Some advise please - how should I tackle the overgrown weeds/grass (as seen in the photo). Can I get away with cutting them down and keeping them cut regularly (I've got some raised beds in there already, so don't need the ground just yet), or should I dig them all out?
I would recommend wetting the weeds once you have mowed them very short, put 6/7 sheets of newspaper on weeds, drench the newspaper, then put the black plastic on top of the wetted paper. Then leave until Spring, the newspaper draws the earthworms, and can be dug into the ground next year. I have done this myself with great success.
NewBoy2 Pulled a muscle in my back a couple of weeks ago, meds. are knocking me out, sleep pattern is gone to the dogs. Hopefully will be back to normal soon. Shur I could be doing a lot worse that reading and posting on a gardening forum at that hour of the morning
No idea how, but I seem to have created two accounts. Anyway, here's an update on day 1.
Armed with a big pair of grass shears, I made a start on the allotment yesterday. Here's the before shot:
Weeds about waist high throughout the plot. I did discover two abandoned compost heaps though, and think I pinpointed the exact moment the last person gave up on the allotment:
On day one I managed to clear about 3 square meters before the heat got the better of me. My initial plan was to just cut the weeds down and cover with cardboard for a few months, but some were quite firmly established, so I had plenty of roots to dig up before I could put the cardboard down.
The first cleared area, with compost heaps to the left
There was also a fair amount of weed membrane which needed pulling up before I could go much further. Amongst the weeds were a packet of crisps from 2009(!) and all manner of broken glass and hardcore.
While it doesn't look like much, it's a start I'm happy with, and at least now I can get to the shed without being stung to high heaven.
So with my path cleared to my first bed, I set about this weekend clearing the bed and getting something sown.
It look a lot of forking, and even more sieving, but I eventually got somewhere resembling a clean bed.
All ready to get planting then… maybe not. In an attempt to moisten the soil a bit, I over-watered, and then proceeded to rake the bed, making thick, heavy clumps of soil. I had to call it a day there, and some back tomorrow and break up the soil again.
I’ve started by planting two kinds of lettuce – Raine des Glaces, a french lettuce, and Lollo rossa, an Italian one.
Posts
Some advise please - how should I tackle the overgrown weeds/grass (as seen in the photo). Can I get away with cutting them down and keeping them cut regularly (I've got some raised beds in there already, so don't need the ground just yet), or should I dig them all out?
Thanks!
Chose a couple of 6 foot x 6 foot areas and dig them over to remove ALL of the weeds which you can then plant with veg
Same for the RBs
The rest cut the weeds down to stubble with sheers or a strimer and cover in NEW black plastic and bricks to keep it down
After a few months the weeds will be starved of sunlight and then you can easily dig them ALL up in October
Read up on how weed seeds hide and then germinate and then you will know The Enemy
This will cost you some money but it will prove to you that you are serious on a long term plot
Or you can spray the lot with weed killer but its best to check with neighbours
Please see my post of June 5th
I would recommend wetting the weeds once you have mowed them very short, put 6/7 sheets of newspaper on weeds, drench the newspaper, then put the black plastic on top of the wetted paper. Then leave until Spring, the newspaper draws the earthworms, and can be dug into the ground next year. I have done this myself with great success.
Mary370
The paper sounds like a brilliant idea
You look like a night owl 3.34 am
NewBoy2 Pulled a muscle in my back a couple of weeks ago, meds. are knocking me out, sleep pattern is gone to the dogs. Hopefully will be back to normal soon. Shur I could be doing a lot worse that reading and posting on a gardening forum at that hour of the morning
No idea how, but I seem to have created two accounts. Anyway, here's an update on day 1.
Armed with a big pair of grass shears, I made a start on the allotment yesterday. Here's the before shot:
Weeds about waist high throughout the plot. I did discover two abandoned compost heaps though, and think I pinpointed the exact moment the last person gave up on the allotment:
On day one I managed to clear about 3 square meters before the heat got the better of me. My initial plan was to just cut the weeds down and cover with cardboard for a few months, but some were quite firmly established, so I had plenty of roots to dig up before I could put the cardboard down.
The first cleared area, with compost heaps to the left
There was also a fair amount of weed membrane which needed pulling up before I could go much further. Amongst the weeds were a packet of crisps from 2009(!) and all manner of broken glass and hardcore.
While it doesn't look like much, it's a start I'm happy with, and at least now I can get to the shed without being stung to high heaven.
I was even joined by the Red Arrows!
Last edited: 19 June 2017 10:01:42
Great project. I wish you good luck with it. There's another guy on here who has taken an allotment by storm and his enthusiasm is infectious.
http://www.gardenersworld.com/members/baza/157578/
Check him out.
So with my path cleared to my first bed, I set about this weekend clearing the bed and getting something sown.
It look a lot of forking, and even more sieving, but I eventually got somewhere resembling a clean bed.
All ready to get planting then… maybe not. In an attempt to moisten the soil a bit, I over-watered, and then proceeded to rake the bed, making thick, heavy clumps of soil. I had to call it a day there, and some back tomorrow and break up the soil again.
I’ve started by planting two kinds of lettuce – Raine des Glaces, a french lettuce, and Lollo rossa, an Italian one.
I also managed to clear a bit more of the weeds late Saturday and Sunday.
From not even being able to walk into the plot a few weeks ago, around a quarter of it is now visible!
To end on a massive positive – I found some rhubarb growing deep among the weeds! I took it home and made some lovely rhubarb and strawberry jam!
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-45" src="https://firstallotment.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/img-20170624-wa0010.jpeg?w=1000&h=855" width="1000" height="855" data-attachment-id="45" data-permalink="https://firstallotment.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/job-2-laying-the-first-seeds-complete/img-20170624-wa0010/" data-orig-file="https://firstallotment.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/img-20170624-wa0010.jpeg?w=1000&h=855" data-orig-size="2432,2080" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"2","credit":"","camera":"XT1562","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1498321728","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.67","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.02999","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="IMG-20170624-WA0010" data-image-description="" data-medium-file="https://firstallotment.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/img-20170624-wa
My lettuce is sprouting already!