[Charlie]

Hi, my name is Charlie. I have just taken over a plot that hasn't been touched for about 5 years.I've spent the last 2 weeks scything down chest high Brambles.
Bought nice s/s fork from Tesco's, but the ground is like concrete.
any suggestions :?:

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Charlie, welcome to the fold.  OUr friend Noshed in East London is buying herself a Mattock, might be an idea?  Or you could wait til it rains and softens the ground a bit, shouldn't be long now!!!!

[Eristic]

The mattock is by far the best tool for removing the bramble roots. However there is some skill in its proper use. It is a chopping tool and must never be used as a lever or the handle will snap. You still have to cut the briers down first.

Given the current conditions, it is better to do nothing for the forseeable future and if there are still any brambles left uncut you should consider the blackberries as a very nutricious crop in their own right.

[Charlie]

Thanks, already used a mattock on the roots. Don't fancy digging the whole plot with it though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Think I'll wait until we have some rain.

[GrannieAnnie]

Have you had any rain down there yet Charlie?  We've just had an almighty thunderstorm, which has filled to the brim my 45 gallon water butt!!  Lovely water, save me watering my plot today at least!!!!!

[Oliver]

We've just had an almighty thunderstorm ... save me watering my plot today at least!!!!!

HOORAY, rain at last. I never thought I would rejoice in rain  ... terrific thunderstorm about 3 this morning. She had a little dig this morning and found the rain has gone down about 1.5in.  
Must get out there and water some more so the water will go down a bit further! so no let up to can-carrying!

[stompy]

Well the rain i ordered up here has just arived, but "HE" hasn;t delivered the amount that i ordered.

It's the first we have had in about 3 months, the old hands on the site said they have never known it to be this dry. :shock:

Just my luck, i get the furthest plot from the water suply and we have the dryest summer in history, i'm knackered. :roll:

I would like to re issue my order for 2 days rain please.

[Fafafifi]

We had the rain and thunder here in Northampton too - but now its just unbearably humid!

Anyway, hello Charlie, I too would wait until the ground has had a bit more of a wetting before commencing any hard digging.  I've been using this excuse for the past month or so as the reason why I haven't dug out a load of couch grass at the end of my allotment!

[GrannieAnnie]

Yep. its stopped here too nw, and is also unbearably hot and ugh!  Luckily, I dug another little bit of ground yesterday ready for my next lot of leeks, so got those in just now, but came up here for a cool down, so sitting in front of the fan!!!

[Oliver]

... its stopped here now

She has discovered how to make it rain! Spread out your beadwork outside and start working. Its sure to rain - it is! So back to the keyboard it is answering posts!

[noshed]

Yes it tipped down here last night. So it was quiet and peaceful on our site this morning - no water wars.
Everything looked much happier.
I planted loads of seeds (cabbage, more beans, beetroot and salad stuff) watered everything. Then it rained again.
I will expect everything to be sprouting by tomorrow!
Am just making courgette chutney at the moment. (Half the quantities would only just fit into my giant saucepan) First day it's been cool enough to contemplate simmering anything for two hours.

[Eristic]

OK. Lets have the recipe then. It's got to the point where everybody runs away from me when they see me with carrier bags.

[noshed]

Hope you're all admiring my shed pic by the way.

[rugbymad40]

Hi Charlie,

Welcome to the forum and to the energetic world of allotmenting.

My advice is to wait and dig the roots out.  If you start hacking them you will have them back year on year.  It might delay you doing what you want with the plot this year, but you will reap the benefits in the long term.

My plot was waist high in weeds when I got it and the advice from the locals was to rotovate it back in.  I resisted this and spent two months digging the roots out.  The results can be seen on my gallery  - see my profile.  By digging out the roots the only weeds we are getting are from seed and the hoe deals with them very effectively.

[rugbymad40]

Nice shed noshed.  I bet that Water Butt is full after last nights downpour.

Have a look at the gallery in my profile and take a look at my greenhouse.  I got if for free, just for taking it down.  Yes, a Cedar greenhouse for free. What a result!

regards

Rugbymad40