[nickthegreek]

At last my own allotment only been waiting fir a few months so not bad really anyway what I was thinking now is how or what to do first it is only a half plot 102sqm

its been strimmed by the council was gonna rotavate it but been doing research and its doesn't look like the best thing to do was going to dig the top layer first then de weed as I went then rotovate it any comments on this method would be a great help!!!

also I am lucky that I live right near the coast so again been doing my research and I am thinking about gathering some seaweed over the next few weeks to put into the soil intime for next year hopefully it will break down
I am aware that I have to wash the salt off although I have heard that that might not be a issue...

Next thing my uncle has his own stables so I was going to fill a transit van full of horse manure and spread that on my plot then dig in when it has broken down!!!

if i used both methods when it is all on my plot is it best to cover it  over winter or leave it all to the weather to sort out any comments would be a great help !!

cheers nick

[nickthegreek]

cant believe 19 people have read this but no one has commented "I need help"!

[pawsnclaws]

well alot of people on here are also new!!! so also dont know the answer??? sorry that includes me 

[Plottered]

And you did only post at 5.24pm...Rome wasnt built in a day m8 and im sure one of the experts will be along soon to give you your answers.

[DavidT]

Definitely dig it by hand first Nick to get rid of the grass and weeds. To make it seem less like hard work, as you clear a section plant it up. Regarding the seaweed, I think you will find it is illegal to remove it from the beach/shore. When you get the manure  make sure that what you get is well rotted. If you can only get fresh manure pile it somewhere and leave it for a year.

[nickthegreek]

Definitely dig it by hand first Nick to get rid of the grass and weeds. To make it seem less like hard work, as you clear a section plant it up. Regarding the seaweed, I think you will find it is illegal to remove it from the beach/shore. When you get the manure  make sure that what you get is well rotted. If you can only get fresh manure pile it somewhere and leave it for a year.

Thanks for the reply everyone and yourself dave, As for the seaweed is it illegal to gather it from the tide mark ie the dead stuff been doing it already and tried it in with some padron tapas chillis and the ones in the seaweed are growing the best dont know if that is a coincidence !!


The manure I can get has already rotted down  for months and I was gonna put it on the top of the soil in next couple of weeks so it should rot right down by the spring is that still a problem  and also is it best to cover it over during the cold months or just keep weeding ?

thanxs for your replies so far !

[noshed]

Manure, seaweed, it all sounds great. All I would say is divide your plot into beds and do one at a time. It's easier.
Let them rotovate it if you like but be prepered to tackle the weeds afterwards. I would say let them sprout up and then glyphosate them but I am a bit of a rough gardener.
Welcome anyway

[nickthegreek]

Manure, seaweed, it all sounds great. All I would say is divide your plot into beds and do one at a time. It's easier.
Let them rotovate it if you like but be prepered to tackle the weeds afterwards. I would say let them sprout up and then glyphosate them but I am a bit of a rough gardener.
Welcome anyway

Cheers just working out what I am going plant and also how much space I will need for each section ie:

ROOTS
LEGUMES
BRASSICAS
AND PERMANANT

Going to break it into 4 raised beds made with scaffold boards that I can pillage from work then just have grass paths around it would be nice to slab the paths but unless I win the lottery tonight grass will do thats what I have got into my mind and yeah I know it will be very hard work but hey rome wasn't built in a day !!!

[johnfh]

I too would advise you to use glyphosphate to kill the weeds intially then rotovate when they all look dead (usually 2-3 weeks) then spread your horse manure over it.  If you intend to use the rotovator more than once or twice look out for a second hand one you can keep, or share with a few fellow gardeners - they may welll have one already you can share.  ((A Honda with reverse is the best bet if the price is reasonable). The manure can be rotovated in in early spring when you are ready to start planting.

[DavidT]

As for the seaweed, check with your local council to find out what you can and cannot take.

[DavidT]

Nick, dig over the plot, remove the weeds, spread the manure then let the worms take it down over winter. They will do a better job of incorporating the manure than you can.

[Yorkie]

I would agree with the others about leaving the manure uncovered once the weeds have been dealt with. 

The question of whether to rotavate the weeds rather depends on what they are.  If they are perennials then it is best to kill or remove them first.  Annuals are less of an issue but it's probably best to mirror the approach.

Before you start adding the manure do check whether it has ever had the herbicide aminopyralid applied at any time - either to the grass eaten by the animals, or to any bedding which is incorporated.  This herbicide will persist in the soil for several years and kill various veggies.

By the way, welcome to the site, but can I ask you to have a look at our site policies, in particular the bit about 'bumping' a thread.  This is a very helpful forum and you will always get an answer if someone knows the answer.  It is considered a bit rude to bump your own post, especially only after a few hours 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=19481.0

[mickwood]

Nick, Congrats on the new lotty....say goodbye to that spare time!! lol!

Newbie myself but the only advise I could offer is not to rotovate unless your certain all weeds are dead (chemically killed) or removed by hand!! If you rotovate when weeds are live then all you do is chop them up and each section will grow into a new weed so in effect it becomes worse!!

Also...a lot of different advice on what works, what doesn't...when to plant...when not to etc....I just read lots (This REALLY is a helpful forum.....I've pretty much learned everything I know from it!!) and plant stuff...trial and error is how it works...or has for me at least.

Good luck....oh and get some pics up  or read peoples blogs!!

[nickthegreek]

Nick, Congrats on the new lotty....say goodbye to that spare time!! lol!

Newbie myself but the only advise I could offer is not to rotovate unless your certain all weeds are dead (chemically killed) or removed by hand!! If you rotovate when weeds are live then all you do is chop them up and each section will grow into a new weed so in effect it becomes worse!!

Also...a lot of different advice on what works, what doesn't...when to plant...when not to etc....I just read lots (This REALLY is a helpful forum.....I've pretty much learned everything I know from it!!) and plant stuff...trial and error is how it works...or has for me at least.

Good luck....oh and get some pics up  or read peoples blogs!!

Cheers mate was gonna take my camera down yesterday and take some pictures of what it started off like but was raining will hopefully do it this evening then i will take it down every other trip down there and keep a dairy of it all hopefully that will keep me going been doing a  bit in my garden this year and had good results so really looking forward to it just got to get the hard work out of the way first ie digging digging digging digging!!!

got myself a new shinhy stainless spade and shovel and a dutch hoe yesterday so I am on my way now all I need is a shed to put it all in !!!

[peterjf]

manjure it , dig in but leave soil in large lumps, then early spring february dig over again then rotovate,

leave a small are for compact plants such as sprouts turnips swedes celeriac