Moved to WIldernes Lane,  western fork, last summer for what it was. Gradually realising how little soil there is in the garden. Most places about a inch of black above the pale brown clay/sand. Anyone any suggestions on improving the soil eg a local source of horse or farmyard manure. What is the pale brown soil? What grows well in it? What vegatables do well? Any suggestions appreciated other than move somewhere else as we have got to like the village a lot. The variety club was a great intro.

Do you compost the shredded material? If so for how long? I have 2 piles of leaves but am told they can take a couple of years to break down. Apparently Prince Charles's garder mix their leaves with grass clippings and they say they can use them after a year. By the time I collected the leaves the grass was no longer growing so no clippings. Maybe next year I will keep the grass seperate to mix with the leaves to see if it works

I also have a pile of chipped Leylandi. Any suggestions on how to use it? Origionally planned to use it for paths but would rather improve the soil and grow something to look at and then put in paths.