[anniebee]

Hello,
I'm starting a small cutting garden..roughly about 1/6 of an acre on land at my parents that in the past 10years has pretty much gone to ruin. It's along the edge of a paddock that had become totally overgrown with brambles & what my mum tells me is hymalayan balsam. I've cleared the area by hand with a scythe, down to a sort of scrub, & now I want to get it down to soil. What would be the best way to get rid of the top layer of plant roots & grass? I've read that rotovating it is a mistake, as it chops up all the weeds where they just re-germinate...but although I started the garden by hand, digging it all out is a bit too much for me.
ANY suggestions??

[Ayeskint]

Hi, you have two problems. One is perenial (brambles) and roots will need to removed. The other is annual and relies on seeds to germinate (removal of plant before they seed would help next year). If you don't want to use glyphosate on bramble leaves - get yourself some pigs to dig them out. Natures tractor they are called - roots out and fertilised at same time. However lots of rules apply to keeping pigs. Carol

[Fleecewife]

One huge nuisance with Himalayan Balsam is the way it pings its seeds over great distances - fascinating to watch but then you realise it is colonising everywhere.  So as well as getting rid of the bramble roots, you need to be prepared to be vigilant with the hoe in the spring when all those pinged seeds sprout.

[Barcud]

Balsam has very shallow roots and is easily pulled at any time up to when the pods start to form and then its best steered clear of.
Seeds are viable for about 18 months, so should be able to get on top of it relatively quickly, but worth tackling any adjacent areas that the plant is in.
Mike