improving my soil.

bordercars

our soil is very sandy and nearly always dry. i put a spade in 1/2 deep way in today turned it over and it was dry dust. no wonder my grass is bad. last autumn i managed to get as much horse muck no straw just the dung as i wanted, i spread a load over a cleared area about 3" deep and now am turning it in. is this enough or should almost double dig a load in or get some with straw in, starting to rot down. i have plenty of green manure seeds ( mustard and red crimson) i could grow but really want to get the grass started at the first chance.

Linda32

What is the soil like now after you put the muck in last year? I think its too late now to sow green manure as a soil improver.

If the soil it still like dust, and I do know what you mean, we have that under our conifers at the front. I doubt grass will grow in that, its too fine. Best thing I can suggest is to read the instructions on the boxes of grass seeds. HTH

bordercars

thanks Linda, yes it's still like dust in about 50% of the area. i dont mind leaving the grass seed till an autumn sow so long as the stuff grows and grows well. as far as i can see at the moment all i have done is add goodness, there is no fibre to the soil if you know what i mean.

Lotus-eater

Linda32 wrote: »

I think its too late now to sow green manure as a soil improver.

I don't think you can really class green manures as a soil improver. At very very best, they will hang on to the nutrients in the soil and add a tiny bit of nitrogen (if you sow beans/peas/clover)