[bigjemmett]

Hi,

I'm new to allotmenting (and also have two children aged 2 and 6 months) and so want to work on our new allotment in managable sections. SO - we need to cover over an area and deal with it next year - BUT WHAT SHOULD I COVER IT OVER WITH?

I put down some weed cover fabric but the berry bushes and other weeds have just burst through. I'm due to cut them all back at the weekend and cover them over again BUT WHAT SHOULD I USE?

Feeling slightly overwhelmed by all the different advice!

Rebecca

[Nikkithefoot]

You can over with many things, but if there are bushes etc you want to keep then you have to cover round them.

Black plastic, doesn't allow water through, and the soil may become stagnant or sour under neath. Good for killing weeds if left in place long enough by excluding light.

Old carpet, not a good idea as thought to leach chemicals into the soil, but good for killing weeds by excluding lightand does let water through

Landscape fabric, allows water through, and also good for killing weeds by excluding light. This is the most expensive option if you get the proper stuff. I wouldn't waste my time on heap versions as they are likely to rot and not do such a good job.

Anything to exclude light, thick mulch of bark, compost, manure. By thick I mean at least 3-4 inches otherwise weeds will grow through quite readily. Manure would be my choice here as you are also feeding the ground you are leaving fallow.

[GrannieAnnie]

Which weed cover fabric did you use?  We use terram, which is more expensive, but thicker than the cheaper stuff you can get.  We also had lots of pegs with it to peg it down all over.  We still got the occasional thistley thing growing under it, but nothing ever pushed its way through.

Thick black plastic is good too, as it won't matter if no water can get through it.

You can use cardboard, but it needs weighting down and won't last a year.

Snap Nikki!!! 

[Kristen]

Lasagne method?  Cardboard covered in manure / compost / grass clipping / newspaper layers. Thick / dense enough to stop most weeds growing, as it rots down provides good material for the worms to pull in, keeps the moisture in, so makes the ground easy to work after 1 months or so.

Digging some "planting holes" first, filling with manure / compost, and then making a slit in the covering layer and planting-thorough some Pumpkins / Squash will give you a crop in the first year.  Squash will "ramble" for 4' or 5', so you don't need many to cover the area, plus you get a nice crop that will keep through the Winter

P.S. Cardboard boxes from a bike shop will get you something of decent size

[mumofstig]

or the boxes from the new huge TVs that everyone (else) seems to be buying 

[bigjemmett]

Thanks everyone. Some helpful ideas.