Bitter truth of clean plot...

[Pineberry]

Got my second half plot few month ago. It was rather clean and clear only few small areas with dried grass. I was pleased as not much digging needed.

How naive was I! its only now I started wondering why would the grass in spring be all dry? Something is not right, started talking to the neighbour who revealed the truth that the plot was sprayed before giving it to new occupant. Apparently he uses weed killer as well, and judging by some other well manicured plots quite a few people on our site are fond of such poison.

Now I am worried how will affect my crop? And also is it safe to eat whatever manages to fruit this year?

[sammy_roser]

Depends on the weed killer, usually You can start planting again after a week. See if you can find out exactly what type of weedkiller was used.

[Sheneval]

On my allotment site they use Roundup/Glyphosate.

I suggest you Google this: 'Why Glyphosate Should Be Banned'

I will be raising this at tomorrow's AGM

[solway cropper]

I agree with Sheneval. Glyphosate is supposed to be one of 'safe' weedkillers but safe to what?

While it will be OK to eat any food you manage to produce I'd like to bet that your population of beneficial soil organisms and other wildlife is way below that of someone who doesn't use chemicals.

[buzzingtalk]

Eugh. Sorry to hear this! I am now glad that my council don't bother clearing allotments before they give them out as mine was 6ft high I'm very vigorous weed!!

[Thelma Sanders]

You may not think it was an ideal way to clear the plot - but it's done now.

Everything you do now can only help the soil, and the food is as safe to eat as stuff grown for the shops!
Next year everything will be a lot better

[Bane]

...and the food is as safe to eat as stuff grown for the shops!

Great point!

[hamesy]

Ouch! I'd be tempted to dig in as much fresh compost/manure as possible to help give the soil a kick.

[Pineberry]

Ouch! I'd be tempted to dig in as much fresh compost/manure as possible to help give the soil a kick.

The problem I already planted more than half of the plot. Will add to the rest of the land left.

I am quite upset by the weedkiller use. I would prefer to live with weeds instead of this poison.

By reading another thread on this forum about roundup, came to the conclusion that my crop will not be any worse of the shop bought, at least I know nothing else will get sprayed on from now on.

I will add some rock dust to the soil too, hope this will help a bit.

[rustylady]

The weedkiller won't have affected your soil insofar as removing nutrients from it, so there is no need to add anything to it unless you would have done so anyway.

[Kirk]

They did most likely use glyphosphate to kill the weeds, so I would make that assumption.
Next really is the practical side, it's been done. All you can do from here on is get the plot/soil to the state that you want it to be.

If done by the council cannot send a man along to dig over the plot and remove everything, if rotavated then many of the difficult ones simply get chopped and regrow from the assorted bits, so are worse pretty soon. And there wil be more that complain that they were given a plot that is overgrown and full of weeds and ask what good is that. Spare a thought for them they cannot please everyone.

Accept that you have the extra half plot and now it is yours cultivate it as you want, as until it was handed over and was yours what happened to it is out of your control.

[LincolnshireFloyd]

Got my second half plot few month ago. It was rather clean and clear only few small areas with dried grass. I was pleased as not much digging needed.

How naive was I! its only now I started wondering why would the grass in spring be all dry? Something is not right, started talking to the neighbour who revealed the truth that the plot was sprayed before giving it to new occupant. Apparently he uses weed killer as well, and judging by some other well manicured plots quite a few people on our site are fond of such poison.

Now I am worried how will affect my crop? And also is it safe to eat whatever manages to fruit this year?

Poison? Blimey you don't half get melodramatic. After you've had a good cropping season on the new plot I hope you will drop the council a note thanking them for saving you a lot of hard work. On second thoughts there is no obvious reason why the council would do it. I makes no difference to them.

My suspicions would be that one of your neighbours did it after getting fed up with weed seeds being blown on to his plot which is understandable.

Any crops that you harvest will not be 'poisonous' from glyphosate. If they were they wouldn't have grown would they.

[chris]

Poison? Blimey you don't half get melodramatic. After you've had a good cropping season on the new plot I hope you will drop the council a note thanking them for saving you a lot of hard work. On second thoughts there is no obvious reason why the council would do it. I makes no difference to them.

Council ran plots near me are sprayed often by the council. Probably to stop complaints from neighbouring plots, or perhaps so a new plot isn't so daunting when taken on by people just coming into the world of allotments.

Any crops that you harvest will not be 'poisonous' from glyphosate. If they were they wouldn't have grown would they.

"Poisonous" crops do grow. Not from being sprayed, but toxic compounds exist in readily growing plants.

[mothhawk]

The late, great Geoff Hamilton, who was a strong believer in organic growing, said when you start a new garden, spray to completely clear the weeds, then never use chemicals again. I often wondered how he grew wonderful gardens from a grass field with nary a stray bit of couch grass or recurring dandelion to contend with.

[Snadger]

Poison? Blimey you don't half get melodramatic. After you've had a good cropping season on the new plot I hope you will drop the council a note thanking them for saving you a lot of hard work. On second thoughts there is no obvious reason why the council would do it. I makes no difference to them.

My suspicions would be that one of your neighbours did it after getting fed up with weed seeds being blown on to his plot which is understandable.

Any crops that you harvest will not be 'poisonous' from glyphosate. If they were they wouldn't have grown would they.

If you don't think Glyphosate is poison I would be loathe to have a look in your tool shed! Bit of arsenic maybe or how about a nice drop of mercurial compound of some description?
I certainly wouldn't fancy polluting my land with a chemical that is " Injuious to all forms of aquatic life"