The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: garden cottage on January 31, 2011, 05:30:36 pm

Title: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: garden cottage on January 31, 2011, 05:30:36 pm
evening all, now weve gone out of livestock im thinking of turning nice green pasture into decent size veg plot, not wanting to dig turf into veg plot whats the best way? dont want to use any chemicals to kill grass your ideas pls ::)
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: Rosemary on January 31, 2011, 05:41:09 pm
Pigs :pig: :pig:
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: garden cottage on January 31, 2011, 06:23:58 pm
yeh nice idea but house is on the market hence weve no livestock
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: HappyHippy on January 31, 2011, 06:51:20 pm
I'd say pigs too - much less hassle  ;) Maybe there's someone nearby who'd move a couple on temporarily for you ?
Failing that - cover the whole area with black plastic to kill off the weeds and get ready for some serious digging.
Good luck !
Karen  :pig: :pig: :pig:
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: egbert on January 31, 2011, 06:56:09 pm
Scuse me for being nosy, but if you are selling, why do you want to spend the time turning the pasture into a veg plot?  ???
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: dyedinthewool on January 31, 2011, 08:30:39 pm
Easiest thing would be to remove the turf (only need to remove the top 1" or 2"), stack on top of each other turfside down - reasonably close to the veggie patch so it can be returned at sometime when it's rotted down, makes wonderful top soil.
Dig in plenty of manure to replace the soil/turf removed.

Home produced veg tastes so much nicer ;D ;D

Best of luck.
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: garden cottage on January 31, 2011, 09:03:15 pm
well, large house market has took a nose dive down here so we could be here for another 12 months plus, so may as well make the most of time here hence veg patch
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: Fleecewife on January 31, 2011, 10:52:08 pm
I agree with dyedinthewool.  In the absence of pigs, mow the grass very short, then hire a turf cutter for a day to remove the top layer.  I wish we had done that - instead we ploughed it and it has taken years to get rid of the weeds, if we ever did (except for where the pigs were  ;D :pig:)
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: Hermit on February 01, 2011, 07:38:40 am
Definately take the turf off.This really should have been done last Autumn and mulched all winter with a deep layer of poo to kill the rest  of the weeds and fertilise.Then dug in and made fine in the Spring. Good luck if you want to get a plot ready now, it is possible but harder work.
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: shrekfeet on February 09, 2011, 03:02:35 pm
just put pigs on it for 3 months, save a lot of back ache
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: NorthEssexsmallholding on February 09, 2011, 03:54:31 pm
when you stack the turf, cover it with plastic, even when its turf side down it can carry on growing, this way will speed up the process, I did this last autumn and the turf I covered in a plastic sheet has rotted down really well in just a few months.
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: egglady on February 09, 2011, 08:34:01 pm
pigs!  we dont have a blade of grass left where we've put them!

and depending on what age they are when you get them, you might only have them for a couple of months.

Honestly, they'll do a far better job for you, not to mention way, way easier than anything you'd do yourself
Title: Re: from pasture into veg plot
Post by: Blonde on March 05, 2011, 06:21:59 am
Why not ring a turf company and ask them if they will come and remove your turf for ou and take it away or advertis it in the local rag and have someone who wants a turf covering mght take it awa in their trailer or truck.........and in to the bargain you get paid for it.....