help had my name down for an allotment for a year ,finally got one .trouble is im a complete novice and need some advice.its coverd in grass weeds completly.do i just go over it and dig them all in ?do i weed kill it?or do i need to do th impossible and pull them all out.it will be great to get some advice mark
Welcome to the site Marky..
Depends what grass it is... Couch will need digging out or poisoning or covering to get rid... meadow grass can just be turned under... When you can get a fork or spade into it turn over a spit and look for thick white roots that snap easily, if Jointed it's couch if tangled but not jointed it's bindweed. Almost anything else is no real problem... No Brambles? No Mares Tail? No ground Elder?
:-X
;D
thanks will have a dig and a look got a few brambles will let u know what i got there any advice will be good
Hello Mark and welcome to A4A.
Congratulations of your new lottie
Well the first thing I did was make a plan. I took a few measurements. (If you look and my blog page you'll see how I progressed)
I had a shed already there, but this (if permitted) will be something you will have to consider in your plans.
Make room in your plans for compost bins, vital to have for the plot.
Mark out your beds, even if you don't intend on making them raised. I see no point digging up ground where your paths are going to be, too much unnecessary work.
Once you have a rough plan, and each growing area sorted, you can cover the ground with heavy duty black plastic, or cardboard. Map out a section to DIG AND REMOVE all nasties. Slow and steady is your new motto ;) If you take short cuts by not getting out all the nasties, you will always be digging the stuff out.
You still have plenty of time before anything really needs sowing/planting out, so don't be tempted to skip on the ground preparations.
I love the digging part, but many do not, it will pay off when all your lovely veg is not strangled by nasties ::)
Take lots of before, during and after photos for your records. I feel this really spurs you along, to look back every couple of weeks and see what progress you have made. We love seeing progress pics on A4A ;D
Good Luck
Lauren
Welcome to the forum. This cold weather will kill some of the weeds off. Others are best dug out when the ground softens and the weather warms a bit more. When you start digging - dig the area you intend to plant stuff in earliest.
hi lauren thanks for that will take some pics n post them
welcome to the site marky ;)
hiya, marky..nice to meet you, you can still plant fruit trees/bushes (well, when the ground de-frosts ;D )
if you need some, Lidl has trees, aldi has bushes :)
Hello and welcome! Where are you? Wherever it is, you fancy a lodger? From my window here in Brum looking out at the garden I wouldn't know what was under all that b. horrible white stuff at present >:(
Welcome to the site.
I would say the same as Lauren and add:
Build a compost bin as soon as possible so stuff like comfrey and nettles and stuff from home can be rotting down ready.
Sometimes it's best to dig the paths to get rid of the weeds(you don't want them creeping under the path and into your beds) then cover with weed membrane.
Take note of the sun and if anything on your plot is shaded by trees or other plot holders sheds. Put your shed/fruit trees on the north side of the plot so it does not shade anything (that's what i have done, just hoping it will work out ok ::)).
Neil