Thanks, Rhys. I was merely being supportive to Jeni re the problem with wee- choked blackcurrants. The bushes in question on my daughtier-in-law’s veg garden are part of a 100 ft x 30 ft plot, not just the average allotment. I also have my own veg garden to manage: a further 60ft by 25ft. These two patches keep me fully occupied and I am naturally struggling to find the compost etc to cover them in approved no-dig style without incurring either dubious quality materials or wild expense.Given that about half of my daughter-in-law’s garden has been left to perennial weeds for about the last 8 years, with only fitful attempts to control them, we now have a rampant crop of (in order of frequency) ground elder, horsetail, stinging nettles, bindweed, creeping buttercup,japanese knotweed, docks and dandelions.. Having tackled the ground elder and horsetail on half the patch and just about won the battle I am each year attempting to (a) hold the ground gained last year (b) push out the “civilised” area into the ground still choked by perennial weeds which is also occupied by four large old fruit trees (apple, pear and damson).
I have to remain optimistic but ground elder of this order is something special: the roots in places look like a telephone exchange and they drive through the heaviest duty weed membrane (sunk to 18″ in the soil) with comparative ease. Only concrete slabs seem to stop them. As there is just me to do all this work, I get a bit tired at times. But the soil, once freed of weeds is very good (although wireworm and slugs are naturally a continuing problem and there are too many places, including a large privet hedge down one side, where weeds can regroup in order to launch another attack.
If no-dig works here, it will work anywhere! Otherwise I shall shift to permaculture! Lotta Continua!