[vineweevil1]

Got our allotment (5m x 35m) last year but only worked on half.  The other half has been sprayed with weedkiller 12 mthsd ago and covered with black plastic ever since.   Was thinking of rotovating it as a quick start but was wondering:

How dry does it have to be?  It is on a hill so does get wet from water draining down the hill but it has been covered in black plastic so shouldn't be to soggy.....?

As it has been dry for a week and warmer I was assuming soil won't be frozen so if I managed to do it this weekend then we wouldn't be damaging the soil...!?

What do I need to ask for at the hire places?  I have seen a power digger (up to 8" depth, cultivators, rotovators - what do I need? Any specific power rating or depth? The soil hasn't been worked on as far as I know, just had couch but hasn't got any major rubble or brambles or anything..?

Thanks in advance from a girly girl trying to organise the man in my life!

[Aidy]

try and get the deepest blades you can, do it slowly so it rips the roots up rather than cut them. It will be better after a good dry spell so I would leave it a little longer. As you are hiring I would suggest that you spend a lot of time after forking and raking to clear as much of the roots etc as you can, once you have cleared it, do it again you will be amazed by how much you will have missed.

[Yorkie]

If you haven't lifted the black plastic yet, I'd do so and look at how soggy the soil is.  If water runs down the slope, a surface covering won't prevent it moving through the soil below.  Also, the plastic stops evaporation of gathered water.

[vineweevil1]

Thanks both, off to have a looksee tonight after work.  We can poss hire a rotavator for next weekend.  Should I leave the cover off this week if the forecast seems dry?