Topic: HELP

[margyf]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone knew of getting rid of weeds and cleaning up a plot.

I am digging lots and lots but still some weeds doesnt look tidy enough.

Im thinking of rotivating nut unsure.

Also I have been told about covering the plot especially this time of year is there a special cover if so where do I purchase from and what is the correct process.

I need the best advice possible as my local treasurer at the plot is moaning that all the plots still look untidy (i thinks she forgets to realise that people do have to earn money aswell and only have weekends available) why that should stop anyone from getting a plot is beyond me!!!

And I rely heavily on the weather which hasnt been fantastic this year well up until last week and this week.

Any help would be appreciated as ive been given a time limit if my plot isnt tidier by 24th may im being given a notice.

[cambourne7]

do you know what type of weeds some are easier to get rid of then others.

I would stock up on roundup, cardboard and weed membrane.

Spray it give it a couple of days, cover in cardboard then membrane and then weed membrane you can get wood chips from your local tree surgon ;)

[OllieC]

Oooh, poor you. With the year we've had so far, I'm surprised anyone's on top of the weeds. Also, it's mostly sowing & planting just now, plenty time to whack the weeds next month...


Rotivating will make it look lovely, but you need to stay on top of the perennials that will get chopped up & dispersed. Many disagree with rotivating, but many also swear by it...

Me, I'd invest in some roundup if I was short of time. Which I am so I have.

Good luck!

[thespade08]

a couple of pounds of semtex should work  :P

[Thegoodlife]

i would try lots of grass cuttings lay it over thick give it a couple of weeks then dig it in deep weeds dont like being buried under too deep so they will give up

[silly billy]

My advice on personal experience is to not be afraid to rotovate, its true it does chop up the roots of some weeds but if time is limited you can rotovate and as the weeds start to appear you can then dig them up. We have found that any that do come up are alot easier to pull up. On one of our beds we have rotovated then covered it with black polythene until we are ready to use it. Some sites don't like you covering up with polythene but if time is limited it helps no end. You will need something to weigh it down, bricks or something like that. Best of luck.

[Uncle Joshua]

I wouldn't rotivate it, it chops up the weeds and you'll end up with twice as many, good hard digging is the way to go but don't push it too hard there is no rush on an allotment, cover the bits you haven't dug in cardboard.

[margyf]

Thanks to all who replied.

Hope you have all enjoyed the wonderful weather this bank holiday makes a change.

I wasnt able to go to my plot having had other commitments with family but I will this weekend knowing that I have a deadline to clear this plot.

I was wondering if any of you knew where I can buy the weed spray at a reasonable price.

And also what is membrane?

Could I spray on the stuff and cover with lining?

[silly billy]

Wilkinsons is a good place its cheaper than most places and they do their own brand. Membrane is a kind of material which allows the rain through but prevents the weeds from coming up through it. Normally you put something like bark chippings on top. Wilkinsons also sell it. I believe you can spray it and then cover but someone did say the weedkiller needs photosynthesis to work (I don't know if it does) but you can spray then leave it a few days then cover. You can also water it on with a can. I would suggest you don't buy the ready made up stuff as it works out more expensive.

[Carls3168]

My advise for simple (if there is such a thing) clearance.

Weekend One:
Spray full plot with round-up

Weekend Two:
Spray full plot with round-up again

Weekend Three:
Hire a rotivator (HSS Hire) and rotavate the lot

Come the 23rd you'll have a lovely clean plot to look at.  8)

... by the 1st June you might have lots of weeds coming though again, but then you could cover half the plot and try keep on top of the half you are planting in.

One of my neighbours however turns up every April/May, rotivates his entire allotment, spends the month plating things from his greenhouse, harvests as and when and come October is never seen again till the following spring....  ???

[antipodes]

erk - i can't agree with using the round up really - surely not over the whole plot where you want to grow your nice veg??
I would cover the unused parts, I use cardboard followed by an ordinary tarpaulin. Dig over as much as you can of the rest and plant things that will grow quickly now, like late spuds, squash, french beans.
It takes time, I still have tons of weeds and the old 'uns say only after 3 years do you see a significant decrease in the amount of weeds. Those that follow my adventures know I had lots of problems like this, but I just took my time and it works out eventually. But I never used a drop of weedkiller...

[gwynleg]

This is my second year and already I am noticing a huge difference in the amount of weeds i have - mind you it was covered in nettles, bramble. thistles and couch grass. I still have a fair amount of each trying to make a come back here and there but not like before. I couldnt even lift a spit of earth as the nettle roots were too thick. I would say also not to use round up - people who have round here still end up having to dig ......Good luck with it all

[margyf]

ah im confused.

Is roundup no good.

I see if I put it on the whole plot it takes the weeds then I can rotivate (i heard though that this just chops it up and puts it back in the ground)

Im stuck im not sure what is the easiest quickest and more methodical way to approach this in less than 3 weeks

 ???

[silly billy]

Round up is fine if you don't want to be organic but it will take at least 2 weeks to work. When it hits the soil its safe so you can plant quite soon if you want to. Rotovating will chop up the weed roots and some will then multiply but seeing as your time is limited I would rotovate or apply the weed killer wait 2 weeks then rotovate. Personally I wouldn't put any weedkiller on beds I was using for crops but I do use it on my paths.

[RobinOfTheHood]

What Silly Billy said.

[OllieC]

There is absolutely nothing to worry about using roundup now, growing a crop & eating it in a few months. If for any reason there was a residue, the plants wouldn't grow & you'd get no harvest so no problem.

Commercially it's routinely used prior to sowing so unless you only ever buy organic veg, you're being inconsistent.

[Melbourne12]

Hear, hear! Roundup (or any other glyphosate weedkiller) kills the whole plant, so there's less of a problem with fragments of bindweed or dock root being left behind and springing back to life.

We use it on the vegetable beds, and around the fruit bushes, as well as on the paths.

[silly billy]

There is absolutely nothing to worry about using roundup now, growing a crop & eating it in a few months. If for any reason there was a residue, the plants wouldn't grow & you'd get no harvest so no problem.

Commercially it's routinely used prior to sowing so unless you only ever buy organic veg, you're being inconsistent.

Its personal choice.

[Tyke]

One problem with using roundup and other weedkillers is that you lose valuable organic material. Okay, you want to kill the tough perennials, but the other stuff is valuable compost when buried.