[Christine]

Just remember that you gain a properly cleared plot by digging over thoroughly and also you also become considerably fitter.

You also gain a sense of achievement when you look back at the start of next season and find that the work is considerably easier.

[Trillium]

My mum first ploughs her veg patch, then rotovates for a finer tilth. And all summer long she has to weed, weed, weed with her hoe and rotovator. By late summer she's too exhausted from hoeing to keep up with the weeds. She's an old school gardener and won't change her ways.

I pull the few I have by hand and just loosen the planting areas. Since I started doing this my weeding time is very minimal.

[Ema]

Ugh depending on your soil will take a few hours to dig enough to get your first row in. Just make sure you plant as you go so you actually eat some veg at the end of the day

[Goldfinger]

If it's a 'normal' sized plot, do what I did.

Just an hour or two after work, and maybe a bit more at weekends.

It's amazing how much you get done, and then when you look back at the end of a few days, it certainly makes it worthwhile doing it by hand, little by little.

[simbamara]

I had a taste of the ''ploughing '' today.We had removed all the weeds before the winter and we have mostly grass now to remove before beginning planting.

I  did not see and fellow allotmemt keepers using any motorised equipment such as a rotavetor so far.Any particular impliment recommended for this task ?

Thanks