Just recently taken over someones Allotment plot that has a good coating
of grass.

What is the easiest way of getting it ready for planting please?

Should i just try to shave off the turf with a spade or do i need to
turn the turf upside down with a fork?

Grateful for suggestions please?

On 11/04/15 12:48, john west wrote:
Just recently taken over someones Allotment plot that has a good coating
of grass.

What is the easiest way of getting it ready for planting please?

Should i just try to shave off the turf with a spade or do i need to
turn the turf upside down with a fork?

Grateful for suggestions please?

The ideal solution is to double-dig the plot, and put the turf, grass
down, at the bottom. Full double digging is probably overkill, unless
the soil is deeply compacted, but doing that to a single spit depth
would be good, and very little more effort than simply digging it over.
For a description, get a copy of "The Vegetable Garden Displayed".
And remember: Dig For Victory!

Look up a history of that booklet to see the joke, but it's still
useful and the pictures are worth looking at.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"john west" wrote

Just recently taken over someones Allotment plot that has a good coating of
grass.

What is the easiest way of getting it ready for planting please?

Should i just try to shave off the turf with a spade or do i need to turn
the turf upside down with a fork?

Grateful for suggestions please?

The first thing is, is it just meadow grass or is it Couch Grass (also
called Twitch) with strong but easily broken thick white roots. If the
latter your only option is to use the weedkiller Glyphosate and give it time
to work and kill the grass which it will do even at this time of year
eventually.
Scraping off the top bit of soil is scraping off your best soil so a bit
silly IMO. You could just dig and turn the grass in making sure it's covered
when it will rot by next spring.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Wed, 04 Nov 2015 15:21:53 +0000, Nick Maclaren
wrote:

On 11/04/15 12:48, john west wrote:
Just recently taken over someones Allotment plot that has a good coating
of grass.

What is the easiest way of getting it ready for planting please?

Should i just try to shave off the turf with a spade or do i need to
turn the turf upside down with a fork?

Grateful for suggestions please?

The ideal solution is to double-dig the plot, and put the turf, grass
down, at the bottom. Full double digging is probably overkill, unless
the soil is deeply compacted, but doing that to a single spit depth
would be good, and very little more effort than simply digging it over.
For a description, get a copy of "The Vegetable Garden Displayed".
And remember: Dig For Victory!

Look up a history of that booklet to see the joke, but it's still
useful and the pictures are worth looking at.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

if you can leave some of it till Spring, follow the hard work advice
on part and cover the rest with anything that will keep out the light.
Black plastic, old cardboard, old wool carpet, newspaper, etc. The
grass will die off overwinter and then the digging will be easier.
Is it just grass or are there a lot of weeds as well?
Some weeds will die with the grass but if you have more persistant
weeds you could dig them out first, or they will still be there in
Spring. Dandelion tops will die down but as soon as you uncover they
will grow again!

On 04/11/2015 12:48, john west wrote:
Just recently taken over someones Allotment plot that has a good coating
of grass.

What is the easiest way of getting it ready for planting please?

Should i just try to shave off the turf with a spade or do i need to
turn the turf upside down with a fork?

Grateful for suggestions please?

If it is reasonably thick turf; rather than soil with a bit of grass on
it; and you have a reasonable depth of soil, then I'd skin off the top
inch and build a turf wall by layering the turf face down, left for a
couple of years you will have a good supply of quality loam for potting
etc..

On 5/11/2015 3:38 AM, Pam Moore wrote:
On Wed, 04 Nov 2015 15:21:53 +0000, Nick Maclaren
wrote:

On 11/04/15 12:48, john west wrote:
Just recently taken over someones Allotment plot that has a good coating
of grass.

What is the easiest way of getting it ready for planting please?

Should i just try to shave off the turf with a spade or do i need to
turn the turf upside down with a fork?

Grateful for suggestions please?

The ideal solution is to double-dig the plot, and put the turf, grass
down, at the bottom. Full double digging is probably overkill, unless
the soil is deeply compacted, but doing that to a single spit depth
would be good, and very little more effort than simply digging it over.
For a description, get a copy of "The Vegetable Garden Displayed".
And remember: Dig For Victory!

Look up a history of that booklet to see the joke, but it's still
useful and the pictures are worth looking at.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

if you can leave some of it till Spring, follow the hard work advice
on part and cover the rest with anything that will keep out the light.
Black plastic, old cardboard, old wool carpet, newspaper, etc. The
grass will die off overwinter and then the digging will be easier.
Is it just grass or are there a lot of weeds as well?
Some weeds will die with the grass but if you have more persistant
weeds you could dig them out first, or they will still be there in
Spring. Dandelion tops will die down but as soon as you uncover they
will grow again!


I'd second your suggestion of covering the grass with light excluding
material until Spring given the time of year it is in the UK.

I've had good success with what is described here in Aus as
'solarisation' but this works best towards the middle of summer. Water
and fertilise the plot and then cover with clear plastic held down at
the sides securely. The warm moist environment allows the grass to grow
but the sun frys and kills the grass and weeds and sets if off rotting
down. Works a treat.