[little sweetpeas]

Please help

This month I collected the key for my first allotment which was very exciting especially as a nearby site has a 2 year waiting list.

Half the plot has been covered with black plastic for over a year where underneath is couch grass which is very dry not a green bit in sight. Does this mean that its been killed?

The chap in the next plot said he'll rotivate it for me as it doesn't matter if the roots are chopped up as they are dead and will rot into the soil.  Please help as I don't want to do something that i will regret later.

Any advice greatly recieved as I really want to make use of the whole plot.

[WG.]

Couch grass is not to be trusted.  Gather some of the "dead" roots and then replace the black polythene (plenty of time for planting later).

Soak the roots in cold water for 8 hours then put them in a pot of compost on the windowsill for a week or two.

[little sweetpeas]

Oh, a lot more digging then.

[muntjac]

couch grass never dies ..... it just sits and waits in the background ready to jump out an grab ya ....... do as whicky says for a test piece . better still take the plastic off and let it come ,and then kill it with ROUND UP . if ya wait for it to grow on ya window sill your wasting time on the plot . . if the  nieghhhhhhh bour rotavates it and you have couch it will turn into millions of  little bits and each bit can grow again , and then you can ask for a name change .
little miss iamplaugedbycouchgrass    welcome to the family.

[little sweetpeas]

Thanks for the welcome.

I must admit when I got the key I wanted everything about my plot to be organic but now my thinking is - a little spray and then everything organic.

[muntjac]

no matter which approach you use ,, you can only try your best ,the organic status of a plot should start with producing crops you have planted and cared for you cannot control the actions of previos owners .id start to think organic when you have the plot under control .i advocate the use of round up and any other  short cuts yes but i am thinking of the person who wants to get something back from a plot in the first year and not spend it trying to make a plot into something that takes years to achieve anyways .use the shortcuts and then go organic  as you spend the years on the plot

[Annie]

I`m of the same mind.Even if it was sprayed and then covered some roots will be OK so take off plastic and rake off the surface dead grass and wait until it greens and how much then you can decide on spray or dig,what you don`t want is a plot that grows couch faster than you can grow veg,get despondant and give up!

[little sweetpeas]

You're much better then any of the books!!!!!!!

I'm off to the garden centre now.  

Don't surpose you know anything about the  raised beds. Although I  have clay soil it's pretty good and I've dug up loads of parsnips and odd carrots and garlic so it can't be that bad. I've looked around at the other polts and out of 32 only one person has tried raised beds and she admits last year wasn't that great for her. I have made beds of 4 foot x12 foot so I don't have to walk on them but should I spend the time raising them??? MY thought is no and see how I get on.

[muntjac]

You're much better then any of the books!!!!!!!

I'm off to the garden centre now.  

Don't surpose you know anything about the  raised beds. Although I  have clay soil it's pretty good and I've dug up loads of parsnips and odd carrots and garlic so it can't be that bad. I've looked around at the other polts and out of 32 only one person has tried raised beds and she admits last year wasn't that great for her. I have made beds of 4 foot x12 foot so I don't have to walk on them but should I spend the time raising them???.................... MY thought is no and see how I get on.

erm havent you answered your own question there?

[little sweetpeas]

Guess I have...

This is going to be a regular for me thanks for your help.

[muntjac]

no worries and welcome to thefamily    

[Annie]

I`d stick with what you`ve got at the moment especially if there were parsnips and carrots growing well and other plot members are doing well.You have enough to do and can consider raised beds later.
Make note of where the parsnips were andstart a crop rotation,you neighbouring plot holders may remember what ealse grew where too.Good luck and enjoy.

[yummy]

Thanks for the welcome.

I must admit when I got the key I wanted everything about my plot to be organic but now my thinking is - a little spray and then everything organic.

Snap here.

  It was a lovely still warm and sunny day when we put the round up down. Unfortnately it snowed a few days after and that seemed to stop it working. 3 weeks on and our plot is still very green with weeds.

[little sweetpeas]

Thanks for the weather tip.

Just came back from B&Q now armed with roundup. Bit more confidant in beating the *.

In terms of crop rotation the potatoes and the roots need to be planted where the couch grass is.

[WG.]

Just came back from B&Q now armed with roundup.

Does roundup work on dormant plants?  I thought they had to be green.  Don't know though since I'm organic.