how should I clear my new plot?

[hailtryfan]

Hi all,

Just taken over the uncultivated half plot next to mine and I'm just mulling over how to clear it.

What I'm thinking of doing is strimming, rouch digging, then covering the entire plot with 6 inches of horse manure. I'm hoping the manure will stop the couch growing through and will be pulled down by worms to improve the heavy soil.

Thinking I will only plant spuds on the plot in the coming year and will dig out any roots as i plant these.

What do you think?

[binley100]

I'd try and lay down sheets of cardboard before the manure. But to be honest I think the only way to get rid of the dreaded couch grass is to dig it out...

[denise]

Cardboard works wonders, we used this and were amazed by the results and the responsive (negative) from other plot holders.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm thinking of ... 6 inches of horse manure. I'm hoping the manure will stop the couch

Go the cardboard route, to completely block the light. You can then top with horse muck. Carpet is OK, but not as good as card or wet newspapers, topped with whatever to hold it down.

Cardboard is good, but the best results I ever had on couch was an old fence panel on top: after 6 months barely anything was alive underneath, just a few straggles of bindweed root.

[hailtryfan]

Thanks for the advice peeps
We're not allowed to use carpet on our plot but the rules don't mention cardboard. Does the cardboard rot down pretty quickly?

I was hoping the worms would pull some of the manure into the soil for me improving it slowly but think the cardboard would stop them. Am I wrong?

Any idea where I can procure 100 square metres of cardboard?

Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

Collect cardboard from the back of shops

It rots down steadily, especially when wet. Same with newspaper: not too thick though.

Cardboard won't stop worms, because cardboard is an organic material and will rot like everything else. In fact worms love it, and will congregate underneath

[hailtryfan]

Thanks Two Sheds. Looks like i'm heading to the shops tomorrow then.

[geoff]

I used cardboard, newspaper, and paper sacks that had contained flour and sugar, all topped with a thick layer of manure. Got it free from a stables, they were glad to get rid of it and delivered a trailer load to my plot - that's about eight tons!
Spend a while with a cup of tea and pick over the cardboard to remove packing tape, sticky plastic lables and so on. Also check the sacks are all paper, and don't have a plastic lining
This didn't kill all the weeds, mainly buttercup, but it did reduce them considerably, and made it easier to dig out the remaining ones
Do it now and it will all rot over the winter, ready for digging in in the spring