"Ed" wrote
Hey expert gardeners!!

I just taken on new allotment which, as expected, is pretty overgrown with
bindweed n couch grass n stuff I don't recognise.

So, I started double digging the whole plot to remove as much as possible
of all of these deep rooted perennial nasties.. It will take me until end
of August to complete this.

Some people say I should then cover the dug ground with rotted manure and
leave it over winter. Others say I should cover it with compost. But I
don't know the difference between rotted manure and compost?

Are they the same thing?


Your only way to get rid of those weeds is using weedkiller, you will
certainly not dig out Bindweed and I doubt you will overcome the Couch Grass
either. Glyphosate binds to the soil on contact and acts on an enzyme only
found in plants and that is what I would use. Spray the green leaves, leave
for a few weeks to see what goes brown and whats left alive and spray again
and repeat all season by which time you may have killed it all. If you
really want to double dig the whole plot then do so next winter after the
weeds are dead.

A winter mulch, give the pests a nice warm blanket for the winter? :-)
I dig the year old Horse manure in as soon as it arrives each spring.

Manure ( rotted down plant material and excreta) provides lots of nutrients
on top of what compost does; compost (rotted down plant material) is a good
soil improver, it helps break up clay and holds moisture.

If you use lots of manure/compost and you want to grow brassicas don't
forget to check you soil pH and lime if it's acid.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden