[Waynestrout]

I was wondering if anyone can give me a bit of advise as to the best material to cover a large weedy / light brambly patch that i don't want to use until next year. I'm gonna cut back the few brambles that are on it this week.

I've seen a lot of black plastic bags about on the site, but they look unsightly and soon split etc. Are there any better rcommendations please

cheers

WAYNESTROUT

[agapanthus]

I always used old carpets on mine.....they are heavy enough to stay put so don't need pegging down....unless the weather is extremely windy:)

[WG.]

Dig out 15-18" pockets on a 4ft grid spacing and plant a courgette or marrow.  Their top foliage will give near-total ground cover - especially if you fill pockets with good manure.

You can mulch / rotovate or hoe for a start to get them ahead of the weeds.

Other BIG veg include : maincrop potatoes (Kerr's Pink has got huge foliage), or cabbage (Marner White or Marner red).

[Muppet]

I've covered the bits I'm not going to use for a while, with anything really... carpet, lino, cardboard, old membrane... looks kinda weird but does the job!  

[lucywil]

we use carpet, not foam backed though. when we first got our allotment i asked on our local freecycle for any old carpet people wanted to get rid of, does the job and keeps it out of the land fill.

[Waynestrout]

Thanks for all the ideas. i'm gonna cover most, however i like the idea of the "big veg" approach and am gonna try some of that too.

[WG.]

Thanks Waynestrout.  If you need any Kerr's Pink, I can track 'em down for you up here.  They are a big favourite in Northern Scotland.  Maincrop, great flavour.  Floury texture absorbs lots of butter.

[Waynestrout]

Whiskey - glad that someone else posts at unusual times of the day!!!

Thanks for the recommendation and the offer of sourcing them. I've found some on GardenningExpress.co.uk, so I've put some on order. They took a while to find as most places are out of stock - seems they're popular as you say.

[WG.]

I've found some on GardenningExpress.co.uk, so I've put some on order.

Good, hope you enjoy them.   Allow me to remind you of your original objective, i.e. to cover ground not needed until next year ...

Therefore, put in the Kerr's Pink at a huge spacing so that you can rotovate, hoe or mulch in between.   3-4ft all round is not daft.   You will get huge top growth and if you can be bothered to earth-up, you will get a big crop.  You can even mound-up to get the same effect as growing them in a barrel.

Slugs love 'em incidentally, I hope you do too.

[Dan]

CAN ANYONE GIVE ME SOME ADDRESSES OF THESE FREECYLE FREEBAY TYPE THINGS? I FOUND ONE ONCE BUT TO HAVE A GANDER YOU HAD TO JOIN UP AND STUFF? ARE THERE ANY WHERE YOU CAN JUST GO LOOK ( LIKE EBAY) WITHOUT JOINING UP YET?

[DD.]

CAN ANYONE GIVE ME SOME ADDRESSES OF THESE FREECYLE FREEBAY TYPE THINGS? I FOUND ONE ONCE BUT TO HAVE A GANDER YOU HAD TO JOIN UP AND STUFF? ARE THERE ANY WHERE YOU CAN JUST GO LOOK ( LIKE EBAY) WITHOUT JOINING UP YET?

This is your local Freecycle Group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MaidstoneFreecycle/

But you need to have a Yahoo! ID & be a member of the group to read the messages.

[richyrich7]

You could try www.dontdumpthat.com or

http://www.recycle.co.uk/
but there not as busy as freecycle.  

[Annie]

Carpet/plastic won`t kill off bramble it will just grow through,so I would get rid of as much of that as possile first.