Topic: digging

[markyb23]

Hi vaca,
             good luck with the plot.There's lots of really good suggestions here.I think you should take your time and do whatever you're comfortable with.
  My own experience with couch grass echoes what some of the other posters have said.ie-that it's not as bad as it seems at first.
  I found that by digging and then breaking the clods by wacking them with my fork I managed to get rid of most of the couch grass.I then added horse manure on the surface.
 Later,I dug the manure in,removing as much of the remaining couch grass as i could.I then used this ground for growing potatoes,again,removing any weeds as I planted the spuds.
  The main point was,that,every time you dig the soil it gets easier,until it's just a case of carefully removing any green shoots as they emerge.
  If you do use a fork for breaking the clods with,it might be worth getting a fairly cheap,metal one from Wilko's or somewhere similar.I broke my nice Spear and Jackson one,quite quickly.
   Either way Vaca,stick at it.It will get easier.
           All The Best-Marky.
 

[redimp]

...I broke my nice Spear and Jackson one,quite quickly...
 

I broke my first one and I have now split the handle bit of my replacement - I haven't told them yet scared they will say twic is my fault.  The cause - couch and stones predictably plus thistles etc.

PS I am composting everything including bindweed.  I am hoping that two years and lots of should do the trick.

[PREMTAL]

Hi redclanger,
                      I know that urine is supposed to work on bindweed for composting but once I dig the stuff out it never gets near soil again it gets burned. ;D

When I took on my plot it had two ancient compost heaps and they were the areas most infected by the weed. >:(

On the advice of our old timers I never try to compost any perennial weeds. ;)

The ashes however I store in plastic bags for spreading on the soil, i can't argue with their logic as every thing they have told me has proved to be correct. ;D

                                                          PREMTAL

[vaca]

the war is on  ;D ... I've covered the entire plot with black polythene sheeting except for 2 beds which I'll use this autumn. I guess in the weeks to come, I'll slowly uncover sections, dig them up, weed them, and cover them up again. I'm aiming to dig over 1/2 the plot ready for spring and not worry about the other half...  thanks to all for all the replies, it's really helped in geting my plot going and I now feel like I'm gaining some control over the plot  :D

[wardy]

Keep checking under your black placcy from time to time to see how things are going.  If I see weed free bit but the odd dock or dandelion I put a full thickness newspaper over it and replace black sheeting again.  It soons gets rid of the odd weeds left over  :)  You can put manure under there if you wish as some of your beds will benefit from manure being incorporated.  it will be fine over winter under the black mulch as worms will help take it down into, and incorporate into the soil, helping to break it up.  Save you doing it  :)

[spacehopper]

I am no dig as you all probably know by now and I think why dig if you don't have to and why do you ?  My plot must be as productive as everyone elses but mine is achieved without digging so why bother  ;D

Well...I sadly, and rather worryingly, enjoy digging!  ;)
 :P

Caz

[spacehopper]

Vaca, sounds like you are well away with the black plastic. Loads of great advice on this thread.

Baz and I have quite different digging styles. Baz is very thorough, picking up every weed, root and stone and doing a very good job, but its slow progress. I on the other hand tend to go a bit faster but end up with lumpier soil with some roots in. I then go back over the same ground and get the rest of the roots out. I like to see the digging progress quickly, wheras Baz doesn't mind how fast its going as long as what he does is wees and root free!

[Mubgrub]

Here goes another dumb question.....   ::)

If I were to rough dig a couple of beds and cover them up to stop the weeds over winter would the ground still get broken up by the frost?

I'm dithering over whether to dig rough and leave, dig rough and cover, not dig and cover......   Considering I'm likely to be very busy in the spring what would be best to do now to save work later?   ;D

[vaca]

I've been debating the exact same thing... and have come to the following solution. 1/2 of the plot I'll just leave covered and assume I won't get to it before spring. All I did to it was strim it and cover it up. The other 1/2 I will use 1 beds (1.5m x 10m) to grow things this autumn and this bed will be dug up and weeded as best I can. The remainder of the plot will be made up of 3 further beds (1.5m x 10m) which I've strimmed and covered, but will uncover sections at a time, dig them, weed as best I can, and cover them again waiting for the winter to get at them. I've read somewhere that the clumps should be about the size of a fist when left overwinter - so that's what I'll do.

...but I'm sure others will have better ideas :-\

[adam04]

mubgrub, rough dig, then cover until november time. then uncover. the weeds wont really be growing and the few that will you can hand weed, then the frost will get to the soil too.

[Mubgrub]

mubgrub, rough dig, then cover until november time. then uncover. the weeds wont really be growing and the few that will you can hand weed, then the frost will get to the soil too.

Aaah, most cunning....   Thanks ;D