[bruirn]

Was reading somewhere about using a scythe to clear plots of weeds. Anyone have experience of this and are they easy to get hold of (I mean in terms of purchasing)? Cheers.

[Sally A]

A petrol strimmer is 10 times easier, and you get to keep your toes.

[bruirn]

A petrol strimmer is 10 times easier, and you get to keep your toes.

Cheers Sally. As I'm still so new to this allotment lark I've still got this romantic notion that I'll forego using any mechanical devices in favour of traditional gardening methods. I'm sure once I've had a good tiring session down on my plot I'll be using every labour-saving advice under the sun and blitzing everything with the latest weedkiller !

[Sally A]

Yep bruirn, we started off with a scythe, but one dreamy look through the screwfix catalogue got us a ryobi brushcutter that tackled head height weeds, and brambles.   Also hubby who hates gardening, will tackle anything with an engine and noise output, so win-win for me.

We are lucky enough to borrow next doors rotovator, but again hubby being a 2-stroke freak he does all that, and keeps neighbour happy by doing a full service on the thing as well - without prompting - unlike washing up which is invisible to him.

Swapping is a good idea - so buy one "must-have" item, and others will soon be keen to lend/borrow.  Works out cheaper in the long run.

[mushroom]

Was reading somewhere about using a scythe to clear plots of weeds. Anyone have experience of this and are they easy to get hold of (I mean in terms of purchasing)? Cheers.

if you've got loads, use a petrol strimmer/brushcutter to get them down to manageable height, say 6 inches, then use roundup 9kills the weeds AND the roots)

[WG.]

Would you recommend using a scythe to clear a new plot?

If you know how to use one AND how to sharpen one, then they are much quicker than a strimmer.  I use a strimmer.  

[SnooziSuzi]

A petrol strimmer is 10 times easier, and you get to keep your toes.

Sorry, but I'd disagree with this sally, depending on the size of the weeds to be cleared.  When I took on lottie #2 it was (no kidding) 5' high with weeds of various types.  I tried to tackle it with a petrol strimmer, but a lot of the very tall, thick, established weeds didn't move and the strimmer wire just wrapped around the stem and got tangled up  :evil:   On top of this, it took about 3 hours to do an area about 1 metre wide by 10 metres long.

In the end, one of the old boys across the way saw me struggling and convinced me to use a sickle (small hand held scythe, not like the long thing used by the Grim Reaper).  I had the rest of the plot cleared in 2 hours (about 19 metres long by 10 metres).

also, you don't risk getting bits of plant flying up into your eyes by using a sickle and the plants are easier to carry away, whereas they are decimated by the strimmer.

Could you ask around other plotholders to see if they have one? - I found that most of the older guys at our site had one and swore by them and personally I'd use one every time now

Hope this helps

[shaun]

on the larger strimmers you can remove the strimmer line spool and swap it for a brush cutter blade.

[muntjac]

i have a sickle ( hand scythe ) for clearing heavy stuff when ferreting

[shaun]

i have a sickle ( hand scythe ) for clearing heavy stuff when ferreting

well you couldn't take a strimmer with you  :roll: you have to be very quiet    

[Bigbadfrankie]

just how heavy are rabbits :?:  

[shaun]

about 2LB around here but up near sellafield they can grow to 27LB with 2 heads

[Bigbadfrankie]

if they had 8 legs they would be good for Christmas dinner.

[shaun]

they dont have legs up there mate they have fins  

[muntjac]

best rabbit i ever had came in at just under 3 lbs by n ounce . thats was from holderness