[Sweet Pea 2]

I haven’t been to my allotment for a couple of weeks (busy one weekend and then on holiday last weekend).  I went down yesterday just to check on it, and weeds have grown all over the bit I have dug over already.  I was digging using a fork and picking out all the roots I could find.   I cannot find any black plastic sheeting to go over it.  Is there a better way of doing this, or is it just a continuous process until the weeds don’t come back?  Would it be worth putting cardboard on top, I have some big boxes I could flatten out.  Will I be able to plant anything once I have dug it over again, or should I wait until the majority of weeds don’t come back, and how long will it take?  So far I have dug around half or my 5 pole allotment, and I am thinking I will ignore the rest of it, until I have got this half OK.  I am getting slightly panicy as I have got seedlings on window sill which I was thinking of moving to the little greenhouse at the weekend, so I am thinking my allotment will never be ready to plant on.  And I have my potatoes chitting.

[strangerachael]

Are they annual or perennial weeds? If annual, they will keep reappearing throughout the growing season, and nothing to worry about, just keep hoeing. If perennial, ideally you would want to get all the roots out before you plant, but it's not the end of the world if you don't. You could try putting cardboard down, and plant through holes made in that, but if i were you I would just get as many as you can out first, plant your veg and try not to worry too much. In my first year I had to keep carefully digging out bits of couch grass from around the veg. It's a nuisance but you will never get rid of all the weeds

[dougsta]

Not a bad idea to put a bit of cardboard down as this will also have the effect of warming up the soil a bit - then your seedlinds won't get a temperature shock when you plant them out.

Top advice from strangerachael too - don't worry too much, get the crops in even if there are a few weeds (raking before you plant will help a bit too). If they get too big sharpen up the hoe and hoe round your veg.

[Aunt Sally]

I agree, the gardener's best friend is the hoe. 

[Rampant_Weasel]

weeds are a good sign because if u cant grow weeds  u cant grow anything and we`ll all starve, just keep taking them out m8
theres a good side to most situations u just have to find it

[Sweet Pea 2]

Thanks all.  Good point, there would be more to worry about if I couldn't grow weeds.  How do I know the difference between annuals and perennials?  I will fork again, oick out any more roots that I can.  I will rake too, that was good advice, I may have forgotten to do.

[jolly jen]

weeding is trhe allotment lovers curse.......just keep hoeing

[noshed]

And keep your hoe sharpened!

[peapod]

Ive had  HUGE digging and weeding session today, and will now hoe away every time one dares to pop up 

[Christine]

How do I know the difference between annuals and perennials? 

Good identification of perennial weeds here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg/module6/perennial_weeds1.shtml

Here are some annual weeds - http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg/module6/annual_weeds1.shtml

At least that will get you started on the learning curve 

[outmowed]

Ive had  HUGE digging and weeding session today, and will now hoe away every time one dares to pop up 

Makes a change peapod.

[woodburner]

Thanks all.  Good point, there would be more to worry about if I couldn't grow weeds.  How do I know the difference between annuals and perennials?  I will fork again, oick out any more roots that I can.  I will rake too, that was good advice, I may have forgotten to do.

I'm worrying about my lottie soil, nothing is growing on the bit that I turned over last autumn, except for a couple of bits of couch that I must have missed, and some moss! :blink:
The bit that the previous tenant dug over, and I thought was subsoil, it had so little growing on it, did have some wierd and wonderful weeds on it over the summer though, so maybe it'll be ok.

[Stripey_cat]

If the soil has been really well cultivated for years and no weeds allowed to set seed, the only weeds you'll get are from seeds that are blown in on the wind.  Roll on the day...  If your plot's like mine, and has had a string of neglectful tenants, you turn the soil and there are new weeds the next morning!  It is starting to get better - you can still see where I hoed before the snow, even.

[MoreWhisky]

I weeded a nice patch a couple of weeks ago and was really pleased with myself, proper enjoyed it to.

Unfortunatly went over the same patch today prior to putting my onions in. The amount of weeds i found was amazing. Now im wondering if im weeding wrong  in the first place

[jolly jen]

my plot was over run with weeds ,,i have put my before and after photos in the galley..

top half is finished now,and when i go down i quickly hoe my beds over each time this will prevent the little bu**ers coming back,,,have noticed the odd one popping up within 4  days of going to my plot,

im now under taken my second half of my plot  which has been covered with thick black plastic,,,,,,,,which has down the trick and killed off everthing,although when im digging my beds ive had to pull out all the white weed roots.................