Newbie allotment and member

[Mugwump]

Hello! I just happened upon this site while looking for advice on my newly aquired veggie patch. I am just about to move house and have gained a 100 x 65 metre garden with the veggie patch measuring 100 x 30 metres! I have only managed to stand and stare at it so far with dropped jaw!
I know it has raspberries at the top, then a few rows of sprouts, then leeks, but I don't know what has been grown on the rest- so
1. How do I plan my stock rotation without knowing where things have been planted previously?
2. Should I start off by digging some fertiliser in?

I'm not a complete novice, but the sheer size of this plot has blown me away!
I'm planning on growing loads of potatoes, beans, marrows, pumpkins, spinach and salad leaves. If anyone can suggest anything else worth a space in my plot, I would be most grateful.

Thanks in advance

Hannah

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome to the vine Mugwump.

Sorry, I am not able to help with your question as I have only been growing for the last couple seasons myself. I am sure, however, that you will soon have many responses from the experienced growers on here.

[Paul Wagland]

Hi Mugwump, welcome to the Grapevine.

Sounds like there's not much you can do about crop rotation this season - but that's not the end of the world. The idea of rotation is (as you probably know) to avoid the build-up of pests and disease in the soil and the depletion of nutrients - caused by growing crops with the same weaknesses / nutritional needs year after year. I'd just make a fresh start and rotate from next season.

With regards digging in, I would say it's always a good idea. It feeds the soil and improves the structure and pH balance. You want to dig in compost though, such as rotted manure, not fertiliser which is a bit different (more of a concentrated food, and often specific to the crop).

Garlic and onions are well worth growing - they take up the ground for a relatively long time but with so much space that's not really an issue for you! They're dead easy, and really rewarding.

Good luck with it all - sounds like you've got your work cut out!

[vegnut]

Hiya Mugwump, welcome to the vine.
Marrows & Pumpkins are good, they take up a fair amount of room & they are a good way of supressing weeds. If you still need to cover some more ground, why not try some Butternut Squash.
A few types of Cabbage may be a good choice too, that is if you like Cabbage.
Then there's the Favourites for the summer. Carrots, Spring Onions, Beetroot, Turnips & Radishes.
I could go on But i wont.
Enjoy your plot

[bluemoon]

Pretend you have no idea what has been grown there in the past. When I took over my first allotment it was already planted up and I struggled every year after that to follow some sort of crop rotation based upon the original plantings, which seemed to make absolutely no sense to me at all, although I'm sure the chap who first planted it knew what he was doing. Work commitments eventually forced us to give that plot up, but a year or two later, when our situation had eased, we again got an allotment. There was nothing there but weeds but, from a crop rotation point of view, it was far easier as I then was able to do things as I wanted, made a plan and, largely, stuck to it and wished I'd done the same thing from the beginning with the other one.

[Shortie]

Hi Mugwump

It's going to be my first 'real' year at our lottie this year and have no idea what was planted there and what will grow, sooooo my plan is: First third sow carrots, beans, onions, cabbage etc, each in their own rotation beds. This area has now been dug often enough to be workable. Second third of the plot to plant butternut and pumpkins. Good ground cover on "second dug" ground. Third third to plant tatties as this ground has only been roughly dug so will benefit the ground cover and the digging to plant/dig up.

No idea if this is sensible, but hey ho, that's our (my Dad and moi) line of attack!

[moggssue]

Hi and welcome Mugwump! This is my first year with a lottie so I have no idea what I'm doing but it will be interesting going anyway!! Good luck to you ...

[Hans Mum]

hi & welcome you'll get loads of good advice on here, but i wouldnt worry too much about crop rotation in your 1st year how many of us knew what had been grown where when we got our plots? unless of course you were starting a new plot from scratch

[SarzWix]

Hi Mugwump, welcome to the 'Vine
I'd second the others - try not to worry what was where previously, and just start from scratch on the rotation - after all, some people don't have room to rotate at all & generally manage ok! I would decide what you want to grow, sort it into crop groups, and then decide where everything will go based on how much space each group will need.
As for what to grow - order a few seed catalogues! You'll soon have a longer list of stuff than you can possibly fit in (Just ask Seahorse!! )
A quick read through the threads on here will give you lots of ideas too, try this thread;
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...=Gold+Standard

(By the way, is your user-name from Harry Potter? I am a bit of an HP nerd... )

[Flummery]

Mugwump as a name has been around for yonks Sarah. When I was an undergrad in Durham there was a shop called Mugwump. I have a feeling it's still there. And that was in nineteen-hundred-and-frozen-to-death!

[Tracey]

Welcome Mugwump

What a great plot size! I wish you a bountiful first year. Can you send a pic?

Kind regards
Tracey

[SarzWix]

Mugwump as a name has been around for yonks Sarah. When I was an undergrad in Durham there was a shop called Mugwump. I have a feeling it's still there. And that was in nineteen-hundred-and-frozen-to-death!

Quick Google;
World Wide Words: Mugwump
But doesn't surprise me JK Rowling likes words, and a lot of them mean something relevant - in HP Dumbledore is the Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot

[Matt.]

100m by 30m that is one big veg plot! By my reconing thats equivalent to at least 12 regular large allotments (50m x5m) which is way way more than anyone on here who grows non commercially. Even the keenest have 3 plots max maybe?

If you're growing for just yourself I'd doubt you need anything like that space, even if you plan on giving it away?! First thing I'd do is try to understand how much you want to get out of the land. Maybe go have a look at your local allotments and see what people get out of theirs.

Then I'd choose the bit of land that works best for you. Maybe thats the best soil structure, aspect, shielding from the elements, closeness to water/shed/house/path or how it visually fits with the rest of your acreage!!

From then on its easy. Grow what you like, try as much as you like and fun trying. Don't worry about previous rotations and start your own. I'd also leave fertiliser and see what the land produces. Use this year for trial and error and learning what you need don't need. Good luck and enjoy yourself. Oh and can I say I'm extremely jealous

[FoxHillGardener]

blimey, 100 x 30m - isn't that a field ?

[Lavenderblue]

blimey that is a huuuuuuge plot. I have no advice as i am a newbie myself but wanted to say welcome. Without exception the folks here have been fantastic in helping with our new plot of land, i am sure that there will be lots of advice coming your way.