Please help! got my first allotment!

[Digger-07]

Serenity, will the council not clear the site for you before you take a plot. It's not always the best option with regard to stopping weed spread but the plot will look a lot better if when you can see some soil. And you will be able to tackle a bit at a time and keep the rest covered with black plastic.

[serenity]

Serenity, will the council not clear the site for you before you take a plot. It's not always the best option with regard to stopping weed spread but the plot will look a lot better if when you can see some soil. And you will be able to tackle a bit at a time and keep the rest covered with black plastic.

To be honest I never even enquired, do some councils do that? if so how ?

the plots that were avalable, about 40 out of the 90 on the site, were all in a terrible state. In the worst area there was nothing to distinguish one plot from the next and there were supposedly 10 in the row.

[madderbat]

To be honest I never even enquired, do some councils do that? if so how ?
The plots that were available, about 40 out of the 90 on the site, were all in a terrible state. In the worst area there was nothing to distinguish one plot from the next and there were supposedly 10 in the row.

Hi Serenity, and welcome.
Our lottie was overgrown with mostly grass when we took over, and the council rotavated it for us before we started. We still had a lot of diging to do to get twitch (couch grass) out, but it felt lovely to see the bare soil after they'd done it. We don't have fences etc up between some lotties, but one's that are more 'established' have grown bushes, put fencing put or generally distinguished their borders with paths. See if you can get one next to someone whose working theirs, then you won't feel so lonely.

[Digger-07]

I know some councils do. I think Leeds will if you push them but you may have to wait, Harrogate used to clear the plot or give you 6 months rent free. If its a private site it makes sence for them to let the plots and it would be worth pushing the council anyway. Vacant plots do not get anyone any income.

[Peter]

I would love an allotment, have enquired locally with the council and there are loads available near us but they are sooo overgrown, 5 ft plus brambles covering the whole of the plots . It's too much for me alone as OH not interested in gardening at all although smugly takes my excess veggies in to work

In one sense, the bigger they are the easier they are to clear.

As one plant out of twenty wins the space and dominates, so its siblings die off. Better one big bramble with lots of stems, than a dozen squity little ones each with roots. Plus the bigger stems are stronger of helping pull up the roots.

[Shortie]

I second that Peter

Having a lottie covered in couch grass, and bramble problems in my back garden, I'd take on a lottie covered in brambles any day

[Peter]

Pragmatism and another way.

Hello, im in need of some advise!
me and my boyfriend have just got our first allotment, its huge, and the lady who had it before us let it grow wild!
....... but the rest of the plot has got stumps of straw like grass covering the surface and i have no idea what is the best way to get rid of it?
.........we are also a little worried because the council said they may of sprayed it to get rid of the weeds.
Basically we would like to know how to tackle this first hurdle, and if there any problems we may get because of it being neglected for so long!
......

First chuck away any rose-tinted specs and assume that whatever you do some of the weeds will regrow. That way you won't be disappointed.

Second do not let anyone rotovate it until it is as near weedfree as you can get it. If you have bindweed or couch than each chopped up bit of root has the potential to regrow a new weed.

The organic way has been covered by other posters and has it's plus points, the minus is it is hard work, but then so is every way to some extent.

The grass you have is probably one of the clumping grasses, but I'd bet money most of your grass is couch. If you dig and it's a bit like going into spagetti bolognese with roots then it's couch. It does not like being disturbed, so if you dig out and then burn or tip the collected roots, any remmnants will go with hoeing etc.

The non-organic way will not work at this time of year.
You would need to wait until spring when the grass starts to put on a growth spurt, then pick a dry windless day and use a sprayer or a watering can to apply a suitable weedkiller. Can's do not produce mist that can drift on the breeze, but use the liqued quicker. Once treated leave until dead, then remove the dead top growth and wait for regrowth, then reapply, wait again, then cultivate, there will still be some regrowth. A trick I have used on five plots now is to use a big propane roofing torch to burn off the dead stuff, this heat triggers alot of weed seeds to germinate so you catch them with spraying two. HSS hire shops do a triple burner for ground clearance .

Oh and BTW once the couch is cleared the lurking tough nasties emerge, if you have them, bindwind, buttercup etc. Bindweed is (IMHO) best treated by spot chemicals, unwind the shoot from whatever it is climbing up, put it in an old carboard box and give it a puff, or paint it with an old paintbrush from a made up labelled jar, leave in box till dry.

Suitable weedkiller, well some folk will advise you there is no such thing and they may be right. Current thinking is that Glyphosate is the best option, brandnames such as Roundup or Tumbleweed, buy the DIY chain versions, they are much cheaper. Remember you are only using this to clear the plot initially, not repeatedly dose it every few months like some agri-business farmers do.


The best way?
All of them.

Yes, start now with organic, small area at a time, one or two square yards at a time, removing all weed roots down to a full spade depth.

Cover the area furthest away from where you start with black plastic or old carpet. I have researched carpet thoroughly on the web (LJ and others disagree with me here) and believe there is bugger all risk. You lie on your carpet. you breathe in any chemicals or dust from it. The chemicals thing is a selling technique from american steam cleaning firms about how you track contaminants into your house on your feet. To be balanced, new carpets are a health risk according to Greenpeace, as they emit pthalates and other harmful chemicals for a while, these are residues from the manufacturing process or treatments to prevent them getting dirty. Also do not ever use foam backed carpet as the foam degrades into little bits that go everywhere and it is made from nasty chemical compounds, a good woolen axminster with a nice floral motif, my dear, is best.

See how you go with that, if by "growth spurt" time there is loads not done, then consider chemical treatment.

BTW whatever you uses as inorganic mulch or ground cover do not leave it down in one place for longer than six months. Lift it, clear the top and replace it where it was if you have to, but do not just leave it. You may find some old carpet or black plastic under your weeds, you will not be grateful to whoever left it there.

Be careful what you do with dug up roots. I inherited a pile of "compost", that was couch roots plus some soil, it grew like topsy in the spring.

[Lesley Jay]

Peter as if I would disagree with you!

[kirsty b]

I second that Peter

Having a lottie covered in couch grass, and bramble problems in my back garden, I'd take on a lottie covered in brambles any day

Hi serenity, I agree with Peter and Shortie.
In November I took on a plot that was 5 foot high in brambles, but have now got them all cut down. The good thing is, they were so vigorous, no other weed could compete with them. The soil where I had an experimental dig is lovely, as the bramble roots helped break up the soil as i pulled/dug them out.
Once you get into the swing of it, its amazing how much you can cut down in a couple of hours, downside is, the massive piles of cut brambles that accumulate behind you as you work!

Kirsty

[vicki lorraine]

Be positive. Every bramble cut is a space for a plant. We took on a fifth of an acre plot which was covered in brambles in April this is a before and after shot of the land. We spent every hour clearing it but by august we had seeded the old orchard area and planted cabbages and over wintering onions. This year we expect some weed regrowth but we are ready to hand dig them again. We are adamant we are not spraying.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Many thanks for your advice Peter - I will use it when I (eventually!) get down to my lottie in some half decent weather. DDL

[buttercup]

many, many, many thanks!

Well, i have so much to think about!
You've all been amazing!
Thank you!!!!!
we are going organic as much as possible, so i think i'll take a trip to the supermarket and nick all there boxes!
i think that if i dig a small patch first and cover over the rest it'll work out well. out of sight out of mind!
you've all got such a great comunity here, so much to chat about with everyone!
I've armed myself with a few books,and with grapevine and you guys to help ill eventually become invisible! woohaahahaha!
i'll let yo all know how it all goes!
thanks again for all your pearls of wisdom!
cheers buttercup