[RookieJim]

Hi Guys,

I've posted a few times now but still really a newbie so please be gentle 

So I have the new plot, which I worked on both Saturday and Sunday (I put some pics on another post).
As the plot was a little neglected it has the usual culprits; bindweed; horsetail; couch grass etc which I knew I'd have to deal with.

The plot is 50m long and 8m wide so it's pretty big. It has some 'beds' dug by the previous tenant which are 7m x 2m. So we've decided to tackle it one bed at a time.

So I dug up the first one, and was shocked at just how many weeds were there. It's a wonder how anything but weeds grew there at all. It's also quite heavy clay soil.

Bearing in mind I'm a complete newbie, what is the best way to clear weeds from clay soil?

The Mrs Jim has the idea of digging it all up by hand, manually picking out the millions of weeds (this is just the one bed), getting a bit of organic weed killer in and then some manure and compost so we can at least get some onions and garlic in for the winter.

Is this the correct or best way to go about it?

Sorry for the long post.
Jim

[mumofstig]

Advice from John here 
http://www.allotment-garden.org/grow-your-own/allotments/clearing-a-new-allotment

[Yorkie]

What does your Mrs think is "organic weedkiller"?  To me, that's a contradiction in terms unless she means something other than what I'm thinking of.

[RookieJim]

What does your Mrs think is "organic weedkiller"?  To me, that's a contradiction in terms unless she means something other than what I'm thinking of.

Only she knows what goes on in her pretty little head! 

Anyway, weed killer is a no-no, we've just gotta endure the back-breaking work  :blink:

[SG6]

Whether or not you like it you want to turn a heavily weeded patch of ground in to something resembling an allotment.

From the weeds mentioned then simply digging could well simply redistribute bits of root that will regrow.

A controlled and sensibly applied spray of a weed killer - glyphosphate - may in the simplest terms be quicker, easier and better overall.

[Salmo]

Best advice is probably not to try and crop a lot the first year and concentrate on cleaning the weeds out.

As well as the roots that are there you will not doubt find that lots of small weeds germinate. This is good as that will lessen the number of seeds in the soil. Kill them while they are small. If you let them grow they will be a problem.

I would not plant onions or garlic over the winter. Both will get full of weeds which you will not be able to remove.

Plant nothing unless you are sure all weeds have been removed. Do small areas at a time.

One final tip. When you post on here use a specific title rather than a generat one. You will get more answers from e.g. "How do I tackle weeds on my new plot"

[RookieJim]

Thanks Salmo, advice taken on board