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Bumps and dips allotment

We have taken on an allotment on a slight slope and it is full of bumps and dips.

What soil should I use to fill in holes. I’m thinking 🤔 top soil. Also when I start the job to try and even the bumps should I work across width ways or in strips lengthwise.

I have added a pic.  Your advice would be most welcome.

PS it’s taken me four goes to get the pic the right way up!🤪

Posts

  • scrogginscroggin Posts: 437
    It's hard to see any major bumps or dips? From what I can see there, I would just roughly dig it over during the winter, let the winter weather break down the soil and during the spring rake the beds level.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I agree, when you dig it over you should be able to sort out any bumps/hollows.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    I agree dig it over but unless you have light soil don't rely on the winter weather breaking it down as we don't usually have the winter weather that we used to and you may be left with a plot full of lumps of wet soil, I did the same the first time that I dug my allotment plot over the first year we had a cold frosty winter with a couple of weeks of snow and when spring came around the soil broke up to a tilth, the second year when I dug it the same way we had a mild, dry winter and was left with large lumps of soil which needed to be manually broken up.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Dig it over, remove the weeds as you do so and bash the larger lumps with the back of your fork. 
    Then it should just need a light forking over and raking down in the spring to make a good tilth. 
    Enjoy … it’s cheaper than a gym membership and you get fresh air too.  Just don’t dig when the soil is so wet that it sticks to your boots. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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