Advice welcomed on grass/weed removal..

This was the plot I initially took over. As you can see its fairly overgrown and in need of some hefty doses of gardening TLC.

Most of what you see in the picture has now been heavily strimmed down. I've attempted to dig over some runs in fairly coarse lumps.

The problem that I'm having is that I want rid of ??grass?? and other weeds that regrow in less time it seems for me to lock the allotment gate!

Using chemicals is not something I wish to use, namely down to enviromental and economical reasons, but I cant see myself pulling up 500sq/m of weeds and grass by hand!

I've had a look around other plots in a similar state and using carpet doesnt seem that effective, the grass just turns yellow and the carpet just rots in place.

So I'm wondering if there is another alternative that you would recommend in preparing this overgrown allotment.

I'm not expecting overnight results on this but I would be nice to be able to start growing something in my first year.

Thanks in advance of your help.

[ 13. January 2007, 02:00 PM: Message edited by: Jayce_K ]

 

Hi
If you wanted to you could buy a small bit of black polythene and cover small areas at a time. Or you could spend weeks digging it by hand.I wouldgo for the black polythene.

kind regards boygardener

 

Since you've aready done what I'd do as the first move, that is, strim the lot, get it down to a more manageable level, and let you see better what you've got......

I'd then go round the full area, removing the perennials so I didn't have to worry about them self-seeding.

Then I'd go for the next step of marking out where I wanted things to go, and work principally on the areas that are going to be the beds.

Then methodically (!!) double dig the beds....turning over the grass, and letting the frost do its work on the clumps of eath. On the paths, I'd do the carpet or black polythen thimg.

That's what I'd do - but I'm sure you'll get plenty of other people suggesting alternatives.

Good luck - it'll be hard work, whatever you do, but well worth it! :D

 

I go along with Dendro. Avoid chemicals and don't rotovate as that just chops up perennials and spreads them around even further. A heavy duty strimmer is the main tool at this stage. You need to keep the grass short so that you can see what you are doing. Regular strimming will also weaken perennials and stop weeds from seeding.

Get a sheet of paper and plan your land. Work out where you want beds and where you want paths. Do you intend to make raised beds? How will your crop rotation system work?

Once you have a plan on paper, you can mark it out on the closely strimmed land. That gives you maneagable plots to concentrate on. Digging a single bed is psychologically acheivable - digging a whole field of rank grass isn't! Dig the turfs up and either leave them grass side down or remove them to a place when you can stack them grass side down. A great heap will soon rot down into super quality loam.

You have a year's work of preparation ahead of you, but do it in maneagable chunks and don't be tempted to use quick fix chemicals.
Good luck! Show us some more photos as your year unfolds

 

Reminds me of our upper garden when I first moved here, it was a field once used as rough pasture but left overgrown for about 10 years. we strimmed it as short as we could and then mowed it. We 'cut out' bits at a time and planted them once fully prepared. It has taken a number of years to bring the whole lot under control.
Still got about 1/3 rd of an acre in the lower garden as yet untouched apart from putting pigs in to root out the nettles and brambles. Worked very well.

 

Some excellent input!

I think I'm going to go with a combination of Dendrobrium's & Hornbeams suggestions.

I never gave it any thought of putting the grass aside, but I'll start 'skimming' is that the word? and putting it in a heap to rot down.

I have done a rough sketch on how I would like the plot to look long term (a few years time? less would be nice!).

As for crop rotation that as a subject I'm going to have to bring myself upto speed on.

But I will certainly post up some more pictures as the work continues.

Thanks again for the replies.

[ 13. January 2007, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: Jayce_K ]

 

Heres some pictures of what I've managed to do so far.

Its not nearly as much as I would like to have done but then Rome wasnt build in a day.

The weeds are starting to be somewhat bothersome.

I've spoken to several people now about the weed problem. The replies are as varied as the style of allotments to be found.

It seems that there is no single 'best works' solution for this problem.

The most colourful suggestion put forward so far (with all the expletives deleted) was this one,
"Dont listen that lot down there, you can leave carpets, black plastic and wood on that land and they would still come back, what you need 'son' is a kilo or so of Sodium Chlorate or failing that about fifteen quids work of Roundup".

[ 03. March 2007, 07:16 PM: Message edited by: Jayce_K ]

 

:D Like the 'colourful suggestion' Jayce K :D
It is up to you whether to use a chemical herbicide - some people use it initially to clear the ground of the worst weeds and then garden organically from then on, although my personal opinion is that it's best if you can manage without using chemicals at all.
I think that you have made a very good start, you should be pleased with yourself
Just keep thinking about those delicious veg you are going to get :D

 

Thanks for your feedback. Its always appreciated.
I've spoken to a couple more experienced gardeners and allotment owners and it looks like I'm going to be using Sodium Chlorate weedkiller to kill off the most severely affected areas.

Probably to the disdain of my neighbouring 100% organic allotment owners.

 

Sodium chlorate? We used to use that when we didn't want anything to grow ever again!! The Henry Doubleday Research Association has advice on their site: www.gardenorganic.co.uk - use the "search" function and put in "Chemical-free plot clearing". Seem to have quite a few good ideas! (I specially like the "digging party"... maybe I should have one of those. Bit of a way for folks to come, though!!)

 

I dunno Hyla arborea, could do with a break in the South of France right now, bring my spade shall I? :D :D

 

Eek!
I dont think I'll be using sodium chlorate then!
Maybe Roundup or something else then.

Thanks for jumping in with the advice though.

 

Well now, there's an idea, Blackthorn! Mind you, it's been as wet here as in the UK, and the clay here just sticks to the spade! :(

It did cross my mind, though, that if people wanted a week's B&B in exchange for a couple of days' help in the garden (all 3 acres of it!) then it might be arranged!!

Long way to the airport from North Cornwall, though! (My daughter lived at North Cliffs, near Portreath!) Could you disguise a spade as golf clubs???

 

We'll all be there, H-A! When can we come???? Will there be plenty of nice red wine?

I'm sure you could supply us all with spades, though - borrow from all your friends around...... :D

 

ALL? Three thousand and ninety-one of you? (I know, there are 3092 members - but I'm already here!!!) I couldn't find that many spades! And even if we put you all in the barn, it would still be VERY friendly... But seriously - there may genuinely be some mileage in the idea... and they DO fly to Toulouse from Glasgow! I shall consult the Delphic Oracle (aka Mrs H-a...) and the diary, since our tourist season is about to start!

Maybe I should post some photos of what you'd be facing... I bet that'd cause a few second thoughts!!! :D