preparing beds for next year

[emmav6]

I have only had my plot for a couple of months but managed to get in a few raised beds for next year
My biggest problem for preparing for next year is that i can't get any manure to the plot (supply/cost/access problem) so need to find another way to prepare the soil.
i'm new at this so please tell me if i'm way off. i'm thinking of doing the following:
- dig in straw in the autumn to help condition
- dig in chicken manure or blood,fish & bone in spring
- sow green manure next late summer/autumn

will this work? is there any other way i can condition the soil(part clay) on a budget?
Emma x

[Bigmallly]

I think you have got it more or less sussed Emma. I'm surprised your site does not have access to manure, most allotment sites do, make enquiries. Make a large compost bin & try and fill it before winter arrives, gather leaves in the fall & add them to your beds or let them rot down on their own. Come spring you should have some conditioners to add to your beds.

[emmav6]

I did try & get some but access road is tiny and small car means it could take me a million trips or cost a fortune so thought i would look at alternatives before getting too stressed about it. So glad that sounds ok. I was left with 3 pallet compost bins which was fab but i had to fill them with the 6ft weeds i chopped down, including perennial weeds which i didn't think about at the time doh!

[Alison]

I think you have got it more or less sussed Emma. I'm surprised your site does not have access to manure, most allotment sites do, make enquiries. Make a large compost bin & try and fill it before winter arrives, gather leaves in the fall & add them to your beds or let them rot down on their own. Come spring you should have some conditioners to add to your beds.

I don't think it's true that MOST lottie sites have manure deliveries, some do and some don't. Certainly it's less likely on smaller sites as there is obviously less demand. Can often sort deliveries with others though if you decide you want to use manure, just make sure it's not contaminated.

[Kirk]

Grass cutting, and autumn leaves added and dug in will do no harm.
Basically anything you can get on to and into will help.
I added literally anything I could to a plot and the soil can now be dug over with a hand trowel. It all went on as small or large amounts.

It half sounds as if you do not intend to plant anything next year?

One thing I do is grow potato's in large pots, 2 pots with inexpensive compost and a bag of manure, then when I harvest those the spent compost goes on the veg plot. It means a steady supply, although slowly.

[emmav6]

thank-you might go for a walk around the site with my wheelbarrow scavenging haha I will have a few beds finished. Do you think i will be ok getting some veggies in spring & sowing the green manures after? I have some potatoes in 3 bags for christmas at home so will add all the leftovers to the plot, great idea

[Two_Sheds]

i can't get any manure to the plot (supply/cost/access problem) so need to find another way to prepare the soil... is there any other way i can condition the soil(part clay) on a budget?

The simplest, cheapest and most beneficial way is to mulch the bare soil with chopped up weeds & old plants. Look in my FB link below if you want photos of what I mean.

You don't need manure at all, and you don't need to "dig anything in" ... just mulch, the worms will "dig" it in for you

[emmav6]

sounds good to me!!! fab fb page too i've got some straw already, would it work the same if i just lay it on the beds? Also some of the weeds have mean deep roots!!! that just snap when i pull, is there anything i need to do about these?
thanks two sheds
Emma

[alldigging]

Oh yeah straw is great if you just put it on top!