How to get new/healthy soil without using a rotavator on clay soil?

adamfairs

Lebene wrote: »

It was about 5-7 inches that I reached worms and 8-10 inches when the soil was more crumbly and softer.

I often don't find worms in the first few inches of soil. I wonder whether it's because the soil hasn't warmed up yet. Clay soil takes much longer to heat up than other types (but will retain its heat in the autumn).

Be careful about over rotovating as you can cause compaction below the surface. I'm not sure whether it'll fit in with you, but another option would be to dump loads and loads of manure on it and let the worms do their work and mix it into the clay. There is the no dig school of thought (that the RHS seem to be in favour of) that says turning the soil to the light destroys micro organisms which has effects up the food chain and reduces the productivity of the soil.

moneyistooshorttomention

Having also got this heavy clay soil, I've added a load of worms to it (as I spotted so very few when I bought the house).

So, I'm wondering whether I should go down the get a load of manure route myself and, if so, what type of manure. My thoughts are running over whether to contact a couple of nearby farms (as I would need such large quantities) and ask about cow manure. Does that sound feasible?

I'm also wondering whether its safe to use grass cuttings as a mulch on top of the soil, or whether any weeds in the grass (couch grass for instance) would then transfer into my soil with the grass?

adamfairs

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Having also got this heavy clay soil, I've added a load of worms to it (as I spotted so very few when I bought the house).

So, I'm wondering whether I should go down the get a load of manure route myself and, if so, what type of manure. My thoughts are running over whether to contact a couple of nearby farms (as I would need such large quantities) and ask about cow manure. Does that sound feasible?

I'm also wondering whether its safe to use grass cuttings as a mulch on top of the soil, or whether any weeds in the grass (couch grass for instance) would then transfer into my soil with the grass?

I'd have thought that you'll only get the quantities you need from horse or cow manure. On the occasions that I can get access to a trailer then the stables up the road let me take all I like. Otherwise, one of the local farmers uses a tractor to dump a load of cow manure over my allotment wall in exchange for a few quid on his tab at the pub (probably no good in the Summer if the cows are out in the fields). Definitely feasible!

As far the manure goes, the more well rotted it is, the better. It shouldn't smell. You want to avoid stuff with straw in it too, if you can be picky as this is carbon and to break that down nitrogen is drawn from the soil so you'll be causing your plants problems. (see http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/fundamentals/needs_carbon_nitrogen.htm ).

Beware you may introduce new weeds (personally, I think more so with cow manure) but other than that I'm not sure what there is to choose between them. Can anyone else help?

Be careful growing salads in manured ground - you could poison yourself and it causes parsnips and carrots to fork as they go nuts for all the nutrients.

Grass clippings are a great addition (see the link above about ratios of carbon to nitrogen) to compost but small bits of couch grass and bind weed will grow into new plants.

jj@8cv

I think "no dig" is the way to go. Try Charles Dowding's site at charlesdowding.co.uk. It will givw you all the information you need.