new allotment

[Fugazi]

Well, I've actually had it about six months but have only been able to start work on it in the last month or so. It is a half plot in Regate, Surrey. Completely infested with couch grass but I am slowly getting rid of it. There were other plots available which required less works, but this one has an amazing view of the North Downs, so I thought it would be worth the extra graft. I'm pretty new to vegetable growing (having only grown tomatoes and slad beofre so have really joined this site for advice from more experienced allotmenteers (?).

[StaryD]

Welcome to the vine Fugazi!!!!
Couch grass is a major pain in the backside, just go a bit at a time and before you know it, it will be done

[Fugazi]

Thanks, StaryD. I'm slowly getting rid of it but there seems to be endless scraps of root in the soil and I could easily spend a whole day picking it out without even making a dent. Ho hum, I suppose i'll get there in the end.

[veggiechicken]

Hello Fugazi and welcome to the Grapevine. Pity about the couchgrass but at least you can look at the view to take your mind off it
If you put your location on your profile it would help us to understand your local weather conditions

[Fugazi]

Cheers, Veggie. I have updated my profile - thanks for the welcome!

[shepp726]

welcome,
am new here myself and have found loads of useful info, (probably to much as my head spinning, lol).
members help where they can, am finding it a godsend......

[Florence Fennel]

Hello and a very warm, if somewhat belated, welcome to the Vine

[Katie&Seb]

We also have lots and lots of couch grass! Do we literally need to get rid of every single little last bit? This explains more:
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eds_70761.html

[Verinda]

Hello, welcome to the forum!

[Two_Sheds]

Do we literally need to get rid of every single little last bit?

Yes.

If you don't, it will continue growing, through (literally, in the case of potatoes) your crops. Once it gets entwined with things like raspberry roots, you'll have to dig EVERYTHING out and replant.

It is a pioneer weed, and an extremely successful one. It spreads by seed and by root. Its roots pierce wooden edging.


To make it easier on yourself, cover as much of it as you can (I think this has been explained already) under cardboard, wet newspapers etc. Blocking the light will stop it spreading, and will weaken the roots considerably.
Dig out a section at a time, then immediately plant up or cover that section and work on another section.

Do NOT try and dig it all out of the whole plot before you plant anything: it's impossible. It grows faster than you can dig.

Don't despair: after about 6 years you'll be winning


for the record, I am digging it out of our school's garden for the 4th year running. It's all under the decking where I can't get at it, so it just spreads & spreads from there. All I can do is keep on top of it, and get as much out as I can at the start of the year.

[Mr Bones]

Hello and welcome from another noob. Couch tends to recolonise in the upper layer of soil so as you clear each section maybe leave a one foot deep trench around the edge so you can spot any trying to get back in.

[Martin H]

Hello and welcome from another noob. Couch tends to recolonise in the upper layer of soil so as you clear each section maybe leave a one foot deep trench around the edge so you can spot any trying to get back in.

That's exactly what I did when I cleared my first plot. I just edged it back a foot at a time until it was all done.

Two_Sheds is right about needing to get all the bits out though. I remember optimistically thinking that a few odd bits won't matter because I can control any regrowth with the hoe along with the annual weeds. Wrong! The roots ran through all my best potatoes, I hadn't realised that this would happen. So the second winter I was much more careful to get the rest out.

On the positive side, subsequent passes over the plot are much faster than the first one. You just look for the green shoots of re-growth and fork them out carefully.

[Two_Sheds]

The roots ran through all my best potatoes

Some call it spear grass round here, on account of the sharp roots it sends out. They pierce carpets, wood ... potatoes are easy meat.

If you cover couch grass with a carpet mulch, you must keep moving that carpet, otherwise the grass will grow through it and over it, until the carpet is firmly and impossibly enmeshed with the grass