Kim

[kim]

Hello everyone

I took on my allotment two weeks ago after years of thinking about it. My allotment is a large wild mass of weeds and grasses anchored in by a hard dry clay soil! Apparently my plot has not be cultivated for many years. Is that a very bad thing?

[zazen999]

Hi Kim

Welcome.

We had to wait nearly a year; so well done for the short wait. Unfortunately, that means you probably had no time to plan. We had months and months to do so...the waiting wasn't easy.

Ours hadn't been cultivated in years either; but apparently the allotment guy was so embarassed with the state of them all; he put the charges up and got it rotavated. This can be good, and it can be bad. It carves up the soil but also the weeds. Thus, we are both aching from the digging and weeding since.

The main thing is to cover what you can't tackle this year; and start on a small patch and dig each out until it is free of weeds enough to plant. You can do both and cover and plant through holes in the plastic; which is what we are doing as it's just too much to do digging out each bed.

If you go to the growing techniques part of the forum, at the bottom is Supersprout's allotment notes. Unfortunately, Supersprout is no longer with us; but the legacy lives on. I look at this every time I need inspiration.

Others will be along with more advice, and I have a load of washing up to do - so I must go.

Just take it slow and steady and you'll get there before you know it.

[barrie tough]

welcome kim you will get a lot help & advice here.spuds are a good way to clear the soil.try one that covers the ground well like valour.dont try to do to much at once or could put your self of plotting.best of luck

[Flummery]

You can also cover usused parts of the allotment with cardboard - the big boxes that you can get free at supermarkets, for instance. Take off the sellotape as it won't break down! Cover this with manure of you can get it, but just something to hold it down will do. Then you can plant through it if you need to. If you don't mind using it, glyphosate (sold as Roundup) will kill growing weeds and then you can cover up. You won't get it all sorted in a few weeks so don't try. More people give up by doing too much and then associating allotments with pain than anything else! Good luck - you'll forget the hard work when you eat (and share) your lovely crops.

[kim]

Thanks for the advice. I have now covered some of the plot with some old plastic tarpaulin I had. We have cut down most of the grass but the ground is baked hard so I haven't attempted to remove any weeds and grass yet. Would I have to double dig to plant potatoes?

[barrie tough]

depends on what kind of weed,but the more you get out the better.potatoes will clean it well,if the ground has not been used for a while you will get away with putting them in the same bit next.that should clean it out pretty well.

[kim]

Thanks. I will get on with preparing to plant potatoes. That is if the ground softens. I must be one of the few people in the country hoping for rain!