[mdjlucan]

this is my new allotment as you see is very grassy on the top where do I start first do I stream the grass then then turn it in all the helpwill be such appreciated thanks

[JoshP]

Personally I would spray off the areas you plan to use with glyphosate in order to kill off weeds such as couch grass or perennials that may cause problems in the future. When the grass has died off then you can dig it in.

[anchorman]

Hello Joshp. You are a very lucky dude. That new allotment could be a brilliant cropper but you've got some work to do. You could spray it with weed killer but do it on a still day so you dont spray anything you dont want to kill.

Whatever you do DONT be tempted to rotovate it. All those grass and weed roots will come back with a friend. Been there myself. I then dug mine, bit by bit, just a yard a day cleaning roots and weeds by hand. If I were you, i'd just concentrate on that this year, getting all the ground open and cleaned for winter. Its the only way and you may want to read up on trench digging. When its all clear of weeds and roots, check with a soil meter to see if its acid or alkaline. It will probably need muck in early winter and lime in spring, never both together.

Its tough but worth the effort. Wireworm is often a problem after grassland is turned over to crops so choose your first years crop wisely. Good luck.

[juvenal]

I faced exactly the same situation a year ago, and did the same as anchorman. A yard or two a day, dug and cleaned by hand. I stacked all grass clods upside down, building a cube, which will take 12 months to rot to usable soil. I covered it with plastic. No light; no sun and no moisture will soon rot it down.

It's hard graft, but (starting last Sept) I had the whole plot ready to plant by March. The first three yards were clean by last October, and I got overwintering Japanese onion; garlic and two rows of Aquadulce broad bean in. This first summer has been pretty good (just lack of rain) and it's hugely satisfying to see couch grass wilderness turned into productive ground inside the year.

Your new plot looks like it could be a winner.

[Aunt Sally]

Fantastic plot, mdjlucan!

I would skim the turf off and stack it grass side down: it will turn into fabulous compost.

[surbie100]

Congrats on the plot!  Are you keeping the strawberries?

I'd do the same as Aunt Sally - skim off the top and pile it up to rot down. And then cover what you have skimmed with some manure if you can get it or some tarp/cardboard to keep the weeds from regrowing before you dig or plant it.

I have one of my undug bits covered with cardboard bike boxes, with a tarp on top. The other has been left open. I know which bit I am dreading clearing...

[mdjlucan]

I went there today and put a fork and spade into the ground the ground is very very hard how can I soften the grande upGrant is very compact

[Yorkie]

It's probably got lots of clay in it, so you'll need to wait until it's rained a bit to soften it, perhaps.

[mdjlucan]

Will this be okay to put autumn raspberries Into the grand if it's got clay in the grand

[mumofstig]

They grow well in clay.

[Thrutchington]

Is it grand clay? 😊 Don't be tempted to try and do it all in one go, a bit at a time is best otherwise you'll feel like it's getting nowhere.

[surbie100]

I went there today and put a fork and spade into the ground the ground is very very hard how can I soften the grande upGrant is very compact

If it's clay (my sympathies, I'm digging that too!) can you borrow or get hold of a mattock? That will get through nearly anything.

[cadalot]

part of my allotment had been covered in carpet and the bine weed had grown through and over, on removing the carpet the ground was solid and shiny nearly polished, I use a pick axe to break it up as I could not get a fork in the ground, then once broken a fork and a spade to dig.

Do it little by little, It took me a long time to remove all the brambles, nettles and everything else by hand, but my brother in law who rotavated is still plagued with very many more weeds than I am.

[mdjlucan]

Just like to say thank you for everyone on this forum for so much help to get my allotment up and going One more question if I give it a good watering Will it help to turn it over also the Strawberries how do I Finn them out thanks

[Yorkie]

I suspect that you won't get the moisture very deep through watering, but it's worth a try over a small area to see how you get on.