New Allotment Help

[rdavies86]

Hello
I have finally been allocated an allotment from my local council and as expected it is very overgrown. The majority of this growth looks to be grass and the occasional weed.

My questions to thoes with experience are :

What is the best way to kill the grass so I can create soil suitable for growing veg?

The one section of the allotment that is relatively weed free is almost ready for planting. Should I turn in manure to improve the soil before planting? If not how should I start to improve the soil.

What is the cheapest/best weed killer to use to give me a helping hand.

Thanks

[jonny the plant pot]

Dig it over in clumps turn it upside and stack it up .
By doing this you will create the most wonderful top soil for next year.

[Bigmallly]

Hello RD & welcome to the vine. If you have got a section that is almost ready for planting, I would first allocate the next section that you want to clear & cover with cardboard or plastic sheeting to kill/weaken the weeds, whilst that is doing its job I would get the first plot ready for planting, then cover another section, remove the covered section & get that ready & so on .........it's easier to do than to say..............

[Greenleaves]

I addition to what the big man says get yourself a decent fork and spade, a lot of the cheap ones are too short and dont last 5 mins

Welcome to the vine, enjoy the benefits of the advice and humour

[Cadalot]

Take a look at my diary and you will see how I attacked my first allotment 3 years ago and how I'm going about my new allotment

Plot 1A - 3 Years Ago starts Alans Allotment then scroll to the bottom of the page and work your way up

Plot 23B - late last year starts Alans Allotment then scroll to the bottom of the page and work your way up.

There are also YouTube videos from when I first took over 23B and at each stage progress is made.

[veggiechicken]

Hello and welcome to the Grapevine.
I can't really advise on clearing your allotment other than to say that I wouldn't use weedkiller anywhere that food crops will be grown.

I addition to what the big man says get yourself a decent fork and spade, a lot of the cheap ones are too short and dont last 5 mins

Greenleaves, some of us need short forks

[teakdesk]

Congratulations on getting your plot. It is a daunting yet thrilling prospect, I think.

First thing I'd do is look at what beds were laid out before and decide whether I want to use the same layout - if you look carefully you will often find traces of rotten wood or other things marking the ends of beds and paths that have been covered with carpet or stones etc. For the first year I'd be tempted to use the existing layout as moving old paths can be hard work.

Secondly, decide what you want to grow in each bed - not all crops want manure or any fertiliser at all. Root crops want "poor" soil while courgettes, for instance, want well fed soil but this can be done with blood, fish and bone and other things rather than manure.

Thirdly, get digging with a fork and just shake the soil off the grass. It can help if someone can strim the grass first (talk to neighbours on your plot - they might have a petrol strimmer). Spend no more than an hour a day (after work) digging and you will soon done.

Runner beans are a favourite of mine, as are squashes. Time is right for parsnips and other roots. Cabbages and broccoli (netted) are a do now and forget for a while crop. Don't get too worried about weeds and grass coming back - keep it under control but crops will still grow with them there if they get started correctly. Leeks keep you coming back over winter.... etc... etc...

The best advice I can pass on is to get a comfy chair and sit and enjoy the plot for at least a few minutes every time you visit or else it becomes a chore.


Good Luck!

[1Bee]

When we took on our plot last April, we divided it into 4 beds. The first we dug very thoroughly, turning it over, then working through by hand and pulling out all the perennial weeds. Then we put in spuds.

The second we dug less thoroughly and did a lot of hoeing when were growing.

3 was left fallow, covered by cardboard.

4 wasn't even dug, but we covered it with weed membrane and planted courgettes and pumpkins through that. They did respectably, but not great.

My expectations were low, but we had an amazing bumper year!

Good luck, and have fun!

[rdavies86]

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm trying to attach a picture of my allotment but not having much success.

I've already strimmed it down from 3ft grass to a normal length ready to deal with it. If I cover in cardboard and plastic would normal builders black plastic work or does it have to be a special type? I.e membrane to let water through.

The patch the is almost ready to plant in has very little weeks and only a few shoots of asparagus coming out. Do you think I would get away with removing asparagus and planting some root veg without the need for manure/compost?

It's going to be a long slow job getting it sorted and figuring out what I'm doing but will get there. ...all be it slowly

Thanks

[SusieG]

Welcome rdavies86 to this Vine!
As you can already see from answers already posted - heaps of experience/knowledge coming your way!

I think any black plastic will do the job of weed suppressing - and if it's builders black plastic then all things underneath it will eventually die off (weed roots!) as nothing will get through it (light/rain). So that'd be ok on any area where you don't need to 'save' anything. You'll find it easy to dig/fork over, after too.

Take your time with it - half the fun is in the planning! Enjoy!

[muddled]

Hello rdavies, welcome to the vine!

I wouldn't use weedkiller either....especially not where I grow food!
Here's how I cleared mine....

I bought a roll of black plastic from screwfix. I don't use 'weed membrane', the stuff that lets the water through because grass can grow up through it which makes the problem so much worse.

So, a roll of black plastic (just to make it confusing it was called membrane as well).
I dumped barrowfuls of manure, right on top of the weeds and grass then laid the black plastic on top and weighed it down....left the black plastic whole...it covered half the plot.
Then I cut two small holes in the plastic on top of each mound of manure and planted into them a pumkin and an upturned fizzy drink bottle with the bottom and the cap removed.
I watered the pumpkins via the bottles.

The leaves soon grew...covering the ugly black plastic...The weeds died over the summer, deprived of light and cooked by the heat. That half of the plot was in full production with a huge crop of assorted pumpkins....and in the autumn the ground beneath the plastic was really easy to dig .

I also agree with teakdesk, little and often is the way to go...take time to relax enjoy it...and congratulations on finally getting your plot!

[bario1]

If you have an asparagus bed (and you like asparagus), i would leave that alone and choose somewhere else to start? Are you sure it's asparagus and not Mare's tale (a weed that looks a bit like asparagus)?

[rdavies86]

Thanks for the help and info. I will be at the allotment tomorrow to clear the two beds which I can use this year and start to kill off/remove the grass.

I plan to move the top layer of grass and pile up upside down for compost next year and hopefully find some good use able soil under it. Any bits I can't manage will be covered with plastic sheet until the end of the year.

I try a crop of root veg in one bed and potatoes in the other (hopefully to improve the soil for next year.)

Once it's all relatively week free I will re group and reorganize over winter and invest in a better shed and greenhouse.

Any tips of help for the soil before I plant root veg and potatoes? (Assuming I get it weed free and well turned)?

Thanks again got all your help. ...may be the first of many until I find out what I'm doing

[Greenleaves]

Just one other thing, take lots of photos, when you feel you arnt winning, you can look back over them and realise how much you have actually achieved

[rdavies86]

Week killing...help

Hi,
Having spend the last few days clearing a very overgrown allotment I'm starting to develop a large amount of week/grass/soil.

My questions is how can I kill the weeds without spreading across the plot?

Should I use roundup? Cover with plastic? Or just bag up and dispose of?

I have done about 1/8 of the plot and have a huge amount to get rid of...

Thanks