Using weed killers

[Kristen]

My view is that Newbies should succeed in their first year - if they give up because they cannot get the plot under control then I think that is sad. I don't know whether that is common though, in practice?

So if a one-time application of Glyphosate achieves that more easily than if they had to cultivate the plot without that assistance then I think it would be a good thing. Up to the individual whether they want to, or not ...

But, flip side, there must be lots of cases of people applying weedkiller on plots / paths and the spray going onto, and killing, neighbouring plot's plants and if someone did that to me I'd be really upset.

I think the latter, assuming it happens on a plot?, would be enough to justify a ban - let alone any maybe/maybe not scientific studies

[Snadger]

My view is that Newbies should succeed in their first year - if they give up because they cannot get the plot under control then I think that is sad. I don't know whether that is common though, in practice?

So if a one-time application of Glyphosate achieves that more easily than if they had to cultivate the plot without that assistance then I think it would be a good thing. Up to the individual whether they want to, or not ...

But, flip side, there must be lots of cases of people applying weedkiller on plots / paths and the spray going onto, and killing, neighbouring plot's plants and if someone did that to me I'd be really upset.

I think the latter, assuming it happens on a plot?, would be enough to justify a ban - let alone any maybe/maybe not scientific studies

I agree that its up to the individual what they do with THEIR plot, although I certainly wouldn't advocate weedkiller application near foodstuffs myself.
What I would object to is a blanket spraying of empty plots by the Council or the site Committee (This does go on!) to give the prospective plot holders a supposed clean plot.
I would hazard a guess that the majority of prospective plotholders would want nothing to do with pesticides of any description and would like to make their own decisions on use of weedkillers.

[Thelma Sanders]

I would hazard a guess that the majority of prospective plotholders would want nothing to do with pesticides of any description and would like to make their own decisions on use of weedkillers

Perhaps they should ask? - but I would have loved to take on a clear plot rather than an overgrown one.

If the plots are really bad then a lot of people wouldn't want to take one on - then you get empty plots and the councils think they can safely sell them off

[Snadger]

Perhaps they should ask? - but I would have loved to take on a clear plot rather than an overgrown one.

If the plots are really bad then a lot of people wouldn't want to take one on - then you get empty plots and the councils think they can safely sell them off

Thats part of the fun Thelma, battling the wilderness!

[Alison]

Perhaps they should ask? - but I would have loved to take on a clear plot rather than an overgrown one.

If the plots are really bad then a lot of people wouldn't want to take one on - then you get empty plots and the councils think they can safely sell them off

I'm the opposite, I was happy to take on an overgrown one as oppose to a poisoned one.

[Thelma Sanders]

Thats part of the fun Thelma, battling the wilderness!

Depends if you're young, strong and healthy, or not I'm healthy enough to keep mine clear, but don't think I could have cleared a badly overgrown one, as I've seen on some of the blogs OMG

Let's face it - some people are more worried than others about using weedkiller. So as I said - they could ask before hand - the only way they can please everybody, I suppose

[Kristen]

I sprayed my virgin plot with Glyphosate at the outset, to save time and get a flying start. Its had no chemicals (herbicides / pesticides / fungicides) on it since, nearly a decade later now, and growing food with no chemicals added is a key objective for me and my family.

I, personally, wouldn't hesitate to do a one-time Glyphosate flying-start if I was starting again though, and I think there is a lot of difference between old-hands taking on an overgrown plot, as they would know the best way of tackling it, compared to a newbie. But I do understand that there are very different views on this!

The way I see the vegetables we buy (admittedly not very much but we do eat in restaurants, sandwich lunches when travelling, at friends houses, etc. etc.) will have been subjected to a huge array of the very chemicals that I seek to avoid on my home-grown produce. Hence that I, personally, am comfortable with "one time is fine" - its less chemical than I eat eating on probably a daily basis

[Aberdeenplotter]

That's totally in line with my thinking as well.

[lottie dolly]

An up date on this thread,
First a thank you,to you all for your replies,
I have now hit on an all round solution,raised beds 2ft wide all around the inside off the wooden frame,this is because,this year i plan growing any squashes that decide to sprout, up and over the beams,but first dig the area leaving the middle for now,just cover up until i decide on other beds within,i will only use the weed killer around the outside of the main frame,hoping it will get some inside roots,i have found i can cope with the extra long fork that son made up,as it gives me good leverage,and i do not need to bend over so much, better on the back as well,so a happy compromise,another year it netted up for the brasica,will post pics when available.