[catweazle]

errm...

ive just took on a new allotment  (over grown) and am after some advice

whats the best way of dealing with what is basicaly a couch grass lawn (with out weed killer). some say rotovate it and then work though it bit by bit removeing the roots, some say dig it up and keep diging every time i see some green

and the next question is about a pest thats in abundence but i dont know its common name (i know it as wire worm but it seems that that is something else in the rest of the country) a bit of internet digging got me this Haplophilus subterraneus (link). whats the correct name? will it eat my beetroot? and how do i kill it?


many many thanks CW

[sarah1983jane]

I am fairly new to this allotment gardening but my number 1 tip is dont try and do too much in year one. Start small and let it grow year on year. You dont want to hurt or sicken your self from digging over a massive area then be in too much pain to do any of the fun stuff!
Have loads of allotment fun

[JoeD1991]

I can answer the 1st question but the 2nd one I am not sure,
for the grass, what I did on my over grown plot is et a mattock and took the grass of that way which made it easier to dig and get the roots out.

Not sure if thats the 'correct' way but it works for me. 

[Nige2Plots]

Don't rotovate Couch Grass you will only make it worse Dig, dig and dig again and pull it out as you go along!
Good luck with your new plot

[catweazle]

thanks,

these centipied things are worringing me, gerw spuds in my back garden a few years back and they ate them all and even had a crack at me oinions once...


many thanks CW

[Yorkie]

If they are wireworms then they are to be expected in an area which has had mainly grass on it before.  They do eat through spuds. 

Their numbers will decrease with cultivation over a couple of years.

Do not rotavate couch grass, whatever you do 

Or at least, not if you ever want a chance of getting rid of it...

[LivvyW]

Split the plot in half. One half for this year, the other for next.

First deal with next years half:
Cover with 2" of well rotted manure. Then cover in black plastic. Leave for 12 months.
Next year worms will have done most of the work. Uncover dig out any remaining couch roots by then you will know exactly what they look like!

Take this years half and work in sections, covering the sections your not working on so that the grass doesn't grow and become to thick and matted and difficult to lift.

As soon as you clear an area plant it with something. Potatoes would be ideal. They grow fairly fast and the foliage keeps the weeds down.

Couch isn't as bad as people make out. The roots are easy to see and if you keep at it, you will clear.

[catweazle]

Split the plot in half. One half for this year, the other for next.

First deal with next years half:
Cover with 2" of well rotted manure. Then cover in black plastic. Leave for 12 months.
Next year worms will have done most of the work. Uncover dig out any remaining couch roots by then you will know exactly what they look like!

Take this years half and work in sections, covering the sections your not working on so that the grass doesn't grow and become to thick and matted and difficult to lift.

As soon as you clear an area plant it with something. Potatoes would be ideal. They grow fairly fast and the foliage keeps the weeds down.

Couch isn't as bad as people make out. The roots are easy to see and if you keep at it, you will clear.

that sounds like the best idea ive heard so far  

thanks to all for the advice


i can get manure free but wheres the best palce to get the plastic? i dont like the B&Q prices

many many thanks CW

[Zambezi]

I'm new like you and reading the comments people post is very encouraging

I've been looking at plastic and so far companies like Homebase sell black polythene (blocks out sun and water) for £1.19 (75p per 1m x1m).  They do sell other types there too but depends what your after.  There is another company down here in the southwest but I'm not sure if you could buy thinks online  the web address is below.

http://www.chaplins-superstore.co.uk/garden-centre.php

Happy shopping and let me know how you get on as I think I will shortly be going down the route of covering my plot also.

[catweazle]

thanks for all advice,

but after talking to other plot holders around me i think im going to go chemical after all

i think glyphosate should kill the blooming stuff off 


once the stuffs dead is it ok to rotovate or is there still an issue with any root bits that arnt quite killed to death?


many many thanks CW

PS. if i had more time id do the cover method but i realy want to get some raspberry canes in

[millimole]

I'm new to this allotment lark, and the plot I've taken on isn't in too bad a state, as it was worked up until last Summer.
My view is that (a) I want to enjoy it and not kill myself, and (b) it's an allotment not a crusade.
So - (a) I've started covering the bottom half of it with weed control fabric (huge roll bought cheap off fleabay) and (b) The couch gets nuked (well not really - glyphosate will do!)
I can apparently get one of the nearby plotholders to deliver a huuuuuge pile of rotting compost to the end of the plot (looks like stable waste) for £25 - and it's a brilliant idea to put it under the cover - but back to (a) - shifting it sounds like bloomin hard work! (and it would be delivered right on top of the rhubarb I've inherited and where I've put some annuals (flowers) in.