After a week of confusion, meet my plot!

[Methe]

It's a half plot and a pretty small one at 5x14m. My plan is to properly mark it out, strim it and cover it for the winter.. After that I'm not sure ( actually I'm not sure of anything.. would i be best poisoning it now?) The person who had it before died in the pub a couple of weeks ago (what a way to go!) and all he had done for the last year is rotavated it several times... I'm going to have weeds coming out of my ears! There was talk of horsetails but due to the rotavating I'm pretending I didn't hear that.. I also saw no evidence of it today <hopes and prays>

The council have told me that they let me have first refusal of the next full plot that comes up.

[Methe]

Typically now I can't add the photo. I'm not doing very well here am I!

[alldigging]

Woo!
Fab.
Have you nothing you could sow a row of or plant?
It feels so much more like an allotment the first time you do that

[Methe]

Thats better, I can't drag and drop on my iPad.

It goes back to that wooden structure.

[Jamesy_uk]

Hi Methe,

Well there is a generally pretty strong sentiment on here that poisoning is a bad idea and even though it's meant to break down in X amount of time sometimes they can persist quite awhile in the ground. Also on the poisoning side it is best done during the active growing season so won't be very effective this time of year.

There is also an equally negative sentiment on rotavating an overgrown plot as although quick and easy will chop up the hardier weeds roots into small pieces and each one will grow their own plants and make things worse. Another negative is rotavating can cause a 'compacted layer' if you have heavy ground like clay below the rotavator blades level which will hold water and exacerbate flooding.

It's a case of for best results on a long term basis you should do it by hand and try and clear the roots etc, at this time of year you have a few months to prepare before you need to start worrying about next years planting. However if you are going to give up the small plot when a big one comes along it might not be worth the time investment in doing a thorough job

[Methe]

Thanks Jamesy. I always thought glysophate was pretty safe after a period of time? its certainly not something i'd be using frequently ( I don't use any chemicals at home) but it'd be nice to get it clear in the shortest time, especially given the recent multiple rotavations.

[ancee]

Best way Methe, Is to portion off a section, then, I'm afraid get digging! Get rid of everything you don't want in that section, get it as pristine and lovely as you want it and go from there. It's less daunting than taking on a field!

[veggiechicken]

Cover the weeds with cardboard or some other light excluding material. That will sort out most of the weeds over winter. Uncover it, bit by bit, and dig out the perennial weeds. Clear enough now to plant some broad beans, onions and garlic and watch them growing.
Don't take on more than you can keep cultivated. Show everyone what you can do with this plot, then you will have earned some more ground.

[Bren In Pots]

Methe like VC has said cover then sort out a bit at a time and get a few beans and onions in so you've got something to show for your hard work.

[Methe]

Ok cool!


Exciting!

[Snadger]

I would have thought that the reason anyone wanted an allotment was because they were keen to have a go at gardening get there hands dirty and grow a few fresh veg for the pot?
Digging and weeding to me is a way of checking your soils texture,whether its stoney,sandy,silty or clay , or a mixture of all. see how many worms are present, whether there is stuff buried,old bonfire sites, how much organic matter is present................the list goes on and on. Its also very theraputic. Unless you have a disability you could probably dig over your plot in a couple of days anyway and it will keep you warm on a cold winters day.
No dig is also an option, but covering it with cardboard and leaving it until April is a bit boring innit?
I am an advocate of no dig but I still dug over both my plots originally (about 10 times the size of yours) Now as I dig a crop up I either cover the bare soil with cardboard or manure or preferably plant another crop.

Who wants to be on the waiting list for ages, finally get a plot, spend a couple of days on it then leave it for six months!

Anyway, rant over, congrats on getting your plot,enjoy your allotment and try and spend as much time as you can on it..........you know it makes sense!

[VirginVegGrower]

It's why we have been so absent - well me - my back is broken along with Mr VVG's as we took on another plot, which was overgrown. As was our original when we got it. Now - the first is ship shape, pretty much with hoeing and mulching. The other will require digging over again before next year's start. Like other have said, smothering areas with cardboard and mulching is effective, but I have to agree with Snadger I like to dig initially unless it is packed clay.

[ancee]

Think of all that lovely exercise Methe! You'll be a Russian shot putter in no time - just like me... ahem

[alldigging]

Think of all that lovely exercise Methe! You'll be a Russian shot putter in no time - just like me... ahem

I do quite enjoying digging for the exercise. It was very theraputic to go out and get stuck into some serious digging.

[Methe]

How do you know I'm not a Russian shot putter already?

Snadger I hear you! I'm going to start digging at the weekend :-)