strim or blitz first?

In_Search_Of_Me

hello me lovelies,
My allotment has been compleatly overtaken with weeds so have decided to weed kill the whole plot (excluding fruit bushes) and start again. Am I right in thinking that I should weed kill before strimming? I'll post a piccie when I next go up so you can all see how bad it is!! While I love the idea of organic the weeds are like enthusiastic triffids!!

heatherw_01

If you use a weedkiller you need to use it on actively growing weeds, so use it before you strim

In_Search_Of_Me

thank you! thats what I thought...will try and get some strong stuff today!

lolarentt

If you use weedkiller you wont have much to strim by the time everything has died back. I have done this on my allotment before (not all over, just weedy sections) and the main problem is it can take up to a couple of months for stuff like couch grass to die back, by which time the lighter weeds are growing again! The other popular alternative is rotovating, but as this disturbs buried weed seeds you need to keep on top of it straight away once it's done, or you can finish up with a bigger wilderness than you started with.

Pippilongstocking

ok if you use weedkiller, I guess you will use Round-up or something similar? Its strong but inert once it hits the soil so you can replant immediately or can be nice to the environment - either way its (in my humble opinion) the nicest of the nasties.

Then do you need to strim, I would be inclined to rotavate after weedkilling and forget the strimming just dig in the debris? Get more organic matter in soil and less work - all good! And the birdies etc will get benefit of the set seeds etc over the winter.


Then again, no one at home listens to me, so best ignore me!!

Goodluck!!

ps allegedly 97% off all weed seeds lie in the soil ungerminated - makes you wonder why we bother eh? On that depressing note I will leave!!

In_Search_Of_Me

oh noooo fay!! Did consider rotivation but had heard that its just making more weed babies...currently investgating the best weed killer. I dont plan to replant until next year so soil will be left over the winter...any ideas for a strong weed killer that doesent cost the earth?

jabba4

If you're not going to be planting until next year why don't you just cover the ground with weed suppressing mats or cardboard. That way you only need to uncover the plot bit by bit. If you use weedkiller now the weeds will probably grow back again by next year anyway.

In_Search_Of_Me

Thanks for that - have managed to get some roundup from a friend (in exchange for jam!!) and will zap that before next week. I already have weed suppressant membrane down but weeds grown through it! I just want to blitz it all, make paths and start afres...this year has been a bit of a write off due to 2 back ops and the weather so will wipe the slate clean, cover and start again....thanks for the advice though - it is appreciated!!

lolarentt

When I first took on the allotment in 2006 we didn't manage to cultivate the whole area (10 poles) the first season so we took a load of horse manure (it's made available to plot holders from a local source every autumn), covered the un-dug area (weeds and all) with a decent layer of manure and covered the lot with heavy agricultural grade black polythene. When we uncovered the area in the spring the manure had been worked in by the worms, and there wasn't a weed in sight. This section has produced great crops of early and later potatoes.

Pippilongstocking

Ok - I agree about the extra weeds if you don't spray, but if you do spray at the right dilution for the type of weeds you have etc then the plants are systemically dead and can't grow again not even into babbies. (at least not on my shift!!)

But - if you do spray then rotavating doesnt do anything but put organic bumpfth back into the soil (and except of course churn up a billion weed seeds that might germinate - blast those little pesky brutes) - maybe my babble was misunderstandable! A normal event!!

Here we spray our field trials areas and just rotavate before we put in new crops - generally in a mad rush! Thats why we use round-up cos you can do it all immediately.

Covering up and doing bit by bit is grand. Think in all honestly its a brilliant way to go.

Round up great, swapped for jam even better!

Like the idea given by lolarentt - a good layer of manure, and make some worms do the work and for you.

My verdict still out on the strimming, if its going to die back and be left for a year do you need to strim?? If its a jungle then I guess so.

i am always for things that don't make too much effort as you can enjoy the plants more!!

Another thought - if you have permanent paths, then once/if used the round up you have, on your paths next it is best to then use (next spring) a residual herbicide like pathclear or something like that, you can't use this on areas you want to crop within 6 months but its great for paths/drives etc as it inhibits germination and you get better value for money weed killing wise. And you don't break your back trying to get ontop of even more weeds.

But then again maybe with covered paths etc you won't need to worry about it next year.

good luck - sorry if my last message was confusing

In_Search_Of_Me

Thanks for that. The plan is as follows; zap those nasties, lay paths and mulch with free chippings and then dig so in theory it will all be ready by next spring where hopefully I'll be sucessful in growing food..although did get some yummy nettles!!...