Topic: Help advice needed - New allotment covered in 10 ft brambles + some small trees

[timnsal]

If you're used to it and very fit to start with, maybe you can dig at that rate and keep going, if there isn't too much rubbish to take out of the soil. For a newcomer, it's more likely that they'll work at that rate for half a day, then spend 3 weeks too stiff to move. By the time I've picked out the worst of the weed roots and the debris, I'm lucky to get through a prong full in 40 seconds.

My plot was covered in nettles, brambles and broken glass when I took it on. It's taken me 2 years to get it mostly clear, and I go there 2 or 3 mornings a week most weeks. Last summer, I grew on about half of it (the rest was covered with plastic) and we didn't buy veg from July to October, and the potatoes and onions ran out last week. I'd definitely go for the 'plant as you go' option - as soon as a reasonable space is cleared, stick something in it. At least then you get some reward for your efforts. :)

Sally

[albacore1854]

It about energy conservation.

Always amazes me the plums that go in for the keepy-up method of weed removal.Bouncing the clod on the tine, with all the weight held on their arms.

Next time you see a road gang, or builders digging watch them.They do it for a living.

[Ishard]

If you are extremely fit or a masochist then by all means spend weeks digging out those weeds.

In the real world a lot of allotment holders spray glyphosate wait 2 weeks for the weeds to die and if needed spray again. This WILL get rid of couch and any other weed.
All that will be left for you to do then is rake off the dead weeds and then dig to loosen the soil ready for planting.   3 to 4 weeks and you could be getting your first crops in the ground. ;D

As has already been said glyphosate isnt organic but it is inactivated when it hits the soil, I suggest you read about it and decide for yourself whether to use it or not.
You can decide that once your plot is cleared to then go organic if you wish. Best of both.  ;)

There is very few allotments that are truly organic because of prior treatments anyway.

The brambles are the main problem you have because if you dont kill it or get out all the roots it will shoot up from even a broken bit of root.

I would cut it down with secatuers (and strong thick gloves) to a manageble level, say 2 foot then spray the leaves with glyphosate, if you are going to use it, repeat as needed. If you arent then it will take literally years to get rid of.

The trees cut down with a hand saw and try to find the main roots and cut these too, if you can get the roots out great! If not dont worry too much as they wont take the goodness from the soils if they are dead.

 PS. As you clear part of the plot either plant it straight away or put black plastic down to controll further weeds growing from the seeds already in the ground.

Your plot, your choice but whatever you do good luck.

[albacore1854]

I'd go with roundup too, but the OP said organic.

I did hear roundup leaves no residue beyond 6 weeks, not sure how true that is.

[Robert_Brenchley]

As the number of weeds diminishes, you reach a point where you can fork them out individually instead of digging the whole lot. When you reach that point, you've won.

[bupster]

Brambles aren't as awful as made out, they hate having their roots disturbed, so you can actually get away with leaving chunks of root the first time over without too much fear for the future. They will regrow, but not straight away, so you've got some time to plan your next move.

I'm a bull headed organics person and decided at the very beginning never to use chemicals on my watch even if it would make life easier, because it wasn't for me about an easy life, it was about the process as much as the outcome. You may be all about the outcome, in which case chemicals might be the way forward. It's an individual decision. All the best...

[elyfantfan]

Thanks all,

well into it now

going for the slow but sure method, dig, pull, cover and do some raised beds on top of the cover untill ready.

I'll see how it goes!

Elyfantfan

[Robert_Brenchley]

You can just pull brambles out as the new stems emerge. If you keep at it, they eventually give up.