[mrsparkle]

Hi All.

I moved house during the last year into what is a DIY mans dream but an allotment mans nightmare.

I fell really far behind on my plot and have been warned by the council that if I don't have 75% of it cleared by the end of August I will lost it.

I have a 320m squared plot which is difficult to keep on top of at the best of times but now i've got such a limited time I was wondering what approach you would advise to get decent, visible results so I don't lose my plot.

I though one, or both of these:

• Trimming weeds to about 6inch and covering with weed mat - but which type of mat?    The internet offers far too many choices and i don't know what i'm looking for.
• Getting a ton of glysophosphate and spraying.  I would usually go for this but with the non-stop rain I would expect it to be washed off the leaves within a day or two thus making my efforts pointless.

Thanks
Mr Sparkle
(with an non-sparkling allotment)

[allot2learn]

Get a couple of cases of beer from the supermarket and put a sign up that you are holding a weed clearing party on sunday................free beer for helpers. 

[mrsparkle]

I like the idea but I fear that when they see all the nettles they'd rather go down the local and pay.

[New shoot]

Glyphosate only needs 6 or so hours before rain to be effective.  I would strim the weeds down, spray and then leave uncovered for a week to let the weedkiller really work its way down.  Then cover with weed membrane - as the weeds will already be dying you are just looking to exclude light to stop new seeds germinating so the most economical choice you can find 

[mumofstig]

on our site they don't like it all covered with black, they insist on having it under cultivation----
in other words you have to be growing stuff as well.
So make sure you get some stuff in as well 

[Plot74]

If you strim the weeds down wait till there is new growth before you spray. Let it take affect before covering.pile all the cut weeds and cover with thick black plastic .
John

[mrsparkle]

on our site they don't like it all covered with black, they insist on having it under cultivation----
in other words you have to be growing stuff as well.
So make sure you get some stuff in as well 

Not sure what to sow in mid july. 

I wonder if they'll buy into the idea that i'm growing nettles to make home brew

[Amilo]

Strim the heavy growth as low as you can get it, spray a heavy dose of Paraquat, when the weeds have died back rotate.

I have watched the small farmers do this in Spain and Portugal just before they plant and it works every time, the never do any weeding apart from this.

[compostqueen]

I wouldn't have paraquat anywhere near my home garden let alone the veg plot

I would cover it with heavy duty sheet mulch. That doesn't involve killing anything with chemicals    It will also give you breathing space while you crack on with the rest

[Goosegirl]

If black sheeting showing isn't permissible, you could glyphosate and cover as said before, then cover sheeting with mushroom compost - cheap and will look good. Leave an area (after spraying) uncovered that you can cope with and dig over, buy some leeks, spring cabbage or whatever is available, plant and cover with mushroom compost as well. When you have time later on, you can uncover bit by bit for digging, you should be able to have something to harvest and you shouldn't lose your plot.

[surbie100]

Does green manure count as cultivating? It does on our site - and it's cheap, quick to come up & helps the soil once you've taken out the weeds. Will save on plug plant costs. 

[Wellpotty1]

Sorry if im not meant to be commenting as im a newbie;... but I had a mega overgrown plot last year , brambles, nettles, bindweed,rose-bay willowherb etc, I chopped (with handheld hedge loppers as had no strimmer) the first area-size of a large tarpaulin- as close to the ground as possible and covered with the black plastic.

Then the next area (the next week as I had worn myself out) I did the same & went back to the first area-had started to rot down, dug out as many roots as I could and planted potatoes.

Third week the same thing with the plastic from the first & planted the second area in bean plants from a car boot- surprising what you find at them.

I also had offer of some large sheets of sileage cover from a farmer off freecycle -may be worth asking in your area.

I also read about no dig gardening - the basics are to chop down; cover; fertilize; cover with newspaper & wet the newspaper & then a few inches of cheap compost & plant immediately. Could do a small area like this so they see that you are planting something. Try salads or courgettes etc- they come up quickly.

All the best.

[Dantheman]

Strim the heavy growth as low as you can get it, spray a heavy dose of Paraquat, when the weeds have died back rotate.

I have watched the small farmers do this in Spain and Portugal just before they plant and it works every time, the never do any weeding apart from this.

check this out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraquat

[New shoot]

Paraquat is not legal to use in the UK and hasn't been for some time.  Glyphosate is the main weedkiller now in use for home growers.

The advantage of using a weedkiller prior to covering the ground comes into its own on overgrown plots which have big perennial weeds in them.  These will push up weed membrane and push through any but the heaviest duty kinds.  If they are dying because treated, then covered, the problem is vasty reduced and you can spray the odd interloper that hasn't taken the hint.

If you need to have stuff growing, you could start now in pots and plant out later or order a veg plant collection from a seed company or try the local garden centre.  Sowing direct, you could do a late crop of turnips, or spinich, salad leaves or oriental greens - all quick and easy, or chard and spring cabbage to overwinter

[Amilo]

Paraquat is not legal to use in the UK and hasn't been for some time.  Glyphosate is the main weedkiller now in use for home growers.

The advantage of using a weedkiller prior to covering the ground comes into its own on overgrown plots which have big perennial weeds in them.  These will push up weed membrane and push through any but the heaviest duty kinds.  If they are dying because treated, then covered, the problem is vasty reduced and you can spray the odd interloper that hasn't taken the hint.

If you need to have stuff growing, you could start now in pots and plant out later or order a veg plant collection from a seed company or try the local garden centre.  Sowing direct, you could do a late crop of turnips, or spinich, salad leaves or oriental greens - all quick and easy, or chard and spring cabbage to overwinter

Yes, I can see that it has been banned on searching for it, however I bought some withing the last 3 years, so is only commercially that it is banned? but I will stop using it now and buy something else.

The OP is in a hurry to make a big difference to the appearance and to me it seems the fastest and easiest way to do it.