Newbie no digger

[JennyG]

I’m taking on a new allotment plot with lots of mares tail which I’m planning to cover with compost and then black polythene for at least a year to clear before cultivating. Any thoughts/ tips/ suggestions? When would it be a good time to plant fruit bushes? Would I need to wait for the full time or could I get those planted this year?

I have a lawn in my front garden which I want to turn into a vegetable/ strawberry bed. Should I use the same approach (compost/ black polythene/ leave for a year) to deal with it or would the cardboard/ compost approach work better?

Thanks.

[charles]

On your lawn, cardboard then compost then plant straightaway is possible.
For the allotment with marestail, I would cover now, polythene, and plant fruit bushes in late autumn. Marestail will keep growing through holes in the plastic and you need to keep pulling it, at least its less work than if there was no mulch.

[JennyG]

Thanks very much.

[ChrisNW6]

Hi, i am completely new to gardening and being disabled, the no dig option definitely appeals to me. I have 3 trenches that are filled with weeds and builders rubble and very little soil apart from the hard clay soil at the base. The trenches are about 30 inches deep and a similar width. The total of the 3 is around 60 feet. What i need to know is how much compost should i put in being as it is 30 inches deep to suppress the weeds and get it to a height i can work with. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks.

[charles]

Chris do you mean there are currently trenches with nothing in to a depth of 30in?
Or that they are filled with weeds and builders rubble?
Whichever, to get to a height of 30in, I suggest 20-24in soil and 6-10in compost, which need not be ‘perfect’ but keep the finest compost for your top 2in.

[ChrisNW6]

Hi Charles thank you very much for your reply. The trenches are full of weeds and there is a lot of builders rubble but no earth until you get down to 30 inches.

[ChrisNW6]

Charles, don’t think me stupid, but when you say Soil, are you talking about topsoil or something else?

[charles]

It’s not a silly Q Chris.
Ideally I mean freshly removed topsoil.
But most of what is available is less of the top part and less life too.
However it makes a good base for deep beds and sinks less than compost.
Then again, if you can access compost/manure cheaply, fill entirely with them… you need a lot of material!

[charles]

Also I mean simply that you leave what is in the trenches, spread new materials on top

[JohanF]

Hi Charles,

I have just got my allotment, which has lots of mares tail. I was hoping to cover half of the allotment with card board and compost, then plant straight away. While I was going to place a 2 inch layer of Manure on the other half, cover with black polythene and plant different squashes through holes in the polythene.
Would that be sufficient to suppress/get rid of the mares tail, and would this method work?

Many thanks

Johan

[charles]

Hi Johan

This will work but marestail survives several years of mulching, hoeing, whatever!
At least the mulches weaken it. Keep pulling any marestail shoots that grow out of the planting holes, or anywhere else.
I know of no easier options when one is cropping while mulching, and best of luck with it

[Hds]

I have been offered free sawdust, would this suitable on top off cardboard for pathways, and could it go in the compost bin?

[charles]

Yes you can spread sawdust on paths (if you have no weeds, spread it without using cardboard), and some in the compost bin is good, though less than approx. 10% of total ingredients.

[Author]

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