New allotment owner, help!

[Gurds83]

After 4 years on a waiting list, I have finally obtained a lovely allotment plot in Manchester. The only problem is, it has not been used for years and is heavily overgrown! I have worked a patch that had already been made into a raised bed and cleared out hundreds of weeds that had long parsnip like roots!

I am now left with grass roots that weave their way through the soil. There are literally hundreds of them, so clearing them is proving difficult! I am itching to get planting an want to know what the best thing to do is?

Can I just compost over the top of them and then weed as they come through, or will this supress any vegetables roots growing?
Or do I just cover it all up and hope they die out for next year and chalk this year up to clearing out the allotment?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

James

[Gurds83]

Before, after 2 weeks clearing and the grass roots! Annoyingly I can't work out how to rotate the photos!

[alldigging]

Which site are you on?

[Gurds83]

I am on Fox Platt in Mossley.

[bearded bloke]

Hello & welcome

[bearded bloke]

Annoyingly I can't work out how to rotate the photos!

There we go bud can I just ask if you are on a PC or tablet/Ipad as a few are having trouble with wrongly orientated pictures ? Also were they taken with a smart phone ? this may help the IT bods understand what is happening.


Edit: pictures were deleted from my machine after posting

[Gurds83]

Yes, they were taken from my not so smart phone, which rotated them! Thanks for the assistance!

[Bunnysuicides]

Hi,

Congratulations on finally getting your plot. I cannot offer you any help as I am also a newbie - got my plot six weeks ago and I am very near you - mine is on Mottram Road Stalybridge. Anyhow you will get all the help on here - I have been a lurker till now just reading but had to reply to your post as we are so close. Good Luck and enjoy your allotment - I too waited for 3.5 years for mine ��

[bearded bloke]

Yes, they were taken from my not so smart phone, which rotated them! Thanks for the assistance!

Ahhh,thanks for that,I THINK it is a smart phone thing & the way that the picture was originally orientated,will relay the info to the correct place

[Gurds83]

Hi,

Congratulations on finally getting your plot. I cannot offer you any help as I am also a newbie - got my plot six weeks ago and I am very near you - mine is on Mottram Road Stalybridge. Anyhow you will get all the help on here - I have been a lurker till now just reading but had to reply to your post as we are so close. Good Luck and enjoy your allotment - I too waited for 3.5 years for mine ��

Ah, congratulations on getting your plot! Mick O'Brien offered me a plot there too, but within a week he offered me the Mossley plot which is closer to home, so I had to take it! I have been looking for tips on here for a while too, just trying to put some of them into practice!

[Bunnysuicides]

Will post some photos of my plot when I get the chance. Been up tonight to water my veggies to find my broccoli had received a mammoth slug attack over night, even though I had laced around them with pellets. Was wounded lol.

I got offered a plot in Dukinfield but decided on this plot as it's easier for me to travel to.

[hamamelis]

Congrats on getting a plot!

I'm by no means expert, but I'd suggest concentrating on clearing part of it for now- it will take a while, every little bit of couch grass root will regrow if given a tiny chance- and covering the rest with cardboard, cutting holes in it, and planting some tougher plants through the holes- squash are good for that, but other lage vigorous plants will also work. Card will cut off the light, so weakening the couch and stopping it from growing (though you'll probably have to dig some out when you uncover), but it still lets water through so the veg can grow, and it can be handily added to the compost when you're done. Plus it's free!

Couch is tougher than any plant you'd want to grow; mulching deep over everything with compost would only make the couch grass stronger, and it could swamp vegetable seedlings.

[Bal]

Hi and welcome, you will find lots of help here.

[Bill HH]

Welcome, It is easy to get disheartened in your situation, couch grass (if that's what it is) is a nasty weed, it puts out long runners and if you leave a tiny piece, that regrows. That is why rotovating can often make it worse. As has been suggested concentrate on a section at a time and cover the rest with cardboard or tarps until your ready to tackle it. If your not averse to using chemicals it may be that a one off (or maybe 2) use of roundup will be worth contemplating in your extreme circumstances. It may be you can do less growing this year but by making a good job you will benefit next year.You will get there and the satisfaction will be awesome.

[Gurds83]

Thank you for your advice. I am going to stock up on cardboard boxes from Asda later on and spend my day off digging as deep as I can to get rid of it!