Plough, rotovate or cover new plot? Help please!

[Curlykale]

I have just taken on a new allotment which was ploughed in the spring of this year then left until the weeds, thistles etc were chest high. It was then strimmed and sprayed and the weeds are just about dead now. I have noticed that there are new green shoots coming up, however, so I need to decide what to do with it now before we are back to square one.

My original plan was to get it ploughed again or rotovated, then cover it with black plastic, so I could uncover and work on it a bit at a time. I hope to build raised beds and add manure/compost etc as and when I get time over the autumn and winter.

Is this the best thing to do? Or should I just cover it now and leave it until early spring then do the ploughing/rotovating? I quite like the idea of doing it a bit at a time but don't want to make more work than is necessary.

In case it makes any difference, the soil is quite sandy and free-draining.

Any guidance gratefully received!

Thanks

[zazen999]

I'd cover with cardboard [free from supermarkets] weighed down with bricks, or even just shovelfuls of soil on top....and then dig over meter by meter. Plus, if it is sandy, the rotting cardboard will add much needed organic.

You can shove well rotted manure over the top of the card if you can get hold of any.

You can even plant through some of it next spring, just make holes and chuck potatoes straight in. That section will get dug over then when you harvest the potatoes.

[PAULW]

I would be inclined to dig the plot taking out the big noxious weeds, the growing season is coming to an end so there will be little regrowth of weeds over the winter by the time the weather warms up in the spring you will be on top of your plot and not fighting against the weeds growing faster than you can dig them out.

[Two_Sheds]

the weeds are just about dead now. I have noticed that there are new green shoots coming up, however

they will do. There will be 1000s of weed seeds just waiting for a bit of daylight to germinate them.
You need to cover (block the light).
Either with cardboard (it will rot down and improve the soil, whereas plastic will not), or with a green manure (which also will improve the soil)

[Pies]

The last thing id do is rotavate

[Snadger]

I would be inclined to dig the plot taking out the big noxious weeds, the growing season is coming to an end so there will be little regrowth of weeds over the winter by the time the weather warms up in the spring you will be on top of your plot and not fighting against the weeds growing faster than you can dig them out.

Ditto Paul!!!!!!!

Dig it all over at least once, mucking some areas and planting some stuff as you go.
Even a 'no dig' system will benefit from one initial digging then covering with a manure mulch to let the worms finish the work!

By spring whatever land isn't in crop already, will be ready to receive a crop!

[Curlykale]

Many thanks for all your helpful advice - I'm glad I asked otherwise I would have created more work for myself. I (obviously naively) thought that having it ploughed would do the same job as digging!

So much for my "no digging" plan

Off I go to the supermarket to beg some cardboard.....................

[nick the grief]

Many thanks for all your helpful advice - I'm glad I asked otherwise I would have created more work for myself. I (obviously naively) thought that having it ploughed would do the same job as digging!

So much for my "no digging" plan

Off I go to the supermarket to beg some cardboard.....................

Even No dig gardens need it doing once to get rid of compaction.

What you could do is dig the big stuff out and then rotovate some/all of it and buy some mustard seed as a green manure and then rotavate that in and cover with plastic. As the Mustard breaks down it releases gases that will sterilise the soil.