[puravida]

Our new half-plot is sitting pretty and waiting for action.
Measures 5m across an 22.5m long.

The plan is for me to get all the beds in place along with the overall planting/maintenance plan and then my wife can take the toddler up there during the week with one of her friends and do the day to day stuff.

Problem is my time to get the beds up and running in the first place.

The plot has been strimmed back already by the council so is essentially just a grassy area now.

I know it is a bit of a no-no but I wondered about just hiring a petrol rotivator this weekend and getting all the beds turned over.

Any advice? Is there a quicker and easier way to do this? I'm a time-poor individual but desperate to get it all going for my wife to take on!!!

[lucywil]

it's just my opinion and others might disagree but i think the ground is far too wet for rotivating at the moment, you might be better off waiting a while.

[puravida]

That's a good point - I'd not considered that!

[richyrich7]

it's just my opinion and others might disagree but i think the ground is far too wet for rotivating at the moment, you might be better off waiting a while.

 :thumleft: sounds about right to me !

[puravida]

should I maybe peg out weed fabric where we want the beds to be in the meantime - weaken the little blighters and then rotivate when it dries out and warms up in a month or so??

[lucywil]

it's just my opinion and others might disagree but i think the ground is far too wet for rotivating at the moment, you might be better off waiting a while.

 :thumleft: sounds about right to me !

See - i'm learning!!!!

[richyrich7]

Lucy

Puravida  it won't hurt to put some membrane down, if you have some or just a quick hoe on drier days  

[RaisedShed]

Get it covered. Use weed fabric, flatterned cardboard boxes or old carpet (not foam backed) if allowed. Grass hates being deprived of light and will get killed off quite quickly without weedkiller. If you do rotovate rather than hand dig then be aware that the thistles, docks, nettles etc will all get chopped up too and will regrow into a new plant for each piece of root. If you cover up the rotavated soil until you need to plant you will delay the weed regrowth.

My neighbour, who started in Feb last year, rotovated half his plot and hand dug the other half. By May he was planting up the hand dug half but had to hand dig the rotovated half as the weeds came back with such vigour he couldn't keep up with it.

[Yorkie]

I'd agree with most things that RaisedShed wrote, except for carpet.  

Whilst it may be effective, it is generally not considered a great thing to use on allotments these days - even if permitted - as it will contain toxins which leach into the soil, is a nightmare to get rid of, and grass can eventually grow through it (thus pinning it to the ground).  Also, when it disintegrates, it leaves bits in the soil.

[Jozzer]

Personally I would only use a rotovator if the plot has been cleared of perenial weeds. As previously said you're only going to chop up the roots and compound the problem in the future. In my opinion there's only one way to do it and that's with a spade. Hard work to start with but once its done its much easier to control. I have just taken on a third plot and as before I have covered it all with black plastic to stop it getting worse and attack 1 section at a time. ie clear it of weeds rake to a fine tilth and sow something in and whilst the seeds are growing move on to the next section. May take a couple of seasons but worth it in the end. Well thats my opinion for what its worth.

[shaun]

[DD.]

That's fine Shaun, but the plan was to hire one for one weekend!

[shaun]

you cant please everyone can yer, i was only trying to help. i must scan this booklet and have john to put the whole thing on here

[DD.]

Of course, you could always pop down with yours every weekend!

[shaun]

Of course, you could always pop down with yours every weekend!

dont know where he lives DD it dont say