This may be a little long winded, but please hear me out.
I am currently studying a Bachelors Degree in engineering with the Open University, as part of this i am require to under take a design project.
For my design project i have been looking at innovative ways of weeding. To help me understand the needs of the weeder would all of the gardeners that read this please under take a survey via the below link?
This year I decided to grow my own vegetables in a plot in the back garden. Only a small plot 18ft x 5ft. This size was fine until the onslaught of the weeds. Bending down or kneeling to remove them soon gave back ache, and with the weeding being required twice a week a solution would be great. Therefore my project will be to devise a 'weeder' that will reduce the back strain when in use.
Therefore if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions below to help me on my way?
Please note this is not spam and is a genuine request.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2SSTFDV
Thanks
Tony
Done. My only comment is that few allotment sites have electricity, so if your weeder needs power maybe a general garden site would be more worthwhile?
Are you sure you are not reinventing the wheel? There are a huge number of weeding devices available.
Personally I recommend mulching.
Quote from: Digeroo on August 15, 2013, 16:42:25
Personally I recommend mulching.
If needed I find a rake pretty handy, otherwise I'm with Digeroo :glasses9:
I agree with all the three previous comments.
The survey only takes a minute and I think we should help Oxtonyxo with his degree work.
However, Oxtonyxo, as Katynewbie says your questionnaire hints at an electrical solution and that would not be viable for most people who have an allotment. Perhaps you need to find a gardening site rather than an allotment site (although we do have a number of people who grow their veg & fruit in their garden).
As a helpful comment your questionnaire asks how long we have been gardening but doesn't specify the units i.e years or months - my answer of 20 years was rejected.
I hope you find this a constructive reply.
Regards
Bluecar
Personally I like the idea of electrocuting weeds - make an example out of them to put the others off!
I<m off to the questionaire shortly but for the sake of discussion I am in two minds as to whether you should be investigating a low level method of fracking to disturb their life forms or develop recipes to utise their persistence and vigour in providing catch crops as required. It m ay just be a matter of flavoour combination or processing technique that would redress their percieved underability.
The most effective non back breaking weeding tool is the garden hoe. But I believe that was invented sometime ago. :happy7:
Quote from: bluecar on August 15, 2013, 19:09:05
As a helpful comment your questionnaire asks how long we have been gardening but doesn't specify the units i.e years or months - my answer of 20 years was rejected.
Regards.
Bluecar
I put in 60 years and that was also rejected!