Conditioning soil after conifers

I have about 100 conifers around the borders of my property and am slowly chopping them down. The are very mature and are between 50 and 60 feet tall. I have removed all the lower limbs, some of which have been laying on the ground and have taken root.
There is plenty of light getting in now and wanted to know the best way to condition the soil as I have been to conifers suck all the goodness out of the soil and not a lot will grow there.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Adam

 

When you say chopping them down do you mean pruning them or removing them?

 

I am taking them down to 6ft so I can use the stump as posts to attach wire netting to them.
There will be no branches on them at all.

 

Right, I'm with you now. Conifers that tall will have created a huge root spread and I'll be surprised if you can dig the soil underneath them. You may have to cut off a lot of the roots before any preparation. If you can dig the soil over you will need to put as much organic matter as possible into it. If you have local stables then well rotted horse manure is a very good start, also compost to help condition the soil. If you are prepared to delay planting there is no need for grafting to dig this in, just spread it and worms will take it down for you.

 

Thank you for your advise.
I would love to get the roots out but I think it would be so difficult as some of the trunks are about 2ft wide and it would be such hard work trying to dig them out. If the soil is so acid would it be worth planting rhodies in this area?. I can get my hands a on cow manure, is that good enough instead of horse manure?.
Thanks

 

The Rhododendrons probably wouldn't survive there Damski. I'm not sure of the nutrients in cow manure. Perhaps you could post this question in the 'Compost and Fertiliser' forum for answers.