Hi
Following all the rain and then the hot weather i have gone to my plot to find that plants like my sweetcorn, peas, beans and swede have frazzeled. Whilst the weeds have gone made.
I have had to literaly dig my way to some of my raised beds and my rhubarb bed is submerged under a field of long grasses with seed heads. Weeds that were ankle high a week ago have just shot up :'(
I spent 2-3 hours today just clearing a foot or two around two of my raised beds to plant in them :'(
I knew the weeds were catching up on me but honestly its criminal that they can just sprint ahead like this.
As there growing on weed membrane i am able to pull the plants out but i dont think i will get to all of the grass before they drop there seed in fact some of the grass as i pulled it dropped the seed as i touched them. Any tips on how I might speed this process up?
Tomorrow i am going to try and lift up the weed membrane and hope that none has grown though it which might help me clear a larger area. I have also stopped filling the wheelbarrow and am just making piles as i go which is saving me some time, i can then move the piles to the compost heap tomorrow.
I am going to make my paths smaller and put more beds in which will help with the weeding as a long term solution.
Just feeling a little lost here guys - HELP
Cambourne7
That's what happens when you go off enjoying yourself, Louise- the combination of weeds everywhere, white rot and the comparison with the beautiful plots in Barnsdale and Derby made me feel pretty down yesterday evening, too! Sorry I can't offer a solution!
Sorry I can't be much help either, the same thing is happening at our plot too.
The blooming things are growing through the membrane and the woodchips!
How about hiring a strimmer?
If you could share it with someone else for a half day, then it would be much cheaper. At least the seed heads would be prevented from developing, and you can cut it as long/short as you want. ???
A sharp hoe works wonders, but it is very demoralising when the pesky weeds grow through layers of membrane and wood ships - I'm of course referring to the evil Horsetail.
On the upside Louise, if you have mostly annual weeds, think of it as green manure ;)
Hi
Thanks for making me feel like i am not alone guys.
I am going back to the lotty today and dig some more raised beds out.
I believe that my neighbour has something which i might borrow and hack the back down with.
Thankfully its quite overcast so i might get more done.
Cambourne7
Hello
I am raging war on bindweed :( :( :( it's hell bent on strangling everything in garden i had to throw away about 4 plants in my border as it had strangled them to also most death :'(, It's a daily battle i have tried weedkiller but it comes back. >:(
Cambourne7 i hope everything is o.k i found out because i suffer from bindweed & brambles that the cheaper membrane is rubbish i ended up buying landscape matting and where that is in my garden i don't have any problems.
Cheers
Brogusblue
Quote from: brogusblue on June 04, 2007, 10:43:57
Hello
I am raging war on bindweed :( :( :( it's hell bent on strangling everything in garden i had to throw away about 4 plants in my border as it had strangled them to also most death :'(, It's a daily battle i have tried weedkiller but it comes back. >:(
Cheers
Brogusblue
I have had the same problem in the past but seen a good tip on a gardening program.
You don a pair of Marigold gloves then put a cotton glove on over them. Make up a systemic weedkiller, Tumbleweed etc; then dip the cotton glove in the weedkiller and rub it into the leaves. Apparently as the leaves of the Bindweed are so shiney they do not take in enough weedkiller for it to reach the roots. By rubbing the leave with the gloved hand it allows the weedkiller to do its job.
Worked for me.
Good tip there Tiercel.
I know what you mean cambourne7 its sometimes gets me down as you work hard to get it looking good next minute your back to square one. Chin up and don't let it beat you!
My way!!;
Not weed free but by the sound of the problems you guys are having it more or less is.
Firstly I get all my digging in before Xmas!!
The beds are left rough and uncovered over winter!!
In Spring when the ground starts warming up and a fresh load of weeds start to appear I blast them with glyphosate.
This kills them off quite easily because they are quite tender.
Come planting out time I rake off the dead weed and dig out any pernicious perennial weed e.g Dandelion,Dock & Fat hen.
As the years progress I find the weeds problem although not gone is quite easy to handle with a hoe.
I haven't done any weeding this year yet, thats my job for next week.
Look here at my plot on the first of June http://tinyurl.com/yuch7v and as you can see there are some weeds (mainly on unplanted areas) but nothing to worry about.
Incidently, I didn't blast my plot with glyphosate this year as I didn't think it needed it
yes we have the same problem, been away four days came back to the weeds, the strawberry plants i can just about see, the raspberrys, well what can i say got to tackle the weeds and nettles as they have grown almost as high as the raspberrys, and the grass just as high,
hopefully get some done tuesday had to catch up on housework and washing but hey another day tomorrow
But 2 wheelbarrows of weeds into my compost bin today and have probably pulled enough for another 2 Loads.
Got fright when i pulled the carpet back and found a field mouse n the top of my bin.
I also got 2 rows of leeks and 4 rows of onions in :-)
no cure for hard work! dug over our plot years ago pulling out all the docs, ground ivy and stroil. Because the plot is so windy i surrounded it with wooden pallets from a local builder who was glad to be rid of them, this not only keeps the wind damage down but also prevents some weed seeds from being deposited on the plot. As winter approaches and crops have been harvested i spread cow/horse manure or seaweed over the soil and cover with black polythene (also from friendly builder) as Spring approaches i lift the polythene bit by bit and turn over the soil, the manure has rotted down well under the black polythene. Now the only weeds we have are easily hoed during hot spells.
yes i know hard work is important its just getting to me that its all sprung up so quickly!!
I have decided to find a petrol strimmer to cut the grass and stuff while i wait to hear i will try to scyte it myself.
I have contacted my local parish council to see if they can come and do it for me, if they say no i have someone else i can ask who also has a industrial one ;D
It would be a 5 min job for them.
yes were are a friendly bunch on our allotment and quite often share loads of manure loan rotovators/strimmers/seed swap! :) I have family in both New Zealand and USA so get seeds from both countries to try. Any one like to experiment???
My plot was invaded by giant nettles and thistles, in the week that i wasn't there, i swear they grew at least 24", ( It must be something in the soil ) At least there are loads of others in the same boat!! Good luck though ;)
I agree it is very demoralising. I've spent ages weeding my whole plot by hand on my hands and knees pulling up every weedling I could see. A week later, it looks like I hadn't done anything. My wildflower bed was totally taken over. I've been puliing out those weeds I recognise but am having to guess on some. I thinks the weeds are the worst part of allotmenteering although the annuals can be a welcome source of compost material.
I always take the optomist view... if it wouldn't grow weeds it wouldn't grow anything... I allow certain weeds to dominate, by selective weeding out of others, now if I have to leave a bit I end up with a block of Nigella, Poppies or Borage!
8)
I like weeds, I hoe them off and just leave them on top of the soil to rot down and feed my plants! ;D
I've even been hoeing in the dark (ooh, that sounds dodgy!), I remember reading somewhere that if you hoe/uproot something in the evening, the lack of light overnight means it can't re-establish itself even on moist ground....seems to work!!
Deb P - Yes currently i pull the weeds and leave them in the sun for the next day they they go in the compost bin, i hope that the sun will damage the root. They Certainly lose mass and colour. I have just emptyed my 1 ton sand bag and i am going to steak that up for a mobile compost heap.
gruesome - I am always up for a challange :-)
Quote from: cambourne7 on June 07, 2007, 12:41:55
I have just emptyed my 1 ton sand bag and i am going to steak that up for a mobile compost heap.
Having almost given myself a hernia moving one of those bags half filled with free woodchips, I fear it may not be very 'mobile' when you have filled it!! ;D ;D
I am going to steak it in a semi perminat place so i will not have to move it for a couple of weeks after its full.
Hi Guys.
A quick update.
As there is so much fresh stuff on my plot i opened the compost heap and added a large bag of starbucks used coffee and strips of newspaper and watered it.
Still trying to get a strimmer, so my neighbout attacked the bottom of my plot for me with his sythe so that the seed heads were down.
Went up today and after 2 hours i have topped my compost bin again with 2 big wheelbarrow loads and moved 4 wheelbarrows of wood chips over to the plot.
Sitting there drinking my ice cold drink i noticed that my asparagus seed had finally broken through ;D
Chatting to one of my fellow allotment holders he had just finished and he offered to help me pull up some more weeds - well hes pulled enough for 4 more wheelbarrow loads in 10 min flat and i can now get to my rhubarb bed and my fruit bush nursery bed which has to my shock has got on with things without me. I have a good but small crop of rasberrys, gooseberrys comming up and loads of red currants :-)
Have crawled home after over 4 and a half hours on site feel like i have really acheived something but still a long way to go!!
I still need the strimmer as some of the weeds are growing though the fencing, and i also need to source wood for more raised beds as most wood mills here have none!!
I am hopeing to get to the plot for a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon to move more weeds to the compost heap. Might even have to start using the other site :-)
Cambourne7
I was away for a week could'nt believe it when i got back i swear the grass had grown from ankle to waist height. It does get you down. I'm hoping to attack with strimmer this weekend. I really am tempted to try what TG does with the Glyphosphate its just i've always tried to gow naturally. Decisions decisions.
I would hack it back then put the chemical on it as it will take longer if the grass is long.
I feel for you, My plot has been over grown for years before I got it an d after 2 years I have just about cleared 1/2 of it . Mairs tail, couch grass and lots of other things I cant name. The ground was a mesh of roots the thickness of your finger. I used Glysulphate to beathem back before forking the ground over. Left the roots out to dry them out and then burnt them, though didnt work too well this year. and the last few weeks looks like I hadent done a scratch weeds every where just had to pull them by hand from betwen the plants. If you are using weed killer put a slug of washing up liquid in after you fill the watering can or sprayer and shake it , this will make the weed killer stick to the plant. Log on to your free cycle web site and ask for a strimmer you will be amazed the amount of stuff people will give you on Free cycle. I have seen strimmers, garden shreaders, lawn mowers, sheads, greenhouses and more going. Have a look
Ah the 4 barrows full of weeds, that seems so familiar.
I was told by the old 'uns on my site that 3 years is the minimum before you get on top of the weed problem.
But I feel now that some are starting to finish their cycle, many are dying of their own accord, like the dandelion etc. So they are easy to pull up. I have a lot of grass! but I find it's not as bad as it was at one stage. you can now see the ground over a lot of my plot ;D
Next year I will do what worked this year but more of it and earlier.
For a start I am green manuring a fait bit so that might help,
Next cover quickly in the spring any bits I am not going to use straight away (like the summer veg bit).
Then hoe and hoe and hoe in April-May when they start coming up. And mulch and remulch wherever I can. Noticed that my spud patch mulch had nicely rotted down and I turned it into the soil.
Next year I also want to plant my tomatoes, peppers etc on black plastic. That seems so much easier.
I use no chemicals I am afraid so it's elbow grease. But it does get better, to my great relief!!!
Hi Cambourne,
Seems like you're in much the same state as me. I was almost on top of everything then I went on holiday. It wasn't looking too bad when I get back but then my Mum died and I've spent the last few weeks just moping about feeling disillusioned about everything. It's taken all my energy trying to keep the kids happy.
Anyway they're back to school tomorrow so back to the weeds which have gone from ankle high to waist high over night. I've already beaten them back about 5 times this year. It's depressing seeing lots of seeds float my way (usually) in big clumps. I didn't stand a chance really with the allotments all around with weeds nearly 6' high for most of the growing season. Unfortunately they were cut back finally by the parish council but only after they seeded.
Where did you get your wood chips? and did they cost much?
I'm having same problem on my site at the mo. As fast I'm clearing the beggars they're partying somewhere else! Bit of advice needed though, as I'm strimming all the grass, weeds etc I'm simply piling them in a heap, but as I was a bit worried about all the seeds infesting everyone elses plot I've covered them over with a bit of carpet for now before I burn them. Is that the right thing to do (thought it courteous) or am I simply incubating the lot and causing myself another headache!
There has been a big drive here by the council to get vacant allotmenters to cultivate or give up their allotment, this was mainly driven by people who wanted plots and spent every year being told they were not available as they were payed for , People Power. People were able to come into the plot and list the number of the plot that was unused. Council have now set up a committee with allotment holders, are supplying spare council manure and running a best plot competition. I was finally offered the other half of my plot which has been paid for but not worked for years. I have watched as the seeds blow in the air from the unworked plots but recently have been cheered up by seeing the new plot holders starting to clear their plots and laying plastic over the weeds.
Yes vacant plots do seem to be a problem in the UK. I know I have said before that here they are run by associations so if you don't show up you are soon kicked out. BUT I have now been in our site for 8 months and I have realized that some people are more dedicated growers than others! Our plots are 100 m2 each. One fellow covered 75 of his plot with spuds (dunno if he actually got any, no one got much this year apparently) and now they are dug, and that is empty. He has a row of toms and the back half of his plot is just weeds. There are others where there are mainly dahlias, a few courgettes and overgrown lettuces.
As there is a BIG drink problem on these sites, I think these blokes obviously just come to bevvy up with their mates and just do a bit to make it look like they are gardening on their plot. (one fellow came to say hi on Saturday, I thought I would pass out from the booze fumes!!!)
It makes me quite mad because I was harrassed by these people because I wasn't a "good enough gardener" And now I realize that they are lucky to not hack off their feet in a drunken stupor!!! Well anyway since I have now completely planted my plot they have left me alone.
err weren't we talking about weeds...?
I have just come back from a 2 week holiday, and due to go down to my plot tomorrow, I'm really scared. I have a horrible feeling that the weeds will be at least 2ft high, and all my good work from recent times will be undone. Oh well, it's cheaper than the gym!
I may do the same thing as others this time, and put mine in their own compost heap, I get enough after all to rot down over a year or so.
Sympathy to all, I may need it myself tomorrow!
Came back from summer hols to find the plot, which was cleared before I went away, completely covered again. The beds were not too bad but the paths were a night mare. Where I had hoed, the things had re rooted themselves. Spent the last four weeks hand weeding to get as much as poss out and have now grassed the paths. I have obtained an old heavy lawn mower, so hopefully the combination of grass and regular mowing will keep the things at bay.
napalm would work, as long as your 100 yards from the road, and the bomber has a clear run
lol
Too close to the road and some large trees in the way. Would also take out my raspberries, off which today I picked a 2 litre ice cream container full of yummy raspberries.
I think I will wait to the spring and attack with Glysolphate. I have reclaimed a new part at the top of the plot and am going to put manure on it this week and then plant some winter greens. Except for the garlic bed which I will cover I think I will Waite for the spring and hit them