Author Topic: weeding how long  (Read 3283 times)

davholla

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weeding how long
« on: December 02, 2018, 17:53:01 »
I have a 60 meter square plot and by the end of winter it should be full of fruit bushes and trees.
I apologize if I have asked this before - but I can't find it.
How long should it take me to weed it per week?
I am using a fork for big things -  to remove all the grass and a trowel near the gooseberry bushes which are there.

ACE

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2018, 22:27:49 »
How long is a piece of string?  Just do a bit when you are at the plot. Once mine was cleared I just done  a half hour a day before doing other work that was essential. Now it will be just any big rooted stuff that dares to show its head. Any annual weeds will be done in with the frosts. Next spring it will be back to a half hour hoeing any time I get to the plot.

Beersmith

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2018, 22:57:21 »
I'd be reluctant to even hazard a guess.  Simply too many variables and unknowns that could make a difference.

With a heavy layer of mulch under the fruit bushes and the area under the trees put to grass you could reasonably go for weeks at a time with little to do except a quick run over with a mower.  But if you leave bare earth around the whole lot the work load is going to be a lot higher. Usually plenty of activity  with a hoe would prevent things being too arduous, but in this case you need to be careful not to damage any roots so scope for using a hoe will be somewhat limited. Hand weeding is of course very time consuming.

I appreciate it is a sensible question. Knowing your time commitment to your fruit growing project will let you allocate your time to other interests. But I will say"pass" on this one.
Not mad, just out to mulch!

davholla

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2018, 07:02:16 »
I'd be reluctant to even hazard a guess.  Simply too many variables and unknowns that could make a difference.

With a heavy layer of mulch under the fruit bushes and the area under the trees put to grass you could reasonably go for weeks at a time with little to do except a quick run over with a mower.  But if you leave bare earth around the whole lot the work load is going to be a lot higher. Usually plenty of activity  with a hoe would prevent things being too arduous, but in this case you need to be careful not to damage any roots so scope for using a hoe will be somewhat limited. Hand weeding is of course very time consuming.

I appreciate it is a sensible question. Knowing your time commitment to your fruit growing project will let you allocate your time to other interests. But I will say"pass" on this one.

Interesting.  So what mulch could I use?  I might have access to lots of willow tree leaves.

Beersmith

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2018, 07:26:12 »
There was a long discussion about mulch recently on a thread called "battery powered strimmers".  It drifted onto alternatives to strimming and several lengthy comments gave excellent advice on useful and cheap ways to produce good weed suppressing ground cover.  Worth a read - varied and interesting suggestions.

Leaves are always good, provided they are sufficiently broken down so they don't just blow away.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2018, 07:29:13 by Beersmith »
Not mad, just out to mulch!

Beersmith

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2018, 08:54:29 »
Hang on. I've no wish to be rude, but we seem to be going round in circles here.

As I recall, you started the thread about strimmers. People suggested alternatives like mulch, and understandably you asked further questions about mulch. You asked "what is the easiest mulch to use". Then later you asked several further questions about types of mulch and their use. And you got several very useful replies including more than one excellent answer from Vinlander.  All well and good.

Now you ask about the likely time commitment to maintain your fruiting area. People say it could vary, but would be less if you used mulch around your bushes and trees. You reply "So what mulch could I use?"

If you had not started the first thread this would be entirely reasonable. But some contributors have already taken time and trouble to give you lengthy and detailed advice in the first thread and yet you seem to be ignoring that and asking the same question again.

At best this seems to lack courtesy, at worst it is downright inconsiderate. Many contributors here are patient and helpful. Please be gracious enough not to waste their time.

Not mad, just out to mulch!

davholla

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #6 on: December 03, 2018, 09:07:23 »
Hang on. I've no wish to be rude, but we seem to be going round in circles here.

As I recall, you started the thread about strimmers. People suggested alternatives like mulch, and understandably you asked further questions about mulch. You asked "what is the easiest mulch to use". Then later you asked several further questions about types of mulch and their use. And you got several very useful replies including more than one excellent answer from Vinlander.  All well and good.

Now you ask about the likely time commitment to maintain your fruiting area. People say it could vary, but would be less if you used mulch around your bushes and trees. You reply "So what mulch could I use?"

If you had not started the first thread this would be entirely reasonable. But some contributors have already taken time and trouble to give you lengthy and detailed advice in the first thread and yet you seem to be ignoring that and asking the same question again.

At best this seems to lack courtesy, at worst it is downright inconsiderate. Many contributors here are patient and helpful. Please be gracious enough not to waste their time.



Apologies I am a bit confused and the more I read the more confused I get.  Which is why started this one about weeding as I was wondering if weeding as opposed to mulching would be a better idea.  I did not mean to waste anyone's time.
I think I will just use plain cardboard to keep the grass/weeds down.  Hopefully that will work.

Beersmith

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2018, 11:42:16 »
Then I send my sincere and humble apologies.

Perhaps I was feeling irritable. But no excuses. I was wrong and happy to say sorry.

Best wishes

Beersmith
Not mad, just out to mulch!

davholla

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #8 on: December 03, 2018, 11:52:27 »
Then I send my sincere and humble apologies.

Perhaps I was feeling irritable. But no excuses. I was wrong and happy to say sorry.

Best wishes

Beersmith
No problems thank you for your advice.
Gardening advice is not like maths advice.
With maths the answer is always the same - gardening there are lots of answers that sound right but often have draw backs.
(And normally one person says "do x" whilst someone say "No don't do x, do y".  I guess most people who grow fruit learn from their parents, but my parents are anti soft fruit growing so not an option for me.

Tee Gee

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2018, 13:32:53 »
Hi Davholla

I agree with most of what has been advised previously and the variability of other people's opinions/advice

 " that's gardening I am afraid.!"


Here is my slant on the subject hope this does create any further misunderstanding of your query/s

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/W/Weeds/Weeds.htm

davholla

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2018, 15:16:06 »
Hi Davholla

I agree with most of what has been advised previously and the variability of other people's opinions/advice

 " that's gardening I am afraid.!"


Here is my slant on the subject hope this does create any further misunderstanding of your query/s

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/W/Weeds/Weeds.htm
Thank you and thank you for the gardener's almanac it is great.

However I would like a bit of clarification
"The first approach should always be to remove annual weeds from the soil by hand or with a hoe.

Do this by severing the tops from the roots, before they have a chance to produce seed and spread.

Perennial weeds can be removed with a hand fork."
Is a hoe better at removing the grass + weeds than using a fork? (I wonder if my problem is my tools, I was using a spade and now I have a fork it is a lot better, but could I use something better).

johhnyco15

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2018, 16:17:41 »




[/quote]
Thank you and thank you for the gardener's almanac it is great.

However I would like a bit of clarification
"The first approach should always be to remove annual weeds from the soil by hand or with a hoe.

Do this by severing the tops from the roots, before they have a chance to produce seed and spread.

Perennial weeds can be removed with a hand fork."
Is a hoe better at removing the grass + weeds than using a fork? (I wonder if my problem is my tools, I was using a spade and now I have a fork it is a lot better, but could I use something better).
[/quote]a sharpe push pull hoe makes short work of most weeds  i use a wolf  somepeople use a swoe as long as they are sharpe they are a joy to use
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

Tee Gee

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #12 on: December 03, 2018, 16:28:25 »
Quote
Is a hoe better at removing the grass + weeds than using a fork?

It depends upon the type of Weed!

A hoe can generally deal with annual weeds but it is better to dig out perennial weeds with a fork or spade!

If you are trying to get rid of grass (not couch) then I would be tempted to use a herbicide such as Roundup( Glyphosate) but this is not particularly the best time to apply it.

The best time is when it is growing, it will have probably gone into semi-dormancy at this time of the year due to low temperatures and light levels! Meaning it might be a costly exercise.

Its another one of those "Crystal Ball" jobs its anyone's guess!   I often ask my family for a Crystal Ball when they ask me what I want for a Xmas present, for some reason they have never come up with one! I wonder why? :icon_king:

davholla

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #13 on: December 03, 2018, 16:34:18 »
I think I am going to just try different thing.  I have cleared about a 3rd of the plot.  I will divide the plot into 2 or 3 bits
Either a) half cover with cardboard half manually remove the grass.
Or one third cardboard, one third weeding one third strimmer.
Hopefully it is dry this weekend (gets dark too early at the moment for me to do much during the week and I had pneumonia a few years ago so getting wet is a bad idea).

BarriedaleNick

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #14 on: December 03, 2018, 18:41:11 »
I like my digging hoe for weeds like grass esp in a large area but for deep rooted stuff I use a small fork.

Moved to Portugal - ain't going back!

ACE

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #15 on: December 04, 2018, 08:53:45 »
Yep, get one of these, you will see them cheaper but for a tool that is used to clear jungles and hand till in most countries it is worth the money. The tool does the work, if you are getting bad backs etc you are using it wrong.
https://www.quickcrop.co.uk/product/chillington-heavy-duty-hoe

davholla

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Re: weeding how long
« Reply #16 on: December 04, 2018, 13:25:19 »
I like my digging hoe for weeds like grass esp in a large area but for deep rooted stuff I use a small fork.



Yep, get one of these, you will see them cheaper but for a tool that is used to clear jungles and hand till in most countries it is worth the money. The tool does the work, if you are getting bad backs etc you are using it wrong.
https://www.quickcrop.co.uk/product/chillington-heavy-duty-hoe


Thank you both I bought the first one as the second one sometimes (according to the reviews) has problems with the blade.  Experience has taught me what can go wrong will go wrong if I buy it!

 

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