End of year lotty management

[Mr Smith]

Growing veg was a bonus this year for us because of the bind weed and twitch. Question is when I have a veg free lotty at the end of the growing season  which is the best way to attack it to rid the weed problem, it was my intention to spray the lotty with a weed killer then spread a good layer of manure, my weed problem covers about 50% of the allotment :)

[Mr Smith]

[SMP1704]

Hi Mr Smith

Spraying should be a good solution but it should be used during the growing season, so I wouldn't leave it later than September or late August if you can manage it, perhaps spraying areas as they are emptied?

Before covering, make sure that the bindweed is really dead but expect some regrowth ::) next year...and the year after,,,,,,,,,,but it will get better - honest.

[kt.]

There could also be a lot of patience in demand as you may just end up having to dig it out......  Spraying does not always work.  Tried it. Sprayed the plot whilst I was digging & clearing.  I dug my plot thoroughly the first year I got it without planting anything to prepare the ground fully.  Paid dividends as things are loads easier to keep on top of now....   and the soil is sooooo soft -  it crumbles as it falls off the garden fork ;)

[davyw1]

Good evening Mr Smith.
I don,t think weeds are and end of season job, its an all year round one as far as chick weed and nettles are concerned.
I hoe my garden every few days apart from knocking back the weeds it allows the soil to breath. I will have a weeding hour with the fork and dig all out i can. The best time to hoe is on a hot breezy day so the roots get dries out and wont re set themselves.
Using manure is can be an evil neccessitty because you will always get weeds from it, seeds can lie dormant for up to 7 years.
Bindweed and mares tail is of course a different matter.
Mares Tail i crush the end and paint poison on or cut it off about 6"" below the surface, no light no grow.
Bind weed i don,t have but one of the old fellers once told me that just keep digging at it but if you see a young shoot coming through let i grow a little then put some Glycinate in a rubber glove and put the growing tip into the glove and tie it off and let the plant drink away at it own pace. The poison is not washed off and does not affect any other plant.
Hope this is of some help

Mr Anderson

[Mr Smith]

Thanks folks points taken onboard, we do pull out the bind weed all the time and hoe but the allotment was not worked for several years so like you say it is an on going job, :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Attack the perennial weds every time you have a bed empty. So if you harvest, say, your broad beans, then you have an opportunity to have a go at it before the next crop goes in.