Green manure or manure

[suem]

Hi
I have a fairly large area at the back on my allotment plot which I do not have time to work this year. It was rotovated earlier in the year & covered to suppress weed growth. it is quite hard with a high clay content and i am considering to planting a green manure to dig in next spring.
My questions are:
Which would be the best green manure to plant to help improve the soil structure ?
Or, would it be better to cover it with farm manure and dig this in in the spring?
Cheers, Suem

[GardenFan]

Hi Suem,

If nothing is growing on it already then you can add as much Farm manure as you can find with out the risk of burning. I would dig it in this autum and again in the spring, this will help improve struture but clay really needs help breaking up so if you can add grit too. I would leave the ground open over the winter, the weeds won't grow and the frosts/cold will help break up the clay clods. You can cover again in the spring.

[NOG]

I would get as much manure as you can lay your hands on. bung it on and rotovate it in.

Then rotovate in anything else you can get your hands on, leaves, grass cuttings, sand, local authority compost.

Rotovate it all in over the winter...it will break down in the soil but it will help keep the clay open.

My plot is like a brick works and having done this over the last 3 years I am getting near somthing like soil.