Really overgrown plot advice please

[BeBe48]

Hello All

I am about to take on another plot at the end of my existing one. This one hasnt been worked at all for about a year and is completely overgrown with couch grass and bind weed. What would be the best way to clear it? Spray with weed killer and then cover or just spray and leave uncovered? I worry that covering will encourage slugs and snails!

thanks

BeBe

[Hazel at the Hill]

I wouldn't bother spraying, just cover it over. After all, you're going to have to dig the roots out whether you spray or not, so you might as well save yourself the expense, besides the chemicals you would be putting in.

If you cover it with cardboard to exclude the light then leave it for a while until the tops die off and dig a bit at a time. Slugs and snails underneath are not an issue unless you have veg that they can eat, which you don't at the mo. Deal with the critters when they are a problem when you are growing next year - in the meantime they may be encouraging toads/frogs/slowworms etc.

[taff]

Don't spray otherwise you'll be eating it [if you're going to grow in the same soil where does the poison go?]
cover and clear a bit at a time. There's no need to go mental and try and do it all at once.

You'll have to dig out nettle roots, bramble roots, dandelions and bindweed [if you can] but covering it will kill nearly everything eles eventually.

[Thelma Sanders]

You'll have to dig out nettle roots, bramble roots, dandelions and bindweed [if you can] but covering it will kill nearly everything eles eventually.

except the couch grass roots, cos covering doesn't kill them, only weaken them

[Snadger]

Don't like the idea of weedkiller myself even though I have to apply it sometimes as part of my daytime job.
At work we are legally bound by Risk Assessments and COSHH analysis, legislation and record keeping and can only use prescribed chemicals.

I know quite a bit about the 'naughty' and supposedly 'safe' chemicals and certainly don't want any of them anywhere near my food source.

Each to there own s'pose.

[binley100]

I have this argument time and time again over empty plots ........I don't agree with spraying poison on them to "get them ready" ..I get told that some people are fine with it . So be it....let them make that decision for themselves...

Cover, dig, cover ...it does work maybe not instantly but at least you know what you're eating ..

[Two_Sheds]

except the couch grass roots, cos covering doesn't kill them, only weaken them

It does, given long enough, and if the light is completely blocked.

I covered RustyLady's plot with a fence panel for *about* 7 months: it did have all the nasties (bindweed, couch, dandelions) but when I took it off there were only some weak spaghetti roots left (bindweed).

The whole plot won't be completely covered in weeds, so some patches will die off quicker than others. Dig and plant up the easy bits, keep the hard bits covered for a bit longer

[Two_Sheds]

Spray with weed killer and then cover or just spray and leave uncovered?

Cardboard doesn't kill bees, while spray might

Scientists discover what’s killing the bees and it’s worse than you thought – Quartz

Yes I know the label says it's safe, but they thought thalidomide was safe too

[Samurailord]

If you spray everything you may well be killing off some hidden gems like rhubarb, strawberries, etc.

I would recommend walklng the entire plot, checking what is there before covering the ground. That way, if you do find some plants that you want to keep you can lay the plastic or other mulch in such a way as to avoid the 'keepers'

Andy

[leonmc0708]

if you do anything then at least cut it all down - swerve the flowering heads and possible seeds. Chop the tops off soon as then decide.

My advice - get a strimmer and whizz the lot then cover and if you have anotehr plot leave it covered for the rest of this year. cut down stuff will break down and return some goodness to the soil and the lack of sunlight will make it a dream to dig over in February/March as there will be minimal plant growth to remove.

[taff]

except the couch grass roots, cos covering doesn't kill them, only weaken them

I forgot about the couch grass but TS has superior knowledge so I'll take her word for it

I did read on here a long time ago someone dug a pit to put all their nasties in, covered the sides and the top with carpet or something similar? cardboard on top maybe? And instead of growing it all rotted down to make compost.

I did start putting all my nasties into a bucket and letting it compost, and it does work. But I can only testify for the bucket [ more like a large barrel cut in half] working. And it does take a year.

[Two_Sheds]

I did start putting all my nasties into a bucket and letting it compost, and it does work. But I can only testify for the bucket [ more like a large barrel cut in half] working. And it does take a year.

Did you fill the bucket with water too? Drowning them? (couch grass will keep growing in water, unless you put a lid on). Then you can use the watery weed-liquid as plant food/fertiliser

[Kirk]

Depends on your desired approach.
Mine is fairly basic: I want it dead, and as quick and easily as I can.

When I moved and had a weed infested garden that I sprayed twice with 50% extra glyphosphate, did that twice, with 2 weeks between, then used a propane burner of what was now dead and dry.

OK not exactly organic but it was effective, and I had a clear area that I could get started on, get digging and keep on top of. It was a case of knocking the weeds back enough to start making good headway.

Thing is you want it dead and gone and weeds are pretty hardy little whatsits that will return fast and in number. If this is for another productive plot then you need to approach it as how to clear a plot quickly and get it productive. You also I suspect have to maintain/work on the other plot as well. So you may not have the time to clear the new area slowly.