[tagwex]

Two photos taken almost a year apart. Last year I was washed out of it with all the rain in May. My local garden centre man told me that because we are on a hill, all the nutrients were washed out of the soil, hence the reason that almost everything sown after May germinated but didn't grow. This year due to work committments I just couldn't get going in March, April and May at all and left it all to its own devices, apart from the greenhouse, to grow wild. My question is this, how come nothing would grow last year and this year I am inundated with weeds? Sprayed them all last weekend. I am thinking of getting a small area ready for winter crops.

[Blowin]

Stone the crows! Even you don't deserve that?

Looking at this year's pic, I'm reminded of 'One year's weeds. Seven years' seeds.' and, following a conversation with a retired farmer, he thought that a 7 inch plough would bury things like docks deep enough to prevent them reappearing. I personally think he may have been a bit optimistic but, once your spray has done its work, what do you think about finding a chap with a powerful, modern unit and getting him to plough it to a depth of, say, 12 inches? A) It would prove a point on whether it would get rid of the weeds and b) at least you could get some sprouts, leeks and winter brassicas on the go. A few rolls of black membrane might help too?

[tagwex]

Even I don't deserve that?????
Do you know what? Every time I have looked down the field in the last month or two that phrase came to my head. I never forgot it after reading it in one of your comments a year or two back. I have had the whole plot harrowed, rotavated, ploughed and drilled for the previous 3 years and I still get inundated with weeds - a 2 acre bit of wasteland on two sides sees to that. Round up will do a good job as long as I keep on top of it. The plot just got ridiculously bad in the last month. I think I will do approx. 60 to 80m2 of winter crops.

[kindredspirit]

The land belongs to nature. We're only borrowing it.

[AJ]

That's some size plot and for sure that was a surprise and a hallf. Was doing a bit of research recently and apparently brassica's supress weed growth the year following harvesting. Don't know how true it is, but surely someone on here knows.

[tagwex]

What I cannot figure is that nothing grew last year and the whole place needed fertilising which didn't happen. Yet the weeds are flourishing.

[Blowin]

Nature is always supreme but I can't help feeling Page 5 of http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/about7228-60.html may be coming back to haunt you? Options are 1) Invest in several rolls of black builders' membrane, 2) Get a sow and piglets to clear the ground, 3) give up work or 4) scale back to what you can handle (4a - Employ a gardener?)

[Ado 2]

The weather has been perfect for weeds. Plenty of sunshine then lots of rain. They don't need fertilised ground. Any ground will do. I noticed the dandelions and other wild flowers "weeds" in our local park this year when they delayed cutting the grass. It looked lovely ! !

[tagwex]

You have some memory Blowin.
Scale back methinks.

[Sue Deacon]

That is some plot to manage Tagwex, especially if you are working. Unless you are planning to sell produce I reckon you could still be self sufficient with half that space (or less) A friend of ours has a 15ft square 'keyhole' garden and a 10x8 greenhouse. She grows all the veg she needs (except taters) and STILL has enough to give to friends.

As for the weeds, they are so successful BECAUSE they grow anywhere and in all conditions.

The ground seems to slope in two directions. But the rows seem to run up and down the steepest slope? Would you not be better running the rows across the plot? But then sod's law says there would be a drought and you'd have to water it.

I understand completely why you are spraying Roundup, but I wish you wouldn't. I've used gallons of the stuff in the past, but the more I find out about it, the more guilty I feel. I think I said before that I used it at my friends house to clear an area for a shrub border. Well the weeds are growing as strongly as ever, but the shrubs are struggling, many are yellow and some have died. It is only the tougher ones (like the weeds) that are doing well. I think I have really fxxxxed-up the soil.

I'd be inclined to 'shave' the top growth and concentrate on a smaller area, until you have more time.

[tagwex]

The slope left to right is negligible, it is more the angle that I held the camera at. Less will be more in future.