[kirby-11]

Just got an allotment, covered in grass. Which is the best way to get rid of it? Should i cut up the top layer or should i just dig over with the grass going back into the ground or should i add weedkiller to kill it all?

Pleasr Help!!!

[Bernard]

Turn it all over as deep as you can reasonably manage. Good green manure. As long as it is covered it will not grow through.

[kirby-11]

Turn it all over as deep as you can reasonably manage. Good green manure. As long as it is covered it will not grow through.

So just dig over and then add a manure, but when you say green, what kind of manure as horse manure is a brown is it not?

[Dave Mack]

Wow when i seen this title i thought it was a thread on Marijuana , with DEAL and GRASS in the subject title ... sorry i am from Liverpool you know  

[SUTTY1]

lol, dave


if you bury the grass turf this becomes a green compost

goodluck

[SUTTY1]

sorry, becomes a green manure

[Mash Mad]

No  Dont add weedkiller because it might ruin your soil which might effect your veg.
 
Are there patches hidden under the grass? If the grass completly covers your plot then it might be easier getting loads of black bin bags or sheeting weighted down with objects to cover the entire area, Or do it the hard way and pull it all up.  

You can dig the grass into the soil,
but you'll have your work cut out trying to find it if its like a jungle.          

[WebSiteEvo]

This is what I am doing to grow veg on a lawn without digging or spraying.

- Cover with cardboard
- Water until wet
- Add a layer of grass cuttings
- Add a layer of soil
- Water
- Add a layer of compost or manure
- Water
- Add some worms
- Add a layer of straw on top to finish.

By spring you should end up with very fertile soil and dead grass.
 

[Salmo]

If you have couch grass or other perennial weeds such as docks or creeping thistle digging it in will cut up the roots and they will come back next Spring with twice the vigour.

Covering it is one option but you will need to keep it covered for a year to do a good job. This is OK if you intend gradually uncovering a bit at a time and digging out every bit of root.

My advice would be to use a weedkiller called Roundup, or other brands that contain the chemical glyphosate. It does as the label says and kills weeds down to their roots. This chemical is very safe and breaks down quickly in the soil.

There are a few rules that ensure that glyphosate works and these are on the box.
- do not dig or rotovate first
- apply when there is green leaf in active growth.
- the leaves must be dry
- there must be six hours of dry weather after application
- leave for about 10 days before disturbing the roots. After that you can dig and plant.

[Yorkie]

I'd echo what Salmo says, if you are content to use a weedkiller (and I do use it on my grass once a year when it gets away from me).

It does tend to work best when the plant is actively growing so you should still get away with it.

If you decide to cover it up, don't use carpet but instead something like cardboard or a weed suppressing fabric

[sunshineband]

I'm also adding to what Salmo advises -- couch grass doesn't die when buried like annual grasses seem to, and takes ages to give up the ghost when covered too 

Digging it out is one option. Salmo explained the other   

[fatcat1955]

Why not scrape off the top inch or two and stack it. It makes wonderful loam. Then spread growmore and water it in. Wait a couple of weeks for the weeds to grow and hoe them down.

[Stevens706]

I'm also in the Salmo camp, once you've cleared the plot you can be as organic as you want.

[chili]

i had some grass and weeds
i cut it, i weed killed it, when it was brown and dead i burnt it