Digging out problem roots

[LauraB]

Our lottie is overgrown with dock leaves, brambles and grass (not sure if it's normal grass or couch!)

I've been digging today and have gone down to a depth of about 2ft and removed everything. In pulling some roots out, though, small fragments have snapped off - it's impossible to get everything out. We've got the thick roots out, but some of the very thin hair like bits remain. Will these be a problem? Should I go back and dig deeper?

[LauraB]

[flossie]

Hi Laura
The bottom of my plot was like that.  I took only the worst, big roots out and then planted stuff, mostly potatoes.  It's pretty good now.  Good luck

[manicscousers]

don't try to do everything at once, if the roots grow again, dig the up as soon as you can,
in my experience, the weeds never go away completely, mulch up when you plant stuff, cover when you don't, that's how we work it  :)

[mc55]

you'll always miss some, no matter hopw careful you are.  Best thing is to take out as much as you can and then when they eventually reappear have another go.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Just keep at them. You do win in the end. If they reappear, then just wait till the bed's empty, and dig again before you replant.

[kt.]

Some roots have been known to be as deep as 30ft! So unless you plan on digging to Oz - just go with the flow & get em up as they rear their ugly heads

[Robert_Brenchley]

That reminds me of when we were in Cornwall. The house had nothing but a chemical toilet, so we had a septic tank put in. The hole was a good eight feet deep, and dandelion roots were still going strong right at the bottom, barely thinner than when they were at the top.

[LauraB]

That reminds me of when we were in Cornwall. The house had nothing but a chemical toilet, so we had a septic tank put in. The hole was a good eight feet deep, and dandelion roots were still going strong right at the bottom, barely thinner than when they were at the top.

Well, there's no way I'm digging that deep, let alone 30ft  :D

I guess I'm doing all I can, then.

Thank you everyone

[saddad]

Just remember Laura that root is storing energy from the leaves... if you keep taking off the leaves every time you see them it is eventually exhausted. Most lottie gardeners who give up get put off when they have gone mad at a patch then gone away for a month and wonder why it looks even worse when they come back... Little and often!
;D

[louise stella]

You know i have the same problem!  I have dug over half the plot really well and the rest is just rough dug.  I am going to keep the well dug part for smaller veg and the rough dug part I am going to mulch with newspaper and cardoard topped with muck and I am going to plant spuds/courgettes/pumpkins/squashes and possibly sweetcorn - throughthe mulch.  Hopefully by the end of summer some of the weeds will have given up and then i'll do the same heavy mulching on that part for the winter.

I think the only way to stop getting disheartened is to take the long view that things will improve year on year and that you will get some good veggies this year and that things will be easier next year!  Bob Flowerdews "bible" is a godsend - he is a great beliver in no-dig gardening with lots of mulching. 

Just do what you can and look upon every bit of work you do as getting one step nearer to winning the battle of the weeds!

Good luck!

Louise