Soil prep

[krazy_krok]

Hi all

I cleared a very overgrown allotment last september and rotorvated the land. I then covered it over. Having uncovered a section there are a few weeds and some grass(not sure if its coach grass but its green)-see pic. My manure is fresh so wont be able to add for at least six months.

Am i ok to just dig the grass and weeds into the soil with a fork?
What fertilizers work best for my onion and potato bed?
As you can see from the other pic where i've dug my bean trench the soil looks good, well i think at least but i am a complete novice. it does'nt look sandy or clayie but just good loam. Nothing had grown here for quite some time apart from wild blackberry's and brambles which had taken over the plot. So the soil looks rich but i've no idea how many nutrients are in it. It also drains very well.
Anyone any more ideas how if i need to improve the soil?

All advice much appreciated

Cheers

Krazy_Krok

Take a look at my plan and i'll keep you all posted on my progress.
The yellow section is for my chucks, brown the sheds, Green the polytunnel, Small beds on bottom half are raised built from pallets which will be filled with gp compost and where the squashes and pumkins are will be a hotbed-experiment!!!

[zazen999]

They really look like Couch Grass to me...and we are removing every couch grass root we find as if they are still white they will still have life in them. They either get burnt and the ash dug back into the soil or get put into bin bags, sealed and we will leave them a year or two to rot down.

If you leave them in, and they are not covered, they will spring back into life within weeks.

[krazy_krok]

Am i best to turn it over with a spade and try to remove the roots by hand then?

Thanx again

[zazen999]

I would to be honest. Well, I would get the OH to do it!

[Snadger]

I would uncover a section, fork it over (should be quite easy as soil looks to be easy to work) take out roots as you are going and put your uncomposted manure on top of dug area as a mulch then cover back up again!
In the spring you can either cut holes in plastic and plant through or remove plastic and plant through (what by then should be part rotted manure)
Don't manure the area you intend growing carrots in though!

That should keep you warm on these winter days!

Ideally manure should be well rotted or else it depletes Nitrogen from the soil whilst breaking dowm. As you have nothing in, I don't think it really matters about nitrogen depletion which is a short lived nutrient anyway!

[krazy_krok]

As the soil is loose will they pull by hand or will the roots stay underground?
Cheers