We have joined in with some friends on an allotment plot, around 120m2 (32m long, about 4m wide).
They would all like to go no-dig.
This would not be my preferred choice except for seeing the success some of you have with no-till. The results obtained have changed my mind on the subject and I would like to pick your brains for how to proceed.
The soil is quite heavy clay and on an incline although it does face the morning sun fairly well.
I am thinking of making a poly tunnel near the top for chilli plants, tomatoes and other things that like the warm, does anyone know where to source cheap or good poly plastic? (we have a fair amount of spare construction wood left there by the previous people)
A cheap poly tunnel kit would also do, it would not have to last more than this year and the next.
But mainly, I am posting to get tips on how to start conditioning the soil for planting. We have access to lots of free partially rotted leaves and have topped two of the beds with a mix of that and some well rotted dark stuff (not sure what it is, was done before we joined forces but looks dark and full of nutrients).
I will take a walk up there now and take some pictures to post.
I sort of need a walk in one, bending and me are not good friends
I think I will get a cheap crappy kit one which I do not expect to last more than 2 years then strengthen it with the wood I have there already over the summer. I could make wooden benches along the sides that were structural with the metal hoops just holding up the plastic. Then when the plastic eventually goes, get decent plastic. Same with the hoops. Then eventually it will be the best polytunnel I ever bought, had it years, only replaced the plastic four times and the hoops twice…
One of the other guys has seen the allotment group are getting in some bulk compost at £34 per ton and we all reckon it would be the best way to get started as quickly as possible this year.
Compost, compost, compost.
Gottit.
What about leaves and woodchippings? I have access to large amounts of that for free.
If it is going to be this year composting would only help with maintenance during winter. Mix healthy well drained soil with a rich amount of organic matter as soon as possible and plant cover crops then mulch with hay. After a month or longer plant the crops and top dress as needed to keep microlife fed. Mulch winter and spring with compost then start again. Every couple of years hit it with rock minerals. This is basic and can be expanded on.
Fresh wood chips are not good for soil amendment. This material will use more than it gives back in the first 12 months just breaking down. It makes good path covers as it stays dry most of the time. After a year of walking on it, compost it.
Leaves are great compost builders. Pile those high.
Your green house may benefit from stakes and support chords. Wind may not always be kind to this unit.
Don’t be shocked if some of these pop out from under your wood chips.
Don’t touch them, they stink, and they get really disgusting from this point onward. Green ooze from the tip.
OK, but try to figure out what’s in it. If you can start building your own, now, it will have begun to work when the temps rise above 50F (sorry didn’t calculate C). I would probably continue to amend this with peat moss, bone meal, dolomite lime and a lot of the usual goodies such as kelp meal, bird guano, etc.
I would also use small amounts of the clay you have on site. powderize some that is very dry and disperse it into the compost for minerals.
I have had to deal with many a wayward marquee on a windy day.
I will be driving corner 5ft scaffolding poles 3ft deep and U bolting the benches to them. The benches will be strong enough for me to use as a bed and I will U bolt the hoops to the bench. Then I might make an A frame and fit a length of wood at the apex so I can have hanging plants there.
The pallets might work well for flooring or framing certain areas.
The soil I see has some dark coloring. This means it is not totally dead. A proper amendment of this sort of soil should yield well. I get to be a neat freak, so the site would need a major clean up for me to feel right (that’s me).
