I've just taken an allotment,is weedkiller safe nowadays,or will it ruin the soil?

Question

I want to start growing asap but I know the conditions have to be o.k. so what's the best way to prepare the soil?

Answer 1

Round up, safe to plant 24 hours after application according to the label.

Elbow grease, pulling by hand, then plant same day, from experience.

How much work do you have time to do? Need plants? E my avatar, have seeds too.

dirt is beautiful

Answer 2

You can use Round-up or Weedol safely but if you use Sodium Chlorate you wont be able to grow anything to eat for 8 months. Personally i never used weedkiller but used to dig the soil and clear it of weeds by hand. And after planting and the plants are established you will find that a hoe is the best weedkiller.

Incidentally if you loosen the soil every afternoon or evening with a hoe during dry periods (after the plants are established of course) especially you wont need to water as much as nature supplies water in this climate at least once every 24 hours as either rain or dew fall during the night.

Good Luck.

Answer 3

Hi - Digging is always better and healthier than using chemicals. Unfortunately, the prospect of digging a whole allotment can be a bit daunting. The best, and most encouraging, way to tackle it is in smaller areas at a time. For example, dig a 4 foot wide strip across the width of the allotment. You will then at least be able to plant something and start to see something for all of your effort.
Join your local Freecycle (Google it), and put in a 'Wanted' for black plastic sheeting or old tarpaulins. You need something that will exclude the light, even cardboard will do the job. Spread these out over the uncultivated areas and weight them down with bricks. This will kill off a lot/most of the stuff that's growing. You can then uncover a bit at a time for digging. There are often sheds, greenhouses, and all sorts of other gardening equipment being offered on Freecycle. Your best investment would probably be to buy the book titled 'The Vegetable Expert', written by Dr Hessayon. This book is a goldmine of useful information and is very easy to understand.
At times, particularly in the early stages, it can seem a bit overwhelming. The best approach is to 'look at what you've achieved', and not 'what there is still left to do'.

Answer 4

If you want to Garden Organically, then it is better not to use weedkiller or any sprays. It is quite hard work , but will give good results in the end. If the allotment is very weedy cut off as much of the weeds as you can, the dig in the weeds by turning them face down in the soil. Leave them for a week or two , then dig in as much humus, manure or compost a spossble. If you see any ground elder or bindweed when first digging , remove them , as they will grow again, but most other weeds will die when turned over in the soil.. and you wll have a good rich soil in the end. It is better not to be in too much of a hurry in gardening.

Answer 5

It depends on the particular type of weedkiller. Some are more harmful for longer than others. In my opinion you'd be better off using organic methods. Dig as many of the weeds up as possible and plant some crops that help break up the soil.

Have fun.

Answer 6

you need to use a systemic weedkiller, round up is the most well known with an active ingredient of glyphosphate.

these are brown soil neutrolised which means the weedkiller is dry and your safe

Answer 7

chemical weedkillers will stay in the ground forever get a gallon of 20% vinigar add 2 oz of orange oil and a squart of dish soap spray the weed folage on a sunny day then cut them down now you can plant

Answer 8

most of the week killers are much more friendly to the environment. You can buy a toch weed killer that yo spray directly onto the weed and hence leave the soil alone. Ask at you local garden centre or B&Q.