[fjace5]

Two of my mates and myself have just gotten an allotment, its quite big.

It has not had some one on it for about a year or two and was over grown untill it was strimmed.

My question is should we rotavate asap or leave it till oct or even later still jan ? and why ?


We are new to growing our own and dont know.

[PinkTequila]

I would say not rotavate at all but many many disagree. Rotavating will just help to fill it with weeds. Unless you are planning raised beds then I would work through the whole allotment and dig it over pulling out any nasty looking weeds and roots.

[Griffo]

I agree about rotavating - it just chops the weeds up and distributes them. OK on fairly clean ground but not if there's docks, couch grass etc.

If you can dig , at least some of it, and clean the ground, there's time to get some crops going - see 'what are you growing over this winter' thread.

[crowndale]

And if its not been used in a couple of years expect loads of weeds for several years to come.  mine is an absolute jungle of annuals this eyar because I didn't get it last year until all the annuals (and perenials) had gone to seed.  hard work to keep on top of but am told its worth it in the end!

[rictic]

My advice, don't rotovate, I took on an allotment earlier this summer, half was rotovated,half not, and the side that has not been rotovated is a lot less trouble weed wise once it has been dug.  Rotovating only gets down a few inches antway and you are going to have to dig so dont bother.  

Enjoy your allotment.

Keep the faith.

Rictic.

[Aidy]

remember 1 year seed is 7 or 8 years weed (still drunk from rebellion). Do you own a rotovator? If not then dig, dig and then dig. Get as much perenial weed root as you can. dont worry about annuals too much as you can keep hoeing them when the pop there little heads up. If you own a rotovator I would use it to break the weed root up, clear it by forking through and then keep on turning it over every few weeks when it looks green. I would be tempted to clear it over the autumn winter and prepare for spring. Dont rush its not a sprint its a marathon. The more time you spend clearing it the better next year will be. The reason most will say not to rotovate is because they dont own one, if you do it once all it will do is multiply the weed, if done regular you will kill it, it works I have done it and Shaun I know will tell you the same.

[fjace5]

i am lucky enought to own a howard gem rotivator.

Im told this digs deep.


So we should start working on the weeds asap?


Thanks for all your advice

[Aidy]

i am lucky enought to own a howard gem rotivator.

Im told this digs deep.


So we should start working on the weeds asap?


Thanks for all your advice

The trick is use them at a slow speed so the tines rip the root up, have someone go behind collecting them and forking/raking through, do this a few of times at first, then spend some time forking the plot through again, once it is clearing then you can rotovate every few weeks, there is also no harm in adding some goodness at that point so you can turn that in as you turn the beds over.

[Degs]

I've just taken over an allotment that was rotatvated - disaster - bindweed everywhere.

I have kept the plot covered with black plastic sheeting to kill off the surface growth and am now forking out the roots.

[peterjf]

digging the weeds in breaks them up into more weeds but , the new weeds are more in number but young and vigerous, very small roots ,

 when we got our plot, we dug it over and then allowed the weeds to start growing again , then we sprayed with ROUND UP , waited 3 weeks and then rotavated, then again we sprayed round up , more weeds came , rotavated a third time, very few weeds ,

we then sprayed again, but every time we rotavated  the weeds where chopped up, very young and easier to spray ,now after 12 weeks we have a great double plot 500 sq yds in total ,

round up becomes neutral once it touches the soil, so no harm done to the soil , and any weeds that appear are hoed out ,

good luck

[Aidy]

digging the weeds in breaks them up into more weeds but , the new weeds are more in number but young and vigerous, very small roots ,

 when we got our plot, we dug it over and then allowed the weeds to start growing again , then we sprayed with ROUND UP , waited 3 weeks and then rotavated, then again we sprayed round up , more weeds came , rotavated a third time, very few weeds ,

we then sprayed again, but every time we rotavated  the weeds where chopped up, very young and easier to spray ,now after 12 weeks we have a great double plot 500 sq yds in total ,

round up becomes neutral once it touches the soil, so no harm done to the soil , and any weeds that appear are hoed out ,

good luck

There is some debate about the break up of all the ingrediants used in round up. The French have a method, you more or less say it in your reply, every time you break the root it becomes smaller, therefore it has less energy, every time you turn it over it uses up that energy to resprout so depleting all its stored food will die. It takes time to do but it works.

[fjace5]

so would it be adviced to start digging it over now ready for next year ?

[Yorkie]

Hi fjace5,

Yes, I'd get started sooner rather than later.

I find that it always takes me longer to clear areas than I hope (particularly when I'm being thorough and removing all the weeds instead of the ones which are taller than my knee   )

Also, it's far nicer starting to clear a plot when it's not winter temperatures or weather.  

I don't know where you are in the country (you could put this in your profile if you want), but in my area it's fairly unproductive work-wise on the plot after Christmas until March-ish because the ground gets too wet to work.  If the mud sticks to your boots, keep off or you'll damage the soil structure.

[Nogger]

Two of my mates and myself have just gotten an allotment, its quite big.

It has not had some one on it for about a year or two and was over grown untill it was strimmed.

My question is should we rotavate asap or leave it till oct or even later still jan ? and why ?


We are new to growing our own and dont know.

if you buy some roundup then spray it ; leave it for a aprox a fortnight every thing dies back to the roots,then you can burn it all or rota it in and then even plant your produce, its brill stuff nogger