On 13 Dec 2011 17:27:45 GMT, "AL_n" wrote:

I have an area of rough grassland (my uncultivated back garden). The soil
isn't bad, although riddled with small flat limestone rocks. I want to turn
the patch into a vegetable patch, with about three 5ft x 30ft beds. Digging
it over would be quite an undertaking; one for which I don't really have
the stamina for. I wondered if planting certain vegetable next Spring,
would make this job easier, by smothering the grass and weeds, and perhaps
improving teh soil.

You could offer to landshare the land and get help sorting it out.
(Landshare is http://www.landshare.net/ )

I've read turnips help kill couch grass. Have not tried it.

Digging stamina increases as you dig over time. Although if it's not
weed killed you end up having to strim first before you dig.




Last Spring, I planted some purple broccili there. They didn;t ptoduce any
flowering tops, but did a great job of smothering all the grass and weeds.
At the end of the season, I found they were easy to pull up and chuck onto
the compost heap, leaving teh ground much easier to work.

I'm not really a broccili fan, so I wonder if anyone suggest other
vegetables which would have a similar useful effect?

Thanks...

Al
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