Newbie - Allotment clearance
 

I have recently taken up an "allotment" (piece of land not touched in 30
years would be more accurate!).

It is a mixture of course grass with large anthills in the middle, bordered
by brambles to 12 feet in height and 20 feet deep on one side and hawthorn
and sloe trees on the other.

I have made some headway on the trees as most were only 2" stems and cut
away easily. My question really is what is the best way to clear the rest.

I was thinking of strimming back to the boundries and burning what is
produced there. Followed by using a flamethrower and sterilising the ground.
Once that is done I was thinking of rotivating the plots and then leaving
for the winter to break up.

Am I on the right lines?

Any advise greatfully taken.

Sam

Newbie - Allotment clearance
 

In article , Sam
writes
My question really is what is the best way to clear the rest.

I was thinking of strimming back to the boundries and burning what is
produced there. Followed by using a flamethrower and sterilising the ground.
Once that is done I was thinking of rotivating the plots and then leaving
for the winter to break up.

Am I on the right lines?

The main problem with your method is the perennial roots. You are
clearing only the surface before rotavating. This means you are probably
going to chop up the perennial roots into lots of little bits each of
which will grow into a new plant next year :(
I know someone who spread mares tail all over his garden by using the
method you are proposing :(

I would say you have to find some way of eliminating the perennial roots
- dig or weed kill - at some stage before rotavating.

This question comes up so regularly we really should make a faq to
gather together all the suggestions that are made!!!!!!!!!!
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason,
put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com

Newbie - Allotment clearance
 

In article , Jane Ransom
writes
This question comes up so regularly we really should make a faq to
gather together all the suggestions that are made!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, good idea, and I'm willing to do it. Does Cormaic agree?
--
Alan Gould

Newbie - Allotment clearance
 

"Sam" wrote in message ...
I have recently taken up an "allotment" (piece of land not touched in 30
years would be more accurate!).

It is a mixture of course grass with large anthills in the middle,
bordered
by brambles to 12 feet in height and 20 feet deep on one side and hawthorn
and sloe trees on the other.

I have made some headway on the trees as most were only 2" stems and cut
away easily. My question really is what is the best way to clear the rest.

I was thinking of strimming back to the boundries and burning what is
produced there. Followed by using a flamethrower and sterilising the
ground.
Once that is done I was thinking of rotivating the plots and then leaving
for the winter to break up.

Am I on the right lines?

Any advise greatfully taken.


I,ve answered you on england.rec.gardening before I saw you had posted on
here too.
Just a suggestion, if you want to ask two Ng's the same question then
crosspost and we all get to see all the answers. Some News Servers don't
take the other group so any answers on there will be missed by some
subscribers on here, although not by me. :-)

--
Bob
http://www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an allotment site
in Runnymede, fighting for its existence against bureaucracy.