On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:57:42 GMT, Baz wrote:

"Pete C" wrote in
:


"Baz" wrote in message
...
I am so exhausted today, digging and shaking the fork to try and get
rid of
weeds, picking them out and getting behind with other tasks.

Should I dig and pick or dig and plant? Spud bed is what I am talking
about. I have taken all I can see of perennials weeds, but you know
how many are missed.

Baz

IMHO. dig, plant, hoe

Thats the way its got to be this year for me, and I was looking for a nod
from another. Thanks.
Baz

If I was you I'd be digging every last bit of perennial weed root out
of the ground regardless of the effort involved.

But then I'm not you so I can say that! Personally, the approach is
get out what I can for as long as I am motivated to dig (which is
usually until the second can of lager is empty) and then stuff it.
Years ago when I took over an overgrown allotment, I dug the first
half of it carefully. I ran out of steam for the second half (it was a
"14 perch" allotment whatever that means though it just seemed very
big to me) so just turned it over and removed what happened to be on
the surface.

As the season progressed there wasn't much difference between the two
halves.

My friend who's taken over an allotment this year has been there
almost every day digging away merrily. The plot looks exceptionally
clean and tidy (though the soil level looks somewhat lower than it was
so I wonder what he's been digging out and removing - in my head, dug
over soil is actually higher than it was originally). Trouble is he
hasn't planted anything yet. I went up to help at the weekend and had
the temerity to suggest a bit of salad seed sowing (I had the seeds)
and was told that until he's happy with the digging over of the ENTIRE
plot nothing is going into the ground. I've got some lovely strawberry
runners but he won't let me plant them! I've bought a tower
contraption into which I'll plant them now. I may rethink my veg space
in the garden!

So "bugger it", I say. Plant and be damned. What's the point of saving
the journey to the local veg shop (notice I don't say local
supermarket!) if you knacker yourself in the process?

Jake