[penance]

Arrggh... so many options hehehehe

I just don't know what to do!

Why not split the plot?
Then you could strim/weedkill one half and get it rotovated in a few weeks.
The other half do as oldbean suggests.
Then you will have at least some space to plant out some late crops this year and also get tom compare results of different clearing methods.

[Parsnip]

I was steadfastly against using anything on my plot to kill the weeds..

I'm afraid they got the better of me, I was getting so overwhelmed I just wasn't managing to get very far clearing it...so last week I went out and bought a job lot of glyphosate...and nuked the lot...

Now I can get planting again and am much happier. Sometime you just need a helping hand ( so to speak)

Oh and I let the association rotavate my plot once it had been cleared ( ish) I really really regret it...It spread horseradish and couch everywhere..so it's made it twice as hard now...Auntis advice is the right one...don't do it... you'll regret it..

[Kristen]

I'll add another couple of opinions then!

I suggest you do your own research into the damage, or otherwise, that Glyphosate / Round-up is likely to do and form your own opinion.  www.wikipedia.com is probably as good a place to start as any.

An alternative is to cut the stuff off and cover the ground in plastic sheet, and plant through that. I read of many people growing Squash, Courgette, Pumpkins etc. - digging pits, filling with well rotted manure or similar, and then planting through the plastic.  The Squash and Pumpkins will sprawl 4 feet or more I expect, and by the Winter the plastic will have done-for most of the weed.  Dig / Rotavate (mix in Manure etc.), replace the plastic, plant crops through the plastic next year, and then you should have a perfectly clean plot, not a weed in sight

Some advice here too:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/articles/Clearing_a_New_Allotment.php

[Riala]

I thought Aunties advice was to 'not' hoe it myself, but Glysophate and rotavate?

[oldbean]

Well here's a pic.  By the way, if you cut off the stinging nettles, then drown them, you get a good foliar feed.

The really sandy, hungry soil we have.

[Aunt Sally]

Well here's a pic.  By the way, if you cut off the stinging nettles, then drown them, you get a good foliar feed.

The really sandy, hungry soil we have.

No, glyphosate and then dig a bit at a time.  Strim things down that have not been killed until you get to that bit to dig.

[Parsnip]

That's exactly what I'm doing Aunty...

[oldbean]

Well here's a pic.  By the way, if you cut off the stinging nettles, then drown them, you get a good foliar feed.

The really sandy, hungry soil we have.

No, glyphosate and then dig a bit at a time.  Strim things down that have not been killed until you get to that bit to dig.

I really can't see how recommending glyphosate has anything to do with the picture I posted, or obtaining a foliar feed. (Though I might have got the spelling wrong).

(I have no direct or indirect financial or other interest in the solutions I suggest.)

[Aunt Sally]

Sorry old bean me dear.  Aunty clicked the wrong button.  This was the one I meant to quote:

 

I thought Aunties advice was to 'not' hoe it myself, but Glysophate and rotavate?

[Bombers]

I'd bring me tools and have most of it sorted in a day (honest)

 :blink: Blimey Oldbeen. Have you been on the Kryptonite or what? If you could clear that lot in one day then I'm an honest politician!

[Riala]

Confused me too!

So... advise is so far:

Hoe (I would, but the grass and weeds are 2+ ft high.)

Spray + Dig (Probably do this one actually now I have looked into cost, time, etc)

Spray + Rotovate (Steering more and more away from Rotovate because of the amount of unknown weeds)

[richyrich7]

I use weedkillers and to be honest wish I didn't, but what your going to have to remember if you use glyphosate then you'll still have top growth to remove, it takes weeks for tall grass to break down, you can't really rotovate over it as it stands as it clogs the tines up, you still end up having to clear it.
 You'd be better off strimming, leave a week or two for regrowth, then spraying if your going down that route.
Just to add confusion to the mix 

[oldbean]

I would use a scythe to reduce the growth first. Have a look at the video  here. The picture is diabolical, but you can see a better version. Click on "Our old QuickTime mowing video" here, (note the 10 year old). It beats a strimmer easily.

Bombers, I reckon I could do it using the tools I have suggested (as I have bought them and know what they can do) especially with Riala's soil.

PS I had written this before richyrich7 had posted, so it's just a coincidence it  turned up here. (I was watching the video.

[Riala]

I really do not have the money to buy Scythes and fancy hoes to be honest.

The main reason I want to grow my own vefg is because it is becoming increasingly harder and harder to afford the veg from our supermarkets and local markets.

I do have a small electric strimmer, but no electric on site!! I did the first half about 20ft x 15ft) with a pair of shears.

[Aunt Sally]

Ask around the site and see if anyone has a petrol strimmer they run over it for you.

OR

Ask the council if they'd strim it for you instead of rotavating it.