Just Started

[mellor]

Hello All

I've just took over a new plot that had been left for some time, and consequently is dense with weeds, brambles etc. to about 3.5ft high.

I've managed to get hold of a brushcutter and took everything down to about 6-8inch off the ground, barring the odd load of dense brambles.

Was this the right thing to do?

I'm a bit stuck where to go next, do i attack with roundup or get it rotivated ploughed, mowed?

Cheers In advance.

[mellor]

[MaryM]

Hi

I was in the same position as you a couple of weeks back.  I have covered part of my ground in agricultural black plastic-this discourages the weeds and maintains your good work with the strimmer.  I am going to leave it on there for a few months and in the meantime I am going to dig another part which I will cover with well rotted manure.  I got the plastic from

http://www.allplaz.com/acatalog/index.htm

and the local wood recycle people gave me a load of free palletts which I am using to keep the plastic in place

[bupster]

Depends whether you want to go organic and what kind of weeds you had. If you want to do it the organic way, also known as the hard way  :D then best cover over most of it and dig it over a tiny bit at a time. I got lucky, I think, in that most of my plot was cleared and rotovated for me, though I might not feel so good about that if it turns out my soil is now full of couch grass and bindweed root!

I also have brambles, have cut them down to about a foot off the ground, am now going to dig them up bit by bit. Hard work, especially as it's just me, but very satisfying if you see the whole job as long-term - i.e. over years rather than weeks or months - and get something planted quick so you get some short-term rewards too.

[mellor]

Cheers folks

Souds like covering is the option. Not really too fussed about being organic so i'm prepared to use chemicals. As far as what weeds i've got i'd pretty much everything. Docks, thistles, grass, mint!!, brambles and probably others that i dont know what they are!

[bupster]

Even if you're happy with nuking the weeds, it's probably worth clearing a small bit by hand now so you can get some stuff planted - makes you feel like you're achieving something even if you can't do as much clearing as you'd hoped. I got given shedloads of leeklings from neighbours and have strewn some rocket about as I love the stuff and it's the easiest thing in the world to grow :D

[daisymay]

In our Tescos they are selling off sheets of black weed stopping plastic stuff (cannot think of the proper words- you know what I mean!!) for 60p for a 1.5m x 10m peice. Have a look out for them in the seasonal isle!

welcome to the site, you are in good company

[wardy]

Mellor Hi  :)  If you're covering with black placcy you could put some manure under there too for the worms to be taking down for you.  If you brush cutted then you could finish off with a mower over it.  We've done this and now keep an area well mowed (was originally weeds of all sorts and perennial flowers) and it's looking quite good now and we use it for our socialising area.  My OH is going to put some fruit trees in it.  If we need more room on the lotty we could dig some up but at the mo it's quite easy to run the mower over it.  We did break a petrol mower on it though  ;D

[bupster]

You lucky so-and-sos with your machinerinery. Work of the devil, I say.

Yours,
Luddite who can only afford scythelet and secateurs :D

[spacehopper]

Hi Mellor  :)

Sounds like you have got stuck in and made a good start. If you are using glyphosphate (roundup etc) then its best to have some leaves on the plants that you are spraying as it is absorbed by the leaves and the travels through the whole plant to the roots. We have used it on our plot and found it very effective and useful.

Caz

[mellor]

Would spraying then covering be useful or would you do either or?

[Mubgrub]

In our Tescos they are selling off sheets of black weed stopping plastic stuff (cannot think of the proper words- you know what I mean!!) for 60p for a 1.5m x 10m peice. Have a look out for them in the seasonal isle!

I got something similar from Tescos but found it rather flimsy, about the thickness of a binbag.  What was yours like?

[wardy]

Keep all covered that you're not doing any with as weeds will overtake you  ;D

[mellor]

Cheers for the advice.

looks like i've got to beg steal and borrow anything to start covering unless i wait til pay day.

Have a small patch ready for digging over, thanks to good old fire!!! If in doubt torch them!

[daisymay]

Mudgrub -
Ours was like bin bag material too when we got it out of the packet, but left it folded doubled, think it should be OK! we put some under some gravel we have laid in the front garden over the weekend so will soon find out if it is up to the job!

For 60p you cannot expect too much I guess!

[Mubgrub]

DM:  Guess not!  Using mine to cover the compost heap at the moment where the wind cant blow it away ;D ;D