I have several seedlings starting to appear in my veg patch. I am
growing carrots, parsnips, sprouting broc, beetroot, radishes, potatoes
and peas. I have a row of each, about 14" apart and 8' long (some wider
spaced depending on what they are - ie potatoes have lots of space).
Everything is coming on nicely (as far as a total beginner can tell!).
However, I am starting to get the inevitable weeds coming up too.
Problem is, I can only reach about 3' from each end of the row to pull
them up - there is therefore a 2' section of most rows that I cant get
to! I dont want to stand on the soil as I will compact it (spent ages
cultivating it - fairly high clay content in a new build garden).
Any tips ?? Are there any tools to help out - something like a rubbish
fork that you see street cleaners using ?
Or should I not be so anal and just leave the weeds growing until the
veg is established enough and I'm not so concerned about disturbing the
soil ?

NC wrote:
I have several seedlings starting to appear in my veg patch. I am
growing carrots, parsnips, sprouting broc, beetroot, radishes, potatoes
and peas. I have a row of each, about 14" apart and 8' long (some wider
spaced depending on what they are - ie potatoes have lots of space).
Everything is coming on nicely (as far as a total beginner can tell!).
However, I am starting to get the inevitable weeds coming up too.
Problem is, I can only reach about 3' from each end of the row to pull
them up - there is therefore a 2' section of most rows that I cant get
to! I dont want to stand on the soil as I will compact it (spent ages
cultivating it - fairly high clay content in a new build garden).
Any tips ?? Are there any tools to help out - something like a rubbish
fork that you see street cleaners using ?
Or should I not be so anal and just leave the weeds growing until the
veg is established enough and I'm not so concerned about disturbing the
soil ?

Hmmmm... why didn't you give yourself some room to manoeuvre?! These
spuds of yours sound gigantic! Surely you don't need such a wide space
and could mount the soil up which would bring you closer to the middle.
Have you marked with a string or sticks where you've planted? Also,
your carrots, raddishes and parsnips will need to be thined down. How
are you going to get to them?! You need to mark out some path with
planks or even bricks, but you need to get to them!

I have a draw hoe with a very long handle which help me to reach those
difficult places. You can find them in any good garden tools shops. I
think I got mine in Birmingham years ago in one of those Witnes, of
Widnes or Whities something like this store.

In message , NC
writes

However, I am starting to get the inevitable weeds coming up too.

Tell me about it, there seem to be a zillion small weed seedling coming
up on the veg patch here in our new house.

Problem is, I can only reach about 3' from each end of the row to pull
them up - there is therefore a 2' section of most rows that I cant get
to! I dont want to stand on the soil as I will compact it (spent ages
cultivating it - fairly high clay content in a new build garden).

If you don't want to walk on the cultivated soil, then I suggest a move
from 'traditional' rows, to a bed system (they don't have to be
'raised') with beds 4-5 feet wide you can reach from paths each side.

Or should I not be so anal and just leave the weeds growing until the
veg is established enough and I'm not so concerned about disturbing the
soil ?

No, bad plan, the bigger the weeds, the harder work it is to be rid of
them.

--
Chris French

"Janet Baraclough" answered after NC wrote:

I have several seedlings starting to appear in my veg patch. I am
growing carrots, parsnips, sprouting broc, beetroot, radishes, potatoes
and peas. I have a row of each, about 14" apart and 8' long (some wider
spaced depending on what they are - ie potatoes have lots of space).
Everything is coming on nicely (as far as a total beginner can tell!).
However, I am starting to get the inevitable weeds coming up too.
Problem is, I can only reach about 3' from each end of the row to pull
them up - there is therefore a 2' section of most rows that I cant get
to! I dont want to stand on the soil as I will compact it (spent ages
cultivating it - fairly high clay content in a new build garden).
Any tips ?

Use a short section of plank (2 or 3 ft) laid on the earth to stand
on (or at least, put one foot on).
That will distribute your weight to some extent and help avoid soil
compaction.

We got ourselves some wide gravel boards and cut them into 5ft lengths.

When walking the plank then use the best weeding hoe on the market...
http://212.9.164.213/public_uk/produkte/prod00.hbs
Look for the Small Push Pull Weeder (RF M 10) and a suitable handle which
come in various lengths and either ally or wood, so get one to suit you for
size/feel.
( the big weeder is too big for getting round plants easily IMO but great
for bare ground)
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Bob Hobden" contains these words:

When walking the plank then use the best weeding hoe on the market...
http://212.9.164.213/public_uk/produkte/prod00.hbs
Look for the Small Push Pull Weeder (RF M 10)

Yes, brilliant tool. For anyone in Scotland, Brechin Castle GC in
Angus has them on special offer atm (only 14.99 for the head with plain
aluminium handle).

Janet

Is this tool effective in getting rid of your mystery weed?
Ok I am not interested in the tool but I do want to know what that weed
is/was.

We got ourselves some wide gravel boards and cut them into 5ft lengths.

When walking the plank then use the best weeding hoe on the market...
http://212.9.164.213/public_uk/produkte/prod00.hbs
Look for the Small Push Pull Weeder (RF M 10) and a suitable handle which
come in various lengths and either ally or wood, so get one to suit you for
size/feel.
( the big weeder is too big for getting round plants easily IMO but great
for bare ground)

Popped into homebase on the way home form work to buy some more 3" pots
- interestingly, they stock this range (and handles etc etc). May be a
daft question - but how does this work ?? Does it just disturb the soil,
and I then collect the weeds by hand ?
(only £8.99 + handle - so very tempting...)

It cuts off weeds from their roots (with both the backwards and
forwards movement) and nicely breaks up the soil surface. Much quicker,
easier and more efficient than a Dutch hoe ime. Most annual weeds will
just die on the soil surface so you needn't pick them up unless you are
supertidy.

Janet

OK - thanks. Looks like I'll be getting one then....
(esp as my new shed is being delivered this weekend - so I'll have lots
of room !)

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Rupert \(W.Yorkshire\)" contains these words:


"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Bob Hobden" contains these words:

When walking the plank then use the best weeding hoe on the market...
http://212.9.164.213/public_uk/produkte/prod00.hbs
Look for the Small Push Pull Weeder (RF M 10)

Yes, brilliant tool. For anyone in Scotland, Brechin Castle GC in
Angus has them on special offer atm (only 14.99 for the head with
plain
aluminium handle).

Janet

Is this tool effective in getting rid of your mystery weed?
Ok I am not interested in the tool but I do want to know what that weed
is/was.

So do I, and I still haven't..I took some to work but the
headgardener didn't recognise it (he's as new to the island as the
weed). You've reminded me to take it to the garden club this week and
ask there. The b thing is so pernicious I never hoe it; it breaks into
minute fragments and each one starts a new colony. So I just scopp it up
intact for burning or wormery.

Janet.

My money is on a sedum type thingy-such as Crassula helmsii -bearing in mind
this thing has several structural forms. I suppose it could be Sedum Hussein
:-)