Taming half acre

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Taming half acre

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aisling

Joined: 14 Jul 2005
Posts: 16

Posted: Tue May 23, 06 9:34 pm Post subject: Taming half acre

We have about half an acre of old pasture land which is basically grass and docks. Very rough and full of holes. We would like to get it to a state where we could rotavate and seed it, making smooth lawn as such, with the intention then of planting fruit trees bit by bit or taking over parts for veggie garden etc. But in meantime could be cut with mower and we would not need to ask friendly neighbour with tractor to top it twice a summer and risk losing kids in it in meantime. So basically want to clear it. Were thinking of flame-gun or roundup - would prefer not to use roundup but does the flame gun work? Or any other options?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed May 24, 06 6:04 pm Post subject:
The usual Downsizer reply is "get some pigs", any chance of that or letting someone else raise a few for a year or so?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45699
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed May 24, 06 6:08 pm Post subject:
Trees don't like grass, veg beds don't like grass. Grass is a weed to both. I'd say the best course of action would be to plough up the whole lot, possibly (based on the type of soil) removing the existing turf first (to compost) rotovate and then plant with a green manure. Keep the green manure cycle going until you know what you're going to plant and where. Use grass only as a last resort.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45699
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed May 24, 06 6:09 pm Post subject:
You may gather from my last post that I'm a bit anti grass, if you came and saw what it was doing to my veg plot you'd understand.

monsieurpoule

Joined: 31 Mar 2006
Posts: 56
Location: The more exclusive Northern end of France

Posted: Wed May 24, 06 6:44 pm Post subject:
Get pigs. Pigs will turn over the ground a treat and eat everything whilst at the same time. Then eat pigs. PS I want pigs but OH says no. Says I can have bees but I don't want bees. I want PIGS, PIGS, PIGS (nurse, can I have my medecine please. Nurse, nurse........)

oddballdave

Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 259
Location: Telford, Shropshire

Posted: Wed May 24, 06 8:40 pm Post subject: Re: Taming half acre

aisling wrote:

Or any other options?

Strip off the turf, stack it in the corner grass to grass, in about 12 months it will have rotted down to a good loam.

The stripping will reveal the deep seated roots of the dock, either burrn it, chop it repeat indefinitely.
Or a splash or roundup on the very small leaves when it starts growing back.

Keep hoeing the rest of the ground to prevent weeds, plant a tough grass mix and watch your new lawn grow.

Advantages - you get a lot of good topsoil to make your vegetable beds with.
- The lawn will be flat (because you will be able to flatten it)
- you can get rid of all the deep rooted weeds.

Disadvantages - lot of hard work.

HTH

Dave

aisling

Joined: 14 Jul 2005
Posts: 16

Posted: Tue May 30, 06 9:02 pm Post subject:

Thanks a million for the responses. New baby in the house so only getting back here now - sorry. Pigs idea interesting but we don't eat meat so would have to have them as pets and frankly have enough dependents of human and animal kind at the minute. Stripping and green manure ideas have been passed on to "he who would actually be doing the work" for further consideration. Thanks again - off to bed now while babs asleep.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Tue May 30, 06 9:37 pm Post subject:
You could always rent the land ouot to pig owners - watch them do the work and get paid as well. The words new baby kind of swung it for me - many congratulations and commiserations for the sleep deprivation you must be currently undergoing.

vickersdc

Joined: 07 May 2006
Posts: 247
Location: Surrey / Hampshire Border.

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 06 12:08 pm Post subject:
Hi there, one option may be to plant the area with trees - just make sure that you maintain a clear area around each tree of at least 1m diameter. As the trees grow, they should shade out the weeds and eventually reduce this growth. Cheers, David.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 06 12:14 pm Post subject:
Where are you? Pigs could be loaned...you'd actually only need them for a couple of weeks.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18416

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 06 11:35 pm Post subject:
At least top the docks by hand (sickle, secateurs, machete, whatever) before they seed (like about now, probably). Get it mown, get stock on to graze it (a few tups, perhaps) Did you decide what to do in the end ?

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