Topic: To rotivate or not?

[vicki.m]

Hello all,

I am having a disagreement with my hubby, We have Just started out on our allotment and in a weekend have managed to clear about a 1/4 of our 10m x 10m ish plot using a couple of forks and some hard work. I am adamant this is the way to go, as I think rotivating would spread the weed roots and give us more work. Hubby is equally adamant rotivating would save time if not effort.

Any thoughts?

Vicki

[grannyjanny]

You are right Vicki. You would be thrown off our site if a rotavator was brought on.
If you have bindweed, docks horsetail etc the roots are chopped & as you say spread the weeds.

[goodlife]

If you are not going to plant anything anymore this year..I would carry on with forks..as rotavating this time of the year might (depending of your soil type) result compation over the winter..when you rotavate, it breaks all the lumps in soil and makes the tilth nice..and when winter rains come there is no 'gaps' left to break and water to drain and any goodness in the soil may be washed off..normally you would rotavate during late spring/early summer ready for planting and sowing.
For your hubby's support...yes he could rotavate..but then I would also do some digging afterwards too..I would dig some compost/manure/straw etc..in to 'condition' the soil..to keep soil structure 'open' during winter. Any nurtients from manure propably would be washed off as there is no plants to use them up..but certainly the soil would still benefit. And the digging after rotaving it would be much easier too.
Eiher way..you are never going to dig all roots out and yes rotavating will chop and spread some amount them too.. ::)
Mayby you could rough dig any obvious roots/weeds out, then rotavate and dig and add some 'good stuff' in...that would be ideal situation ;D and then you both would be sort of 'right' ;D

[vicki.m]

Mayby you could rough dig any obvious roots/weeds out, then rotavate and dig and add some 'good stuff' in...that would be ideal situation ;D and then you both would be sort of 'right' ;D

Yes we'd both be sort of right , but I'm more right than him  ;)

[BAK]

I agree entirely with grannyjanny. You will simply be multiplying any perennial weeds and making the problem much worse in the long run.

Rotovating is ok only if and when you are convinced that any weeds are solely annual.

[chriscross1966]

You can get rid of perrennials with rotavating.... the Howard book on it suggests rotavating a piece of ground weekly from March until autumn IIRC..... Otherwise dig it out, if you've got couch or bindweed then rotavating it once is just asking for them to spread and multiply, by March next year you'd have a near inpenetrable layer of couch roots.....

chrisc

[lincsyokel2]

I have to defend rotavating in the face of such blatant antirotavationism.

I never dig. I always rotavate. Then i leave it, wait till the weed stick there heads up and then black plastic it. Next spring the land will be bare, and i rotavate again, wait for the weeds and then roundup them.

And all without lifting a single spade or putting out a single vertebrae.,

[vicki.m]

lincsyokel2 my hubby would love you,  I think I just enjoy digging as crazy as that sounds.

[Digeroo]

Since we all started out allotments together last year it was interesting to see the difference between the diggers and the rotavators.  

Of the top 10 allotments I think 7 were diggers and 3 rotavators and of the worse 10 I think 9 were diggers and one rotavator.

So my logic says that it is best if you do a really good job digging but otherwise a good rotate is an excellent choice.

I like digging too but I am becoming aware that my digging days may be running out though using a rotavators is not easy either.

[vicki.m]

I like digging too but I am becoming aware that my digging days may be running out though using a rotavators is not easy either.

I can't dig quite as much in one go as I used to be able to as I did something to my back and hips when I had my daughter last year. I'm quite certain I couldn't control a rotavator and I really like to do stuff myself. I think I'll carry on as we are for now see what the ground is like in spring when the frosts have finished

[Amazingrotavator(Derby)]

Put weedkiller on the weeds and grass.Leave to die and then rotavate,rotavate and rotavate. I always rotavate.Anything for an easy life.

[goodlife]

Yes I do admit being converted from digger to rotavator..at least less digging..and some of the 'beds' are that good now that I do no-dig-nor rotavating-top up with compost only- method.. ;D
Back is too precious to waste for hard manual digging..

[lincsyokel2]

Rotavating is not any easier  than digging. The point is is less likely to do your back in, and its more efficient  on your labour and effort - in two hour i can thoroughly rotavate about 36 square meters of land, but even if i could dig that much (which i cant, ive had enough after about 20 minutes), it would take me days to dig 36 square metres.

I started off with a Merry Tiller with two tines on and a 2.4 Hp engine, and slowly ive worked up to  6 tines and a 6.5 Hp engine, its a beast to hold back, but its turns the soil over excellently.

[kt.]

Digging was hard work when i changed plots as it was overgrown with marestail but definitely worth it in the long run.  Now I do a mix between the two depending on what i am planting / sowing.

[aj]

I like a good rotavate personally; it's more about what you are going to do afterwards that should be your decision maker. If you can get there to pull out the main weeds that grow afterwards [they all spring up a few weeks later] and are prepared to cover with a good blocker [I used cardboard] to block the light then it will save alot of backbreaking work. However, if you are going to leave it uncovered all winter then you may as well not bother.

Also, rotavating means you can level the ground as well, so if you are putting beds and a path in; you can put the path in soon afterwards [cover with cardboard then weed fabric] and just walk on that...and manage your soil from the path rather than walk on the soil each time.

[Fork]

My rotavator has three sets of tines...one set of slashers,one set to turn the soil over to a fine tilth and the last set are used simply to break up the ground.This set is perfect for where there are weeds....they dont cut them,just move them about making it easier for you to lift them.

[Columbus]

Hi Vicki, Hi all  :)

You are both right  :)

Whatever you do you have to get out all the weeds and weed roots that you can.

First I dig up deep rooted weeds however tiny (they`ll get deep rooted later if they are left) and as much bindweed root as I can. Then I use my Mantis Tiller which is lighter than a rotovator but easier for me to handle. Then I sieve out any remaining weeds. I don`t cover and I don`t use weed killer any more.

I can clear lots more soil using the tiller despite sieving.

Best of luck, Col

[BoardStupid]

We had a similar dilemma when we took on our plot in July. The opportunity to have it ploughed by a local farmer was offered but we decided to go the fork and spade route. The plotholder next to us took up the option of ploughing.
 
 Now in Sept we have a pretty weed free space. He on the other hand, has rotavated since as well and plot is full of weeds.

Little and often with the digging, but do it really well. Maybe even a row at a time. You'll thank yourself in the long run

[flitwickone]

i have amonster of a rotavator when it is the right time it does the job well

use it at the wrong time and you will know it well

so hand dig for weed
but for manure in the spring rotavator it down after the worms have done there  job

[chriscross1966]

I agree with flitwick here... dig out the weeds by hand, then you can rotavate the manure in in a hurry....

chrisc