Topic: Hi new boy Dave here.

[davesko]

Hi to all,

I have just registered and already have a few questions. Bit of background info, my wife and I have just acquired an allotment in the last couple of weeks. It is covered in long grass and not been used for a year or so, I have covered it in weed membrane to try and kill off the grass but realise that time is getting short and so may not have the time to wait. I was wondering would it be ok to run a cultivator over the lot and pick out the grass and roots. There are some beds already in the area but they are hard to make out due to the long grass so I was going to level it and mark out new beds.

Also we have some raspberry canes and have trimmed them back, but will it also be ok to move them at this time of year?

Thank you for any answers in advance, and sorry for any ignorance on my part.

Regards Dave

[tonybloke]

Welcome to the site, Dave!
Whereabouts are you? Can you identify the grass type? if it is couch grass, DO NOT rotovate, as EVERY BIT WITH TWO ENDS WILL GROW!!
Your best bet is to strim it, then cover with the membrane. you can plant a lot of this years crops through the membrane.
Yes you can move raspberries now. are they summer or autumn fruiting types?  ;)

[davesko]

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the reply. I live down in Worthing, Sussex.

Not sure what type of grass it is (the wife will know), someone did suggest cutting it down and then burning it back, trouble is everything is so wet at the moment I will need a gas burner plugged direct in to the North Sea to achieve this. The soil is pretty good quality once you get thro the mat of long grass covering it.

Not sure what the raspberries are, we have inherited them with the allotment, I want to keep them and just resite them, also discovered some rhubarb lurking under the grass.

The wife is the brains behind the planting I am just the muscle, just wish we had been allocated it sooner, but then I presume the council not sure who is going to renew until the New Year.

Regards Dave

[tonybloke]

First job for you, then, is to accurately measure out the plot, (Triangulation works best) include any existing plants. Then you can plan your plot ! remember old ditto " If you got a plan, somethings can go wrong, But  without a plan, Nothing can go right"
Check out Eristics website (via the wiki at top of page, good advice  for newbies)
Like the idea of a blog, I will keep an eye on progress with interest. ;)
tgds, Tony

[manicscousers]

Hiya, davesko, welcome to the site  ;D
you could always make some lasagne beds and plant through them  :)
it's in the wiki , too

[saddad]

Welcome to the site Dave...  ;D

[glosterwomble]

Hi Dave and welcome! I was very tempted to rotovate our plot when we first got it but if it is couch grass (like ours) then DON'T! As tonybloke has said every little piece of root chopped up will grow like mad! This link will show you what couch grass looks like 
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/couch.JPG

Take it slowly and dig ALL the root out, if you are not worried about the organic method then you could weedkiller the whole area.

This link to my blog shows you the before and after of my plot http://fork-in-hell.blogspot.com/2007/08/sometimes-its-bloody-hard-work.html

Good luck!!!!  ;D

[kenkew]

Welcome Dave. You'll get lots of suggestions and good answers to any of your questions on A4A.
 Like you, I started a plot that was over-grown. I cut everything down then concentrated on a manageble size to prepare for planting and slowly worked my way round.
 That way you will at least have something to show for your efforts reasonably quickly. Just slogging away at clearing can be a bit soul destroying.

Ken.
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[Lauren S]

Hello Dave and welcome to A4A from me too  :D

Congratulations on getting your new lottie  :)

Oh I forgot to mention....Take lots of photos as you go along, it really does help when you look back and see your progress

Take a peek at the mess I had to deal with too  ;D

http://laurenscostalottie.blogspot.com/

[shirlton]

Hope you enjoy the site

[davesko]

Hi all,

Thank you for the great welcome, advice and very inspiring pic's.

Looking like no sustitute for some hard work and I think I will do a bed at a time, fortunately the ground is soft at the moment. I will take some pic's and log progress.

Always had a thing about growing vegetables since I was a kid and my Grandfather was a market gardener so it must be in the blood.

Thanks again.

Regards Dave

[Sparkly]

Mark out your beds and dig it out. Cover up any areas you are not working on to stop the weeds from starting growing again at the beginning of the season. You can then uncover a section at a time. Using weedkiller is an option, but I would wait for a couple of months when the weeds are in active growth.

As others have said take lots of photos. Looking back at our plot over the last year and a half is very motivating for us.

http://lottieplotfour.blogspot.com

Very best of luck with your plot. We did have some couch grass, but bindweed was the main problem for us. There isn't an easy solution other than don't give in!

[cornykev]

Hi Dave ane welcome to Asylum 4 Allotmenteers, as the others have said really, strimback and dig out the roots a bit at a time, cover what your not using, spuds can go in next month so you can dig a rough bed where they are going. No to rotavate and weed killer.  ;D ;D ;D

[davesko]

Hi All,

Just an update, sorry no pic's forgot the camera. Went up yesterday and dug a bed out approx 20ft x 5ft, hard work but a feeling of accomplisement when I finished it ;D

Up again today with the grandson and erected the new greenhouse, nearly completed just a few more polycarb sheets to do which were a lot more fiddly than I expected them to be :(.

Another visit planned for tomorrow, finish the greenhouse, then dig out another bed for raspberries etc, which I plan to move from their present location and fins somewhere to put the huge pile of weeds/grass I removed >:(. New tin shed on order then No1 priority somewhere to make a cup of tea, fed up with coffee from the flask.

Day off Sunday, out on my motorbike to France with some of the lads, think my back will appreciate the rest :)

Regards Dave

[Lauren S]

Wow Dave you are making great progress. Keep up the good work...
oh and don't forget your camera  ::)
We need evidence  ;D  ;D

[telboy]

Hi Dave,
Best of luck with your endeavours.
Do you have any links with Worthing RC?
Reason why I ask is 'I'm off on tour with the old b**tards' tomorrow!