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Using Compost

• Message 1. 

  Posted by sweetbelle (U2787016) on Monday, 19th December 2005

  Hi everyone
  
  I applied for an allotment a few months ago and was offered a half plot which I accepted. I have decided to make raised beds as it will be easier to keep the weeds down and I won't be compacting the soil...
  
  My question is how much compost should I use in these beds? I have found a local firm that makes compost but don't know how many bags to use per bed (each bed will be 10m length x 1.2m width x 0.1m depth) - can you help? The bags they sell are 50 litres....
  
  Any other tips much appreciated!
  
  Sweetbelle

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by welsh_gardener (U2642272) on Monday, 19th December 2005

  have you thought about digging in some rotted manure? ive taken on half a plot myself & realied that it would take some time before i had my beds set out & in the growing swing. what ive done is concentrated on setting out four beds that will be used for next years veg & focussed on one bed to ensure its draining well & fertility improved by double digging & adding lots of rotted manure to the topsoil. potatoes will be grown here this year & will move onto another bed next year which will be prepared in the same way. by this method my beds would all be improved over time & i wouldnt then be faced with the cost of buying quite a few bags of compost.
  if you just want to fill your beds with compost then i would guess around one 50ltr bag would cover approx 4ft x 4ft? the soil there cant be too bad if its an established allotent? take a look at the soil there 1st, it may be fertile & just needs some working over. then theres always the no dig system....
  good luck

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by stevford (U2070686) on Monday, 19th December 2005

  Hi. I agree with the welsh chappie. Concentrate on one plot at a time. Carrots, salads, peas and beans and greens can be grown in all the others. It will take about four years to get all the beds and rotation going. Good manure and your own compost are best. Don't lose heart at the start and most of all appreciate what you have achieved rather than dwell on what is left to do. Last tip; take a chair and a glass of wine to your plot and take some time to enjoy it.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by sweetbelle (U2787016) on Tuesday, 20th December 2005

  Thanks for the advice. The soil looks good actually, not too heavy or too light... It looks like it has been recently cultivated - there are of course some weeds but you can still see where the beds used to be... I guess that's good then!!!
  
  The bags of compost were going cheap I thought (£2 / bag). They also sell manure produce by Paignton Zoo in Devon.... Has anyone heard of this? I wonder how it might compare to horse manure!!! Hi. I agree with the welsh chappie. Concentrate on one plot at a time. Carrots, salads, peas and beans and greens can be grown in all the others. It will take about four years to get all the beds and rotation going. Good manure and your own compost are best. Don't lose heart at the start and most of all appreciate what you have achieved rather than dwell on what is left to do. Last tip; take a chair and a glass of wine to your plot and take some time to enjoy it. 

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