Top soil

[Capsid]

Plant spuds then. You can get away with just digging a trench or hole and placing a spud in. You will have to dig them up come harvest time thereby turning the soil. Overwinter add compost and let the worms dig it in for you.

[windowsillqueen]

If I plant spuds, (some chitting on windowsill now) how long until it is time to dig them up?

[Two_Sheds]

If I plant spuds, (some chitting on windowsill now) how long until it is time to dig them up?

depending on the variety ... about 3-4 months, give or take

[Hans Mum]

we had some delivered onto site yesterday 50/50 mix which looks fab, i'll get the name of the company later today for you. We are charging £2.50 a barrowload to plotholders.

[Eyren]

I would just loosen the top six inches (they must have buried the dogs more than six inches down, surely?) and at least break up the concrete if you can't remove it all, then build the raised beds and start filling them.

Add a thick layer of well-rotted manure at the bottom (good stuff should smell like compost, not like horse poo!), then as Oleander suggests, top up with whatever you can get hold of: spent compost from your pots, potting compost from a garden centre (look out for '3 for 2' offers and the like), clean topsoil, etc. If you can't afford enough to fill the beds this year, either start with one bed and fill more as you go, or grow shallow-rooted plants this year and repeat the filling process next year!

[windowsillqueen]

So I finally started the new beds.... what do you think?

OK, so I pulled my finger out and started the new beds.

I chickened out of doing the dead dog end and started the other bed instead.

The soil, whilst very full of clay was much better than I had thought. I'm still trying to get hydraenga (spelling I know) and laurel stumps out of it though. And the brambles were terrible. I've mostly cleared them but am struggling to get the stumps up. The problem is these stumps have rooted under the next door neighbours fence and under their flags - so I might not ever get the out?

I've taken some pictures of where I am at and also the non-started dead dog end - but, I can't work out how to insert pictures without a URL....

I did attach one to this, but not sure if it is going to work.

What can I grow in very clay heavy soil? Any ideas?

[FionaH]

Well the picture worked and its looking good!

[windowsillqueen]

Oooh!! So it did - have some more!

This is dead dog end. One picture of the area and one of the very compacted soil.

Actually should get off this computer and go and tackle it.

[snakeshack]

lookin good 2nd picture doesn't look like it needs too much work.
with the laurel under your next door neighbours slabs, just keep cutting off any thing that shows ,you'l get it eventually

[Toby]

I need around 4 tons of topsoil. Imagine my horror when I rang 'Tommy Topsoil' and was quoted between £98 - £128 per 2 cubic metres, dependant on quality!!!!

Try your local council.

Mine charge about £14 per ton +VAT to collect. And they will be able to give you details of local suppliers if you need delivery

[Digger-07]

but £98 per 2 cubic metres is just too much. I can't spend £400 on soil!!

When I was at college we used to work on 1 Cubic yard = 1 ton. I know we are metric but 1 cubic meter is about 1.3 cubic yards so for every cubic metre you should get about 1 and 1/3 ton or tonne ( they are about the same) in weight.

[windowsillqueen]

THanks for all you help everyone. I'm going to Stax today (trade place) where they sell very cheap gardening stuff. I'm hoping to manage just with compost and possibly some manure. I'm just doing the smaller bed to start off with.