Topic: When to rotivate a new plot

[Little Weed]

We took over a small but long neglected (4 years uncultivated) plot last weekend and started by sorting the hedge out (a small wood!) We now need to let the hawthorn and ash dry out so we can have a bonfire. I'm just concerned that if we wait till Bonfire Night (which would make sense for the children) it might be too late in the year to rotivate afterwards - would it? (The earliest we'd be allowed to have a bonfire is nearly 3 weeks time anyway.) And after we've rotivated, do we dig it? Cover it? Just leave it till Spring and dig then? Manure it? Or what ??? All help appreciated.

[Larkspur]

Hi, I would try not to rotivate it if I were you. Just dig it a bit at a time, if you can get there every day twenty minutes will cover the ground faster than you think, and try to get out as many weeds as possible. As you go along test it's Ph value here and there to see if it needs lime. If it does add it this Autumn. Don't cover it let the winter rain and frost get at it.
In the spring dig it again, once again removing as many weeds as possible and add manure to those areas where you are going to grow crops that need or like it. Hope that helps a bit :), but you will get lots of other views I'm sure. ;)

[keef]

Lots of posts about this,

I'd say clear as much weed off the top as you can, compost / burn that. Then dig it and dig in manure as you go.. pull out and burn or bin nasty stuff like bind weed and couch grass as you dig it. Quite a lot of work but you have far less weeds next year...

I start digging late November / December.

Rotorvating will just chop up the weeds and make it a pain to get rid of them, plus it does'nt actually turn the soil over - just sort of breaks it up and mixes it about.

Covering it is a good way to clear the weed growth to start with if your lazy, but it will mean all the weed seeds will go back into your soil, id still dig it once it cleared rather the rotorvating for the reason above.

[supersprout]

Hi little weed :)
If you click the wiki button fifth from the right you'll arrive at the A4a 'cyclopaedia - there's some good advice written by Forum members on 'clearing a new plot' to add to larkspur's and keef's.
To answer the title question - never, IMO! :o
I'm sure you'll get loads of advice, but the important thing is to cultivate in the way that suits YOU best so you get food and fun too :D
Welcome to the forum and happy gardening ;D ;D

[robkb]

Hi Little Weed,

I tend to agree with Larkspur. From personal experience I'd say that if it's been uncultivated for 4 years, it's bound to be covered in couch grass and/or bindweed>:( >:( Rotivating it will chop the roots of these into a million bits, all of which will merrily re-grow!! Hand digging, although hard work, is the best way to get the roots out.

Cheers,
Rob ;)

[robkb]

Nuts! Everyone else beat me to the posting button!

Cheers,
Rob ;)

[keef]

I think we all agree  ;D

[flowerlady]

Hello Little Weed

Have to agree with the others on this .. if you rotovate one weed can turn into 1000's  :o  So take it slow, little by little does it.   ;D

You could alway try green manures for the over winter bit, that would smother most annuals and then just dig it all in  - in the spirng  ;)

[Multiveg]

Rotovate if you have couch grass and like couch grass beer (think there was a posting about this weed beer in the drinks forum)  :o

It will be a slow process- there are no easy answers.

Good luck.

[isbister]

I sympathise, there's really nothing for it but to dig. You've got to get all those weed roots out, not cut them up and plant them back in again. The wife and I cleared our plot  (5 rods) in about 30 hours over 2 months planting as we went.

[supersprout]

I sympathise, there's really nothing for it but to dig.

well, there IS a no-dig alternative - heavy mulch 8)
it's a matter of preference :)

[saddad]

I like the digging method myself... must have been a Leveller in an earlier life! But SSprouts Mulch Mania can be quite successful!
 8)

[Merry Tiller]

If you rotorvate in the proper manor, using the correct technique it will save hours of back breaking digging but it is not a quick fix. Too many people try it once and are disapointed with the results thus perpetuating the myth that rotorvating makes a weed problem worse

PS. I've never seen an organic farmer digging fields with a spade ???

[keef]

If you rotorvate in the proper manor, using the correct technique it will save hours of back breaking digging but it is not a quick fix. Too many people try it once and are disapointed with the results thus perpetuating the myth that rotorvating makes a weed problem worse

PS. I've never seen an organic farmer digging fields with a spade ???

No they use a plough... ::)

[OliveOil]

surely you should only need to rotivate if your soil in compacted!???

I have not dug any of mine. I have just hand pulled weeds out - yes even the waist high ones and the pullling up seems to loosen and airate the soil!

I'm a big fan of pulling up and raking over and then hoeing as and when!

[Merry Tiller]

No they use a plough

   Exactly ::)

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I have just hand pulled weeds out   Please feel free to come and pull couch out of my Bedford clay ;D

[MikeB]

Curious to know how many people who disapprove of using a rotorvator have actually used one or are their views based on what they were told by others?

[Roy Bham UK]

I wouldn't want to be without my little Tiller, although it is useless on hard ground, so digging is the only answer. :(

All I will do is dig enough to loosen the weeds pull and compost, cover in Farm Yard Manure then go over with the tiller mixing in the muck then cover with lots of cardboard held down with string all ready for spring. 8)

My Daughter came with me to the plotty last week to harvest and her first words were, "Why is your plot looking so full of crops and others look so empty?" I said "I blame it on my Muck and Tiller" ;D 8)

[Multiveg]

My friend Jim down the plot has a rotovator. He has back problems so can't dig much. He made his plot into raised beds. He piles strawy horse manure onto the beds then rotovates in the spring to mix it in. He has amazing crops (if he can remember what he has put where!). I think he glycophosphated the weeds when he started 3-4 years ago. He does pull weeds up these days.

Rotovating isn't a good idea where there are lots of perennial weeds - it will make the problem perennially worse - horsetail/dandelion/dock can regrow from miniscule pieces of root.

[keef]

No they use a plough

   Exactly ::)

Yes, a plough has quite a different effect than a rotorvator - turning the soil into the trench left by the ploughshare in front, bit like digging really.