By Mageth
sussex,
United Kingdom 
we have just been offered an allotment site which is shoulder high with brambles, thistle and dock. we intend strimming the top growth and dividing the area into two areas. the first area we will attempt to dig before winter and the second half cover with horticultural matting to be worked on as and when. will the matting be effective as a weed supressant given the time of year or should we spray the area with a herbicide first( not keen on this but the site is about 200m squared).
22 Aug, 2010
Answers
thanks Spritz. I suspected as much. we really wanted to do it without the chemicals but have to be realistic about this, bearing in mind that a some of what we already eat has had chemicals used to grow them
22 Aug, 2010
Well, you certainly won't be growing anything edible in there for some time, will you? Also - systemic weedkillers don't taint the soil. :-)))))
22 Aug, 2010
I agree with the comments above. When being organic it's often a case of 'Lord make me good, but not yet!'
I've taken the 'very holy' route in our garden and to be honest I'm beginning to regret it as I have a constant battle with docks and thistles, despite removing them over and over again.
Spray the area once and then wait for any new growth (which is very likely even with glyphosate) and then spray again.
By next year the ground should be virtually clear of perennial weeds and annual weeds are easy to pull out and control. After that, be wholly organic and both wildlife and your vegetables/flowers will thrive, especially if you concentrate on improving the soil with lots of organic matter.
22 Aug, 2010
thanks bertie. Having waited 10 years for a) children to grow up and allow us some free time to ourselves and b) being on the council waiting list( although its obvious that this plot hasnt been worked in years) we dont want to miss this opportunity. we will plant some tatties in any cleared areas next year to help break up the soil. I have been told that lots of this type of weed indicates good fertility.... we shall see when we ever get to see some soil LOL
22 Aug, 2010
If there are nettles there. tha'ts definitely good! It's going to be a long haul, but worth it. Keep us informed on progress, won't you. :-))
22 Aug, 2010
i will Spritz. will also post some photos
22 Aug, 2010
Good luck with it. :-))
22 Aug, 2010
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I think the herbicide option probably would be more helpful - the perennial weeds would just be likely to slumber under the matting over winter only to reappear in the spring, sadly. I know that it can take a couple of years to smother such nasties as you have there, so good luck with the systemic sprays 'and' the matting.
22 Aug, 2010