New untouched allotment should I sow green manure for a fresh start next year?

[kev241]

I have finally got a small allotment after 2 years of waiting and it has been untouched for years (the other allotment holders tell me). It is currently just grass and weeds and I was wondering should I turn it over now and plant green manure for a fresh start next year?
Also what green manure would you recommend as I have read mustard is great but a brassica and good affect next years brassicas I hope to grow.
Any suggestions?

[marchogaeth]

If it's grass and weeds, I would strongly advise you to strim it, leave the cuttings and put it all under cardboard until next year and then only lift the cardboard of each area as you go. A year under cardboard (you do have to keep replacing it) it really, really effective at killing grass and perennial weeds like docks and creeping buttercup. I say this because I have pulled my garden out of what was really rough grassland (a field margin) which was also riddled with creeping buttercups and docks.

In the first year, I tried to be clever and use a semi permeable membrane over rotavated soil and plant through it; Waste of time and membrane: the weeds found every hole. In the end I lifted all the membrane, put skip dipped cardboard down and use the membrane (and some plastic sheet) and rocks to hold it in place. This year it has come into production as I've needed it and is doing quite well, although I need to up the fertility (despite the grassland going in) and reduce the acidity.

In future I'll be using cardboard over layers of rotting veg weighted down with plastic bottles filled with water on any bare earth. There are lots of posts on here about how to use cardboard.

You can always do some container/growbag growing on top of the cardboard. I grew my garlic in buckets this year on top of a plastic sheet that I was using to kill another area of grass and weeds.

It is worth the wait, honest.

BTW, Croeso i'r Vine. Why don't you introduce yourself on the intro thread and add you location to the profile? It helps people when they respond to any plant growing questions you might have.