Clearing your new vegetable or fruit plot of any annual or perennial weeds involves hard graft, whichever method you use. The first task is to check your plot to see if there are useful shrubs and trees that you should retain. All too frequently, I have seen lovely good cropping old fruit trees, cut down through ignorance. Ask your neighbours to tell you about what you should retain before the chainsaw massacre takes place! If you are allowed to, burn all woody growth, so that the nutrients are returned to the soil. Once you can see what you are doing, plan your campaign to get rid of all the weeds, particularly the perennial ones. There are three basic methods:-
breaking but good for the soul! Annual weeds, such as groundsel, chickweed, can be dug well in, or placed in the Compost Heap to rot down. Perennial weeds, such as ground thistle, bindweed, ground elder, and buttercups, should be put aside to dry off in the sun and then burn them.
Spraying with Chemicals. While it is not an Organic method, it can cut the time required to bring badly neglected ground back into cultivation. Spraying with Glycosate, or Ammonium Sulphate solutions, will help to kill the foliage and penetrate the root system to some degree, as these are so-called systemic weed killers. The sprayed weeds should be fully dead after about 6 weeks, allowing you to carry out your digging. Another weed killer is Sodium Chlorate, but this is a total weed killer and will poison the ground for 6 months to a year, depending on the strength of the solution. It might be suitable for use on paths, where you want to deal with a reservoir of obnoxious perennial weeds. However, be aware that it can leach into the surrounding growing areas. All weed killers should only be used in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. You should also use protective gloves and prevent any spray getting onto your skin.
Prolonged exclusion of light. This really means taking the ground out of cultivation for several months by covering with old carpets, weighted down cardboard or weighted heavy duty black plastic, to exclude light for a few months, until most weeds are dead. The longer the better to kill the perennial weeds, as they will be dormant over the Winter, and they only need light during the growing season.
Draw up a plan of your proposed growing area. At its simplest, an A 4 sheet of paper, with your proposed plan drawn to scale. If you are not good at this, then use “Paint Pad”, which will already be on your Windows Computer. The “paint can” is very good for representation of plants, shrubs, bushes and trees. Use the plan to show growing beds, paths, cold frames, greenhouses, water butts, compost heaps. Update the plan with the names of varieties of fruit bushes and trees, before you forget them!!
It is essential that you divide your plot into 3 or 4 large beds for crop rotation. Keep paths to a minimum and get the maximum productive area. Grass paths are only a reservoir for invasive perennial weeds growing back into your crop beds. Make temporary paths, if required, over the beds with old discarded scaffolding boards, and reposition as necessary. Try and orientate the large beds to make best use of the available sunlight. It is best to have rows of vegetables growing as far as possible, in a North / South direction, so as to give all plants an equal chance of the available Sunlight, and not shade each other.
Crop Rotation, on a 3 or 4 year cycle is essential to reduce the number of pests and diseases. I use Potatoes + manure or fertiliser >> brassicas ( cabbages, cauliflowers etc) + lime every third year or as required after soil test >> legumes (peas and beans)
Prolonged exclusion of light. This really means taking the ground out of cultivation for several months by covering with old carpets, weighted down cardboard or weighted heavy duty black plastic, to exclude light for a few months, until most weeds are dead. The longer the better to kill the perennial weeds, as they will be dormant over the Winter, and they only need light during the growing season.
Draw up a plan of your proposed growing area. At its simplest, an A 4 sheet of paper, with your proposed plan drawn to scale. If you are not good at this, then use “Paint Pad”, which will already be on your Windows Computer. The “paint can” is very good for representation of plants, shrubs, bushes and trees. Use the plan to show growing beds, paths, cold frames, greenhouses, water butts, compost heaps. Update the plan with the names of varieties of fruit bushes and trees, before you forget them!!
It is essential that you divide your plot into 3 or 4 large beds for crop rotation. Keep paths to a minimum and get the maximum productive area. Grass paths are only a reservoir for invasive perennial weeds growing back into your crop beds. Make temporary paths, if required, over the beds with old discarded scaffolding boards, and reposition as necessary. Try and orientate the large beds to make best use of the available sunlight. It is best to have rows of vegetables growing as far as possible, in a North / South direction, so as to give all plants an equal chance of the available Sunlight, and not shade each other.
Crop Rotation, on a 3 or 4 year cycle is essential to reduce the number of pests and diseases. I use Potatoes + manure or fertiliser >> brassicas ( cabbages, cauliflowers etc) + lime every third year or as required after soil test >> legumes (peas and beans)
