Can I Sow/Plant Straight into Manure?

[shelly]

Hi Charles,

We have just taken on another allotment and are trying to get it ready for planting this year using the no dig method. The site is on an old quarry and I have had to do some preliminary digging to remove very large stones, couch grass and bindweed.

Parts of the plot had been recently cultivated but about a third of it was just tall grass. So far we have laid down cardboard over the grass area and topped this off with about 15cm of cow manure.

The rest of the plot has been divided into 4ft beds and we have added layers of shredded paper, homemade compost, wood shavings from our chicken run and topped it all off with a thick layer of cow manure.

The cow manure we had delivered is supposed to be 2 years old, it has lots of red worms in it but some of the manure still appears to be less rotted – more like flattened “cakes” of wet straw than black, crumbly soil (I hope that makes sense!?)

Obviously March is now upon us and we are eager to plant our module sown broad beans and onion sets and potatoes onto the plot. My main question is, do you think it will be okay to plant into the top layer of manure? Do you recommend another layer of compost/soil on top of the manure or will the broad bean seedlings and onion sets and potatoes cope with growing in this medium?

I normally grow everything in modules before taking up to the allotment but would it be ok to sow carrots into the manure layer this year?

Is there any benefit in covering the beds with black plastic to encourage a bit of further rotting down?

Thank you in advance for your time and considerations, kindest regards, Shelly

[charles]

Hello Shelley, you have been busy.
The variable decomposition of manure does cause some problems. I know exactly what you mean by cakes of wet straw, really these need some breaking up while spreading. I often put them on paths or keep them on one side to decompose further.
It sounds like you have a good amount of well decomposed material on your beds and I think most veg including broad beans will be ok planted in that, but for sowing carrot and parsnip I would spread some fine compost on top, at least 3cm.
Your results this year will be good but probably not the best, year one is about building fertility and clearing weeds, as well as growing veg. Use a trowel to keep removing shoots of couch grass, aim to have beds and paths clear of it by the end of the year.
Enjoy the ride.

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