Probably a silly question about manure

[Mushaville]

Now that I've got the veg beds weeded and don't have any plans to plant anything out until Feb at the earliest I thought now might be a good time to put some goodness into raised beds...I was thinking a layer of newspaper to suppress any weeds that might be hiding and then some well rotted manure on top.

Does that sound like a good idea? Or should I do something different?
If I do that do I leave the manure on top for a bit to let newspaper break down and then dig in before I plant??

Sorry for what might be an obvious question but haven't covered this in my RHS training yet

[roitelet]

I would do it the other way round. News paper on top. The manure will grow weeds.

[Mushaville]

I would do it the other way round. News paper on top. The manure will grow weeds.

Great! Thank you :-)

[bearded bloke]

Or you could put black polythene on top & help hold some heat in the soil


Oh & there is no such thing as a silly question, just questions we as yet don't know the answer to


There is one other point that you should bear in mind, some crops actually perform better in soil that has not been recently manured/fertilised, so it might be an idea to pre-plan what is going in which bed & proceed accordingly.
As my raised beds are "no dig" I plant through the overwintered manure, using a three bed rotation the manured bed is always next seasons area for squash, courgettes, pumpkin, etc

[Guest]

Mush......In true grape style, just to confuse you. I do it the way round you said. I don't dig before planting. I plant through.

[bearded bloke]

I sure there was one on here that put cardboard then manure ?



*BB wanders off to find threads on lasagne bed method >>>>>>>>>>>>

[bearded bloke]

Have look here .... http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eds_71091.html .... there are some handy links in a couple of posts

[Mushaville]

There is one other point that you should bear in mind, some crops actually perform better in soil that has not been recently manured/fertilised, so it might be an idea to pre-plan what is going in which bed & proceed accordingly.
As my raised beds are "no dig" I plant through the overwintered manure, using a three bed rotation the manured bed is always next seasons area for squash, courgettes, pumpkin, etc

I do have two beds I'd like to do sqush and pumpkin in (have an arch over them that I'd like to try and grow them over... should i just manure those two beds? or is there something else I can add to the soil to improve it instead of manure?

[roitelet]

Compost!!!!!!

[Snadger]

Mush......In true grape style, just to confuse you. I do it the way round you said. I don't dig before planting. I plant through.

I'm with you on this one. If I have newspapers or cardboard handy, on it goes, to be held down with a layer of manure/compost, if not, compost alone. Then as NG says, I plant through it either straight away preferably or in the spring.
I am doing this with a bed of tatties i have just finished lifting. A quick rake over to level, newspaper or cardboard on top then hoss muck. Planted up with spring cabbage soon after by cutting holes through with a trowel.