[gavinjconway]

Hi - newbie here - I sort of know what I'm doing as been growing veg for years in Zimbabwe and now here in the UK (Cheshire) on my flat roof in long pipes been split into making long growing tubs.. ... I am now taking control of my own garden share plot in the next few days. about 150 sq mt.  it is full of lush tall nettles and some grasses and the land owner has started to cut them down.

My paln is to cut and strim everything down and use all to start to make my compost heap with horse manure from my sons horse.. My dilema is should I dig it over now to start preparing for next growing season or keep strimming new weeds and let it get all snowed up and killed in the winter then get cracking next season when the ground has thawed out... I dont really want to do the digging twice...
 
I would value your helpful advice.. Thanks in advance...

[Yorkie]

I find that the soil gets too difficult to work properly once you're into the New Year (wet, muddy, frozen).  The risk is that you then can't get onto the plot until very late on, leaving yourself with lots of hard work and insufficient time to get things like plants, onions, garlic in.  You have a couple of extra months to clear the land for things like beans courgettes etc, which are more tender.

I'd suggest making as much progress in the autumn as possible, then covering with weed suppressant fabric or cardboard for the winter.  Green manure is a good idea in future years but I don't hold out a lot of hope for it suppressing weeds in the first season.

[gavinjconway]

sound a good plan to me.... didnt think of the wet winters we have here in Cheshire!!

You say cardboard to suppress weeds... I have huge amounts of it so would be easy for me.. I assume dig and turn the soil now, add some manure and general fert, then cover with cardboard and place layer of soil on top... Then in Spring just dig small hole and plant thru the cardboard leaving the cardboard to rot..

[Yorkie]

That sounds like a plan - just remember to remove the weeds when you dig and turn ...

[Gandan57]

As you are going to strim all the weeds, my suggestion would be to allow the regrowth to get to 4-6 inches high then spray with glyphosate. Leave for a few weeks and then roughly dig the area. The winter frosts will then turn the soil into a fine tilth ready for planting next spring.

[gavinjconway]

Hi Gandan.... yes that sounds a good idea... so would you suggest no to cardboard or still use it?

[Gandan57]

Well the glyphosate should kill off the regrowth from the established weeds. It`s sometimes difficult to get lush green growth perfect for spraying at this time of year but the rain at the moment will ensure that.

You say it`s mainly nettles and grasses, and of course these will have seeded, so more weeds will grow from seeds. Personally I would just dig roughly and leave uncovered. If you cover, the soil will not be able to dry out naturally in the spruing. You can always spray again in the spring prior to planting or hoe when it`s dry.

Especially if you have heavy clay soil, the action of winter frosts are invaluable so if the ground is covered you will lose the benefit of these.

[gavinjconway]

Hi Gandag - sounds the best way to go... thanks for the info..