Winter manuring(?)

[Welshie]

Hi everyone,

Have cleared a couple of beds in readiness for spring planting.

I was going to cover them in manure/compost then cover that with the thick plastic sheeting hoping that the worms would do the digging for me, BUT...

Several of our plot holdersd have said that you would loose a lot of the benifit of the manure/compost if it's left on the ground during winter - leaching I guess? Their advice is to leave the beds fallow over winter then top dress with manure/compost and dig it in manually.

The question is - which is the best method and why??

Thanks in advance,

Welshie

[dexterdoglancashire]

hi welshie - never heard of that, so any advice from the other Grapes would be welcome as I was going to see a friend of mine next weekend to get some pony poo. dexterdog

[nick the grief]

You won't suffer leachingif you cover it with plastic Welshie. The leaching is caused by the winter rains washing the nutrients away, but as you can't say exactly the composition of the muck anyway (N:P:K) I would say just treat it as a sol conditioner & add fertiliser accordingly

To do it properley you should get your soil tested in the spring anyway & then add the required bits but it's very expensive if you're only growing for the plate.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Excellent, useful and sound advice as usual Nick. Many thanks. Dexterdog

[Two_Sheds]

Bare soil = erosion + weeds
I sowed 100s of Limnanthes in autumn as a ground cover, and they are just starting to really come into flower. Nectar for early hoverflies, whose babies will eat my blackfly!