Although there are some very hardy, dedicated plotholders out there, many of us become less frequent visitors to our plots during the colder months. Here are some quick but essential autumn and winter jobs to ensure your plots are in a fit state for your spring planting. Choose a dry day, wrap up warm, wear suitable boots with good non-slip grip (it’s really muddy up there at the moment!) and off you go….. Read more ›

…Get composting!: Adding organic matter through composting is the best way to improve your Rosendale allotment’s heavy (but potentially very fertile) clay soil.

Why compost?: The joy of composting is that waste material can be turned into something extremely valuable for soil fertility and healthy plant growth. Well-made compost is full of the life that soil needs, and that plants need in turn. Healthy soil and compost are hosts to micro-organisms, and this microbial activity makes nutrients available to growing plants.

The soil at Rosendale allotments: Heavy clay soils are prone to compaction but have high levels of mineral nutrients and can be the most fertile of soils if a good structure can be developed. Organic matter, especially in the form of living compost, will improve structure, aeration, permeability and drainage, increase resistance to erosion and boost nutrient availability. No wonder some call compost ‘black gold’!

Taking action: So this autumn, don’t burn your organic matter – instead try composting any weeds and waste plant material. Please read our basic guide, click here for a pdf. If you need further advice or help with composting click here to contact the RAA sustainability group or fill in the form on the ‘Contact us’ page.