[chubby]

OK - thanks for everyone's help yesterday on my thread. I've gone down to the allotment this evening and started work. I wasn't prepared for the level of growth there!

I've taken some pictures. The plot is 20' x 50'.

This is the whole plot:



These are the typical weeds that I'm dealing with:

Weed 1



Weed 2



Weed 3



Weed 4 - The sticky stuff



I've begun clearing and reckon although I've dug up and loosened 100% of the weeds and grasses, I've only picked out 90% - it was nigh on impossible to pick out everything.

Here's the patch I cleared tonight - I reckon it's about 1/16th of the plot.



and a close up view



The soil seems really good though, nice and crumbly even with the rain we've had. Not at all like the clay my house is build on.

Now to my questions, do I carry on clearing like this? If not, what should I do - should I dig out the big weeds and rotovate the lot. What are my next steps?

Thanks everyone.

[DavidT]

Chubby, it`s an allotment, you don`t get it done for you. Roll your sleeves up and get at it. Next year you`ll have to change your name to Slimmy. 

[Elcie]

You will probably get a different response from each person who replies - it is then down to you to decide which one to go with!

Lots of people say that you should avoid rotovating a plot with weeds as it chops up the roots and you end up with even more weeds!  I think what you are doing looks brilliant.  The more roots and weeds that you pull out the better and it will make it easier over the years, but you will never get all of them in one go so just keep at it.

Love the photos, thanks for those!

[prakash_mib]

well done,
Thats a great work. I can see the effort.
plan something like this
1. buy cheap black polythene from poundshop or beeq or anywhere
2. cover the undug plot.
3. whenever you want to dig. open a patch and dig.

Now since you have done some very hard work why wont you put some plants in it. That looks beautiful already for planting.

[Carrotcake]

and a very good start too!

Prakash is right. Cover as much of the undug area as you can, it will slow down and weaken the weeds and make digging easier when you get to it. If you can get hold of fresh manure, stick that on any area you don't need until next spring. It will rot down and the worms will do the hard work for you so that you won't have to.

I'm jealous of your soil. It looks great. You need to get something in the bit you've cleared. Spuds are a great first year crop as they will quickly cover the soil and suppress weeds in the area you've dug.

[sunshineband]

That's a great start  

Be comforted by the fact that those weeds are easy ones to get rid of and they look so healthy...... and ......

Healthy weeds = healthy soil  

Don't forget to keep what you have dug covered until it is planted to stop new weed seeds germinating  :blink:

Well done you  

Same again tomorrow. No real need to rotavate if you carry on like this 

[Lardman]

Your soil looks delicious. 

Theres nothing there that can't be fixed with a garden fork and it looks like it should turn over easily. Let it dry a bit and take the rake over and remove the roots you've missed.

Clear a few move feet and get some spuds in quickly, then carry on with the rest.