Thanks for your most interesting replies.
On the last BBC Gardeners World programme they showed a gadget for making your own charcoal – a sealed tin can affair to be filled with wood and placed on top of a fire. A good idea which could be quite easily diyed I think.
Another ongoing experiment I am trying is with bails of straw, well soaked in comfrey tea, seaweed extract, some chicken manure and pee and wrapped in black plastic so that it should decompose rapidly. I intend to spread this in the autumn but should I cover it with cardboard or something to stop the nutrients from washing out or leave it uncovered?
Has anyone any other ideas on how to introduce more humous and nutrients into poor soil?
My allotment is on a steep Welsh hillside. We have a very high rainfall here and I think a lot of the topsoil has gradually washed down to the bottom of the plot where the most productive soil is. I am gradually terracing it currently with damaged concrete roof tiles which do not look very pretty but at least will not rot and are free from a friendly roofer.
