Vegetable patch

Lady Davenport

Hi all. I've recently dug up an area that I would like to use as a vegetable patch I hope to begin using in the spring. I dug down deep and took all of the rubbish out of the ground that the builders had left behind, but one thing I notice was there wasn't a worm to be found! Could anybody advise me if there is anything I can do to improve the soil?

I've also taken out the large stones and have covered the area with black bags. Any other tips would be wonderful

Rujib1

Lady Davenport wrote: »

Hi all. I've recently dug up an area that I would like to use as a vegetable patch I hope to begin using in the spring. I dug down deep and took all of the rubbish out of the ground that the builders had left behind, but one thing I notice was there wasn't a worm to be found! Could anybody advise me if there is anything I can do to improve the soil?

I've also taken out the large stones and have covered the area with black bags. Any other tips would be wonderful

Get yourself a load of farmyard manure. Min 2 years old if possible. Usually crawling with worms. Dig it in. Does wonders for the soil.

After your builders, the soil was probably compacted by heavy traffic, diggers, dumpers etc,. Compacts the top layer of soil and drives the worms down!

Lady Davenport

Rujib1 wrote: »

Get yourself a load of farmyard manure. Min 2 years old if possible. Usually crawling with worms. Dig it in. Does wonders for the soil.

After your builders, the soil was probably compacted by heavy traffic, diggers, dumpers etc,. Compacts the top layer of soil and drives the worms down!

Brilliant, I'll give that a go. Thanks Rjuib

The Sweeper

If there was a lot of rubble and crap in there, I'd buy a soil testing kit and just check and see what the PH of the soil is. Then do precisely as indicated above - find some well-rotted organic material and mix it thoroughly through the bed.

deisemum

Raised beds are also worth considering as the soil wouldn't be compacted and you'd have improved drainage plus it may help minimise certain pests ie carrot fly if carrots are sown above 16" from the ground level.

Lady Davenport

Thanks for your replies Sweeper and Deise

I wouldn't have thought of raising the bed before, but I think thats they way to go! Once I've done this, I assume I've to cover the raised bed with black bags again? It wasn't badly weeded before I started or anything, but with all of the fertilizer going in I thought it might cause them to pop up everywhere.

I'll get the hang of it eventually

deisemum

Raised beds are also so much easier on the old back and knees.

I only started growing vegetables in May this year and my husband and son built raised beds and we just got some top soil. I go to my local GIY and that's where I'm learning as I go. I also use the BBC's Gardener's World website and it teaches you how to do things.

Lady Davenport

deisemum wrote: »

Raised beds are also so much easier on the old back and knees.

I only started growing vegetables in May this year and my husband and son built raised beds and we just got some top soil. I go to my local GIY and that's where I'm learning as I go. I also use the BBC's Gardener's World website and it teaches you how to do things.

I've just looked at the website, I love it! thanks Deise

old boy

your local garden centre should have organic farmyard manure in bags,
mix a bag of the manure with a bag of sand as you would mix concrete or plaster.
spread this heavily on the bed
it will work its own way into the soil over the winter.:::cool: