[liliboots1]

Hi my name is Liz i am about to get my allotment tomorow. I get to choose the one i want any tips. Do i let them cultivate it or not its very overgrown etc.please help!

[jameshuk]

I got my allotment this time last year and asked the same question with mixed answers.... I hand dug half of mine before deciding to take a short cut and rotivate the second half.

My advice to just to dig it yourself....  The half I dug and weeded out the roots myself was relatively root free from then onwards. The half I rotivated was a nightmare with couch grass etc constantly coming back.

In the long term digging it yourself is by far the best option in my opinion.

[Glyn]

I would dig it your self. do not try and do the hole thing straight away, do what you can and cover the rest until get around to it. Have had my allotment since march and i am now just getting to dig the top half of it.

[Dominic]

I disagree, rotavate the lot, cover what you arent using and dig what you are.
Advice on the basis that hacking it to pieces and covering it must be better than covering it.

[Minty]

We've only had our plot about 5 month's and have been slowly clearing it and taking all the couch roots out by hand and I'v got to say it's staying couch free where we've done so far.
We are about 2/3 of the way through and should have it all ready by spring time.
Some people on our site who took plots on around the same time as us rotavated everything and 5 months on their plot's look the same as when they started as the rotavator just chopped all the couch roots up into smaller bit's and spread it around more.

[beestie-crawlies]

I also got mine in March this year. Only managed one corner this year for planting.

Have been digging like mad lately to get it all dug over by Christmas.

Nearly there    I think the back has been definatly broken now.

[LucasAndRichard]

The back of the plot, or your back?
     

[alfman]

Congrats Liz and welcome.    With the amount of time you've got till spring I'd definately go for digging. You've got plenty of time to do it and it'll only want cleaning out once.

[AndyRVTR]

Hi Liz... and welcome... I hate digging, but I would definately say it is better to dig than use a rotivator.
If you use the latter it will just chop any existing weeds and put them in the ground ready to shoot back up when spring comes.
At least with digging and hand picking the weeds out.. you wont have so many to remove.

[bernie101]

I've just taken up my new plot about 4 weeks ago and am clearing it by hand.

I've got about a third of the plot done, and hand clearing allows you to see what condition the plots in. I for example have found a lot of mares tail roots and dandilions that would be spread all overif i'd chosen to rotovate.

However, its in not too bad a condition, so it may depend on how much you have to clear.

Whilst I post, the pile of weeds etc is growing. What would people suggest I do, let them rot down or burn them.

Will they not die in time and i can add them to the compost heap?

[peapod]

I burn mine bernie, then plonk the ashes on the compost...saves any worry and keeps you nice and warm for a bit  

Paula

[peapod]

OH and I just noticed

Welcome to the forums! Pop over to the welcome thread and tell us something about yourself  

Paula

[Salmo]

I would let them rotovate it if they are willing to do so. You will still need to dig it over and remove weeds but at least it will be broken up and open to the weather.

A fork is the best tool as it allows you to shake out the roots and remove them. Do it a bit at a time, and do it carefully. Do not be in a hurry to plant, get it clean first. Crops such as beans, leeks and squashes do are not planted out until June anyway.

Do not put manure or bulky organic matter on until it is clean. Weeds like couch adore manure.

As a first crop potatoes are always good and can be planted if it is not completely clean. As you earth them up you will kill lots of weeds and when you lift them the soil will be nice and loose to get the weed roots out.

In my opinion covering over winter is ineffective. To kill weeds like couch by covering it takes at least a year. Better to leave it open and then you can see the weeds growing and treat them appropriately.

In th Spring the cut up bits of root that you have not removed will all sprout but individually they will be weakened. Let them grow to about 5 inches and then zap them with glyphosate e.g. Rounup. That will also kill any annual weeds that appear.

[beestie-crawlies]

The back of the plot, or your back?
 

The plot, but I'm sure the back will follow soon after.  

[jazzbyrd]

We started our allotment this year and hand dug it all. Compared to the allotment holders that also started this year at the same time with roughly the same amount of  weeds using a rotivator....our plot is much more weed free!!! If you can I would do as others on this thread have suggested do a section at a time and cover the bits you are not ready to work on. Leave the rotivating until you have done the hand job.

Jazz