"Derek Turner" wrote

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.

Question. The peas/beans and brassica beds are going to be mostly bare
(at soil level) for most of the time. Is it a good idea to underplant,
and if so with what?

thanks for any thoughts/experience.


This all depends on your soil type, if I tried no-dig I would end up with
concrete just like I have at the moment with it being so dry. Nearly broke
my foot trying to dig up our garlic earlier this week.
If you have heavy clay/silt I am certain it won't work and if you try to use
a green manure, I did only once, you can end up with brick making clay and
having to bank your spuds like making a dry stone wall! Wish I could find a
good source of sawdust/manure as apposed to straw/manure as it's superb at
breaking up clay into a tilth.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK