"Martin" wrote ...
Moonraker wrote:
Pam Moore wrote:
Ed wrote:
David WE Roberts wrote:
In a couple of months we are off on a 'world tour' until next spring
so
we won't be able to do anything to the allotment over
autumn/winter/spring.

It would be nice to find a strategy which made the best of this fallow
period.
I presume the alternative is to spray with a weed killer after we have
lifted everything then hope that the plot doesn't get too rampant over
winter.

I have seen several mentions of 'green manure' which sounds like a
good
idea.

Are there any recommendations for something which can be planted late
September/early October which will cover the plot without encroaching
on
our neighbours and can be dug in after Easter next year?

TIA

Possibly Phacelia?

Too late for phacelia now, but it's a beautiful ground cover, too
pretty to dig in! I just let it seed about and flower.

The problem is more likely to be vandals than wind, don't they have
those in Holland?

Not in our allotment it is within the secure area of the site of my former
employer. We do have the occasional thief who steals tools, including two
wheel
barrows, and fruit.
The black sheeting on unused allotments is weighted down with bits of
paving
stones, bricks etc. It is also possible to bury the edges of the sheet in
the
ground to stop the wind getting under the sheet. The allotments are less
than a
mile from the North Sea and in an unsheltered location. Most winters have
at
least one force 10 gales.

We always had a problem with foxes ripping anything on the ground up, fleece
didn't last 24 hours. If you use plastic sheeting then use Mypex ground
cover fabric, it lets the water/air through but stops the weeds. More
expensive but much better and more robust than plastic sheeting, it will
last a very long time and is ideal for planting strawberries through for
example.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK