starting out

[sutty]

Ive just started out on my allotment its a good size overgrown, ive started digging ect i was wondering is it a good idiea to get a rotovator on the job?? and should i manure it yet??

[sutty]

[SpeedyMango]

Hello there.

I'm no expert, but I wouldn't rotovate if I were you - especially on an overgrown plot. If you've got perennial weeds (such as bindweed, couch grass and many more that are the bane of allotmenteers) then rotovating will simply chop up all the roots into tiny little bits. The ground will look fine for a week or two but will then suddenly be alive with thousands more weeds, each growing from a tiny bit of root.

The best way, albeit a lot slower, is to strim/hack your plot back to ground level, then dig over it by hand, removing as many of the roots as you can from each fork(spade) full. Burn the weeds and roots once they've dried out a bit, don't compost them.

It's a long slog, but it's worth it, and it keeps you fit! You won't get all the roots, so you will get more weeds growing, but nothing like as many as if you rotovate.

Dig over just enough to make your first bed and then plant something. It'll give you the willpower to keep going, trust me!

Good luck and I hope you have many happy hours on your plot!

[Moggle]

Welcome Sutty

I've been told the same thing about rotovators and perennial weeds. I had the offer of a rotovator when I took on my plot a month ago, but declined because of the infestation of couch.

Keep us posted on your progress. Good luck and happy digging  :D

[Mrs Ava]

Yup, I second, third and fourth that information.  Forget the rotovator for now, get those roots out, then rotovate.

P.S.  Congrats on getting your plot and welcome!  ;D

[Andy H]

Yeah must agree,bought roti for first plot,many weeds.
Although a solid lump of unused plot was easier with the rotivator and mushy compo. the weeds did come back with a vengence! Prob best as the others say and get most of weeds out first then use roti if you have one! Just getting our 3rd plot and gonna rake off the worst and cover till spring I think?