Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi,
I was wondering if there would be a down side to covering the empty beds on the allotment with black plastic this winter. Our neighbour on the next allotment has given up and let his plot go to thistle, teasel etc so I am guessing the weeds will have blown all over ours. Having access to free used silage black plastic we thought we would cover the beds after spreading compost. My only thought is will the weed seeds germinate once the plastic is removed in the spring and we prepare for planting. I am guessing the ground is wet enough as clay loam not to need any more moisture. Has anyone tried this in the past on cultivated beds?
Hilary

Hi Hilary,
I have used black heavy duty polythene like this for many years now. I spread the compost or manure over the surface and allow the bed to become saturated and then cover with the polythene. There will always be annual seeds along with the perennial weed seed that will germinate. You can deal with these in the following manner; cover the bed when prepared and then at the end of February next year uncover and after the first shower of rain the seeds will germinate and then when they get to about one inch high put the polythene back for about a month this should kill them off when they are that young.
Over the winter the worms will have taken the compost into the soil and you remove the polythene at or about the begining of April or a little later
depending on the weather.
For most applications the soil only needs a light forking over and you are ready for anything.
Hope this helps you.
JB.

Thanks Johnboy - will follow your advice.
Hilary