Hello! .. from Pontypool

[Tomo]

Thank you Jay-ell, plenty to mull ( mulch! ) over.
Regards,

Tom

[Bluenowhere]

Loads of good advise here already.

I’d concur while no dig is lovely in theory for me I simply don’t have the volume of compost required so I go for a combination approach. Have edged beds of a size so I don’t walk on them, fork over to get rid of perennial weeds, we have couch, horsetail (marestail) and docks in abundance - not helped by the plot opposite being a wilderness - and in year two I’m still getting those under control. Then I either cover with manure, or the heavy duty weed matting if I’m not growing or over the winter to suppress the weeds, next year I’m hoping to have some compost from my bin to use as well. This year the only areas of weed matting during the growing season was where I am intending to put the second polytunnel, delayed as ground there too hard to dig!

I’ve not tried green manures as slightly worried work will intervene at the wrong moment (I often have to travel at short notice) and they will seed everywhere but that’s personal choice, others on here seem to use and have no problems but I’m gradually building up each year so not adding at this stage what I see as a further complication to managing on the plot (i.e what is my green manure doing!).

As I started from scratch on a plot with no layout so I cleared the main path area of weeds and laid weed matting and wood chip (free deliveries to site by local tree surgeon). My basis being that I didn’t have the time or a petrol mower to cut grass as well and it was bound to add to my couch grass invasion as the communial paths are riddled with the stuff. I covered the paths between the beds with woodchip and hoed which kept the weeds to dull roar but this autumn I will dig out the perennial weeds and cover with matting.

[Tomo]

Loads of good advise here already.

I’d concur while no dig is lovely in theory for me I simply don’t have the volume of compost required so I go for a combination approach. Have edged beds of a size so I don’t walk on them, fork over to get rid of perennial weeds, we have couch, horsetail (marestail) and docks in abundance - not helped by the plot opposite being a wilderness - and in year two I’m still getting those under control. Then I either cover with manure, or the heavy duty weed matting if I’m not growing or over the winter to suppress the weeds, next year I’m hoping to have some compost from my bin to use as well. This year the only areas of weed matting during the growing season was where I am intending to put the second polytunnel, delayed as ground there too hard to dig!

I’ve not tried green manures as slightly worried work will intervene at the wrong moment (I often have to travel at short notice) and they will seed everywhere but that’s personal choice, others on here seem to use and have no problems but I’m gradually building up each year so not adding at this stage what I see as a further complication to managing on the plot (i.e what is my green manure doing!).

As I started from scratch on a plot with no layout so I cleared the main path area of weeds and laid weed matting and wood chip (free deliveries to site by local tree surgeon). My basis being that I didn’t have the time or a petrol mower to cut grass as well and it was bound to add to my couch grass invasion as the communial paths are riddled with the stuff. I covered the paths between the beds with woodchip and hoed which kept the weeds to dull roar but this autumn I will dig out the perennial weeds and cover with matting.

Appreciate passing your experiences. Time is also a consideration for me too ; due to work commitments, cAn currently only devote so much in a week.
With this in mind, I can relate to what you write regarding such matters.

Baldy kindly put up a few links to the no-dig movement , which I viewed with interest. If it not for the amount of compost that I would require, I think I would be on-board totally.

There really has been some good advice in this thread and plenty Of ideas I hadn’t considered.
If nothing else, it has reinvigorated me to take control of my plot and formulate a plan to take me forward.
Hopefully , throughout this autumn/ winter, I can gets the ideas from my head on to the allotment.

Regards,

Tom

[Jay-ell]

Tom, one thing to do is pester your neighbours - especially if they have garden waste bins. Offer to take all the garden waste off their hands and they can save the £12 a year or whatever it is.

You'll be getting grass cuttings now (you pile it on the beds a few inches thick to mulch and exclude light. It will break down over winter and improve the soil).

You can also get their shrub/tree/hedge prunings which if you have a shredder you can shred (easiest option) other wise bash with a hammer to open up the fibres and let the bacteria in and then cut into short bits. These will be carbon to add to a compost pile along with grass and any other green garden waste and other nitrogen. It'll all break down and if you get the pile large enough it can get pretty hot which will kill off seeds and help it break down quicker (you'll need to turn it a number of times to keep it hot)