Hi Tortoisebex Is it bad to employ a man to dig over the allotment? I'd say absolutely not - a good few new veg plot gardeners of whatever age, find it difficult taking over a neglected (if only for a year) plot ours had carpets sewn down with couch grass roots but we were younger then and we managed it ok.
I totally agree with DD's comment if you have perennial weeds, a rotavator will only make it worse. Although, it is possible, in theory, to rid your plot of most of them if you rotavate at three week intervals, three or four times it's said to exhaust the food reserves in the root systems... but I'd have it carefully hand dug if you can..
One plot behind ours was only vacant a few months when a young fellow took it on rotavated it once put in (naff) edging boards and planted up telling everyone he was going to inspire us all. I believe he got tied up with work but now (less than a year on) its a dense mass of couch grass.
Tortoisebex said: the site co-ordinator has arranged for a fellow lottie owner to rotovate it for me for a very good price
I think Tortoisebex could do with some considered help here...
