When to cover your soil

LynfromSea

I’ve finished harvesting the runner beans and veg from my raised beds and I’m wondering whether it’s too early to cover the soil. Also is it a good time to mix in some good compost or best to wait until the spring. Any advise on that would be most welcome.

Fairygirl

I wouldn't mix in compost because the advantages will be lost by the time you come to use the beds in spring. However, if you have any spent compost - from annuals in pots, or similar, that will be of benefit just now - just to keep weeds at bay if nothing else  

If you don't use the beds for anything else, you could just cover them with any material you have - from plastic sheeting to old carpet etc, weighted down, which would do the same job, but doesn't look so pretty 

Nanny Beach

Me personally, mine are mostly covered in the next veg. I don't like to see the plot empty.

Fairygirl

A green manure might work too - depending on location and temps etc.

I'm guessing from @LynfromSea 's name - a coastal region might be a possibility 
Worth taking a look maybe?

LynfromSea

Fairygirl said:

I wouldn't mix in compost because the advantages will be lost by the time you come to use the beds in spring. However, if you have any spent compost - from annuals in pots, or similar, that will be of benefit just now - just to keep weeds at bay if nothing else  

If you don't use the beds for anything else, you could just cover them with any material you have - from plastic sheeting to old carpet etc, weighted down, which would do the same job, but doesn't look so pretty 
Thank you for your good advice. Much appreciated 

LynfromSea

Thank you for your good advice. Much appreciated

JennyJ

If you have access to manure that's fairly fresh, you can add that to the bare ground to break down over winter. Well-rotted stuff is better added in the spring (the same as compost).

Cardboard (the brown corrugated sort) can be used to cover the beds as an alternative to carpet or plastic, but needs a few bricks or something on top to hold it down. It will start to break down over winter and you can plant through it and add compost on top in spring.