dingo bingo Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Morning all, So this year was my first GG in over 10 years. I was very late finding the plot so did minimal work - just cleared the nettles/brambles, dug over the soil aand added some compost. Results were good despite the minimal effort and I'm now excited to put in a lot of work over the winter to get the plot ready for next season. The main chunk of work will be clearing more brambles and nettles to roughly double the size of the plot (this year had 2 x 5m long beds for 10 plants). I was wondering if experienced GG'ers and/or gardeners know the best time of year to tackle that kinda job? Beyond that I was also thinking about how to manage the beds over winter - sow some green manure and dig in later? Cover with organic mulch? Cover with fabric/plastic mulch? When to start adding manure/compost? Any advice would be welcome, even a nudge towards an existing thread for me to read through. Cheers, DB. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco survivor Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Complete novice at cannabis growing but I've been growing fruit and veg outdoors for over 30 years. It's really important for me to turn over any ground I want to plant in and this is done before the winter sets in. There are a couple of reasons: 1) to add some well rotted manure into the ground. 2) to expose any pests that have decided to hibernate in the soil for the winter. Fox moth larvae are especially prevalent where I live so exposing them when the ground is turned over allows the robins to have an autumn feast and clears the ground of some very unwanted pests. I image a GG is as much about stealth as it is about prep work. Would too much prep work on the ground increase the risk of the plot being discovered? Look forward to following the grow diary 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dingo bingo Posted October 25, 2023 Author Share Posted October 25, 2023 Do you think there's a possibility of adding manure too early? I have enough spare time at the moment but not sure if it's too early. I'm fortunate in that respect, my plot is hidden away from everyone so I should be able to work through the winter no problem. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco survivor Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Just now, dingo bingo said: Do you think there's a possibility of adding manure too early? I have enough spare time at the moment but not sure if it's too early. I'm fortunate in that respect, my plot is hidden away from everyone so I should be able to work through the winter no problem. Just need to turn over the ground and add the manure before the heavy frost sets in. I normally wait until after daylight saving time has ended then pick a day a couple of weeks after that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchFox Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, dingo bingo said: Morning all, So this year was my first GG in over 10 years. I was very late finding the plot so did minimal work - just cleared the nettles/brambles, dug over the soil aand added some compost. Results were good despite the minimal effort and I'm now excited to put in a lot of work over the winter to get the plot ready for next season. The main chunk of work will be clearing more brambles and nettles to roughly double the size of the plot (this year had 2 x 5m long beds for 10 plants). I was wondering if experienced GG'ers and/or gardeners know the best time of year to tackle that kinda job? Beyond that I was also thinking about how to manage the beds over winter - sow some green manure and dig in later? Cover with organic mulch? Cover with fabric/plastic mulch? When to start adding manure/compost? Any advice would be welcome, even a nudge towards an existing thread for me to read through. Cheers, DB. since you are 100% sure of your plots regarding safety..... i whish all my plots were like that you can cut away above ground the brambles from now on....make sure no green pieces are left of intendet plot since a few cm can grow into a new bramble plant....leave the nettles since they will die of ...and are good for the soil. i would cover your 2x5 meter beds with ( camo) plastic end of febuary......and cut soil off from air going under it. ( it will stop weeds come up/ dy off any weeds growing there.....and under plastic the soil gets warmer so more groundlife which will make the animal ferts available for plants ) then you do not need to turnover the soil. ( google: no till gardening ) 4 weeks before adding the plastic ....you can just add/topdress a few cm of compost if you want.. ( i get this for free here...) i have no idea if it nessesary in your case since i dunno your soil. and for sure... i would top dress those beds with dried chicken manure... 200 cm x500cm x10cm = 1000 liter soil.... for every 10 liter soil take 1 teacup of dried chicken manure ( =100 gram.) soo for the 5x2 beds you need 100x 100gram = 10 kilo dried chicken manure. so it has 1 month to rain in....nature( groundlife and your free workers the worms will do all for you.... ) thats all you need.. ...more other ferts will over feed !! i dunno your soil....but you had succes so dont change a winning team. look/read all the pinned topics in this guerilla section.....! and like i said no till gardening....for google! succes! ps dried chicken manure has: npk 4/3/3 aprox 10% lime 2% mg all micro elements for our plant rest of weight is organics so bettering the soil. Edited October 25, 2023 by DutchFox 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow River Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 I don't qualify as an experienced guerrilla but I have cultivated an allotment for over a decade. I cover any beds that are finished for he year (I still have crops out just now, but not everywhere) with old bits of carpet to suppress weeds. Over the winter I will dig these over, bury Bokashi in trenches (slow release fertiliser) and this year I am going to experiment with sowing green manure to dig in later. I like @DutchFox's idea of the camouflage tarp. I have a few of these so might give this a try at one plot. Alternatively cardboard is free from your nearest recycling bin and rots down like a mulch. Or use both! I did not have time to put chicken manure in the soil before planting out this year due to late plot prep. But I would do that a couple of months before planting out next year... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Luchóg Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 23 minutes ago, Crow River said: I don't qualify as an experienced guerrilla but I'd say you've done as much work and research as a fella could do, in a short time, and I remember being as enthused and fanatical. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFord Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 The earlier you prep / get amendments in and cover ...the longer they will have to leach into the soil I will add you really need to decide how your going to plant out ? Too many amendments and too young a plant = scorched plants. Either start off at home or on site , once they root out a starter pot then crack on , the earlier you go out the more you can work the plants Most start off April and brink them on for a May plant out. Autos i kick off earlier to try catch late / April onwards and squeeze 2 runs in. Get a diary going and get the msot from the site and the experienced boys & girls on here. All the best with it mate 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchFox Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, Crow River said: I like @DutchFox's idea of the camouflage tarp. giant hogweed medio april tarps laid......few years ago this was made camo after picture... planted out begin may... in 3 weeks all weeds were dead and the soil was filled with worms no need to use the woods...just spot soil is as good as the wood... ..just cut off air going under the tarps... Edited October 25, 2023 by DutchFox 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFord Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Have you checked your soil ? Is it heavy clay , stoney , loamy ? Getting a good feel for what your working in will help get the most out of it Make the most out of mother nature , nettle tea & comfrey feed - both combined in a 2 step system can out perform most shop bought and its free. Never too early to start gathering kit like your canes & watering equipment ... make the most of the dark nights & mornings to transport stuff in 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow River Posted October 26, 2023 Share Posted October 26, 2023 18 hours ago, Michael Luchóg said: I'd say you've done as much work and research as a fella could do, in a short time, and I remember being as enthused and fanatical. Very kind of you to say so. I am a bit of a fanatic in general, this is true! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 26, 2023 Share Posted October 26, 2023 Next season I'm going to work smart not hard......watch this space Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow River Posted October 26, 2023 Share Posted October 26, 2023 @B-real, bit mysterious that. Care to expand on your ideas for working smart? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clean Green Posted October 27, 2023 Share Posted October 27, 2023 Anyone tried cutting nettles back and using them as a thick mulch layer over winter and then planting between what's left in May / June ? Or even a tarp or similar over the top of them ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 27, 2023 Share Posted October 27, 2023 @crowriver Gunna make sure water source is on site paired with bottomless fabric pots with narrow gauge chicken wire my spot I have is fantastic East to west sun south facing , the rabbits beat me this year also the ground was compacted with the rains lost some to root rot . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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