Kews Garden

[Kew]

A small part of my new garden before I found where my spade lived.

[Kew]

( Post modified...I thought this was a year later it was actually five months later in the first pic...the second one is a year later.)

[greenfinger]

Ken, that's good soil in that "plot" (to use the "right" European expression). I've started a plot once with the same amount of wild grasses and weeds and I know these plants can be very tenacious. How did you clean it up in 1 year? Do you work with a strong tiller (a "motoculteur" as we call it in good French Dutch)? Do you have experience with the product Roundup?

[Kew]

I moved into the plot quite late in the season so concentrated on a small part first and gradually worked my way round the whole plot removing grass and weeds. The last pic - above- shows the ground after I took my very small tiller over it to turn in the added compost. The soil had 2 tons of manure dug into it and 80 bags of compost. I used so much not only to put essential elements back in but mainly to raise the level on what was very claggy soil.Most of the work was purely physical. A tiller is good once the weed tap roots are removed but using a tiller without removing (in my case hundreds) tap roots is not to be recommended as a tap root cut into 6 pieses will produce 6 weeds! A mini tiller is also a good way to create furrows for potatoes and celery. Couch grass is the worst to get rid of, a real monster. I resorted to Roundup for this beast. Roundup is the only commercial product I use.

[greenfinger]

Wouldn't it be possible to use Roundup first to deaden the tap roots and then use the tiller?
What I see at the pictures is no cloggy soil anymore. You ameliorated it very much.
Do you grow flowers, bushes?

[Kew]

Roundup actually kills the plant by attacking the roots, so, yes, is the answer. When you Spray the leaves, (best after a little rain) the plant takes the liquid down to the root and it kills the whole plant. Tough weeds might need more than one application.
No point in tilling/rotavating until Roundup has had a chance to work. Read the container for methods and strengths of application and try not to spray on a windy day!
My plot was mainly used for veg but, yes, I did grow common blooms to attract insect pollinaters. Flowers and veg make great companions....might have a pic or two around.
Yes, I added quite a lot of compost to the ground to try and lighten it a little. Heavy clay soil is very fertile but a real pain to work even after just a light shower, so adding compost/mulch/manure is the way to deal with it. Even gritty sand helps break down the caly sods.
Couch grass roots!

[greenfinger]

We call this grass: "varkensgras". Up to you to translate!

[Kew]

Well, I know it's a right pig of a thing to get rid of.