Digging & Manure Advice

[Telford Grower]

Hi

I was fortunate enough to get an allotment aound July this year and have not quite managed to clear all the weeds - have chopped down most but a lot of roots remain. Up until this year, the allotment was well worked so its only been this year its been neglected with nothing grown on it.

I am due to take delivery of a good quantity of rotted down manure at the weekend and wanted some advice on how to use it. Should I dig trench and part fill with the manure and soil. Should I just spread over the soil (and weeds!) and let the worms do the hard work. Or should I be looking at removing all weed roots before even considering digging?

I was going to concentrate the manure on the areas designated for next years spuds and roots - does this seem sensible?

Cheers for help

Kenny.

[PAULW]

I would be inclined to stack the muck at one end of your plot then carry on and dig out all the nasty weeds bindweed and couch then spread the muck over the area where you are going to plant your spuds and brassica's and let the worms take it in over winter

[taff]

don't put it on your root areas, they're fine without it. and what he said ^

[Florence Fennel]

What they said TG ^^^ and welcome to the Vine.

[Two_Sheds]

Firstly, do the aminopyralid test before you put the manure anywhere: Testing For Aminopyralid in Manure

(and just to say again, never put manure on your root crops, they will fork)

[Aberdeenplotter]

I'd be for leaving your manure in a heap and getting on with digging the plot before winter. Plenty of time to apply well rotted manure in the springtime in line with your scheme of rotation. Manure left on the surface of the ground when there are still weeds present will hide the weeds you want to get rid of and will also stick to your feet when you are working on the ground.

[Telford Grower]

Cheers for the replies everyone- as usual, this forum doesn't let me down. I'll continue clearing the ground and then spread much (post testing) over spuds, brassicas and I think I'll do a bean trench...I will avoid manure on roots.