Apparantly it looks worse than it is........Apparantly !

[Minty]

What a wealth of knowledge this forum is. Hope you dont mind if i draw on your knowhow now and again.
Just taken on my first lottie and am a complete novice....WHAT HAVE I DONE .
Apparantly it is not as bad as it looks and in a strange masacistic way im quite looking forward to getting the strimmer on it this weekend. Rumor is Lord Lucan, Shergar and the crew of the Mary Celleste are in there somewhere.
Thanks again , please wish me luck
Minty

[Hazel at the Hill]

Well done Minty - and welcome to the Vine too!

Usual advice here - take lots of piccies (as we are v nosy here!), keep a diary of what you've done, and don't do too much at once!

Good luck - and most of all, enjoy your plot!

[Mrs Dobby]

Congrats Minty! Looks to be about as bad as the 8' of weeds we faced when we took on our first plot in September last year! Hard work clearing it, but fun and rewarding, lots of satisfaction when its done!

Good luck with the plot!

[Minty]

Thanks hazel & suzanne, Have taken a lot of inspiration from The Dobbys Pumpkin Patch Blog, really really good,
thanks Minty

[SarzWix]

Just wanted to say 'Good luck' Minty, you'll do fine, honest. There may come a point in a week or two, when you'll wonder if it's all too much, and should you give up.... DON'T!! Read the 'blogs', or this thread http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ead.php?t=5098
do a bit of retail therapy , and you'll be back on the case in no time!

Best tip I had was to invest in some weed suppressing fabric, and cover everything you can't manage to dig straight away (once you've strimmed it down), and just do manageable bits at a time. You might not be able to grow as much as you'd like to this year, but you can still do stuff in containers and they'll help to weigh the weed fabric down!!
You can do it

[JennieAtkinson]

Welcome to the Grapevine Minty! You'll get lots of encourage and advice here. Post your pics so that we can see how you get on.

And don't do too much all in one go ......... !

[Rockhag]

Looks like you're at the same place as I am.

http://dig-for-victory.livejournal.com/

^My blog (obviously).

[pigletwillie]

Good luck minty and welcome. As Jennie says, little and often. Your back will thank you for it.

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Minty. It doesn't look too bad. I started from worse than that. As everybody says, do it a bit at a time. It will all come good.

[Sue]

Minty
Welcome to the vine, your plot will be hard work but oh when it all starts to come together it's magic!
Try cardboard as a weed suppressent, I started out with plastic which looks horrible and not suitable for heavy clay, but found cardboard covered with a layer of compost works really well. After about six months, the worms have been really busy and eaten it all and as an experiment, I've one bed which has not been dug at all, just more cardboard and compost piled on top of the last lot and now a year later have 46 bean plants growing away merrily. It hasn't deterred the bindweed, which I have to keep picking out but everything else has gone.
Other grapes should be able to advise on which plants can be grown through cardboard or other weed suppressents - I think potatoes and courgettes qualify as good ground clearers.
But whatever you do do it bit by bit and be patient, too much and it gets disheartening.
Good luck with it all
Sue

[heebiejeebie]

Looks about the same as mine did originally - you'll get there! Just divide it into manageable chunks and do what you can, when you can.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine Minty. Congrats on the lottie. Take it steady and enjoy it rather than seeing the clearing as a chore. As soon as you get a clear bit, plant it then you will be able to look at something growing as well as the bit that still needs clearing!

[Flummery]

You've done the hardest bit - getting a lottie! As long as you don't put yourself off by doing too much at once you'll get it sorted and then you'll wonder why you ever ate that tasteless shop stuff!

[nick the grief]

Hi Minty,

Welcome to the Vine. I can't add much to the advice you've already been given. Just remember, we're only a mouse click away

[Minty]

WOW Never had so many friendly responses to a hello.
I have resigned myself to not getting anything planted until end of the year, prefer like most of you are advising that little by little is best.

Underneath all the weed is a well established row of black and red currants also raspberries and gooseberries so i will enjoy something at least this year.
So tomorow is the morning of attack. Will let you know how i got on and post some pics too. Thank you again for all your friendly responses,,,,,,,,,,,,I FEEL LIKE I BELONG,,,,,,,,
Have a great weekend, minty (Kev)