We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year assuming
we get on in March.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

--
http://www.bra-and-pants.com
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

On Jan 31, 10:13*am, mogga wrote:
We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year assuming
we get on in March.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://www.holidayunder100.co.uk


I had the same problem. You need to get lots of organic material dug
in. I f you can get something like a few tons of horse/cow shit,
rotted down if possible or maybe mushroom compost, if locally
available.

I had ten tons of sharp sand delivered. You need to throw it about and
rotovate it in, Most rotovators don't really go deep enough but it's
a start.

Even so, it takes years of compost and digging to make the soil really
good.

A major problrm can be drainage, you get water puddling on the
surface. The only way round this id deep digging ie two spade depths
in the effectd areas.

Regular digging needs to be done in Autumn, the frost breaks up the
lumps.
I also chuck any worms I find in there, it all helps. :-)

On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:56:24 -0800 (PST), harry
wrote:

On Jan 31, 10:13*am, mogga wrote:
We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year assuming
we get on in March.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://www.holidayunder100.co.uk


I had the same problem. You need to get lots of organic material dug
in. I f you can get something like a few tons of horse/cow shit,
rotted down if possible or maybe mushroom compost, if locally
available.

I had ten tons of sharp sand delivered. You need to throw it about and

Our site is about 1 acre - how much would we need? I suspect it's tons
and tons..

rotovate it in, Most rotovators don't really go deep enough but it's
a start.

Even so, it takes years of compost and digging to make the soil really
good.

A major problrm can be drainage, you get water puddling on the
surface. The only way round this id deep digging ie two spade depths
in the effectd areas.

Regular digging needs to be done in Autumn, the frost breaks up the
lumps.
I also chuck any worms I find in there, it all helps. :-)
--
http://www.bra-and-pants.com
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

On 31/01/2011 10:13, mogga wrote:
We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

Improve a small area at a time and take your chances growing stuff that
will tolerate a clay soil in the rest for a few years. People seem to
forget that clay soils are *fertile* it is just that they waterlog in
winter and set like rock in mid summer droughts.

Spuds, beans and most other veg will grow on clay but they would just
grow better with a mulch of something on top. Even bark chippings would
do at a pinch.

Eventually when you have a compost heap you can add that back. Some
spent mushroom compost is a quick way to condition some of it.

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year assuming
we get on in March.

Plant spuds and whatever else you want to grow. But ask around locally
as to what is worth it on the original soil. Expect to ahve to make
improvements if you want to grow things that detest wet feet like
asparagus for instance.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

Not even when it rains?

Regards,
Martin Brown

On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:52:07 +0000, Martin Brown
wrote:

On 31/01/2011 10:13, mogga wrote:
We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

Improve a small area at a time and take your chances growing stuff that
will tolerate a clay soil in the rest for a few years. People seem to
forget that clay soils are *fertile* it is just that they waterlog in
winter and set like rock in mid summer droughts.

Spuds, beans and most other veg will grow on clay but they would just
grow better with a mulch of something on top. Even bark chippings would
do at a pinch.

thanks


Eventually when you have a compost heap you can add that back. Some
spent mushroom compost is a quick way to condition some of it.

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year assuming
we get on in March.

Plant spuds and whatever else you want to grow. But ask around locally
as to what is worth it on the original soil. Expect to ahve to make
improvements if you want to grow things that detest wet feet like
asparagus for instance.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

Not even when it rains?

Regards,
Martin Brown


LOL we had a deep layer of it when it rained... all gone now...
--
http://www.bra-and-pants.com
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk

On Jan 31, 11:21*am, mogga wrote:
On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:56:24 -0800 (PST), harry
wrote:





On Jan 31, 10:13 am, mogga wrote:
We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year assuming
we get on in March.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://ww...

I had the same problem. You need to get lots of organic material dug
in. I f you can get something like a few tons of horse/cow shit,
rotted down if possible or *maybe mushroom compost, if locally
available.

I had ten tons of sharp sand delivered. You need to throw it about and

Our site is about 1 acre - how much would we need? I suspect it's tons
and tons..

rotovate it in, *Most rotovators don't really go deep enough but it's
a start.

Even so, it takes years of compost and digging to make the soil really
good.

A major problrm can be drainage, you get water puddling on the
surface. The only way round this id deep digging ie two spade depths
in the effectd areas.

Regular digging needs to be done in Autumn, the frost breaks up the
lumps.
I also chuck any worms I find in there, it all helps. * :-)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://www.holidayunder100.co.uk- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

An acre is big for an allotment, certainly more than you can dig by
hand unless superfit & lots of time/helpers.
If you are just starting out why not fence part off and have pigs?
They dig it up wonderful, eat all the weeds and crap everywhere. You
need a good fence with barbed wire along the bottom to keep them in. A
couple of years of pigs fixes most of your problems & provides a
wonderful soil.. If you can stand the stench. :-)

On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 10:13:20 +0000, mogga wrote:

We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back in
February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so what's
the best plan of action?

To read a newsgroup's FAQs before posting?

On Jan 31, 4:03*pm, harry wrote:
On Jan 31, 11:21*am, mogga wrote:





On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:56:24 -0800 (PST), harry
wrote:

On Jan 31, 10:13 am, mogga wrote:
We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year assuming
we get on in March.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://ww...

I had the same problem. You need to get lots of organic material dug
in. I f you can get something like a few tons of horse/cow shit,
rotted down if possible or *maybe mushroom compost, if locally
available.

I had ten tons of sharp sand delivered. You need to throw it about and

Our site is about 1 acre - how much would we need? I suspect it's tons
and tons..

rotovate it in, *Most rotovators don't really go deep enough but it's
a start.

Even so, it takes years of compost and digging to make the soil really
good.

A major problrm can be drainage, you get water puddling on the
surface. The only way round this id deep digging ie two spade depths
in the effectd areas.

Regular digging needs to be done in Autumn, the frost breaks up the
lumps.
I also chuck any worms I find in there, it all helps. * :-)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://ww....Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

An acre is big for an allotment, certainly more than you can dig by
hand unless superfit & lots of time/helpers.
If you are just starting out why not fence part off and have pigs?
They dig it up wonderful, eat all the weeds and crap everywhere. *You
need a good fence with barbed wire along the bottom to keep them in. A
couple of years of pigs fixes most of your problems & provides a
wonderful soil.. *If you can stand the stench. * :-)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I should think that the OP is talking about the alotment site, not
just his alotment

"Dave Hill" wrote in message
...
On Jan 31, 4:03 pm, harry wrote:
On Jan 31, 11:21 am, mogga wrote:





On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:56:24 -0800 (PST), harry
wrote:

On Jan 31, 10:13 am, mogga wrote:
We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the
way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year
assuming
we get on in March.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://ww...

I had the same problem. You need to get lots of organic material dug
in. I f you can get something like a few tons of horse/cow shit,
rotted down if possible or maybe mushroom compost, if locally
available.

I had ten tons of sharp sand delivered. You need to throw it about and

Our site is about 1 acre - how much would we need? I suspect it's tons
and tons..

rotovate it in, Most rotovators don't really go deep enough but it's
a start.

Even so, it takes years of compost and digging to make the soil really
good.

A major problrm can be drainage, you get water puddling on the
surface. The only way round this id deep digging ie two spade depths
in the effectd areas.

Regular digging needs to be done in Autumn, the frost breaks up the
lumps.
I also chuck any worms I find in there, it all helps. :-)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://ww...Hide
quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

An acre is big for an allotment, certainly more than you can dig by
hand unless superfit & lots of time/helpers.
If you are just starting out why not fence part off and have pigs?
They dig it up wonderful, eat all the weeds and crap everywhere. You
need a good fence with barbed wire along the bottom to keep them in. A
couple of years of pigs fixes most of your problems & provides a
wonderful soil.. If you can stand the stench. :-)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I should think that the OP is talking about the alotment site, not just his
alotment

.................................................. ......................................

But don't you think he might be asking questions for the benefit of others?
Not everyone is of the 'I'm all right Jack' nature. I know that from what I
do in life :-))

Mike



--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

On Jan 31, 6:08*pm, "'Mike'" wrote:
"Dave Hill" wrote in message

...
On Jan 31, 4:03 pm, harry wrote:





On Jan 31, 11:21 am, mogga wrote:

On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:56:24 -0800 (PST), harry
wrote:

On Jan 31, 10:13 am, mogga wrote:
We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the
way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year
assuming
we get on in March.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://ww...

I had the same problem. You need to get lots of organic material dug
in. I f you can get something like a few tons of horse/cow shit,
rotted down if possible or maybe mushroom compost, if locally
available.

I had ten tons of sharp sand delivered. You need to throw it about and

Our site is about 1 acre - how much would we need? I suspect it's tons
and tons..

rotovate it in, Most rotovators don't really go deep enough but it's
a start.

Even so, it takes years of compost and digging to make the soil really
good.

A major problrm can be drainage, you get water puddling on the
surface. The only way round this id deep digging ie two spade depths
in the effectd areas.

Regular digging needs to be done in Autumn, the frost breaks up the
lumps.
I also chuck any worms I find in there, it all helps. :-)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://ww...
quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

An acre is big for an allotment, certainly more than you can dig by
hand unless superfit & lots of time/helpers.
If you are just starting out why not fence part off and have pigs?
They dig it up wonderful, eat all the weeds and crap everywhere. You
need a good fence with barbed wire along the bottom to keep them in. A
couple of years of pigs fixes most of your problems & provides a
wonderful soil.. If you can stand the stench. :-)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I should think that the OP is talking about the alotment site, not just his
alotment

.................................................. ..........................*............

But don't you think he might be asking questions for the benefit of others?
Not everyone is of the 'I'm all right Jack' nature. I know that from what I
do in life :-))

Mike

--

...................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
...................................- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Very possibly, but pigs would be a drastic idea, they would hava a
whale of a time if they got into a planted area.
I would want to see just what the soil was like, some peoples idea of
clay is others lightish soil.
In Hastings we had true clay, if wet it stuck to your spade, if dry
you could build a house with it, but it grew good Veg.
David Hill

"Dave Hill" wrote in message
...
On Jan 31, 6:08 pm, "'Mike'" wrote:
"Dave Hill" wrote in message

...
On Jan 31, 4:03 pm, harry wrote:





On Jan 31, 11:21 am, mogga wrote:

On Mon, 31 Jan 2011 02:56:24 -0800 (PST), harry
wrote:

On Jan 31, 10:13 am, mogga wrote:
We've been told we can't go on until after contractors have been
back
in February. We've already got a good idea that the soil is clay so
what's the best plan of action?

I've read that digging clay in spring is a waste of time as it'll
dry
out and turn to bricks on the surface ... and that mulching is the
way
to go...

So what would you do with a clay allotment for the first year
assuming
we get on in March.

(And there's no water to the site at the moment)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://ww...

I had the same problem. You need to get lots of organic material dug
in. I f you can get something like a few tons of horse/cow shit,
rotted down if possible or maybe mushroom compost, if locally
available.

I had ten tons of sharp sand delivered. You need to throw it about
and

Our site is about 1 acre - how much would we need? I suspect it's tons
and tons..

rotovate it in, Most rotovators don't really go deep enough but it's
a start.

Even so, it takes years of compost and digging to make the soil
really
good.

A major problrm can be drainage, you get water puddling on the
surface. The only way round this id deep digging ie two spade depths
in the effectd areas.

Regular digging needs to be done in Autumn, the frost breaks up the
lumps.
I also chuck any worms I find in there, it all helps. :-)

--http://www.bra-and-pants.comhttp://www.voucherfreebies.co.ukhttp://ww...
quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

An acre is big for an allotment, certainly more than you can dig by
hand unless superfit & lots of time/helpers.
If you are just starting out why not fence part off and have pigs?
They dig it up wonderful, eat all the weeds and crap everywhere. You
need a good fence with barbed wire along the bottom to keep them in. A
couple of years of pigs fixes most of your problems & provides a
wonderful soil.. If you can stand the stench. :-)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I should think that the OP is talking about the alotment site, not just
his
alotment

.................................................. .........................*............

But don't you think he might be asking questions for the benefit of
others?
Not everyone is of the 'I'm all right Jack' nature. I know that from what
I
do in life :-))

Mike

--

...................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
...................................- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Very possibly, but pigs would be a drastic idea, they would hava a
whale of a time if they got into a planted area.
I would want to see just what the soil was like, some peoples idea of
clay is others lightish soil.
In Hastings we had true clay, if wet it stuck to your spade, if dry
you could build a house with it, but it grew good Veg.
David Hill

.................................................. ...............................

There is of course the matter of deeds and permission to keep pigs. It was
in the deeds to may last house which had a large garden, well, half an acre
which as everybody has been informed is a lot larger than the postage stamp
MY WIFE has now, that we could keep 1 pig to the acre ;-))

Mike
Who is NOT the President of the Royal Air Forces Association ;-))


--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

"'Mike'" wrote in message ...



There is of course the matter of deeds and permission to keep pigs. It was
in the deeds to may last house which had a large garden, well, half an acre
which as everybody has been informed is a lot larger than the postage stamp
MY WIFE has now, that we could keep 1 pig to the acre ;-))

Mike

One pig to the Acre --- unenforcible.
You can either keep them or not ---- enforcible
(Snippo please btw0

Pete

"'Mike'" wrote in message ...



There is of course the matter of deeds and permission to keep pigs. It was
in the deeds to may last house which had a large garden, well, half an acre
which as everybody has been informed is a lot larger than the postage stamp
MY WIFE has now, that we could keep 1 pig to the acre ;-))

Mike

One pig to the Acre --- unenforcible.
You can either keep them or not ---- enforcible
(Snippo please btw0

Pete

"Pete" wrote in message
...


"'Mike'" wrote in message ...



There is of course the matter of deeds and permission to keep pigs. It was
in the deeds to may last house which had a large garden, well, half an
acre
which as everybody has been informed is a lot larger than the postage
stamp
MY WIFE has now, that we could keep 1 pig to the acre ;-))

Mike

One pig to the Acre --- unenforcible.
You can either keep them or not ---- enforcible
(Snippo please btw0

Pete

That was the stupid thing. 1 pig per acre. We had half an acre. I guess it
was from the original plot which was one acre and had two houses on it, but
one fell down. The plot was divided years later to two plots and a new house
built.

Mike


--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

"Pete" wrote in message
...


"'Mike'" wrote in message ...



There is of course the matter of deeds and permission to keep pigs. It was
in the deeds to may last house which had a large garden, well, half an
acre which as everybody has been informed is a lot larger than the postage
stamp MY WIFE has now, that we could keep 1 pig to the acre ;-))

Mike

One pig to the Acre --- unenforcible.
You can either keep them or not ---- enforcible
(Snippo please btw0

Pete

In the deeds to my house it says I can keep pigs providing they are 75 yards
away from the road frontage. I have only 1/4 acre but the garden is long
and narrow so could easily be done. It doesn't specify how many I can have,
presumably I could fill the rest of the length of the garden with them if I
chose! it's 156 yards long in total. Quite a few pigs.
There are some things I am not allowed to do that are specified in the
deeds. I cannot be a tallow candler maker or manure merchant by way of
business. The first is ok but the second might be hard to stick to if I
had a lot of pigs, which may be a cunning plan to make sure you limit
yourself to a couple for your own use.
My house was built in the 30's. My road has an interesting history. It's a
way out of the village and plots were available for ex-servicemen returning
from WW1. Some plots were up to 2 acres but most were smaller. The idea
was they could be self sufficient and feed their families at least until
they got back on their feet.
All sorts of weird wooden constructions were put up to serve as living
accommodation on these plots and were gradually replaced over decades as
finances improved - there is hardly a house the same. When I came here in
the early 80's there were still several wooden "bungalows" and even a man
living in a railway carriage on his plot, still living the "good life"
Alas, as the older people have died, their children have sold the land off
for building twee bungalows on each plot. It breaks my heart.
Not just for myself, because I saved and saved and saved to get here - to a
place I could keep my livestock, but because places like this are/were
achievable with a no spend policy for years to save for it- for a young
person who goes for it, I managed it.
I have a fancy to put in my will that my house & land should be rented to
someone who has a dream of trying self-sufficiency rather than leave even a
part of it to my younger brother, who when I had cancer, came to see me and
wanted have a tour of the garden to see how far it went..
Unluckily for him, despite the docs saying very firmly that I would die, I
didn't. Since he never gets in touch with me from one Christmas day to
another it is very unlikely that he will inherit.
My second choice would be that a wildlife hospital could rent it, cheaply.
They'd have to pay something to cover maintenance of the house, of course.
It's perfect for a wildlife hospital.