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Fed up

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Archie (U4739793) on Monday, 16th May 2011

  This is my second year of growing veg on my allotment. At the end of last year and the begining of this one I spent AGES, removing weeds. I planted my veg, but low and behold the plot is covered in weeds again.
  
  As I work, a lot, I don't get down as much as I should but I spend at least 3 hours a week on maintanence. I am fighting a loosing battle against the weeds and am really disheartened.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by pjgolf (U2469936) on Monday, 16th May 2011

  Hi there.
  
  Sorry to hear about this. Every allotment holder knows what you are talking about, believe me !
  There are things you can do about this if you dont get down that often to weed.
  I`m sure others will suggest stuff but here are a couple to be going on with.
  Use biodegradeable mulches to plant through. I have planted onion sets through cardboard. I simply cut 4" circles in it and planted the sets through the holes. The cardboard will rot down over the year but will do a good job of supressing annual weeds.
  I have also grown potatoes under black plastic. You mound the soil / compost up and then pu the plastic over it and plant the seed potatoes through slits which you cut.
  Also, I cover any areas which I`m not using with plastic. This also supresses weeds.
  
  Hope this helps
  
  PJ

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• Message 3

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  Posted by Happy Violas (U13861656) on Monday, 16th May 2011

  If the weeds are perennials eg thistles and dandelions then I'd recommend using glyphosate on them. When we took over our plot we glyphosated it and although we get annual weeds growing there are precious few thistles. This is unlike a bed we took over which was covered in thistles, we dug them out and planted stuff straight away. We now spend every plot visit weeding out thistles which have grown from the roots we broke up and left in the soil..... so, maybe not an answer to your problem but it may help in the long term.

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• Message 5

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  Posted by martingodliman (U13761957) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  It seems to me with my limited experience plus watching TV gardeners most good results are a mixture of long accumulated knowledge, experience, pest control, understanding which plants need what.........and time spent weeding.
  
  Weeding and watering I wish I could delegate

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• Message 6

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  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  This is my second year of growing veg on my allotment. At the end of last year and the begining of this one I spent AGES, removing weeds. I planted my veg, but low and behold the plot is covered in weeds again.
  
  As I work, a lot, I don't get down as much as I should but I spend at least 3 hours a week on maintanence. I am fighting a loosing battle against the weeds and am really disheartened.  Hi secreteprison,
  Firstly dont beat your self up, Ive got the sure way answer to your problem all you have to do is read "All i have to say, think about what ive said and you"ll see we're your going wrong and infact fighting a losing battle doing it your way.
  
  Right lets get started,
  
  gardenening is in fact going against all nature stands for,
  ie weeds are plants of a sorts "But not what we want to grow"
  
  And so we have to look at your problem this way,
  
  You dont have much time to spend on your allotment as you have work to attend to most of your time and then the next problem is "Weather"
  
  Once again we cant book nice days in advance and so you work all week and come the weekend your hoping the weather will let you get on the allotment!
  "True,?"
  
  The thing you have going for you is infact killing your spirit to keep the allotment, "It's having so much ground to keep clear,
  
  As you remove the weeds by the next visit they're back, "True"?
  
  Now lets look at the answer to this little problem, I say little because it is,
  But doing the gardening the way your doing it is'nt the best way for anyone who cant spend at least 2 hours everyday, 7 days aweek.
  
  As you finish removing some of the weeds your not leaving a cut off point and so the weeds grow back to we're they came from,
  
  the sight on returning to the allotment 5 or 6 days after weeding only to see weeds weeds weeds, is enough to kill anyones spirit,
  
  solution tried & tested by myself & lots of other gardeners.
  
  RAISED BEDS?
  Now i know im asking you to really get back to planning your allotment again & in the way im going to tell you about,
  
  by having "lets say" 10 raised beds 10feet long by 8 feet wide (as a guide only
  you can make them the size to suit you)
  
  But you need to be able to reach the middle of the raised bed by kneeling and touching the centre of it from each side (this is so your not standing on the beds when its full of veg but you can still keep the bed free of weeds) Each raised bed is one unti and so when you weed this one unit you've a cut off point for weeds not to continue growing (your at the end of the raised bed frame)
  
  Now by having such a plan you can infact have a bed weeded and then covered with plack plastic until your ready to plant or sow, and its a very true fact that the sight of a well kept/full of veg raised bed gives you a very satisfied feel, Rather than the sight of weeds, and remember if any plant "weeds included cant get light! they'll not grow (hence the black plastic covering on cleared beds)
  
  By the time your running 10 raised beds you'll soon see what im talking about and the time is spent gardening with nature not against it.
  
  Another point ref raised beds is that you can use netting etc to protect your crops from rabbits/birds etc etc.
  
  Now secreteprison,
  Can you see why your gardening against nature and not giving yourself a good chance to use what little gardening time you have to the best????????????
  
  Im retired and spend between 8 and 12 hours per day gardening, But when i did have my council owned allotment i like you worked all week and what ive passed on to you was passed on to me by other working gardeners.
  
  I hope you give all this a lot of thought because its the answer to you problem
  "If your willing to give it a go.
  
  Regards Punpun.

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• Message 7

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  Posted by Archie (U4739793) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  Thank you all for your suggestions, I will probably use a little of each suggestion.
  
  Punpun a well thought out answer and I am sure it would work in time...i will think about it. I wish I could dedicate at least 2 hours a day on my allotment as I get a lot of pleasure and stress releif from it, but I will have to wait a few years till retirement.
  
  If you put a strong weedkiller all over the ground in winter and then covered it in manure would I be able to plant next spring?

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• Message 8

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  Posted by punpun (U14553477) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  Hi,
  Manure, particualy hore/donkey have seeds in the manure and these will grow,
  ref using chemicle weed killers? And planting next year?
  
  Your asking for the easy way out, and if i had a pound note for all the people who wnat today what its taken me years to get to ie a garden to be proud of, I'd be worth a fortune. (no easy way out, but one or two methods help you spend your time better)
  
  Ive given you the complete, chemicle free (natures way of gardening) and the answer to your problem,
  One bit at a time, and cover up the completed next section so the light can't get to help weeds to grow, this way is safe "ie no chemicles used or eaten, and you can off load the cost of the wood to make the frames by not buying poison in the name of chemicles,
  
  You'll have a smaller area at a time to garden and results from frame 1. onwards.
  
  It's up to you to decide if your serious about an allotment that pays its way and you'll be a happy bunny or stay fed up.
  
  Regards Punpun.
  
  
  
  

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• Message 9

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  Posted by Happy Violas (U13861656) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  Hi secretprison,
  
  Don't get too downhearted - I work 5 days a week so have limited time for the plot too. There's nothing wrong with using glyphosate to make your life easier - it kills the plants down to the roots but once on the soil it's inactivated so is very safe to use. You need to apply it when the plants are actively growing (not the winter) and it takes a few weeks to do the job but it does prevent regrowth. I use the Resolva spray as I can then direct it on to large perennial weeds without it touching my precious plants. OK so if you want to garden organically that's not an option but it may just allow you to have time to start enjoying your allotment and that's what you want.
  
  Having said that using a hoe to dislodge annual weeds whilst listening to an ipod can be a great way to relax whilst weeding...!!!
  
  Keep growing and learning - it's all worthwhile in the end

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• Message 10

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  Posted by crouchee (U13371975) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  Don't hoe your weeds, hoe the soil BEFORE the weeds show. Regrettably that means once a week at this time of year. Amen to the mulching suggestions. I always grow courgettes and squash through plastic begged from a farmer from his silage clamp, you can't hoe under them once big.
  
  If your are in a thatch area, ask your local thatcher to dump a load of old thatch. It makes a brilliant weed free mulch. My permanent crops like globe artichokes and rhubarb and soft fruit get the lion's share.
  
  Don't give up! Don't be afeart of using glyphosate, I had rather you were inorganic for the time it takes you to get in control, than we lose you to growing your own because you lost heart.
  
  I zap all the fallow bits with Clinic Ace in May, which knocks the bindweed out a treat. Rotate your fallow bits and you will soon see results.
  
  Dung heavily, many weeds actually prefer poor soil, and rich soil weeds like nettles are actualy quite satisfying to dispatch, making a lovely ripping sound as you pull them up!

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• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by youngandallotmenting (U14434252) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  I think pun puns thoughts of raised beds is perfect but would like to add that you do not need raised beds to be able to cover up sections of your plot. I cover my entire plot over winter and peel back in sections as and when I have the time. Same principle but without the initial work involved in building radsed beds.
  
  I work full time too and have a HORRIFIC mares tail problem! I can sympathise! Keep plodding!

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