Where on earth do I start with this weed filled plot?

[starloc]

If its strictly organic,do they allow cardboard use? , most card contains all sorts of rubbish, especially if it has any printing on it? inks often contain heavy metals and other such nasty things especialy now they are usually UV cure

It seems a bit silly if they dont allow weedkiller that has been tested and you know what is in it ( but i can see why they dont ), but to then allow any random cardboard, probably that has come from china that may contain all sorts of chemicals, Im not strictly anti chemicals in any way, but I like to know what is there and make the decision about poisons myself, something you cant know with a random lump of card

[horticultural_hobbit]

Start...in a corner. Having covered it, as advised. Take it one bit at a time. That way, it's not going to seem so overwhelming.

[Two_Sheds]

If its strictly organic,do they allow cardboard use? , most card contains all sorts of rubbish, especially if it has any printing on it?

Another thing to worry about then.

"In the manufacture of cardboard ... newsprint paper is used as one of the raw materials. Most of the conventionally used newspaper inks contain mineral oils.
Since they cannot be removed in the recycling process to a sufficient degree, they are found in food packaging made of recycled cardboard."

Great.

I'd always read that newspapers were now printed with vegetable ink, I've never seen it mentioned that they're printed with mineral oil. "Since 2004, 95% of American newspaper ink is now soy based, as opposed to petroleum based."

However, "it is not considered to be 100% biodegradable... because it is still mixed with additives, resins, pigments, and waxes." What is newspaper ink made of


http://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/349/questi...ther-foods.pdf

Concern over mineral oil in recycled food packaging - Health News - NHS Choices

[petebetros]

As long as it's not bleached or has lots of print on then surely worrying about the health drawbacks of lining a bed once with cardboard for a long period is perhaps a little excessive?

[starloc]

Another thing to worry about then.

"In the manufacture of cardboard ... newsprint paper is used as one of the raw materials. Most of the conventionally used newspaper inks contain mineral oils.
Since they cannot be removed in the recycling process to a sufficient degree, they are found in food packaging made of recycled cardboard."

Great.

I'd always read that newspapers were now printed with vegetable ink, I've never seen it mentioned that they're printed with mineral oil. "Since 2004, 95% of American newspaper ink is now soy based, as opposed to petroleum based."

However, "it is not considered to be 100% biodegradable... because it is still mixed with additives, resins, pigments, and waxes." What is newspaper ink made of


http://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/349/questi...ther-foods.pdf

Concern over mineral oil in recycled food packaging - Health News - NHS Choices

A lot of the printing inks are UV cure, they may make it sound good by being veg oil based, But like many resins these days they just sound friendly!

You can make most resins from natural things to make them sound friendly, for you react the oil with a strong acid such as acrylic acid and it will become an acrylate ester of the oil ,acrylates will UV cure on demand, these will cure to a solid with the correct additives, they use chemicals produced from aniline and cobalt ( and similar nasty things ) in the cure additives

In the past things like polyethylene glycol would be used to make the acrylate esters , but now they are changing to almost any natural oil , mainly because its lower cost, in many cases not any more enviromentaly friendly

They use the UV cure inks due to the inks not drying in the hopper or the plates, they only set as they go past a light, this makes the ink more waterproof on the package as well

[Lazgaot]

I'd start by strimming the lot right down to the ground and removing the debris to a compost heap. If you can, fork out all the docks, dandelions and thistles as you go.

Once you have a cleared plot map out your beds and paths and add soil from the paths to the adjacent bed, raising them slightly. Cover the beds with a layer of cardboard then cover with a thick layer (6" at least) of well rotted manure/compost.

You can plant into the top layer of well rotted compost immediately and over time the cardboard will breakdown and the compost will be incorporated into the soil by the worms. Carefully fork out any perennial weeds as soon as they come through taking as much root as possible. Hoe off any annual weeds as they appear.

Add another layer (4-6") of well rotted manure each year and you'll be on your way to a no dig system.
Good luck!

[toby6668]

Sounds like a really good plan. Thank you.

[b300y]

hi, just had this problem with my allotment was full of weeds i spent the day with a digging hoe like a spade bent on a 90, then used the fork into the barrow and moved to the bottom corner covered with thick black tarp, so it will decompose and stuff for next year. then finally used my rotovtor for the whole plot, took about 3 days but well worth it relly nice fluffy soil now, just hope im not to late to plant out.

[Two_Sheds]

fork out all the docks, dandelions and thistles as you go.

Do it when they are in flower: the roots have less hold on the earth then (or so it seems, they do come out easier)