I am now in my second summer of having an allotment which was really overgrown and had not been cultivated for many years. I cleared it as best I could and overwintered some brassicas in the first winter and last year did quite well with a range of crops incl sweet corn, corgette, peas, beans, beetroot, strawberries, rhubarb and blueberries – I was really quite pleased with my efforts.
However, I was ill last Autumn and so didn’t get to clear the plot and, with the very wet winter, have only just managed to get onto the plot again. There is still quite a lot of couch grass to be dealt with as well as general grass and weeds.
I have been reading a little about no dig which, as a disabled ‘gardener’. appears to be well worthwhile! I have also obtained a free 12’x 8′ greenhouse which I need to re-erect.
My plan (I think!) is to cover some with cardboard with cow muck on top and some with black plastic and cultivate some for planting now and also focus on the greenhouse.
My questions are:
1) if I do this, would the cardboard/muck area and black plastic covered area be ready to cultivate for overwintering next Autumn?
2) I guess that greenhouses/polytunnels are ideal candidates for no-dig? in building raised beds in the greenhouse, would I put a membrane down on the floor of the raised beds or leave the bottom open but lay a mulch along the bottom followed by compost and soil?
Apologies for long message but look forward to receiving replies