[Woodhousemoor]

Happy New year to everyone!!!

I have a few questions i know they may have already been answered, and i have read loads online about what to plant after but I still don't get it. Also about what could cause holes in the soil.

question 1. How can I get rid of rats off my plot (at least I think it's rats)?? My neighbour has loads of big holes all over his vacant plot and now since I started planting I seem to have the same holes on mine. It is making my life a nightmare they bite holes in what was my enormous tomatoes and are leaving holes in the ground. I am now scared to plant anything as it means i will not reap what i sow. I don't consider myself cruel to animals but I really want to plant and eat what I grow.

Question 2. What do i plant in the beds that have had courgettes in also the bed I grew spinach in and lettuce??? I can get my head around the veg groups so would appreciate an easy answer.

Question 3. What can I use to kill weeds and bushes on a large scale that would still alllow me to plant this growing season?

Thanks to anyone who  can help.........

[Yorkie]

1. How large are the holes?  Are you on a council allotment?

2. I put courgettes, squash and sweetcorn together.  They aren't fussy about family grouping but are all heavy feeders.  Spinach and lettuce again aren't fussy so can go anywhere.

3. Weed suppressant fabric.  Get some relatively heavy-duty woven stuff which won't let light through but does allow water and air through.

[Woodhousemoor]

Yes it is a council allotment. The holes are about 3-4 inches across.

I meant to kill the weeds on the plot it is completely covered in weeds and hasn't been used in years.

So does that mean that where the cougettes where i can now grow corn or squash ?

[Yorkie]

Contact the council allotments officer and ask if they can get someone out to the site - they will put poison down which might make a difference.

I would grow courgettes, squash and sweetcorn in the same bed at the same time.  As to what goes after them, perhaps brassicas?  I must say I don't slavishly follow rotation plans (probably go in the opposite direction to what is recommended) and don't seem to have poor crops as a result.  I wouldn't get too hung up over this if I were you.

[Salmo]

1)
Rat holes are no more than 2 inches.

I suspect that you have rabbits. Some will be holes that go right in but mostly shallow scrapes that appear overnight. You will have to fence to keep them out.

Alternatively if they are shallow scrapes with disgusting poo deposited in them you have badgers.
2)
Courgettes and lettuce and spinach can be followed by any crop as they are not related. Useful crops to grow in odd vacant places.
3)
Strim off the plot and dig out any bushes or brambles. When the weather warms up and there is a nice covering of green regrowth spray it with Roundup or other glyphosate weedkiller. Then leave for 10 days. By then the leaves will start to yellow and you can dig or rotovate. Glyphosate breaks down on contact with soil and you can start planting immediately. We ar talking about spraying at the end of March/early April and starting to cultivate late April at the earliest. That means that some crops may be a little late going in but better to do the job properly.

[Kajazy]

I have loads of these too, all over my allotment. And also they like to tunnel - specifically underneath my 'firmly planted' brassicas! I've concluded that I have moles (hills all over the place), mice (they do a lot of the nibbling of my veggies) and also voles and shrews (I've seen them). I fought them for a year, (mostly with cursing) but have now decided that actually I don't begrudge them a bit of grub, and almost  enjoy sharing the space up there with them!

[sunshineband]

We fence our plot against rabbits: our council makes it a requirement of the lease, as we are on the edge of farmland and rabbits run everywhere early in the evening.

Cute though they look, they can munch their way through a row of peas in no time 

Salmo's suggestion to take your time and od this job thoroughly is worth heeding, as then you will have the best start possible to your plot.

Once the time  is right (perhaps early March) you can start to sown some hardy veg in modules, so they will ready to plant out once you have weed free areas and are all organised. In fact with some, such as leeks and onions, you could do this now if you have somewhere frost free to keep them

Late April is not late to sow seeds or plant out seed potatoes etc though

[richy]

sounds like a badger to me, we have these holes all around our plot.

[stompy]

we have them too look

[Woodhousemoor]

I am the biggest whimp ever I am scared of my own shadow, and when i thought it was a rat i was scared silly but now you guys have mentioned it could be some type of wildlife I am dreading going to the plot tomorrow 
I do thank you for your replies, I hope whatever it is will decide to move on. 

Aslo thanks for the tips about clearing the plot I'll get cracking on as soon as the wieather gets warmer. I can't wait for winter to be over thank goodness it's been so mild. 

[Puenktchen]

If you see lots of rabbit poo around (like little dry greenish pellets) and if the grass is nibbled really short near the deep holes you have most likely rabbits. Rabbits run away or hide in their holes (if they are not ill) if they see a human and are most likely more scared than you ;-).

By the way, rats are wildlife too, not only rabbits and badgers.

[Woodhousemoor]

If you see lots of rabbit poo around (like little dry greenish pellets) and if the grass is nibbled really short near the deep holes you have most likely rabbits. Rabbits run away or hide in their holes (if they are not ill) if they see a human and are most likely more scared than you ;-).

By the way, rats are wildlife too, not only rabbits and badgers.

Sorry no offense meant !

[Puenktchen]

No problem 

[gobs]

Here's another vote for badgers. Not much you can do. They are protected and not likely to move on. On the positive note: they do not eat much, on the negative: they dislodge everything.

Bramleys will be safe though.

[sunshineband]

If the holes are only 3 to 4 ins across, aren't they a bit small for badgers?