig - what to do next and when?

[yogi_gardener]

Hi everyone,

Since my first post I've made some progress and managed to clear all of the main raised bed area of my new allotment plot and have covered it in cardboard.

I did this about a month ago. Now I am just wondering do I need to do anything else with it or should I just leave it like that for a few months and then start planting?

I am actually going overseas in March and April so realistically won't be able to plant anything until May in any case. And was planning to just buy a few plug plants for this first attempt of growing.

I still have a huge patch of brambles and fruit cage to clear so there is plenty of work to still be getting on with!

[burnie]

You could put some potatoes in before you go in a part of it, they should survive for a while without being looked after.

[veggiechicken]

Spuds or onion sets or garlic or broad beans or peas............

[Logunner]

Cover the cardboard with rotted manure if you can get it.

If not then cut slits in the cardboard and plant spuds

[JMCKG]

Google Charles Dowding, he also has a YouTube channel. Join no dig group on Facebook.
Cover carboard with compost(council, homemade, bought, manure).

[piskieinboots]

As Bernie and VC - I'd put in spuds and garlic

[rary]

Depends on where you are gardening I have planted early potatoes in March simply by using a plastic water pipe 1 1/2inch diameter pushing it into the soil and and removing a plug of soil drop potato into the hole then pushed soil out the pipe with a brush shaft I made the hole 6in. deep to avoid any frost damage but also covered the ground with fleece for further protection as there can be frost till mid June

[Geordie]

I appreciate I am further down the road with no dig but we have what they call a ‘green waste disposal and recycling centre’ up here. There may be similar in other areas. The idea is that they compost landscape Gardeners waste on a big scale and then sell this back as compost. In the autumn I buy a tonne that gets delivered and I just spread this over the plot, and in the spring just plant directly into this, it’s not dug in. This is the second year of doing it and so far so good, I can put me feet up over the winter!