Bags of goodness! Which one is best?

[Jackbb]

Quick question people.

Have a day off on Thursday (fingers crossed it doesnt rain!) for my first go at my new plot. I want to dig over some of the semi prepared beds and introduce some goodness into the soil in order to get planting in a couple of weeks.

Due to poor access i can't have any bulk loads of manure etc dropped to the plot so will have to look at buying in bags and lug from my car. Is there any particular all purpose compost or manure bags (Jon Innes?) that i can buy from reputable nurserys that you can recommend? Just getting started with the basics - onions, pots, peas +beans, beetroot etc

Any idea how much these cost too - probably going to need a good few of them.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Personally, I would save my money and not bother to add anything to your beds, Jackbb - who is to say that they need it? Go for your first year just growing stuff.

Do make sure that you have a couple of really big bins for all your compostable stuff (that's anything from kitchen peelings at home to newspaper shreddings, weeds (not the nasties, though), leaves etc etc.

Then next winter you will have some fantastic homemade compost which (if it were me) I would put all over when you plan to plant potatoes that year.

[zazen999]

How do you know you need goodness in your soil? Is it lacking in goodness?

[Jackbb]

How do you know you need goodness in your soil? Is it lacking in goodness?

Hi Helen/Zazen999 - Really good point, i suppose its me just being over cautious. I am not sure how long the plot has been left as i wasnt given that info. Probably see what it looks like once i start turning it over. What about a handful/sprinkling of plant feed? Nothing ventured, nothing gained?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hi Helen

That's my sister, actually - but don't worry about it, loads of people get us mixed up.

What about a handful/sprinkling of plant feed? Nothing ventured, nothing gained?

Again - save your money. If it grows weeds, it'll grow crops. And if it hasn't been worked for some time, then there won't have been crops depleting the nutrients from the ground.

[Jackbb]

Again - save your money. If it grows weeds, it'll grow crops. And if it hasn't been worked for some time, then there won't have been crops depleting the nutrients from the ground.

Leap of faith then!

[Two_Sheds]

I want to ...introduce some goodness into the soil

Just getting started with the basics - onions, pots, peas +beans, beetroot

You don't need to add anything, you really don't. I know your money's burning a hole in your pocket: spend it on seeds, canes, netting etc.

Add the "goodness" as you go: that means making compost to replace the nutrients taken out by your veg. You haven't grown any veg yet, so your soil is unlikely to be depleted.

Peas & beans fix their own feed via their roots, beetroot doesn't need any feeding at all.

Onions will probably be fine without feeding, although you can give them a boost mid-season with some nettle/comfrey tea. Ditto with potatoes, which you only need to feed when the tubers are near ready to harvest, ie in the last few weeks of growth, in the summer

[rustylady]

Is there any particular all purpose compost or manure bags (Jon Innes?) that i can buy from reputable nurserys that you can recommend?
Any idea how much these cost too - probably going to need a good few of them.

You aren't going to need any of them, they are for growing things in pots, not on an allotment.

You don't need to "introduce goodness into the soil" either, it should be absolutely fine for this year at least.

As the others have said, make your first job building a compost bin. All the weeds you clear from the plot (except dandelions, docks, bindweed etc) can go on the heap, together with veg peelings from home, hoover contents, shredded newspaper etc. Once your heap has rotted down you will have home-made compost which you can add to your beds.

[Two_Sheds]

(except dandelions, docks, bindweed etc) ...

... those weeds can be tied up in black sacks to rot down, or drowned in water for a few months. They're full of nutrients, and can be added to the compost heap once they're good and dead

[alldigging]

You can bulk buy muck in bags but it's still dear...
At lgloach its 2.79 a bag or 2.69 if you buy 70...

you have to spend £250 to get free delivery though.

Altys you have to ring for a price though so can't give you one of them.

Is there no where local you can go and collect the stuff for free? (stables etc?) Where do other people get theirs from?

[Two_Sheds]

i can't have any bulk loads of manure etc dropped to the plot so will have to look at buying in bags and lug from my car.

Did you look at the green manures link I gave you before? What do you think?

Factsheet about Green manures

where I buy: Green Manure Seeds


It's so little work, I can't tell you. Sow in any little gap you have.
When you need the space again, just pull out the green manure plants, and compost them. Or, chop up with secateurs and just leave on top of the soil as a mulch

[mrgrower]

Great links Two Sheds I've bookmarked these.

[green fingered]

I use green manure and find it fantastic also use blood fish and bone, best if you want to add goodness to the soil. Compost helps with drainage and short burst of feed and manure can contain weed seeds so best to save your money.