[alexroyall85]

Morning all

Just wondering whether I have done right or wrong. I have used a strimmer to cut all the weeds down before I was going to spray with chemical.
Is the right way or should I have left it long and sprayed first so the chemical acts faster because it has been applied to the foliage of the plant.
Will the chemical be just as effective being applied after using the strimmer?

Many thanks
Alex

[Growster...]

You'll be fine, Alex! There will still be enough greenery to take up the stuff, and you've probably saved yourself a lot of dead foliage clearance!

Make sure you rake up the stuff you've already cleared first of course!

Good luck!

[Beetroot queen]

The weeds need to be actively growing when you apply chemical killers, however we did strim first as the plot looked like this, also it would have been a waste of roundup on that jungle.



We left about 6 inches of weed and then about a week later we sprayed ( the week gap was more for the weather)

Once it had started to die off we started digging to remove any roots.



Once we cleared a patch we popped in defined beds so we could get growing as soon as possible.

[alexroyall85]

Hello beetroot queen

That picture is exactly what my plot looked like. I'm not looking forward to digging it over as it I 30ft by 50ft. May take some time

[Beetroot queen]

Hello beetroot queen

That picture is exactly what my plot looked like. I'm not looking forward to digging it over as it I 30ft by 50ft. May take some time

Doesnt matter how long it takes as the results are well worth it here is the after



Our first two plots are laid the same the third has slab paths and no wood boarders on the beds YET 

[alexroyall85]

Looks amazing. Hope one day mine will look as good as that. Hopefully at some point in the future I will have some chickens on there aswell

[Beetroot queen]

Looks amazing. Hope one day mine will look as good as that. Hopefully at some point in the future I will have some chickens on there aswell

Little and often and get something in the ground as soon as its clear, its nice to be eating stuff before the plt is finished, gives you a real buzz that you are getting somewhere. Good luck

Ask about for any spare plants, no-one ever asks me and yet i have loads. I hate offering to newbies on site as i was once turned down and i felt mortified. I do share with the regulars as i can have a laugh with them. 

[Nobbie]

Morning all

Just wondering whether I have done right or wrong. I have used a strimmer to cut all the weeds down before I was going to spray with chemical.
Is the right way or should I have left it long and sprayed first so the chemical acts faster because it has been applied to the foliage of the plant.
Will the chemical be just as effective being applied after using the strimmer?

Many thanks
Alex

I'd say it won't be that effective on the perennial weeds as there will be little foliage to take up the weedkiller, mostly just dry stalks. Best bet would have been to strim and then wait for new growth to be growing strongly before applying weedkiller.

[Goosegirl]

Don't worry that you have already strimmed and, from your post. presume you haven't actually used any weekiller yet. Remove as much strimmed stuff as you can, so you can see the new weed growth coming and not waste it on dead material covering it. Leave until you get a decent amount of new weed foliage then spray. You  may need to make a second application later on - see how it goes.

[Yorkie]

^^^^ What Goosegirl said 

[Armleywhite]

I had a half plot similar to the one pictured earlier this year, but I didn't panic and rush into clearing it.  I strimmed the foliage down the ground, bought a role of light barrier fabric and laid it methodically.  Weighted down with stones and other heavy objects for several weeks.  As the season progressed (several weeks after laying the fabric) I lifted a strip at a time and dug over the strip, lifting the weeds roots and runners into a bucket, which was taken to the council dump for their green waste skips.  I now have a plot that is weed free and ready to take compost and manure for next season.

One thing I would never ever use is roundup or other Glyphosate products. Bit of hard work hasn't killed me; in fact it's made me fitter imo.  So, imo, it's far better to take your time and not rush headlong into thinking you must have it done in a fraction of the time.  After all, the plot will still be there next season. 

[mumofstig]

It's personal choice whether to use weedkillers or not.

On some sites you have to show a significant improvement within 3 months, and weedkillers can be useful in that situation.

[Armleywhite]

It's personal choice whether to use weedkillers or not.

On some sites you have to show a significant improvement within 3 months, and weedkillers can be useful in that situation.

Of course, I suppose the site I use is quite easy going in that they have allowed me to clear it with the time I have done.  I use weedkillers, but just not anything to do with Glyphosates for many reasons that are well documented. 

[rudiplot42]

I took over an overgrown allotment on 1st April. I cut down all the high grass and weeds then dug out the big clumps of grass and burned the rubbish taken out in a communal incinerator. I left the plot for a couple of weeks whilst on holiday and came back and used a concentrated dose of glyphosate on the whole area. After 6 weeks only the grass had died back. So I the set about forking the whole area, a back breaking job, but it got the majority of the dandelion, thistle and other troublesome roots out. Every week since I have hand weeded the plot and it is now pretty well weed free.

My advice is dig out roots and weeds. Hoeing has limited effect. Weedkillers are expensive and have disappointing results. Some early hard work pays dividends, whereas short cuts have limited results. Double dig and plant weed cleaning veg such as potatoes that block out weeds and life at the allotment should be productive, pleasurable and much less of a struggle.

[Growster...]

It really does come down to that, doesn't it Rudi!

Only yesterday, we were clearing out about 6 s.y. of old raspberry canes, and there would have been no other option other than to dig, dig and dig again!

I know it can be a huge challenge, but there's really no alternative!