Help!!

I have an allotment and over the years I have tried to be as organic
as possible. However, for various reasons, I haven't been able to get
down to the allotment at all so far this year which means it's a
complete mess so I'm going to have to start again from scratch.

I intend to hire a petrol strimmer and clear down to the soil level,
put down weedkiller and then hire a rotavator to dig it over and start
again next year.

So my question is, as I've never used weedkiller before, what
weedkiller should I use? What is effective but fairly non-toxic to
wildlife etc.

Thanks


Graham White B.Sc. (Herb. Med.), MNIMH
Medical Herbalist
Bishops Stortford & Napier's Herbal Health Care, Cambridge
-----------------------------------------------------------

Nothing, keep digging out the roots

Graham White wrote:
: Help!!
:
: I have an allotment and over the years I have tried to be as organic
: as possible. However, for various reasons, I haven't been able to get
: down to the allotment at all so far this year which means it's a
: complete mess so I'm going to have to start again from scratch.
:
: I intend to hire a petrol strimmer and clear down to the soil level,
: put down weedkiller and then hire a rotavator to dig it over and start
: again next year.
:
: So my question is, as I've never used weedkiller before, what
: weedkiller should I use? What is effective but fairly non-toxic to
: wildlife etc.
:
: Thanks
:
:
: Graham White B.Sc. (Herb. Med.), MNIMH
: Medical Herbalist
: Bishops Stortford & Napier's Herbal Health Care, Cambridge
: -----------------------------------------------------------

--
praise the lord and pass the ammunition

On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 11:05:47 GMT, (Graham White)
wrote:

Help!!

I have an allotment and over the years I have tried to be as organic
as possible. However, for various reasons, I haven't been able to get
down to the allotment at all so far this year which means it's a
complete mess so I'm going to have to start again from scratch.

I intend to hire a petrol strimmer and clear down to the soil level,
put down weedkiller and then hire a rotavator to dig it over and start
again next year.

So my question is, as I've never used weedkiller before, what
weedkiller should I use? What is effective but fairly non-toxic to
wildlife etc.

Thanks


Graham White B.Sc. (Herb. Med.), MNIMH
Medical Herbalist
Bishops Stortford & Napier's Herbal Health Care, Cambridge
-----------------------------------------------------------

Roundup (aka glyosphate) in a knapsack sprayer will do the job nicely.
However, as already mentioned your still going to be digging roots for
a while to come.

But then, you`ve been here before........... 8-)))

Would`nt think it would be too bad as if you`ve only let it go this
year and you crack into it quickly then hopefully you`ll have got the
weeds before seed time. Take your mower down and have a go with that
if you have a petrol one.

The message
from Chris Norton contains these words:

On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 11:05:47 GMT, (Graham White)
wrote:

Help!!

I have an allotment and over the years I have tried to be as organic
as possible. However, for various reasons, I haven't been able to get
down to the allotment at all so far this year which means it's a
complete mess so I'm going to have to start again from scratch.

I intend to hire a petrol strimmer and clear down to the soil level,
put down weedkiller and then hire a rotavator to dig it over and start
again next year.

So my question is, as I've never used weedkiller before, what
weedkiller should I use? What is effective but fairly non-toxic to
wildlife etc.


Roundup (aka glyosphate) in a knapsack sprayer will do the job nicely.
However, as already mentioned your still going to be digging roots for
a while to come.

In the timespan mentioned, the ground will soon be completely covered
in seeded weeds again. You would do better to cover the whole lot with
whatever you can cadge for free, to eliminate light. This will kill the
existing weeds, prevent any more germinating, and keep the ground clean
until next season..so you shouldn't need to rotovate.

Try, old tarpaulins, old carpets, flattened cartons,or as a last
resort, bought black plastic sheeting. Put some old planks or bricks
round the edges to stop it blowing loose.

Janet.

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 22:14:10 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:


In the timespan mentioned, the ground will soon be completely covered
in seeded weeds again. You would do better to cover the whole lot with
whatever you can cadge for free, to eliminate light. This will kill the
existing weeds, prevent any more germinating, and keep the ground clean
until next season..so you shouldn't need to rotovate.

Try, old tarpaulins, old carpets, flattened cartons,or as a last
resort, bought black plastic sheeting. Put some old planks or bricks
round the edges to stop it blowing loose.

Janet.

To get black plastic sheets for free give your local trussed rafter
manufacturer a call. We cant get of em. Check out www.tra.co.uk for
your local one.

Failing that your local timber merchant. They usually come in nice and
pretty one side then black as the hat the other. Maybe some holes in
but in the main they will do the job.

The message
from Chris Norton contains these words:

On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 11:05:47 GMT, (Graham White)
wrote:

Help!!

I have an allotment and over the years I have tried to be as organic
as possible. However, for various reasons, I haven't been able to get
down to the allotment at all so far this year which means it's a
complete mess so I'm going to have to start again from scratch.

I intend to hire a petrol strimmer and clear down to the soil level,
put down weedkiller and then hire a rotavator to dig it over and start
again next year.

So my question is, as I've never used weedkiller before, what
weedkiller should I use? What is effective but fairly non-toxic to
wildlife etc.


Roundup (aka glyosphate) in a knapsack sprayer will do the job nicely.
However, as already mentioned your still going to be digging roots for
a while to come.

In the timespan mentioned, the ground will soon be completely covered
in seeded weeds again. You would do better to cover the whole lot with
whatever you can cadge for free, to eliminate light. This will kill the
existing weeds, prevent any more germinating, and keep the ground clean
until next season..so you shouldn't need to rotovate.

Try, old tarpaulins, old carpets, flattened cartons,or as a last
resort, bought black plastic sheeting. Put some old planks or bricks
round the edges to stop it blowing loose.

Janet.

On Mon, 23 Jun 2003 22:14:10 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:


In the timespan mentioned, the ground will soon be completely covered
in seeded weeds again. You would do better to cover the whole lot with
whatever you can cadge for free, to eliminate light. This will kill the
existing weeds, prevent any more germinating, and keep the ground clean
until next season..so you shouldn't need to rotovate.

Try, old tarpaulins, old carpets, flattened cartons,or as a last
resort, bought black plastic sheeting. Put some old planks or bricks
round the edges to stop it blowing loose.

Janet.

To get black plastic sheets for free give your local trussed rafter
manufacturer a call. We cant get of em. Check out www.tra.co.uk for
your local one.

Failing that your local timber merchant. They usually come in nice and
pretty one side then black as the hat the other. Maybe some holes in
but in the main they will do the job.