Hello MBJ, glad you've got your allotment. I agree with small blue planet about the carpet. They can be full of all kinds of chemicals. Better to use black polythene. I see you have horsetails and they are very difficult to get rid of. If you try to dig them out there are always little bits of root left. Don't know how you feel about weed killer. I have some horsetails in one small area of the garden. I can keep them under control with weedkiller. It works best if you bruise the plants first - stand on them or hit with something. Maybe some one else on the vine has an eradication method for them. Happy gardening.