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Janet · 17-07-2013, 11:49 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article ,
says...

I'm researching no-dig methods which recommend never leaving the soil in
my new allotment bare. I've now narrowed the non-dig manures down to
field beans, phacelia and douglasii as appropriate to the rotation.

Green manures are normally dug into the soil, what are you going to
do with the top crop yours produce?

There are cother ways to "not leave the soil bare"; including
covering it with vegetable mulches (chopped bracken or nettles, lawn
cuttings , pulled weeds, seaweed) or cardboard/plastic/fibre such as old
wool carpets . Last year we were away for a couple of months and I left
a veg bed unplanted, covered with an old tarp. It's been lovely clean
soil to grow in this year.

This far north, (relatively low light levels and short growing
season) underplanting bulky crops can result in scrawny plants
struggling for the light.

Janet.