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Hi Folks
I'm back on the forum after a long absence last year because of holidays, family weddings abroad and other stuff.
I've been tackling my 3rd plot which I obtained last year mainly because nobody would take it on, to say it was neglected was an understatement.
It had been neglected for about 5 years as far as I could find out and is next door to my 2nd plot which is mainly to grow fruit bushes on. After cutting down 5 trees that had self set and the brambles and burning them over different areas to try and sanitise some of the soil using the heat I covered some of it with my thick black plastic while I decided a plan. I also where possible used my brush cutter to take the 6ft nettles down to the floor and composted them.
With the plot being cleared of the thick undergrowth it gave the bindweed an opportunity it couldn't miss and it proceeded to go mad with growth and cover the bottom end of the site. At the top end there were 3 fruit bushes which were very old and had brambles, nettles and couch grass and as the bushes were very old I decided to remove them and burn them on top of the ground I had just rough dug. I also dug over to about half the plot as most over the front area had been santised from the bonfires on it. Just before winter I sprayed the bindweed with herbicide to kill it and as much of the roots over the winter period.
I've planted winter Garlic, Shallots, red and brown Onions over the dig area and have proceeded to rough dig towards the bottom when possible and remove roots especially bindweed.
Now the best bit some pictures of progress, a wheelbarrow full of bindweed roots and also the dreaded black plastic the previous plot holder had put down over at least half the site, some of it buried.
This shows why you should NEVER use black plastic permanently on a site, stuff like bindweed just produces its roots and multiplies under it and then its impossible to get rid of unless you take up the plastic to dig it out.
I'm back on the forum after a long absence last year because of holidays, family weddings abroad and other stuff.
I've been tackling my 3rd plot which I obtained last year mainly because nobody would take it on, to say it was neglected was an understatement.
It had been neglected for about 5 years as far as I could find out and is next door to my 2nd plot which is mainly to grow fruit bushes on. After cutting down 5 trees that had self set and the brambles and burning them over different areas to try and sanitise some of the soil using the heat I covered some of it with my thick black plastic while I decided a plan. I also where possible used my brush cutter to take the 6ft nettles down to the floor and composted them.With the plot being cleared of the thick undergrowth it gave the bindweed an opportunity it couldn't miss and it proceeded to go mad with growth and cover the bottom end of the site. At the top end there were 3 fruit bushes which were very old and had brambles, nettles and couch grass and as the bushes were very old I decided to remove them and burn them on top of the ground I had just rough dug. I also dug over to about half the plot as most over the front area had been santised from the bonfires on it. Just before winter I sprayed the bindweed with herbicide to kill it and as much of the roots over the winter period.
I've planted winter Garlic, Shallots, red and brown Onions over the dig area and have proceeded to rough dig towards the bottom when possible and remove roots especially bindweed.
Now the best bit some pictures of progress, a wheelbarrow full of bindweed roots and also the dreaded black plastic the previous plot holder had put down over at least half the site, some of it buried.
This shows why you should NEVER use black plastic permanently on a site, stuff like bindweed just produces its roots and multiplies under it and then its impossible to get rid of unless you take up the plastic to dig it out.
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