[foxydan]

Hi, we have our new allotment and we have been working on it foor the last three days. We are exhausted as the ground is in pretty back condition and we have cleared a small part, only thing is is that it is 35m in length by 8 m in width.

We would really like to get growing and was wondering if there are any machines which could strip the top soil/turf off making our life easy and this clearance job quicker.  I'm not sure what machine could do it. I wouldn't want a rotovator as this would chop all weeds up.

Any ideas?

[SkipRat]

Depending on your views on chemicals. you could use a weed killer such as Roundup, takes around three weeks to do its stuff then you could rotavate without the risk of chopping weed roots about.

[shaun]

a mini digger,scrape all the gowth of with it leaving just the behind soil,if you get the hang of it you can dig it over aswel,

[Aunt Sally]

That's a big plot Foxydan.  Unless you control the weeds while you get to grips with the plot you will have a fight on your hands.  Kill it with glyphosate and that will give you a chance to cultivate as you can and not get overtaken by weeds  

[foxydan]

Depending on your views on chemicals. you could use a weed killer such as Roundup, takes around three weeks to do its stuff then you could rotavate without the risk of chopping weed roots about.

Don't want to go down the chemical route as would like to be organic as possible.

[clive f]

Yes there is such a machine i think it's called a turf cutter seen it on ground force

[foxydan]

Yes there is such a machine i think it's called a turf cutter seen it on ground force

you mean this one:

http://www.hss.com/g/62356/Turf_Cutter_Light_Duty.html

[foxydan]

That's a big plot Foxydan.  Unless you control the weeds while you get to grips with the plot you will have a fight on your hands.  Kill it with glyphosate and that will give you a chance to cultivate as you can and not get overtaken by weeds  

yes it's really big but didn't have a choice as it was take it or leave it

[shaun]

thats exactly what it is clive a turf cutter it wouldnt be any good for a over grown plot unless its like a bowling green

[foxydan]

thats exactly what it is clive a turf cutter it wouldnt be any good for a over grown plot unless its like a bowling green

the problem is that the ground is very uneven as well so don't know if a turf cutter would be any good.

[shaun]

like i said foxy have ring around and look in the local rag for a mini digger ,1 day with it and you will have a clear plot

[slowcompost]

If you want to stay with the organic route I would think about just working on the size of plot you think you can manage and using black plastic to cover the rest. That'll sort out the weeds for next year.
Removing the  ground cover with a mini digger would be bound to take off some of the valuble top soil, and would still leave all the weed roots behind.

[Aunt Sally]

That amount of black plastic would be quite expensive  

[shaun]

Removing the  ground cover with a mini digger would be bound to take off some of the valuble top soil, and would still leave all the weed roots behind.

not at all your not going to take big bucket fulls of soil off ,all you need to do is scalp the surface with the teeth of the bucket imagine a very powerfull rake

[mercury]

Theres no easy way foxydan, without resorting to weedkiller