[LilacSandy]

Sorry, but DD is right.  It has taken me nearly 3 years to get it under control,  do not cover the patch as this just encourages the roots to spread out looking for the light.  I would plant onions or leeks after you have gone over the patch on your hands and knees getting out as much as you can, then you will have to hand weed over the season as the bits you have missed grow through.

[Azazello]

If you won't use weedkiller, then you'll have to dig it up.

I've had my allotment for 5 years (maybe 6) and have to dig some of it up every year. The good news is that there's much less of it now than when I got the allotment; it took me 3 hours to dig half of my allotment a few weeks ago, 5/6 years ago it was about a month of weekends to clear maybe a third or half of it.

I've found couch grass's weakness is that it doesn't like being dug up. It's taken a while, but I'm getting there.

[ally]

Sorry, but DD is right.  It has taken me nearly 3 years to get it under control,  do not cover the patch as this just encourages the roots to spread out looking for the light.  I would plant onions or leeks after you have gone over the patch on your hands and knees getting out as much as you can, then you will have to hand weed over the season as the bits you have missed grow through.

Oh my I still have 8' by 20' under cover .... best get digging!!

[Kirpi]

The problem with digging couch up is that every tiny piece you don't get out, after all your back-breaking hard work and hours, will grow back again. I am afraid your work will never end.

I garden organically but there is a time when - as an initial clearing - a systemic weedkiller just makes sense. I believe Round-up breaks down into natural components once it has done it's job of killing the weeds right down to the root ends, then you can garden as you wish.

All the best, whatever you decide.

[mumofstig]

I dug mine out when I first got my plot, and it only grew back in a few little patches which I sprayed with glyphosate as soon as I saw it in that first year.

Now it only creeps in from the grass paths but is easily pulled up there .............
now it's the just the weeds that grow from seed blown in from the plot next door  that are a problem!
So I'll be using a lot of cardboard and weed fabric to cut down on the work this year.

[Lulu]

I'm with those who advocate digging too.  I have had weed suppressant down for a year on one side of my small allotment and it hasn't killed it at all. So now I'm just digging it up.  I know I won't get every little bit but as Azezello says it seems to get less over time. Certainly the rest of the allotment which was dug over last year and the roots removed is now a lot clearer.

Good luck with it   

[Ema]

half my plot is being rotivated for me because they needed to drive over it. is there a good reasonable and safe weed killer that will kill couch, nettles and docs? that I can put on before its rotavated? and hope for a dry day? wil be approx half my plot 5x15meters

[Ema]

And one more thing.... If I used weed killer how long would I have to wait before planting spuds in this area?

[mumofstig]

It's use is explained here
http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/en/data/Products/g/Glyphosate---concentrate.aspx

[Ema]

thanks mum sure does sound like the easier option a few squid of weed killer vs 50 hours digging.

[crh75]

To help prevent it coming under the fence, a physical barrier is needed.  Couch grass roots are not deep so a 6" deep plank should do it.

(corrected spelling)

[Madame Cholet]

thanks I was toying with that idea Ive got some lengths of planking enough for the 4 beds in question.