[alwayshopeful]

I know this has probabally been covered elsewhere on the site, but couldn't really find the answer I wanted.  This year has been a total waste of time for me on the allotment - after huge battle with weeds (marestail being the most prolific), finally got plot sorted and planted up in June before jetting off on holiday, only to come back to it two weeks later and find that everything had been eaten  .  Found this disheartening at best.  Unfortunately every time we have had nice weather enabling me to get down to allotment, I have had to go to work!  So allotment left neglected  .
Went down this morning and could have cried - docks covering most of the beds, flippin marestale overtaken everything - where do I start? 
Have sprayed weedkiller over everything, but don't really think it will have much effect - should I just cover it all in black plastic and leave it over winter and start again?  Too be honest, I am seriously considering just giving it up

[mumofstig]

To keep weeds down you really do need to get down there and do some weeding most weeks, even if it's only for a little while. Going less often means that the weeds take hold again, as you've found out 
A quick go round with the hoe, which really doesn't take long, keeps every thing under control before they have a chance to get big.
Failing that have you thought of growing through black plastic - a few plots on our site are like that where people have to work.

You have to consider whether you can keep the weeds under control, or if you'd rather do something else with the little spare time you have. Only you know how much it means to you, and whether it's worth the effort. It's meant to be a pleasure not a penance

I don't mean to sound harsh, and there's no sin in giving up if it doesn't suit you at a busy time in your life -you can always come back to it later when you have more time. good luck with the decision

[djbnat]

Definitely don't give up - getting another plot can take a long time in most areas.  Besides, it sounds like you are on the right track, just been unlucky with the few days good weather coinciding with work.  It can't always be that poor weatherwise so you should get more fine days available to you next year.
From my experience (and you are happy to use weedkiller from your post) I have found a dose of glysphosate followed by a bit of hard graft digging over the dead stuff a few weeks later can transform the plot - then I just do regular hoeing in the main.  Once you start to enjoy your produce you will feel much better.  I too nearly lost a lot of my young brassicas to pigeons but found netting and slug pellets allowed them to flourish.
It has been a particularly difficult year for all, the weather has supported weed growth, but it has not been normal.  Hang in there, I suspect you want to deep down.
Good luck 
DJB

[Daamoot]

Hey alwayshopeful!  Try not to be too disheartened from the lack of success this season.  Like mine, its your first and although I got some potatoes this year, here's hoping the future will bring more plentiful harvests.  We all have lessons to learn and I share your pain with the amount of effort required at the start for the little return but the way I figure it is that the start will be the hardest and once we have established plots, the following years won't need quite as much effort.

My advice is pretty worthless as I'm very inexperienced but I can't see any harm in covering some of the area with plastic so the weeds die off quicker.  I read on another thread that weedkiller won't work as well since the weeds are going dormant/dying already so covering should be more effective.  I layed weed suppresant around my blackcurrant bushes last weekend with the intention of lifting it again once the weeds underneath are dead, levelling the ground and laying the suppressant fabric permanently so my blackcurrants aren't swamped with nettles and thistles next year like they were this.  Keep trying and keep us updated with how your getting on  :happy:

[mumofstig]

and once we have established plots, the following years won't need quite as much effort.

Sorry, but weeds are a constant problem, in my experience.
There's truth in the saying one year's seed is seven years' weed. My plot is as bad now as it was when I got it 3 years ago, if I don't keep up with the hoeing

[jmc1949]

I took on a plot this year that was covered in 5 foot of couch, thistles and docks. I started trying to dig the roots out but found it very hard work. In the end I used weedkiller, which did get rid of the vast majority of the weeds, but I've notice recently that the areas I haven't managed to hoe since weedkiller was applied have now got hundreds of tiny weed seedlings. I think I'm going to have years of trying to keep these weeds under control.

So as Mumofstig says frequent hoeing is the best way to keep the weeds down. I do a lot of weeding, It can be tedious at times especially if time is limited but it has to be done.

[hamsterhead]

In the words of Peter Gabriel, "Don't Give Up" as its probably taken you a long time to get the plot in the first place.  Weeds are dying back and slowing up now so try and get it covered for the winter and then do a little bit by bit next year.  Hey, I sound as if I know what I'm talking about, its just that I have the same problem and taking a bit at a time.

Pete

[Puenktchen]

You need to go to the allotment at least once a week during the growing season to do the weeding to stay on top of the weeds. Especially if you have a plot which had lots of weeds you will have weed seeds germinating all the time. It will take a bit of time at the beginning but if you keep on top of the weeds for about 2 years and never let a weed seed itself around it will get better and all you have to do is a bit of hoeing every week.

I also don`t go on holiday anymore during the growing season as it can be so disheartening to come back and the allotment looks a mess. 

The best you can do now is to strim all the weeds to ground level and to start digging the plot over. Remove every bit of perennial weed you can find (like bindweed). The plot will look a lot better after digging. As soon as the weather warms up next year and you see the first weeds germinating you have to start hoeing every week. This way you can remove quite a lot of weed seedling before you start planting. If you plant vegetables with big leaves like potatoes, courgettes and pumpkins you have to do less weeding as weeds don`t have a chance to grow. It also helps to mulch the soil with grass clippings or manure as it suppresses germination of weed seeds. But the most important thing is to keep hoeing, even if you don`t see any weeds.

[Thrift]

I agree with all the others about doing a bit of hoeing when weeds are small; it's so quick and easy.

The weather is a nuisance but often if you tog up and get out in the rain you find that the job gets done and you don't even notice.

[dugless]

Having read this post dont you think that with Marestail the last thing you do is hoe

[mumofstig]

How would you deal with marestail then, dugless? 

Hoeing is the only way to keep it under control, as far as I'm aware  cos eventually hoeing weakens it and you get much less regrowth. 

[DD.]

I agree with mumofstig.

To quote Aunty "Never let it see a Sunday"!

[dugless]

Fair enough, but the man said he did not have alot of time and for hoeing to work you must be on top of it constantly.

[m1ckz]

to be honest, an a bit ruthless,,an allotment needs daily attention to keep it nice,as im retired an can give mine just that,,an its easy managed,,we have people on our site who come an hour a week,,an its hard going,an they do give up,my next door plot plants a few things an leaves it,hence full of weeds ,dosent even harvest anything ,,pointless really,why not try half of it,,let a friend or someone use the rest,,or something on those lines,,good luck

[NorthEast Old Newbie]

A rather sad tale. but dont be discouraged. Why not share it with a pal?

A lot of people left their plots until next year on our site as they lost the crops due to constant rain (still raining now). We decided to keep on going and although as newbies we didnt really know what we were doing we accepted that a lot of our hard grown produce was going to the birds, diseases, pests and SLUGS.

We lost a lot and the weeds flourished as the rains kept us away, but eventually we braved the weather, weeded very hard in small segments so as to not put ourselves off and looked after what we had left.Leeks, beetroots, lettuces, cabbages, a quarter of our potatoes, a few cauli's, a few shallots. a few carrots we planted high up after losing the first lot to carrotfly(didnt even know there was such a thing!)

The experienced neighbours around us all said we had done well considering the weather and our garden looked great. This kept us going.

Now I keep on top of the beds with a hoe twice a week. Only takes me a half hour. Weeds are frightened to show through.

Already planting some spring veg and covering with nets in preparation for the return of the pigeons. A few slug pellets going down to frighten off those hungry guys. If need be one of us will ride shotgun all night to keep them away ha ha.

 Just do a little at a time. Dont give up. Plots are too hard to find when you want one.