[Bionic]

Well, this is where the veg patch is supposed to be. As you can see there is a bit of work to do.
Can anyone advise where/how to start?
thanks
Sally

[Fowgill Farm]

Not very eco friendly but for me mark out your area, spray it all off with Round-up, then when its all dead rotivate and decide where you want what, raided beds, permananent beds etc and get as much done before winter, leave the soil rough in the beds for the frost to permeate and kill off any nasties, the real big problem is making it bunny proof, they've decimated my veg patch this year so i've give up and i'll be starting from a similar patch to you again
HTh
Mandy 

[RUSTYME]

First things first Sally , will you be prepared to put poison on the plot ?
Personally i don't use any . May as well buy veg from the shop if you are prepared to eat poisoned food , saves all that hard work .
Doing it without poison is no harder , i know , i have never used the stuff .
 Your plot isn't that bad mate . Just a lot of green stuff !
You have to work out the area to be dug , then start digging .
The best thing would be to do a sq yd at a time .
I use a garden fork , but you may prefer a spade. 
It will be easier to clear the area of as much top growth and root as possible first .
This will entail digging one fork/spade deep and shaking as much soil from the root systems of weeds and grass ,and removing as many loose broken roots as you can . Far easier to do this 1 sq yd at a time .
I find it easier to do this initial clearing with the weeds left intact , the are easier to grab and shake the soil off . Some people strim off the top growth first .
Clear all top growth at this stage and roots as any root left will regrow .
Once you have the whole area cleared and dug , the next step will be the real preparation of the plot ie digging and manuring .
My plot is 60'x30' divided into 4 15'x30' sections for crop rotation . I do one section at a time .
Only rotavate ( if you must ) once you are 100% certain ALL roots are clear . Otherwise you will just be propagating weeds .
Once any area is clear of top growth , weed seeds will germinate . Clear these seedlings once a week , before they can get going , 1 sq yd takes a minute to clear . The more that germinate and get cleared as you go , the less there will be to grow next year in you veg !
Any weed with seed on , burn ! Any dock , couch root etc also burn . But other green top growth can go in a heap to rot down , preferably mixed with some manure .
Take care digging at first .
Only do small fork/spades full .
More to follow as and when youre ready mate .
Again take care !

[Castle Farm]

Well Bionic you can follow Rusty's advice and spend hours trying to dig out all those deep rooted docks and by the time you get to the other end of it you'll need to start again.

You will need a good garden spade, mattock and fork.
Very large bottle of Radox.
Zimmer frame (just in case)

OR.


Spray the whole lot with agricultural strenth Round-up and re apply in about a month.

Cover it all up with black plastic and start digging a bit at a time as you need it.

It's all gain and no PAIN.

[deepinthewoods]

if your going to use chemical killers, you may as well not bother and just buy the stuff from tesco
however, you could cover the area with black plastic, really weight it down, and wait for 6 months or so. that will kill off alot of stuff for sure. even if you use  round up over  it all youll still have to dig it over when manuring.
i tend to reclaim a bit at a time, i dig up the roots and compost the weeds. then add manure as i go. its quicker than you think!

[YorkshireLass]

At a glance I can't see any real nasty weeds (bindweed, horsetail) so I'd do the digging. Save the chemical warfare for when you really need it.


I'm not convinced that glyphosate magically vanishes into the soil with no ill effects, however much this is claimed.

[Bionic]

Well I have decided I am going to try digging and will take Russ's advice and to just do a bit at a time.
BUT..... I have a bad ankle which may mean I will need to resort to chemical warfare in the end.
At the moment just seeing the earth underneath the weeds would be a good start though.
thanks everyone
Sally

[Lesley Silvester]

Whatever you do, don't use that weed suppressant membrane.  I did then watched it get higher and higher as the weeds grew underneath it.  Total waste of money.  I would go for the digging as I don't use chemicals either.  I like to know what I'm eating.

[RUSTYME]

I know about dodgy joints etc mate . The sq yd rule makes digging easy , and you can adapt it to your way of working ie , literally 3'x3' , or a strip 1'x9' , or any way that suits you .
The first few bits are the worst . There after , face the last bit dug and just take a 3" or 4" slice with spade or fork . Place either in contact with soil and put your good foot on the fork/spade and just put your weight on it . Don't try thumping it in with your arm or stamping with your foot , you just end up sore ! Just put your foot on it and transfer your weight . If need be gently wobble the fork back and  forth as you put weight on it .
Always make sure the soil is moist , not dry or sodden . If need be water it , if too dry.
When sodden you can still dig , it is just very hard work . Also make sure to stand on untouched grass , not on soil you just dug .
If you are right handed start in a left hand corner  and work to your right .
 If you have soft hands , wear gloves , they will save on blisters .
I wear cheap riggers gloves for clearing .
 With them on i can just grab hold of nettles, thistles and even brambles and just pull them out  .
The first few days just take it easy , don't rush or keep going if you start to ache . 

[MAK]

This may sound odd but it worked for me.

Cut the weeds/grass with a lawnmower. Design the plot with watering and planting in mind. think about routes to the compost heap and water tap when you plan the paths.
Mark out both paths ( make them just over a lawnmower width) and plots with string and wooden stakes.
Tackle one plot at a time. Use a spade to cut down and then lift turfs to reveal each plot. Stack these turfs upside down in beehive sized piles in a non shaded area and these will make a good potting compost for next year.
Once you have a bed cut out then turn with a fork and remove long roots as you go - chuck in plenty of manure ( you could add fresh manure if you do not plan to plant until the spring).  Don't worry about removing every weed root in one go as you  can get them out another day.
Try not to walk too much on the plot but fork over on a fine winters day when you can. Remove any roots.
Spring - enjoy your veg plot and keep the paths cut.

I cut out a rather large veg plot with paths, rectangular plots and soft fruit areas in the early Spring of 2011. I did inherit a barn full of dry rotted manure but  2011 and 2012 have been very good years in the veg plot.

Oh - I did loose half a stone over the couple of weeks it took to lift the turfs and dig in manure.

[deepinthewoods]

Whatever you do, don't use that weed suppressant membrane.  I did then watched it get higher and higher as the weeds grew underneath it.  Total waste of money.  I would go for the digging as I don't use chemicals either.  I like to know what I'm eating.

agree dont use weed membrane use a heavy blackplastic, to make sure no air water or light get through.

[Mammyshaz]

This is how I've turned our two allotments from sky high weeds to veg patches ( it is ongoing as parts are lawned with small patio and seat, hen enclosure etc ).

1) Mow area as low as possible.
2) Large black plastic sheeting pegged out over whole area to be dug.
3) Leave a month ( while your ankle improves ) to weaken the weeds.
4) Pull back just enough plastic to dig over 1 row, removing weeds and roots .
5) Redig in a week to remove the little critters that I missed last dig.
6) Rake over and plant up ( or recover if not yet planting )
7) Start from 1 again.

It is surprising how quickly it digs over. I find a few rows a day can easily be achieved, and still have time to sit and enjoy the views and admire the work done.

[Beewyched]

Could you not put a couple of pigs on it for a few weeks, with a temporary shelter Sally?  Weeded & fertilised all in 1 

[Mel Rice]

My vege patch had been a stand of 7 plum trees (all well spaced!!) We felled them as we had at least another dozen fullgrown plums elsewhere. We asked a friendly farmer to pull out the stumps and plough the plot. I then started one bed at a time double digging an old muck heap in. and making long but about 2meter wide beds,. three (or is it 4?) years later I still have a problem keeping up with the weeding but the raised beds (bar of chocolate style) keep us in veg most of the year...at least with the help of the freezer
Oh must go now as Ive got a bucket full of part chewed carrots to process and freeze that we pulled yesterday.

[Bionic]

Could you not put a couple of pigs on it for a few weeks, with a temporary shelter Sally?  Weeded & fertilised all in 1 

My 2 weaners go off to the abattoir next Wed so not enough time to do their work now. Apart from which the patch is part of the garden and near the hen house. Somehow I don't think it would work.
I did actually think of turning the pig pen into a veg garden but below the topsoil (fancy name for mud in my case) its just rock so unless I grow veg that has very shallow roots I don't think that would work either.
The fact that MAK lost half a stone should be enough to spur me on 
Sally