How to clear an allotment.....?

[Cosmo and Dibs]

Thanks for all the input.

I am going to buy a compost bin and put in the weeds and grass that I cut down. But I've been told not to put the weed roots in it. Where do I put them? Do I have to take them to the tip?

Also, I am going to cover the plot. But what should I cover it with? I can't get my hands on any carpet, so was thinking of black bin bags or some kind of black vinyl. Where do you recommend getting the vinyl from (cheapest!)? And how do I weigh down whatever material I use? Bricks?

Thanks again.

[Eyren]

I put our weed roots in the green wheelie bin - the recycling company composts them at high temperatures to kill the germs, so I reckon that should do for couch grass! If you don't have a similar collection facility, I guess the tip is the only place. Or maybe store them in a well-ventilated bin and burn them when dry, if that's allowed (we can't have bonfires on our site, as the area that used to be more plots is now sheltered housing for the elderly).

You can get cheap plastic ground cover from the supermarkets in spring - everyone here seems to love Lidl and Wilkinsons, but since I don't have either near me, I can't comment. Tescos had some last year, but I can't remember when - last time I looked, their seasonal section of our local one was all Easter eggs.

I hold any ground cover down with bricks or bits of broken paving slab - most overgrown allotments seem to come with an assortment of useful odds and ends!

[Cosmo and Dibs]

Thanks, Eyren.

Yet another question- if I cover most of the plot and prepare one section at a time, will the weeds invade from the uncleared ground into my cleared sections? If so, how do I prevent this?

[Growem]

If you shove all your weeds into a heavy duty black plastic garbage bag and keep it airtight, they will eventually break down enough that you can dump them on the compost. You will know they are ready when they don't look like weeds anymore and there aren't any white wormy rhizomes squirming through the mess.

Oh, and yes the weeds will invade your cleared sections. That's what hoes were invented for!

[Eyren]

Thanks, Eyren.

You're welcome! I've been learning allotment-clearing the hard way!

Yet another question- if I cover most of the plot and prepare one section at a time, will the weeds invade from the uncleared ground into my cleared sections? If so, how do I prevent this?

Yes they will try to reinvade, especially stuff like couch grass, and there's not a lot you can do to prevent it. Planting through thick ground-covering plastic can help, but regular weeding is the only solution. I also cover newly-dug ground with cardboard and/or a thick mulch of municipal compost if I'm not ready to sow/plant into it immediately, to prevent my hard work going to waste.

However, even if the weeds do reinvade, if your soil is not compacted they are much easier to remove next time. I single-dug some of my beds last spring and have been careful not to walk on them, and this year I've been able to just turn the top layer over with a fork and remove the weeds from the lovely crumbly soil. I expect to have to repeat this process until the whole plot is completely under control, but it's either that or spend every hour I can spare on clearing the entire plot quickly - and I don't think my back is up to that!

[Cosmo and Dibs]

Regular weeding......I suspected that! Grrr!!

Does this sort of ground covering seem appropriate?: 10m weed control fabric, ground covering, 1m wide on eBay, also Weeds, Weed Pest Control, Garden Plants, Home Garden (end time 30-Mar-09 19:12:38 BST)

Can I get it cheaper elsewhere?

[Cosmo and Dibs]

One more question.........

Is a membrane sheet the same thing as a vinyl ground sheet? The membrane sheets I've seen say they let nutrients and water through to the plants......

[chocobed]

Quick advice: Memberane is woven, vinyl is a solid sheet. Don't allow debris to gather on top either, as weed seeds don't need much to root in and you don't want more weeds on top of your weed control!
IMHO, rotovating is great for established beds and annual weeds but not for uncleared ground. As mentioned before, you'll find you help the weeds multiply.
Anything that blocks out all the light, such as a thick layer of mulch or strawy horse manure, will help kill off weeds and if you cover it with memberane you can plant through. I'd advocate pumpkins for covered ground and potatoes for dug ground purely because the work needed to plant , earth up and harvest breaks up the soil.
Note: it's the work involved not the potatoes themselves!

[NOG]

I have loads of compost bins and keep one for weeds. Once it rotted I add it to the compost.

Or burn them.

Don't buy weed suppressant...go to the supermarket or industiral estate and get cardboard boxes.....use soil to weight them down.

I am not against Rotovating it good for mixing in Compost or breaking down the clods. But only after the weeds are gone.

[flowerofshona]

I find breaking wind is a good way to clear my plot

[Peter]

...On the positive side there aren't many other weeds under the brambles
Claire

There is always an upside to weeds with two exceptions, couch and bindweed.

Brambles will smother nearly everything once established and barring scratches are relatively easy to get rid of with the right tools.

[flowerofshona]

To protect your arms from brambles cut the top and bottom off a 2 ltr plastic bottle and slip onto your arms.

[Gwyndy]

1. You do not need a rotovator although they are great for breaking up compacted soil. (I have a Mantis but use it only very occasionally.) But do not use one until you have dug out all the weed and particularly roots of things like couch grass and bindweed.
2. Covering the plot will not kill off couch grass and bindweed. The roots will still be there!! There is no substitute for a bit of hard graft!!
3. The plot is ready for planting when you have got rid of the weeds and broken up the soil.
4. Waste disposal varies from site to site. I am on a Council owned site and we have two waste collection areas for compostable and general waste which are emptied once per week. Ask your site owner / manager / secretary.
5. When I clear an area that I am not going to use straight away I cover it with a tarpaulin. This stops the airborne weed seeds from undoing my hard work!!
6. My plot is divided in to 8 beds with paths in between plus a 'utility' area - shed, etc. - at the top. In the first year I managed to clear and plant about half the plot. The rest followed in the second year. This seems a reasonable approach if your plot is heavily overgrown. Talk to the site manager.
7. B&Q sells 'tarpaulins' (about 3.5 x 5 mtrs I think) for around £4. I use these and they are still OK after 3 years. I peg mine down with tent pegs - bought from a local market for about £1 for 12 - and then add a few bricks as well. There is no better way to annoy your neighbours than to land your flying tarpaulin on their plot. (I know because I found my neighbour's tarpaulin on my strawberry bed two days ago!!)

Good luck!!

[spennysaint]

Brambles will smother nearly everything once established and barring scratches are relatively easy to get rid of with the right tools.

OK, silly question but what are the right tools? I'm gonna start digging in the morning ! Have the wine in the fridge ready for tomorrow night Thinking i might need it

[snakeshack]

the right tools are probably a fork ,a spade ,a hoe ,a rake and in my case a petrol brushcutter/ strimmer.
I got my lottie last september and hope yours is better than mine was.
we cut all the bramble down to ground level and covered with builders membrane and tarpaulin from b&q.
I have been digging ever since and building raised beds from old scaffolding boards as i go,see pics both my boys in the pic are 6 ft 1 this will give you an idea of the extent of the bramble, the other pic is from feb this year. I also might be worth trying lasagne beds ,I have 2 at the moment and no weeds yet.
fill up the fridge ,buy a hot water bottle,dont dig more than half an hour without stopping,its not a race ,youre meant to enjoy it. the food is a bonus the first year.
GOOD LUCK