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i have just taken over a field of around 1 and a half acres of land
it was used as allotments before but not been work on for a long time
im all for no dig gardening
the other day i watched the back to eden film
my question is does using just wood chipping really work on their own or would it be better using compost and manure with them or not to use them at allMuch depends on the state of your soil and the plants growing there now. Probably a lot of perennial weeds if it was allotments, so at least 6 months of light excluding mulch is required, probably more.
I think Back to Eden is a US film? If so the climate is diiferent to here and that affects things too, especially as they seem to have less slugs and can use thicker mulches of less decomposed organic matter.What organic matter can you source cheaply and close to your land? How much of it do you want to grow on next year? – I suggest that less is more when you do it well. What do you plan to grow? All these things influence how to clean the soil, and how much of it you need.
This sounds brilliant, I would fill the beds to overflowing, on top of whatever is growing, with the well rotted manure, as eight inches will smother nearly all regrowth. Then firm it down (tap with spade or push down with foot) and perhaps cover with half to an inch of fine compost which you may need to buy, for easier sowing and planting. OR if the manure is really well broken down you can sow and plant into it, especially as by next spring the surface will have weathered to a tilth, after running a rake through it.
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