starting out

[gerrybhoy]

Hi folks, I have finally got myself a plot... well it is a very overgrown mess at the moment.
First picture is one I took on the first day, thinking ohhh my god, what have i done.

http://gerrysallotment.blogspot.com/

This second pic is after i have attacked it with a power strimmer to get some of the weeds down.


I have got it down a fair bit now and cleaned up a bit (even with other people dumping their plot waste on it!). However it is getting a bit too much for my foks and spade. My spade is now bent and getting floppy!

My question is, even with some of the grass/weeds etc still in the ground, would it be ok to just blast it with a rotovator type thing? I just want it up and running as quickly as i can, and don't want to put myself off it before i start for real. It just seems like all i've been doing is clearing ground for days..

Thanks for any advice.
Gerry

[jacob marley]

First thing you do is put sign up saying no tipping and mean it as for the rotarvating i would and i find when the stuf stars growing it is easier to get out of loose ground than hard ground other people will tell you not to if you do plant do not crowd it to close together leave plenty if room to walk about
welcome to allotmenteering hope things go well jacob

[Alice]

Hello Gerry and welcome to the vine.
If you go into your personal profile you can show that you are in Paisley - this will help other grapes to help you.
Looked at your blog. Yes, you have a lot of work to do there, but it can be done.
How you do it is all about how you want to grow. If you're not averse you could zap the whole lot with weedkiller as a one off for this year and work on from there. (Dear knows what's been done in the past, and it will be no worse than you buy in the supermarket.) Some weedkillers you can use and rotovate and plant almost immediately.
I can understand why you are desperate to plant. I would be inclined to clear a small area and plant it for this years satisfaction. I'm sure we can provide you with a list of what you could still plant and grow. Then spend the rest of your time preparing for next year.
You'll get great suggestions and practical help on here.
Good luck with the project.

[gerrybhoy]

Thanks for your quick replies folks. I'm not averse to using weedkiller for a one off to get a quick start. What would be the best to use so that I could get up and running as soon as possible?
Thanks again guys

[jacob marley]

Glysophate is the general name but it comes under various names roundup to name one i use comercial glysophate when i use some only because there is a agricultural merchants just up the road from where i live anyway for it to work properly let the grass and weeds grow a bit until it is nice and green all over it works better that way seems strange but there it is give it a go jacob

[Snadger]

If you are fit and well and and have time available....dig a bit, plant a bit, dig a bit, plant a bit!

If not, and you aren't phased by weed killers...nuke the s*cker!! (With glyphosate of course!)

[Alice]

Glyphosphate it is Gerry. (Roundup). Do let us know how you get on.

[heebiejeebie]

... and cover the bits you don't get round to with some cardboard/black plastic/carpet to exclude light and start weakening the weeds.

[mandyballantyne]

Hi,

Welcome to the vine, if you need any seeds etc just let us know I am sure we will have plenty to get you started.

Good luck and enjoy!! Mandy

[gerrybhoy]

Hi Mandy,

good to see you here... I just went for it and blasted the place with Glyphosate, so will check back tomorrow or next day to see how it's all looking. Then I can start thinking about planting... My girlfriends mum has some onions and cabbages that are growing in wee pots just now for me to get in there when i'm ready as well.

Thanks for all your help folks

[gerrybhoy]

Hi guys, me again... i have been digging bulbs up from the plot and not sure what they are, could some of the more experienced folkies have a litt;le look on my blog and see if we can identify them. They look like onions but not sure that they are. They were hiding about a foot down when I was turning over the soil.
Thanks again

[mandyballantyne]

Hi,

Can you post your blog address please?

Thanks, Mandy

[gerrybhoy]

hi mandy,

http://gerrysallotment.blogspot.com/

thanks