Removing Roots

[Timmy007]

Hi,

I took over a plot last November / December it was heavily overgrown before I took it on and the kind people at the allotments applied weed killer all over it. This made it very easy to pull the majority of the weeds up which I did over the winter. I then roughly dug the beds over and left it for the frosts to break it down.

I have since been back to fork it all over but I noticed there are a mass of pencil thick black roots which appear dead - they are red / pink when cut through??, but with it being heavy clay they appear to be helping to keep the clay together in clods even more so than normal - my question is, do I need to remove the majority of the large roots or will they eventually break down and potentially improve the soil structure?

It seems to be taking an age to remove them and I'm getting a little concern time is starting to become against me I still have 24m2 left to fork over & de-root(not sure if that a word!? )

[alldigging]

Are they all over? Got a photo of one?

[Sheneval]

Hi,
I have since been back to fork it all over but I noticed there are a mass of pencil thick black roots which appear dead - they are red / pink when cut through??, but with it being heavy clay they appear to be helping to keep the clay together in clods even more so than normal - my question is, do I need to remove the majority of the large roots or will they eventually break down and potentially improve the soil structure

I think you have docks as I removed one just this morning that had come up just as you described and they do cling to the soil, clay or not - if it is docks you need to try and get the whole root out as if you cut it off it will eventually grow again.

I generally lever round them with a fork then use a spade to remove - sometimes I get the whole plant as attached but often they break off near the tip or are cut in two by the spade.

[Timmy007]

That looks like them!

They are everywhere I have removed 3 large bags from one of my 4m x 4m beds and I'm two thirds of the way through another! but I still have another 2 beds to go. Sounds like I need to remove as much as I can and keep a close eye on the weeds as and when they appear!

My soil is incredibly Clay like, in some places its just pure yellow / brown and very sticky. I can get hold of lots and lots of leaf mould so I'm hoping to mulch with that this year and then apply manure in the autumn to try and start to change the consistency. would a thick mulch help with the dock problem?

[rustylady]

Nothing will help with the dock problem except digging - sorry.

However, a mulch will help your ground generally and any seedling weeds that pop should be much easier to remove.

[Two_Sheds]

would a thick mulch help with the dock problem?

You need to completely block the light from them: I use wet newspapers, held down with clods of soil or stones. It'll take a few months, but is well worth it. When you come to dig them out, they'll be easy, and the worms will have dug & aerated the soil under the newspaper

[Timmy007]

Thanks for your help guys I will keep on digging I think!

If and when they start to appear I will try to get them out.