What to grow?

[mrgrower]

I'm hearing you all and am prepared now for the couch grass fight bring it on

[Two_Sheds]

So, what are you doing? Digging, or covering?

[mrgrower]

I've got one area covered and have dug two other beds. I dug over and used the fork to get the couch grass sods out of there I'm now left with a conundrum do I cover this to and loose the growing area completely this year?

[rustylady]

I've got one area covered and have dug two other beds. I dug over and used the fork to get the couch grass sods out of there I'm now left with a conundrum do I cover this to and loose the growing area completely this year?

If you've given it a thorough digging and removed as much of the couch grass roots as possible, then I would go for planting. Don't waste a year's growing.

[rustylady]

I've got one area covered and have dug two other beds. I dug over and used the fork to get the couch grass sods out of there I'm now left with a conundrum do I cover this to and loose the growing area completely this year?

You said couch grass sods. Are you sure it's couch grass? Couch has long thick white roots under the soil.

[mrgrower]

Yes I'm sure it's that established that the roots are like spaghetti so digging a fork into the ground results in it coming up grass top roots below. I'm sure the area has not been worked for a good few years as the carpet that was over it was full of weeds that hat gone through the carpet.

[snakeshack]

try growing turnips as these have a suppressing effect on couch grass growth or cover with cardboard/blck plastic and plant through holes,this won't kill it but will weaken it sufficiently to remove easier at the end of the season,and you will still get a crop

[SarzWix]

Covering it doesn't have to result in the loss of a growing season; cover it and then plant through holes cut in the cover It does sound like an absolute nightmare of tangled roots On the plus side, if it's been growing over and through carpet, chances are that it won't be too deeply rooted? (looking for some positives here... )

If it was me, I'd be looking for a source of straw, asking friends to save newspapers, begging cardboard boxes from electrical and bicycle retailers and supermarkets, and sourcing some organic matter (horse muck/council compost/composted bark). Then as soon as you get a bed clear, cover it with thick newspaper/cardboard, then muck, then straw. You can plant all sorts through that - spuds, sweetcorn, courgettes/squash/pumpkins, climbing beans, cabbages/broccoli/sprouts... You can do the same on beds that you haven't managed to clear as well, but would put extra newspaper/cardboard on after cutting down any greenness on the weeds.

Even if you can't get massive amounts of organic matter, a few bought bags from a GC or DIY store would help. Nearby equine suppliers would be able to tell you where to get straw from.

[mrgrower]

We cannot get manure to our site as it's behind houses with no access for a wagon to drop off we are trying to get smaller loads that can go on the back of a small trailer delivered but with no luck I've been offered tones of horse and chuck manure free but have no way of getting it to the plot economically.I work in a supermarket and can get boxes but all are small and I live in the middle of Manchester so no equine suppliers. I even need top soil but cant get that delivered as I'd need to barrow it from the side of the road around the backs of the houses to my plot and I don't think the people on that road would be to pleased all I can do is get bags of manure topsoil etc which is a hell of a lot more expensive. By the way why is topsoil so damned expensive????

[Two_Sheds]

why is topsoil so damned expensive????

Because it's been screened (weed free), and it's good stuff.
You've been battling the couch grass: would you want to be paid pennies or pounds if you were selling that soil? !!

[Two_Sheds]

We cannot get manure to our site

You don't need it, I've never used it.

I do use pet bedding (parrots, guinea pigs), make garden compost, and grow green manures. My soil is good, and getting better (photos in links below)