Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: alexroyall85 on July 20, 2013, 21:37
-
Hi all
Have just taken on a new bit of land to become my allotment. What's the best way of clearing it as it has a lot of couch grass on it and some smaller weeds.
Was thinking of chemical warfare after giving it a good strim down. Its the only way I can see it happening.
Is this the right route or is there an easier way.
Cheers
Alex
-
Firstly there is no easy way. Lol :lol: thats a pipe dream for 99% of us.
We strimmed ours, sprayed and started digging. Once the weed killer had kicked in we covered with black while we carried on digging and digging and digging.
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s184/judey_wooo/plot/IMG00395-1.jpg)
This was one of ours
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s184/judey_wooo/plot/IMG00649.jpg)
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s184/judey_wooo/plot/IMG00785.jpg)
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s184/judey_wooo/plot/IMG00762.jpg)
Its not easy but it can be done. Just keep at those weeds, they do get less over the years.
-
There are loads of threads on here about how to clear an allotment.
Personally I used a combination of Glyphosate weedkiller, weed supressing membrane and sheer hard work.
Strim and cover what you don't think you will be able to sort out soon. Glyphosate most of what is left without strimming, and start digging the rest over by fork / hand removing ALL the roots as you go. In a couple of weeks the glyhosated area will have died back and be much much easier to dig over and remove the roots. Finally the covered area will have died off and again be easier to dig over.
Its taken me 4 years to get my plot to nearly where I want it to be, but its worth it. Spending the time now thoroughly removing as much of the weeds as you can will pay dividends in the future.
Good luck.
-
Looking at our current weather pattern don't bother with glyphosate until it has rained the plant needs to be in active growth ,you will be chucking money away :)