[stephent]

Hi guys and gals,

I have just been offered my first allotment and am very keen to get a head start before spring comes.

The site has been cleared and all rubbish has gone, but that's the easy bit.

It's half a plot approx 150m2. Clay soil with couch grass in abundance.

I wish to get a few beds ready for spring then round up on other areas during warmer months once I am going.

So, how do I go about digging it out to get a few beds ready for spring?

My thoughts were to just dig up all the grass and put to one side under some black sheeting so it can be used next year? This would leave me with some beds that are a bit shallower, so I planned to board them off, like a raised bed and top up with chicken poo compost from our chicken run and maybe some multi purpose if needed. I would then lay some membrane down on the paths and put wood chip on top. This would leave me with a bed and path about the same level with a timber barrier.

What are your thoughts on my plan of attack? Any advice on how to deal with couch and co with clay soil would be great.

Steve

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site 

It'll help in future if you could add your general location to your forum profile as location is often useful to know when discussing some elements of growing stuff.  Just click your username to edit your profile 

Couch grass is a perennial weed and doesn't compost down quickly.  Some people have had success over a couple of years, but mine has just regrown in the compost heap 

I advise digging it out rather than just trying to remove the top.  You don't know how deep the topsoil layer is, and you risk leaving it too shallow.  Your plans to add just a layer of compost etc on top, without doing any digging, could easily lead to waterlogging difficulties in wet conditions because the clay won't have been broken up to enable drainage.

If you click the Grow Your Own link underneath the top banner, you'll find an article on clearing the plot, which may be useful.

[LilacSandy]

When I took over my overgrown plot I made the mistake of putting wood chips over the top of black weed suppressant.  As I had not cleared the roots out from the path first the grass grew under the wood chips, and by the time I released I had one heck of a job pulling the suppressant up. 

[stephent]

Thanks so much for the advice.

How do you dig it out? It's very difficult to separate from the clay soil 

Is there a technique?

[LilacSandy]

I find that with clay the best thing to do it just turn the soil over and leave it for a couple of frosts, then if you get a good dry spell dig over again and you will find that the frosts have broken up the soil and it will be easier to remove the roots. 

I do not use any chemicals but if you are going to use Round up later on, you could use it now on the couch grass to give you a good head start.

[stephent]

I sprayed the area I am going to dig about 2 weeks ago. It doesn't seem to have touched it lol.

So you think just dig and weed as much as poss then same again in spring?

[snowdrops]

The weeds need to be actively growing for them to take the weed killer in to their structure,it might have been too late or it might still have some effect if it stays mild.

[allotmentann]

I have never used any weed killer on my plot, and you really don't need to if you are thorough. Lilacsandy's advice about the time to dig is good. You will find digging easier or harder at various times of the year depending on the weather. Using a fork rather than a spade is easier for me and I was able to remove all the bindweed and couch grass this way. It is really worth spending the time to clear the ground properly before planting. It is far harder to deal with perennial weeds once crops are growing. Far better to clear a small area well than a whole plot poorly. You could always cover the areas you have yet to work on with black plastic, weed membrane or thick cardboard which will help to kill off the weeds.

[Salmo]

I sprayed the area I am going to dig about 2 weeks ago. It doesn't seem to have touched it lol.

So you think just dig and weed as much as poss then same again in spring?

At this time of year you will find that it takes a long time before you see the results of Roundup. All of a sudden you will realise that the green has all turned yellow. In the meantime the chemical has been working its way to the tips if the roots and it is technically dead.

A spade is better to break the soil up. Try to leave it rough so that the frost gets at as big a surface area as possible. If the soil is very wet and you are squidging about and making a mess you are probably better to wait until it starts to dry in the Spring. In the Spring you will be better working with a fork to aviod big lumps and to shake out any weed roots. If Roundup has done its job and the only live pieces of couch grass that sprout will be some that had no green leaf when you sprayed.

Do not be in a hurry to plant in the Spring. The first season you should concentrate on getting the soil into good condition and controlling weeds. Raising plants in modules can give you extra time for cultivations.

[stephent]

Well I started and took your advice. Thanks so much everyone.

1 and a half hours and I have cleared a patch 8ft x 3ft only half a bed, but it's a start.

Filled a black bag with couch, which I will burn in my incinerator I think.

How much of the root do you need to take from normal grass? As that root is difficult to get out of the soil. The couch seems easy enough, as it's stronger and more substantial.

Steve

[Yorkie]

Normal grass has fibrous roots that are about 1-2" deep.  You can slice that off and stack upside down to rot down if you want.  I don't do that; I just shake off as much soil as I can and get rid of it with everything else as I only have a small plot.

As you say, couch grass has roots like piano wire which are, at least, relatively easy to spot and dig out.

[Salmo]

Normal grass roots can be buried as you dig or go on to your normal compost heap. Any soil will eventually return to the beds as compost.