On 4/29/04 12:56 AM, in article
, "GateKeeper"
wrote:

This should get a quick response.

I have just moved into to a new build with just the "topsoil" in the
garden. It is next to a farmers field in a semi-rural/urban setting
and on top of a natural hedgerow.

The builder sprayed my garden last July and most of the weeds died. I
wanted to get rid of the weeds by hand and so far cleared an area
roughly 10% of the size of my garden. Since starting in March new
growth has already started to appear in the cleared area.

As for the rest of the garden it's gone weeds bonkers! The soil type
is sandy with a pH value of 8-8.5 and faces south.

I now accept that I cannot do this by digging each one individually up.
I also want to do this the most environmentally friendly way
possible.

My garden is 550sq metres.......please help.

Thanks.
--
GateKeeper
------------------------------------------------------------------------
posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk

A 550 sq metres is a good sized area. It would be too big for me to dig
up also...although I think I would try much like you have.
Weeds are not necessarily a bad thing though. If you can turn them over
they become green manure. They feed the worms and the worms feed the soil.
When the weeds start growing again, let them grow but don't let them go
to seed. Dig them in before that happens and you are then converting them to
green manure...the worms will reward you for your efforts.
Covering the area with black plastic will work I should think but
then you have a large area to be covered. Then after, what do you do with
the black plastic?
What time frame are we talking about here? If it's instant results you
are wanting then that would be a challenge.
So many questions!
My garden is 1/4 the size of yours. I plant a fall rye (in the fall of
course) and turn it over in the spring...I mean really 'turn it over' so
that the green is buried=green manure. (My worms love me). I find that in
spite of my efforts to be perfect in turning it over some green still shows
and I have to go back later...I let them grow for a time...and again turn
them over.
Tonnes of weeds...hummm, I'm now thinking that this area was not dug up
in the past. Am I right or is it a garden area that has been dug up but has
been neglected?
As I said above-so many questions...to provide the right information
there are lots of questions that need to be answered.
My next question is (I should have asked this before) what are you
planning to do with this 550 square meters?
Good luck,
Gary Davis
Fort Langley, BC
Canada
PS: Should you have any ice hockey players in your neighbourhood get them to
dig it up for you...it will help their wrist shots, their slap shots and
they will score more goals! And that is good for the home team! Ask me how I
know this?
PSS: I find this fascinating that I am able to communicate with gardeners
in Britain and elsewhere...