New allotment, advice needed

[maverick451]

Hi Guys

I took over a half plot at the wkend, im really excited to finally get something.

At the moment it looks more like a field! they strimmed it down for me so I dont know whether its just normal rye grass or couch grass or what.

Im just really looking for help with a plan of action, what I think is important to mention is I do suffer from chronic fatigue which means im can only do little and often and not a great deal of hard digging without it setting me back, we are also thinking about moving in a 3 years time so I kinda need to get on with it for next year

I tried putting a spade in and the turf was so thick and touch I couldnt even do that!

I thought about just raking the dead stuff off, letting in growing back a little bit and glyphosating it and the covering it with fabric until next year before rotorvating the whole plot

This is a pic

[muddled]

congratulations on your new plot!

I have a debilitating, chronic, painful condition too so here is what worked for me.

1. Invest in a roll of black plastic (sometimes called membrane) from a builders merchant. I got mine from screwfix. Use it whole to cover a large amount of your plot until spring. By then, the grass beneath will be dead or very uch weakened and the soil will be easy to turn over...even for people like us

2. Source some useful free stuff....woodchips, spent hay, horse manure. These will come in very useful and save you a whole heap of digging when used as mulches later. If you dump them in long rows, 6 or mor inches deep, anywhere the plot isn't covered with plastic, they will soften the earth sufficiently by winter for you to plant soft fruit bushes and canes. Any grass coming up through that deep a mulch will easily be pulled by hand....no digging required.

Personally, I would not use chemicals near my future dinner and rotovating, if you have couch grass or bindweed there, will lead to a total nightmare for you!

[Mr Bones]

Congratulations on your new plot Maverick. I think Muddled has said it all, plus a rotovator, until you're used to handling it, will chuck you about all over the place.

[ESBkevin]

Muddled is about right. You can do it on the cheap with two layers of cardboard and then as much free tree/woodchip as you can scrounge piled on top (say about 3"). Leave nature to take it's course over the autumn and winter and you can either dig it in the spring or even plant straight into it because the worms will have done most of the work for you.

[w33blegurl]

Definitely the black plastic - has worked a treat on the new half plot I've taken on which was covered in bindweed and couch grass! Don't go mad, just go over small areas and get something planted, don't expect to have it all done quickly. Much better to take your time and get rid of as many weed roots as possible (depending on what nasties are lurking in there!!) as it will save you time in the coming years!

You might also want to look up "no dig" method!!

[Nicos]

I'm really chuffed for you getting your half plot
Lots of sound advice^^^^^^

Do take lots of piccies please so we can share your progress!

[Somerset]

I took over a plot just at the start of summer and we decided to cultivate half this year and see how we go.

We started one bed at a time, marked them out and got a good second hand rotavator. We have a bed for courgettes, one of brassicas, one for salad things and one for legumes.

We recently added a flower bed, to help bring in the bees and we were left a raspberry bed. And a soft fruit area too.

[ESBkevin]

Vinegar and a little dish soap will kill weeds with no harmful effects to following crops. You can buy ascetic acid (the concentrate that is the active part of vinegar) from chemists or the website that sounds like a long river.

If you can't buy the fabric use cardboard (plain brown corrugated from flattened boxes) and cover it in woodchip or compost. the worms will do the rest. It will be easier to dig in the spring or you could just plant straight into it by then.