Help required...... Please

[almitch1]

Hello all,

I am delighted that i have found this site it has been a god send. I have an issue, I took over my allotment in march this year and in typical fashion went at it like a bull in a china shop to get it ready to plant in, i have 4 beds 4m x 1.3m and some other areas that i have yet to work on. my issue is with weeds and grass not on the beds although these are an issue its more the perimeter of the plot and the paths that are becoming pout of control. would you recommend strimming them or just digging it up and removing all the weeds?

Thanks

Jungle Alan

[almitch1]

I would post a picture but i'm too embarrassed.

[Martin H]

If I had access to a strimmer I would strim all the non-planted areas, rake up the growth and stack it in a heap to rot down. Then I would hand-weed the planted beds and add these to the heap too. Then I would fork over any unplanted beds (that I strimmed) and get the roots out. Finally I would wonder whether it's worth the time and effort to stop the weeds coming back on the paths and probably not bother.

[Martin H]

Oh, and welcome to the vine.

[PyreneesPlot]

I too would just strim the unwanted areas for now. When you get closer to wanting to use more af the land you can cover it with cardboard which will help to stem the weed growth and make it easier t work the ground and remove the roots later on.
We started with a field so cutting the weeds as if they were grass was the only way to keep ontop of it.
Welcome to the Vine, and please don't be embarrassed by photos, nobody will laugh at you and in time there will be plenty of folks to laugh with you

[almitch1]

Thanks for your words, I have managed to harvest some spuds Lettuce and radish so far so all is ok. Also do you have any ideas for suppressing weeds between planted rows? i heard you can lay cardboard down between rows to help??

Alan

[PyreneesPlot]

You can use cardboard, but I like to use a mulch like straw or a thin layer of grass clippings (we have a lot of those!) because then the birds, hedgehogs and the like can root through the mulch and keep the slugs under control. As I know to my cost cardboard gives a lovely home for slugs so although great for weed control it isn't so great close to vulnerable plants. Just my personal experience!
Well done on the harvest so far

[muddled]

I think that the paths between your and the next persons allotment need to be something of a priority.
Plot boundaries have to be well defined and neat for several reasons;

To prevent 'creep' which is where the paths ends up bulging and curving to give one plot more ground than the other.
To allow all plot holders easy and safe access with a heavy wheelbarrow.
To keep the site from looking generally scruffy and unkempt.

For these edges it will be worth you spending some time over the winter months putting in measures so that maintenance takes little time in the future. You could edge with planks, make proper paths, grow a thin flower border or a combination of these to define your boundaries...but you don't need to do it right away.

I dug a 'slit' around my plot by pushing a spade in without digging, pulling the spade straight out again all the way round....then I put black plastic down, going round again with the spade to tuck the plastic into the slit I'd made. It looked very neat (not pretty, I confess, but neat and tidy) while the weeds were dying underneath....leaving me with bare earth ready for a more permanant solution when I got time and keeping the lottie secretary and my immediate neighbours happy in the meantime.

Welcome to the vine by the way!
Nice to 'meet' you!

[almitch1]

I think that the paths between your and the next persons allotment need to be something of a priority.
Plot boundaries have to be well defined and neat for several reasons;

To prevent 'creep' which is where the paths ends up bulging and curving to give one plot more ground than the other.
To allow all plot holders easy and safe access with a heavy wheelbarrow.
To keep the site from looking generally scruffy and unkempt.

For these edges it will be worth you spending some time over the winter months putting in measures so that maintenance takes little time in the future. You could edge with planks, make proper paths, grow a thin flower border or a combination of these to define your boundaries...but you don't need to do it right away.

I dug a 'slit' around my plot by pushing a spade in without digging, pulling the spade straight out again all the way round....then I put black plastic down, going round again with the spade to tuck the plastic into the slit I'd made. It looked very neat (not pretty, I confess, but neat and tidy) while the weeds were dying underneath....leaving me with bare earth ready for a more permanant solution when I got time and keeping the lottie secretary and my immediate neighbours happy in the meantime.

Welcome to the vine by the way!
Nice to 'meet' you!

Thanks for your advice its a real help. I am looking to only harvest what i have planted and spent the rest of my time getting the polt in shape for next year. I have plenty of room on the plot to be able to errect a greenhouse and have a proper compost area which is nice. What is your experience on dealing with an external boundary of a plot, mine is on the edge of the are where the allotments are so i have a boundary hedge to contend with also?

Thanks

[WendyC]

Can't disagree with anything that's been said already but I would reinforce that if you are talking about access paths between plots then you must keep these under control for reasons that Muddled has already outlined. It is probably in your tenancy agreement. I get very fed up with my neighbours who leave all the grass cutting to me and never take a turn. You don't want to annoy your new neighbours to start with!

[almitch1]

Update

After only 2 hours work me and the father in law have sorted the allotment and got it in to a reasonable state... I actually have quiet a lot growing😃. I have also got some more planting space, what can I put in the ground this time of year??

Thanks

[veggiechicken]

Hello Alan and welcome.
Are you less embarrassed about showing us photos now?
Have a look at http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ies_86001.html. I needed inspiration too!

[almitch1]

Update

Me and the father in law spent a good few hours up the allotment today and really turned it around...... I have lots more growing than I though and all pretty healthy too.

I have lots more room to plant now so what would you suggest I can get in the ground??

Alan

[almitch1]

Hello Alan and welcome.
Are you less embarrassed about showing us photos now?
Have a look at http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ies_86001.html. I needed inspiration too!

Here are a couple for you..... Mind you this was earlier in the year

[Two_Sheds]

the perimeter of the plot and the paths ... would you recommend strimming them or just ... removing all the weeds?

I had the same problem: the access road and perimeter of the allotment site was permanently covered in weeds that nobody dealt with. We were all weeding our plots like mad, but the origin of the problem (the weedy patches) wasn't being tackled.

So I started removing the weeds & topsoil from the road (which was supposed to be gravel anyway, not green). It's been a great success, we no longer have flooding because I took all the mud away, and although weeds do still appear it's much more manageable and getting easier every year.

Around the perimeter fence I've replaced the weeds with flowers, and it looks lovely. Pics in my FB link below