Bare soil syndrome?

[Burnzie]

Hi Snadger, interesting topic.

I have been "guilty" of the great winter dig for many years. Probably stems from the years that I grew vegetables for showing. Everything was aimed to be ready for a September / October show followed by a total plot winter dig.

Recent years I have grown mainly summer and autumn crops, peas, beans, squash, courgettes, beet, potatoes, ( white rot so cant grow onions ) followed again by the winter dig.

Next year however only half the plot will be summer/autumn crops. The other half will be over-winter crops, sprouts, swede, winter cabage, spring cabage, parsnips and leeks (seem to survive the white rot ).

Just need to work out how this will fit into rotation plans.

Burnzie

[Snadger]

What do you mean no pay??

Sorry LJ forgot about the bag of tatties!

[Smuff]

Oh dear, does this mean i'm a Heretic? Something else to add to list of names i've been called in the past!

In my own defence I did indtall a 'cop out' clause in my last paragraph!

I can see the benefit of exposing the land to the rigours of winter on a clay soil, and as I said my heart goes out to you Smuff!

I still say, and this is my own view, not something i've picked up from a book or been taught, that as long as good husbandry is practiced and we don't rely on inorganic fertilisers the majority of land could be better utilised. (excluding clay soils). I would wonder, what is the land going to gain whilst resting? Its structure won't be improved, and surely the nutrients will be depleted through winter rain?.
Just as I agree with the no-dig principle, our forefathers would have been aghast at the idea! So I am not saying I am right, all I am doing is practisiing lateral thinking, and hopefully not Heresy!

We burn people like you round our way!
Seriously though, my initial response was a tad tongue in cheek as I find it mildly irritating that, apart for over wintering crops, my plot is empty and almost redundant over the winter months.
Your logic re: leaching is sound and I was thinking of sowing a green manure this year but managed to leave it too late.

[supersprout]

100% with you snadger

I don't like to see bare soil at any time - it should either be growing something or being dug by worms under mulch, just like it is in nature. The idea of leaving soil naked to grow weeds or dry out is wierd in my book!

A nice mulch can look very tidy so the regulars are happy too



<waits for flak lol>

[Snadger]

Nice one supersprout!!!

Hope the wind doesn't get up though as your next door neighbour may get the benefit of your mulch!

[pigletwillie]

My plot that mainly raised beds get each unused bed covered in black plastic which helps prevent all of the nutrients being leached out and keeps the soil snug and warm. However with alot of winter veg still to harvest only a few beds are covered.

[rustylady]

I'm still trying to get over to the lottie to do my winter digging!! I've got sprouts, sprouting broccoli and curly kale still growing, plus a few carrots. The strawberry bed is looking good and has been weeded.

However, with only taking over the plot last year I'm still trying to eradicate the brambles and docks, and working full time I rely on good weather at the weekends (which doesn't seem to happen very often). Had some good crops this year and looking forward to even better next year.

Not much bare earth on my plot, but some of it is very weedy, I confess. Will try harder.

[supersprout]

Hope the wind doesn't get up though as your next door neighbour may get the benefit of your mulch!

ha ha ha in summer I pray no-one will throw a cigarette butt onto the plot

[Two_Sheds]

I don't do any winter digging, and I try not to have any bare soil. This winter I have mustard as a greenmanure, and Limnanthes (poached egg) to attract the earliest hoverflies

[Two_Sheds]

limnanthes

did this photo go on?

[Benacre]

I was always told "Nature Abhors a Vacuum" I will in time on my new plot grow green manure and fill any space with perrenials and annuals.
Benacer