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#1
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
In a couple of months we are off on a 'world tour' until next spring so we
won't be able to do anything to the allotment over autumn/winter/spring. It would be nice to find a strategy which made the best of this fallow period. I presume the alternative is to spray with a weed killer after we have lifted everything then hope that the plot doesn't get too rampant over winter. I have seen several mentions of 'green manure' which sounds like a good idea. Are there any recommendations for something which can be planted late September/early October which will cover the plot without encroaching on our neighbours and can be dug in after Easter next year? TIA Dave R -- No plan survives contact with the enemy. [Not even bunny] Helmuth von Moltke the Elder (\__/) (='.'=) (")_(") |
#2
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:35:42 +0100, "David WE Roberts"
wrote: In a couple of months we are off on a 'world tour' until next spring so we won't be able to do anything to the allotment over autumn/winter/spring. It would be nice to find a strategy which made the best of this fallow period. I presume the alternative is to spray with a weed killer after we have lifted everything then hope that the plot doesn't get too rampant over winter. I have seen several mentions of 'green manure' which sounds like a good idea. Are there any recommendations for something which can be planted late September/early October which will cover the plot without encroaching on our neighbours and can be dug in after Easter next year? TIA Dave R Green manure is goodonly if you can dig it in at the right time of maturity. eg grazing rye can be a devil to dig in if it gets too deeply rooted. Some will overwinter, some will not. I once sowed mustard, and when it got to about 8 inches I covered the plot with black plastic for the winter. In Spring the mustard had rotted down and the soil was beautifully friable. However, I would suggest hoeing it off and spreading a really good layer of wrm. Don't use stuff that may have weed seeds in it, or you'll find a jungle in Spring. Just black plastic or old carpet will keep it clean. Good luck, good travelling. Pam in Bristol |
#3
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
On 15 Aug, 14:34, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:35:42 +0100, "David WE Roberts" wrote: In a couple of months we are off on a 'world tour' until next spring so we won't be able to do anything to the allotment over autumn/winter/spring. It would be nice to find a strategy which made the best of this fallow period. I presume the alternative is to spray with a weed killer after we have lifted everything then hope that the plot doesn't get too rampant over winter. Covering it with black plastic works. -- Martin Just as long as the black plastic is left where you lay it, for the time you are away. David |
#4
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
In article ,
Martin wrote: If it can survive the Dutch winter storms, it can survive anything. I rather doubt that - compared to the north-west of the UK, Holland isn't all that windy. It's probably windier than the south-east of the UK, of course. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
#5
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
On 15/08/2010 19:19, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:00:54 +0100 (BST), (Nick Maclaren) wrote: In , wrote: If it can survive the Dutch winter storms, it can survive anything. I rather doubt that - compared to the north-west of the UK, Holland isn't all that windy. It's probably windier than the south-east of the UK, of course. Regards, Nick Maclaren. Zuid Holland in winter is extremely windy, far windier than where my daughter lives in the north west UK. Holland must be windier... it is full of windmills! :-) -- David in Normandy. To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the subject line, or it will be automatically deleted by a filter and not reach my inbox. |
#6
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
On 15/08/10 12:35, David WE Roberts wrote:
In a couple of months we are off on a 'world tour' until next spring so we won't be able to do anything to the allotment over autumn/winter/spring. It would be nice to find a strategy which made the best of this fallow period. I presume the alternative is to spray with a weed killer after we have lifted everything then hope that the plot doesn't get too rampant over winter. I have seen several mentions of 'green manure' which sounds like a good idea. Are there any recommendations for something which can be planted late September/early October which will cover the plot without encroaching on our neighbours and can be dug in after Easter next year? TIA Dave R Possibly Phacelia? |
#7
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:44:17 +0100, Ed ex@directory wrote:
On 15/08/10 12:35, David WE Roberts wrote: In a couple of months we are off on a 'world tour' until next spring so we won't be able to do anything to the allotment over autumn/winter/spring. It would be nice to find a strategy which made the best of this fallow period. I presume the alternative is to spray with a weed killer after we have lifted everything then hope that the plot doesn't get too rampant over winter. I have seen several mentions of 'green manure' which sounds like a good idea. Are there any recommendations for something which can be planted late September/early October which will cover the plot without encroaching on our neighbours and can be dug in after Easter next year? TIA Dave R Possibly Phacelia? Too late for phacelia now, but it's a beautiful ground cover, too pretty to dig in! I just let it seed about and flower. Pam in Bristol |
#8
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
On 15/08/2010 18:48, Pam Moore wrote:
On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:44:17 +0100, Edex@directory wrote: On 15/08/10 12:35, David WE Roberts wrote: In a couple of months we are off on a 'world tour' until next spring so we won't be able to do anything to the allotment over autumn/winter/spring. It would be nice to find a strategy which made the best of this fallow period. I presume the alternative is to spray with a weed killer after we have lifted everything then hope that the plot doesn't get too rampant over winter. I have seen several mentions of 'green manure' which sounds like a good idea. Are there any recommendations for something which can be planted late September/early October which will cover the plot without encroaching on our neighbours and can be dug in after Easter next year? TIA Dave R Possibly Phacelia? Too late for phacelia now, but it's a beautiful ground cover, too pretty to dig in! I just let it seed about and flower. Pam in Bristol The problem is more likely to be vandals than wind, don't they have those in Holland? -- Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire |
#9
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
Martin wrote:
On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:21:02 +0200, David in Normandy wrote: On 15/08/2010 19:19, Martin wrote: On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:00:54 +0100 (BST), (Nick Maclaren) wrote: In , wrote: If it can survive the Dutch winter storms, it can survive anything. I rather doubt that - compared to the north-west of the UK, Holland isn't all that windy. It's probably windier than the south-east of the UK, of course. Regards, Nick Maclaren. Zuid Holland in winter is extremely windy, far windier than where my daughter lives in the north west UK. Holland must be windier... it is full of windmills! :-) both ancient and modern. Blasted things! If they'd only knock them down, there'd be far less wind. More seriously, it doesn't take all that much wind-speed over a period of six months or so to shift a layer of unsupervised plastic sheeting. When you're at home, you can pop over and check every few days, and nip any disasters in the bud. I'd weight it down with earth at very close spacing: maybe tuck it into a narrow trench every five feet or so? A good layer of cardboard would be good, too: it adds an extra layer of blackout, and rots down. (I've actually done this; but not while away from home.) -- Mike. |
#10
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
On 15 Aug, 20:31, "Mike Lyle"
wrote: Martin wrote: On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:21:02 +0200, David in Normandy wrote: On 15/08/2010 19:19, Martin wrote: On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:00:54 +0100 (BST), (Nick Maclaren) wrote: In , *wrote: If it can survive the Dutch winter storms, it can survive anything. I rather doubt that - compared to the north-west of the UK, Holland isn't all that windy. *It's probably windier than the south-east of the UK, of course. Regards, Nick Maclaren. Zuid Holland in winter is extremely windy, far windier than where my daughter lives in the north west UK. Holland must be windier... it is full of windmills! :-) both ancient and modern. Blasted things! If they'd only knock them down, there'd be far less wind. More seriously, it doesn't take all that much wind-speed over a period of six months or so to shift a layer of unsupervised plastic sheeting. When you're at home, you can pop over and check every few days, and nip any disasters in the bud. I'd weight it down with earth at very close spacing: maybe tuck it into a narrow trench every five feet or so? A good layer of cardboard would be good, too: it adds an extra layer of blackout, and rots down. (I've actually done this; but not while away from home.) -- Mike.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I was thinking of someone removing iot rather than the wind. Why not just rough dig it and leavce it for the frost to work on during the winter, though probably your soil is to fine for that to be needed. David Hill |
#11
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
"Martin" wrote ... Moonraker wrote: Pam Moore wrote: Ed wrote: David WE Roberts wrote: In a couple of months we are off on a 'world tour' until next spring so we won't be able to do anything to the allotment over autumn/winter/spring. It would be nice to find a strategy which made the best of this fallow period. I presume the alternative is to spray with a weed killer after we have lifted everything then hope that the plot doesn't get too rampant over winter. I have seen several mentions of 'green manure' which sounds like a good idea. Are there any recommendations for something which can be planted late September/early October which will cover the plot without encroaching on our neighbours and can be dug in after Easter next year? TIA Possibly Phacelia? Too late for phacelia now, but it's a beautiful ground cover, too pretty to dig in! I just let it seed about and flower. The problem is more likely to be vandals than wind, don't they have those in Holland? Not in our allotment it is within the secure area of the site of my former employer. We do have the occasional thief who steals tools, including two wheel barrows, and fruit. The black sheeting on unused allotments is weighted down with bits of paving stones, bricks etc. It is also possible to bury the edges of the sheet in the ground to stop the wind getting under the sheet. The allotments are less than a mile from the North Sea and in an unsheltered location. Most winters have at least one force 10 gales. We always had a problem with foxes ripping anything on the ground up, fleece didn't last 24 hours. If you use plastic sheeting then use Mypex ground cover fabric, it lets the water/air through but stops the weeds. More expensive but much better and more robust than plastic sheeting, it will last a very long time and is ideal for planting strawberries through for example. -- Regards Bob Hobden W.of London. UK |
#12
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
"Bob Hobden" wrote in
: "Martin" wrote ... Moonraker wrote: Pam Moore wrote: Ed wrote: David WE Roberts wrote: In a couple of months we are off on a 'world tour' until next spring so we won't be able to do anything to the allotment over autumn/winter/spring. It would be nice to find a strategy which made the best of this fallow period. I presume the alternative is to spray with a weed killer after we have lifted everything then hope that the plot doesn't get too rampant over winter. I have seen several mentions of 'green manure' which sounds like a good idea. Are there any recommendations for something which can be planted late September/early October which will cover the plot without encroaching on our neighbours and can be dug in after Easter next year? TIA Possibly Phacelia? Too late for phacelia now, but it's a beautiful ground cover, too pretty to dig in! I just let it seed about and flower. The problem is more likely to be vandals than wind, don't they have those in Holland? Not in our allotment it is within the secure area of the site of my former employer. We do have the occasional thief who steals tools, including two wheel barrows, and fruit. The black sheeting on unused allotments is weighted down with bits of paving stones, bricks etc. It is also possible to bury the edges of the sheet in the ground to stop the wind getting under the sheet. The allotments are less than a mile from the North Sea and in an unsheltered location. Most winters have at least one force 10 gales. We always had a problem with foxes ripping anything on the ground up, fleece didn't last 24 hours. If you use plastic sheeting then use Mypex ground cover fabric, it lets the water/air through but stops the weeds. More expensive but much better and more robust than plastic sheeting, it will last a very long time and is ideal for planting strawberries through for example. That makes a very expensive alternative! I wonder how long it would be before it pays for its self. http://www.allplaz.com/ Nothing against it but what price does one draw the line between home grown and supermarket veg? Good old fashioned digging and weeding regime is always the most practical and economical, but not in the op case I think. Nice idea though, the Mypex. |
#13
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Overwinter an allotment - green manure?
"Escargo" wrote in message ... "Bob Hobden" wrote in : snip We always had a problem with foxes ripping anything on the ground up, fleece didn't last 24 hours. If you use plastic sheeting then use Mypex ground cover fabric, it lets the water/air through but stops the weeds. More expensive but much better and more robust than plastic sheeting, it will last a very long time and is ideal for planting strawberries through for example. That makes a very expensive alternative! I wonder how long it would be before it pays for its self. http://www.allplaz.com/ Nothing against it but what price does one draw the line between home grown and supermarket veg? Good old fashioned digging and weeding regime is always the most practical and economical, but not in the op case I think. Nice idea though, the Mypex. At first look this doesn't look prohibitive. The 8 metre wide black plastic at £4.41 per metre should cover a lot of ground quite cheaply. Now to measure up. One slight drawback to our 5 rod plot is that it is an irregular shape. Thanks for all the ideas. Cheers Dave R -- No plan survives contact with the enemy. [Not even bunny] Helmuth von Moltke the Elder (\__/) (='.'=) (")_(") |
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