rotavate a garden question

Question

I had a gardener come give me a quote to clear the weeds in an area of my garden where there is very little grass, he said he would strim it, rotavate it and then rake it to make it a bit more level.

I thought good idea and I could probably even do that myself.

However worried about the rotavator part as online it says it cuts up weeds and spreads them everywhere making it sound like it will be a nightmare in the future. should I really be concerned about the weed issue going forward.

Ali · Accepted Answer

Using a rotavator to clear weeds can be effective in the short term, but it's true that it can sometimes chop up weed roots and spread them, potentially causing weed problems in the future. To minimize this risk, you can take these steps :

Thoroughly remove visible weeds before rotavating.
Make multiple passes with the rotavator to ensure the soil is well mixed.
Consider using a weed barrier or mulch after rotavating to suppress weed growth.

Callum · Answer

Remove the weeds befor rotavating and after rotavating use a turf friendly weed killer to spread witch will decrease the chance of future weeds growing,

Michael · Answer

If I was to do this job using the steps outlined by the gardener I would remove roots and any other unsavoury debris during each stage to ensure minimal regrowth of weeds

Fatik · Answer

Rotavating can indeed break up weed roots and redistribute them, potentially causing more weed growth in the future. However, whether you should be concerned depends on a few factors:

Current Weed Situation: If your garden area is overrun with weeds, rotavating might be a necessary step to clear them out initially, even if it increases the potential for future weeds. You could follow up with effective weed control measures after rotavating.
Long-Term Plan: Consider your long-term plans for this garden area. If you intend to maintain it as a weed-free space and are willing to put in the effort to control weeds regularly, rotavating might not be as much of a concern.
Gardener's Expertise: Discuss your concerns with the gardener who provided the quote. They might have strategies to mitigate the weed problem after rotavation, such as using weed fabric or applying mulch. Their experience can be valuable in addressing your worries.
Alternative Methods: Explore alternative methods for weed control, such as manual weed removal, using herbicides, or opting for a no-dig gardening approach. These methods might minimize the weed issue without resorting to rotavation.

Shane · Answer

Yes he should remove the weeds by hand first making sure removing the roots then renovate.

Luke · Answer

Yes that will spread weeds everywhere I think not a good idea

Billy · Answer

I would remove the weeds rotavate it and spray with weed killer so that nothing grows back in future

Craig · Answer

Hi Shane,

Me personally I would take all weeds out with as little damage to the lawn as possible then aerate the lawn and spread a tenacity herbicide over the lawn leave that get to work for a few days to kill the weeds without affecting your lawn, then seed the lawn with sand and grass seed and level garden whilst spreading these with a levelling rake which works wonders

Regards

Craig

Shelley · Answer

Not really as long as you apply so weed killer after wards

Mike · Answer

Weed before rotavating and treat afterwards with a eco friendly weed killer

rotavate a garden question

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