Vegetable bed from a paddock

[Hugh33]

Hello,

I am a bit of a newby to this, but love the methods proposed on this site.

I am planning a largish vegetable plot (3m x 25m) on a paddock. Short grass as it has had sheep on it to keep it tidy.
I am planning to cover it with a layer of commercially bought compost and then cover with Yuzet Ground cover. Everyone is telling me to spray it with weed killer first,but I would rather not.

If I did this now, would it be viable to be planting some garlic on it by October? Is six months long enough for the grass to die?

Many thanks in advance to any responses.
Hugh

[charles]

That is a lot of ground, hope you want loads of veg.
You can cover it tomorrow and plant tomorrow, if there is min. 10cm/4in or preferably 15cm/6in.
Crops grow initially in the compost, then root into soil below after 3-4 months as the weed/grass roots die off.

[Hugh33]

Hello Charles and thank you for you speedy reply.

It is a large area I know. I have recently staked it out and was surprised by the size!
Basically I am planning it as a paying hobby – growing leeks, garlic and other things that need to be in the ground for a long time. There is a village community shop where i plan to sell the produce.

I am in two minds – wether to put compost down and then cover with the sheeting so that over time the compost will integrate with the soil or wether to cover the area for six months and then add the compost as a top layer.

Obviously growing leeks and garlic has a problem with the weeds as there is little ground cover.

[ElizaD]

Hello Hugh

Most of my raised beds were made over grass. I put down six inches of whatever compost was to hand and planted immediately. No need to wait.

Eliza

[Hugh33]

Thank you Eliza. I am going to try exactly this.

Many thanks

[Don Foley]

Hi Hugh,

A layer of compost 4-6″ deep is all that is required. However for a large area such as yours that’s a lot of compost to try and get hold of. You can do just as good a job by putting a layer of well saturated cardboard down first and covering this with a 3″ layer of compost. That will still give you a reasonable depth to sow a variety of veggies into immediately and it certainly will be ready for you Garlic in October.
I would strongly advise sowing something in the area now rather than leaving bare soil until Autumn.

Don.

[Hugh33]

Hi Don,

Many thanks for your reply.
That sounds a very elegant and neat solution!

Have you done this yourself? Would you consider sowing a green manure and then lightly digging this in July?

Hugh

[Hugh33]

Sorry – one more question.

I have access to a large supply of very well rotted horse manure.

Could I use this a first layer on top of the cardboard and then a layer of compost?
Just thinking how to use what I can get hold of rather than go out and spend…

[Don Foley]

Hi Hugh,

Well rotted manure, i.e., 2 years old, whether from cattle or horses is compost. This point does seem to cause a little confusion for people but manure is manure while it is decomposing and when completely decomposed it is compost.
Different people have different ideas on what constitutes well rotted but how I judge it is, there should be little or no evidence of bedding, i.e., straw.
I also get mine in about 6 months before I plan to use it so I can be reasonably confident its is sufficiently aged and I also turn it occasionally.

Don.

[Don Foley]

Hi again Hugh,

I meant to add that I have used the compost/cardboard and pure compost methods and they are equally successful.

Don.

[ElizaD]

And I planted into six inches of very well rotted horse manure over grass.

Eliza

[Author]

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