New allotment, losing the weed battle :(

[CuriousMama]

I went back to work on the allotment after a couple of weeks away (weather and other reasons) and was shocked at the amount of weeds. It's been neglected anyway so wasn't fantastic but It's just covered.

I'm tempted to use weed killer? Or else cover it with plastic? Either way will need lots of both.

My potato beds are ok-ish and potatoes are coming up. Apple trees are still alive. I planted some flower seeds but that area's been taken over by weeds although not too bad.

I really don't want to give up as this allotment's had 3 different owners in the last 3 years so if I give up too it'll be onto the 5th. The neighbours are so helpful with advice. Dp works nights so doesn't get much time to help so it's just me mainly.

Oh well I'll plod on I suppose and see how it goes?

chill out weed are not the end of the world. First couple of years are the worst. Then there is less weeds popping up altogether.

good tip i got was where ever possible do a little and often with a hoe and any ground that you are not using get some green manure seeds... you cover the ground in them the pop up and then you dig them in later...they cover the ground so you get less of the normal weeds and you are improving the ground for alter crops!

Anything you're not actively cultivating cover with plastic or old carpet - I'm on year 4 of my allotment and this is the first year that the whole thing is uncovered.

I started with a bed marked out by cheap weedcovering plastic and then held down by large tent peg/staples. There is no point weeding and feeding bits of your allotment that you're not growing something, it's too depressing.

Hoeing - I've only recently discovered this but a quick shufty through the weeds so that they then fry/dry out on top is much easier than getting down and weeding.

Covering with cardboard is also a cheap fix and do not stress too much-just like in no time it looks really neglected in no time you can turn the corner and it looks brilliant again.

Also is there anyone you can coerce/pay just to help you blitz it so you do not feel so bad?
My kids are little so I do not know many teenagers but I have been known to pay teenagers I know from church for helping out at my kids parties or doing digging weeding on the allotment. I ask their parents first and usually the parents are keen to get them out doing something and the teenagers are happy because of the cash!

Just a thought so you could have a quick fix and get back on track.

Thanks all. Great idea about covering I'll look out for old carpet and get some weed proof plastic down.

I have 11 and 14 year old dss but only the younger helps at all. The older one is surgically attached to the Xbox!

I'll go down tomorrow and try to attach the chicken wire to help deter the rabbits. Then I can plant some more.

For future years, I would recommend following what Charles Dowding does. He has a great system that supposedly greatly reduces weeds - I think the first year you put down cardboard and cover with well-rotted manure, and then every year thereafter you don't do any digging (partly because it spreads weed seeds about) and every Autumn put on another big layer of manure/compost. He says he hardly has any weeds at all now and has much greater yields from not digging.

Thanks for that advice sounds like a great idea. There's a few people who leave manure for the gardeners.

Well I've been at the weeds again mainly pulling up dandelions to stop them spreading (as much). Did a bit of hoeing and digging too. It's tiring work isn't it? But at least the sun was out

Yay, a friend is re-carpetting 3 bedrooms so I have her carpet to pick up to cover lots of the weeds (small things eh?) I'll feel better when they're just covered and I can concentrate on the areas I'm planting things in.

Don't want to be the voice of doom but are you allowed to use carpet on your site, we're not on ours.

I know how you feel though, I've moved plots and feel back at square one battling couch grass, bindweed, dock, dandelions and thistles. Have done the same as you and am trying to keep on top of things that are going to seed.

Am debating about whether to cover it or just try to crack on and do it.

Yes I think so as the allotment next to me was covered in carpet beore the last people took it apparently? He wasn't growing stuff just storing pigeon baskets?? I'll double check though. I know some would leave it there in fact some was left at ours but not much. Loads of glass was left though, was is a right mess. Am off down there now to do a bit of hoeing I told my sister on the phone I was off to hoe, she said are things that bad?

I would if you can cover the unused ground with weed fabric, it will help to keep the weeds down and make the ground easier to cultivate when you do dig it over .Also be careful with using old carpet as it can have some nasty chemical in it that can leach into the ground on my allotment now they don't allow carpet to be used anymore.

Thanks for that gardeninggal I hadn't thought of chemicals?

Sorry CM, I forgot to explain the bit about old carpet and chemicals. If you do as GG suggests with the weed fabric, you can plant things like squashes through it, get a crop this year, then it's a lot easier to dig over next year. I did that on my last allotment.

In this one I reckon I can crack it in the next month so I'm going to see how that goes, then resort to weed fabric if I need to. Yesterday I got out most of the dock, thistles and dandelions so now have lots of couch grass plus bindweed to contend with .

I just love weedkiller but hardly need it now.

Glyphosate will kill almost everything, but to prevent new weed seedlings you can use Pathclear. It leaves a thin film on the surface of the soil that prevents seeds germinating for several months. It does not "poison the soil" like old fashioned herbicides. When you break up the surface to plant new crops it stops working.

If you hoe, rake, dig or hand-weed you are disturbing the surface and bringing new seeds up. Either hoe every week, or don't hoe at all.

If you are lucky enough to have lots of garden compost or lawn mowings, you can use it to mulch the surface after hoeing, and it will smother all but the strongest regrowth. You can plant through it or draw it round the stems of your cultivated plants. I reckon it needs to be four inches deep. By next year the worms will have drawn it down, improving your soil.

Thanks both of you great advice.

I just got 2 books from the library on allotments and veg growing. Maybe I'll be able to grow something apart from potatoes? Hope so.

I just found out there's a council nursery nearby who sell off plants very cheap (including veg) so I'll get over Friday and see if they have any left? My allotment neighbour's giving me some leeks and I have some bean seeds to plant, oh and onions. I'm not too late for those am I?

I went down yesterday to do some weeding but got so despondent. Dp works nights so has little time to help. It's just so big! Hopefully I'll get enough weed fabric and that'll make me feel better?

I know it's daunting but you will get there. Last year we didn't get our allotment until the beginning of May, a friend started 3 weeks later and had loads. My onions didn't go in until now last year and I'm going to put some shallots in which I haven't done yet.

The weather has been so bad that I've held off sowing most of my tender stuff, might start soon. Maybe the easier way of doing it this year is to go for low maintenance crops which take up space. Chuck your spuds in (mine are going to have to wait till I've cleared their bit. Rainbow chard is very easy abd grows well from chucking seed in direct. You've got some beans, build a wigwam for them and the allotment looks better straight away. If you do another you could plant some Borlotti beans (just stick in 2 or 3 at each pole) then let them do their thing over the summer and dry them in the autumn.

I've read B&Q are selling veg plants off cheap at the moment. Get hold of a pack of rocket, it lives up to it's name and you'll be eating it before you know it. See if anyone has any spare strawberry or raspberry canes around that you could have.

My old plot neighbour used to say 'how do you eat an elephant ?, not in one go !' and he is right. Little bits at a time. Each year will get easier. My friend who started 3 weeks after the rest of us last year has nothing to do and is sitting round waiting for the weather to improve (I had to move plots do are behind). At one point last year she was really despondent and said it seemed too much to do for last year but she plugged away and had loads.

Sorry, had missed that you've got your spuds in already.

Thanks for the encouragement. I have some spuds doing well (earlies) Got some others to put in. I really need to concentrate on making it as rabbit proof as possible. And obviously the weed problem.

It's so good to hear of success stories though. I know I need to put some time in. Well done to your friend. Has she done it all alone?

Pretty much, her DC's show up occasionally. Make sure you build in somewhere to suit and enjoy what you've done, that's very important!

I got my allotment about 3 1/2 weeks ago (only half a plot) and despite being 37 weeks pregnant have managed to clear the whole thing, with only a little help from DH. It had to be little and often, as I didn't want to overdo things, so spent about an hour at a time, and marked out a section to clear each time. It has been hard work, but it's done now, and I'm off to get weed control fabric to cover about 1/4 of it on Friday, and then I'll plant my squashes, courgettes and pumpkins through it. I haven't planted anything in the allotment yet, but the conservatory is now a potting shed and plant nursery!!

I also found taking before and after photos helped me see how much I'd done as you sometimes forget how much worse it was!

Good luck

Oh go on karatekimmi make me feel better! Well done though.

I'm on a course today and tomorrow and dp's off work so he's going down to tackle some.

I have taken some pics. Be nice if we have some nice 'after' ones in a few months

It was meant to be inspirational!! If I can do it, so can you!!

I have neglected everything else (sister no longer asks how bump is, just the allotment!!) the house is a shit hole, babies room still has no curtains, i've swapped pregnancy books for allotment planning.

Oh my house is immaculate

Dp's been gaining interest He's off over the weekend so praying for decent weather. And we will rabbit proof it!

On the plus side the care course I've been doing has been great.

Good luck with baby Kimmi.

I've been shamed Kimmi and been digging today! Well done, big achievement at anytime and even more so whilst pregnant.

Half and a bit more is cleared now and spuds are in. I'll try to get up at the weekend and do some more.

Well done Wynken

We're off there now. Dp's still keen. Been buying seeds, trays and stuff.

Oh and weed fabric!

Sun's out today at last. Have a good day all you green fingered lovelies