Using cardboard to combat the weeds

[Hellbell]

Hi, Ive just got my first allotment and intend to start digging it over at the weekend. Should I clear a patch then cover it with cardboard/carpet to stop the weeds growing back, or just cover the weeds that are there with the cardboard to kill them off? How long does it need to be down in order to kill the weeds off? Planning to clear enough space to get some tatties in the ground first then carry on clearing the rest. Thanks, Hellbell

[binley100]

Cardboard good, carpet bad....... Leave the cardboard down and plant through it.......

[Lazgaot]

Cardboard good, carpet bad....... Leave the cardboard down and plant through it.......

This might be difficult with tatties. I'd dig carefully, clearing all the weeds and roots as you go and cover over till you have time to plant it up. If you can get hold of well rotted manure add a good layer to your dug beds.

[Hellbell]

Great, thanks for your advice. Shall be back for more soon Im sure!

[Two_Sheds]

Dig what you can before you need to plant. If you can't dig or can't plant yet, get it covered with cardboard or layers of wet newspaper (weighted down with soil or stones)

When plants are deprived of light they weaken and eventually die, making digging much, much easier

[zazen999]

This might be difficult with tatties. I'd dig carefully, clearing all the weeds and roots as you go and cover over till you have time to plant it up. If you can get hold of well rotted manure add a good layer to your dug beds.

It's not. Just use a bulb planter, make a hole in the cardboard and plant through. Lift the cardboard to harvest your first potatoes, and put it back again for the rest to grow on.

[FionaH]

It's not. Just use a bulb planter, make a hole in the cardboard and plant through. Lift the cardboard to harvest your first potatoes, and put it back again for the rest to grow on.

Its true! I followed this advice last year and had a great crop

[Kristen]

or just cover the weeds that are there with the cardboard to kill them off? How long does it need to be down in order to kill the weeds off?

A long time, sadly. For annual weeds they will germinate and then die in the darkness. For pernicious perennial weeds it will take all season for them to die - they aren't pernicious weeds for nothing

The more root you can get out the better, covering with cardboard and planting-through will help with anything you miss (and reduce the amount of work through the year ), but any weeds that come up that you pull the tops off (with a hoe, by hand, etc.) will further weaken them and they will die over a season or two.

Adopt a policy of "Never let them see a Sunday"

Weed seed is the other problem - the saying goes "One year's seed, 7 year's weed" - so work hard to prevent any weeds seeding on your plot, and keep weed seed out of the compost heap, but it will still blow in from around-about your plot. But weed seedlings, hoed off, will not regrow, so its not a big problem, provided you don't let them get a foothold.

[Jono]

Adopt a policy of "Never let them see a Sunday"

I like that very much!

Alys Fowler wrote a good column on using cardboard this week: Alys Fowler: Lasagne gardening | Life and style | The Guardian

[Alison]

It's not. Just use a bulb planter, make a hole in the cardboard and plant through. Lift the cardboard to harvest your first potatoes, and put it back again for the rest to grow on.

Its true! I followed this advice last year and had a great crop

It is indeed true, did it the first year I had my plot with no previous digging / weeding except to cut the growth back a bit and remove the rampant raspberry canes. Had an excellent crop and it was much easier to dig through when the spuds were harvested. I have a polytunnel over that bit now and the soil is lovely