[3759allen]

if rules allow i would cover the area with manure just cover with carpet. this wouldn't have to be rotted if your not using it for a couple of years.

i'm using carpet as a weed suppressant in my poly tunnel, and it's doing the job. i've got some with a white felt backing, turned if over so the underneath of the carpet is upwards and almost looks like thick fleece from a quick glance, not un sightly at all.

obviously does depend on if your allowed, just have a chat with the owners/ council and the other plot holders. if everyone's happy and knows why your doing what your doing i can't see a problem.

[Eightball]

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/11883/Back-to-Eden

Great video and I would def do something like that especially as you have 1-2 years for the woodchips to decompose. I've heard lots of good things about this back to eden style gardening. I'n the process of trialing it in a couple of my beds.

[Aunt Sally]

This is a very interesting Gardening video and the makers are in the Mid West of America so it's very heavy on religion.

I apologise if this offends anyone and it is against our "No Religion" policy but I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water.  I will remove it if anyone contacts us - just hit the "report to moderator" link at the bottom of the post.

[Eightball]

Yup but if you ignore the religious part (like I did) the rest of it is really good info. There are lots of video's on youtube about people using this method and it seems to work pretty well.

[devonbarmygardener]

Yup but if you ignore the religious part (like I did) the rest of it is really good info.

Agreed there

[Sparkyrog]

The religious part while irritating is not enough to detract from the valid points made .

[seaside]

Good stuff Aunty, thanks for that link, much appreciated. Any well thought out practice of plant and land management is OK by me, and while Mid West Christianity is not my scene, it's good to understand their philosophy of the land. It's what we're all trying to do hopefully to the best of our abilities and time.

With that in mind, here's an excellent article, from a pagan viewpoint, with little religion to skirt around in the actual piece .... also on the same subject of soil, fallow, mulch, nutrient, and growing plants. It's an excellent gentle short 5 minute read, and I know many folk on here will enjoy the  delightful introduction of a very old viewpoint, whilst not ignoring the modern methods.
http://paganpath.com/library/herbs/37-garden

[devonbarmygardener]

I love it.  :happy:

[AnnieB]

For the time involved and the situation why not add manure, then plant fruit bushes of some type, gooseberry, blackcurrent (a little well spaced out) and use it for that and heavily mulch the lot to reduce weeds.

At least then it is being used. Places like Poundland and Wilkinsons sell fruit bushes quite cheap, well at certain times of the year. Propogating blackcurrents is easy as well.

When you have the time to get back to the plot more full time then they are easy to remove, just keep, move elsewhere or give away.