In message , Mike
Tickle writes
I have just moved to the new house and there is a 7m x 9m plot at the back
of the garden that belongs to us. Sadly for years this has been left and is
filled with rubble, weeds, nettles, brambles and blackberry bushes (and
something else with red tubers/roots.

You can generally clear that sort of patch in a season. But I'd suggest
you concentrate your firepower on the parts nearest the house and get
some parts perfect so that you can plant a crop or flowers next year.

Spuds can cope with pretty ropey conditions on newly reclaimed land.

Is it worth getting a weed lance/flame gun/blow torch on a long pole type
thing to burn of what's left on the surface?

Not really. Noisy polluting things that add dioxins to your land.

I have started double digging the plot (very hard work) and taking out the
weed roots as I go. There are lots of bits of root left - 2" bits of them
that have been cut while I have been digging. Is it OK to leave them in the
ground or will these bits of root turn in to next years weeds? If so will
renting a rotovator/cultivator help or make things worse?

Depends what the weeds are. If you have any of the annoying perennial
weeds that will regrow from tiny pieces of root it could be a disaster
to rotovate too soon. Know your enemy.

Does the fact it
has been dry of late help as it will dry out the exposed bits of root, or is
the rain that's coming going to kick start the weed growing process.

Difficult one. Dry clay is far too hard and tough, wet clay is almost
unworkable and sticks to everything. There is a narrow band where it is
just hard work.

At the moment I am double digging as the roots go that deep and a rotovator
does not (16cm for the one I have seen). Are there any simpler options? I
am avoiding chemicals as in spring this will be my veg plot (if I get it
ready in time) - but is this just my lack of knowledge - are there
weedkillers that will kills the nettles and brambles but allow me to plan in
spring?

Yes. Glyphosate. It is relatively short lived and kills anything green
it touches. The only problem is that to work the plants must be actively
growing. Its a bit late in the season now to use it effectively.

You can even spot weed with it in between growing plants if you are
careful.

On the prevention side - we back out on to a bit of land that has brambles
on it so I was going to line under the back fence with a damp proof liner to
stop the weed roots form coming through. Is there any thing more I can do?

Brambles are fairly shallow rooted. I wouldn't bother. I train mine
along the fence. Bramble pie isn't too bad by way of compensation for
the thorns.

Is there any way to stop the weeds I have disturbed coming back with a
vengeance next year?

Depends what they are. I prefer to use a combined method of weaken them
all with glyphosate and then dig out the deep rooted stuff.

And looking forward - if you had a 9x7m veg plot that faces east (with a
chain link fence at the east end so it is not in the shade in the morning
and a lattice fence on the west side so it can catch the evening sun until
it goes behind the house) what would you plant (remembering the problem with
the clay)?

Clay is good fertile soil. On a slope drainage should be OK.

You can more or less grow what you like, but spuds, onions, beans,
lettuce and courgettes are all fairly easy and rewarding to grow. Spud,
courgette and marrow will out compete most weeds once they get going.

Cane fruit and apples do very well on my clay soil.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown