This topic contains 7 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by Hawfinch 8 years, 4 months ago.
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Hi Charles and fellow gardeners,
I have just taken over a brand new but large allotment plot, it is about 12m X 36m (40ft X 120ft) and completely covered in weeds. I have removed all of the Fathen so far, but am left with an overwhelming amount of couchgrass, dock, dandelion and aquilegia to name a few. Due to the winter days I can only attend during the dry weekends, so feel like I am currently losing the battle.
Attached is a photo, the woodchip is currently being used to create paths down either side (due to contract w/council)
What would be your recommendations be for tackling this problem as I want to use the no dig approach?
Thanks.
That looks in great condition to the additional half plot I have just taken on!
Do you have access to rotted manure or compost? If so will it be enough to cover the plot to 4 inches? If so go with that. If not cover with a good layer of unprinted card or similar.
On my new plot I don’t have access to enough manure/ compost so I will cover with what I have and then I’m putting a membrane on top of the rest, which I will plant through for potatoes, cucumber and squash next year. By the time they come out I’m expecting the remaining weeds to be minimal and just need to keep on top of any that appear. I have already done this with my other plot and the weeding gets less each year.
Hope this helps?
Hello Namder, that looks a big undertaking and a lot of perennial weeds. I hope you are allowed to cover with mypex or simple black polythene because it would be the easiest and quickest way to do as Bluebell says above, clear the perennials (while growing simple and wide-spaced veg) to give you a clean start by early autumn best year.
This poly cover is only until next September, then compost thin layers and hand weeding.
Any compost/organic matter spread on top before the poly will give richer soil and nicer surface for the future.In this context I have a question. Cardboard is often recommended as a weed suppressant, but recently I read an article about cardboard and paper. Here, in Europe, much paper and cardboard is recycled, much of it several times. This article was about all the chemicals that are used in this recycling process, many of them having hormone changing properties. And recycled cardboard contains very high levels mineral oils. So far I’ve been using it in my compost bin when I don’t have enough brown material, not sure I want to do that any longer.
Any thoughts about this, anyone?
I always try to use plain brown corrugated card as far as possible, certainly never printed.
I have no idea though of possible chemicals contained in recycled card. Hormone changing properties sound a little far fetched but would live a link to the article.It’s not far fetched at all, this research was done by the Technical Institute of Denmark and also in Switzerland. I can post the links but they are in Danish and German if that’s OK.
Having done a but of research in English, there were some issues about 10 years ago with recycled cereal packaging leaking mineral oils in to breakfast cereal. However this is very heavily printed and not considered serious enough to ever be more than a recommendation.
In the uk fair amounts of card go in to compost made from domestic waste collections, so in your book that would also have to be ruled out as a mulch? Even if it is tested to PAS100?
Finally even if there are small amounts of harmful chemicals I think you would need to use an awful lot of card for it to have much impact and there are probably other things I would worry about first in soil contamination.
In the end I guess we all find our own acceptable balance.I am not referring to research done 10 years ago but to research done this year. There are EU rules regulating how much is allowed in these products be it e.g. cornflake and popcorn cardboard packets, paper plates etc., but researchers from quite a few European countries have tested many kinds of packaging made from recycled cardboard and paper and they all find the levels are too high. If it can leach into food why would it not leach into my soil? I don’t know what PAS100 is so cannot comment on that.
As cardboard is so widely used I thought I’d mention it, what people want to do about using it in their gardens is of course up to them.
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