It just gets better

[esrikandan]

I got my allotment today! Signed the paperwork and got some keys! What a day!

5 Poles of freshly rotovated nothingness! of course work commitments mean I can't go and admire this space until Saturday hopefully (if there are no disasters on the job I'm on at the moment...).

I celebrated by visiting Wilco and getting yes more seed spuds, some strawberries and artichokes!

Where to begin...!

[esrikandan]

Definitely. Although there is always a bit of room for geeking....!

[middlefield]

Can I suggest something from my own experience?

Go to Wilko's or Asda and buy some black polythene sheets from their gardening sections and cover a section of your allotment (probably about a third or a quarter) then simply leave until next year.

This will suppress any new weed growth and give you time to develop the rest of the plot.

I say this as I had a plot of a similar size and also a full time job, in year one we rotavated the whole area and found it far too much to cope with at once - the weeds immediately return By covering an area each year we've given ourselves a much better chance of keeping on top of it - and if the rest of the plot is full you can still grow plants through holes in it! (we grew all our pumpkins and courgettes really successfully that way last year)

[esrikandan]

Yep - I think my first plan of attack is to go and photo and plan out the site. I think I'll want to cover more than 1/4 though - I can't see myself getting that much cultivated this year. I reckon I'd cover 3/4 and work my way along.

Will the regular plastic stuff be suitable for covering, or do I want to get the weed supressent stuff?

[bubblewrap]

May add a further suggestion I would dig over as much as you can,and take out any remaining roots, because if you had cooch grass it will only come back unless you remove the roots.
Rotovating only churned the roots up cooch grass can grow from quite a small piece of root.

[starwatcher]

Enjoy your day on it tomorrow, hope the weather keeps fine for you

[Two_Sheds]

May I suggest a more eco-friendly version of black plastic ?
Old cardboard boxes. They suppress weeds, then rot down to improve your soil. And you'll be saving them from landfill. And you'll be saving the planet from another load of black plastic; thereby saving some oil; thereby perhaps shortening the war in Iraq (oh dear, i've gone off on one there ... put me back in my box, nurse)

[rustylady]

Oh you lucky person, I think! A newly rotovated plot always looks lovely and I don't want to be too pessimistic or spoil your enjoyment, but the trouble with rotovating is that it doesn't remove perennial weed roots, just chops them into hundreds and hundreds of cuttings. I would go with the others on covering what you can't manage to plant, be vigilant for any dandelion, bramble or dock, or couch grass daring to poke it's head above the surface and yank it out. I do hope you haven't got rotovated bindweed, but if you have the method is the same - pull it out as soon as you spot it. Potatoes are good at helping to clear ground. The leaf cover shades the weeds out and makes them weak, and the roots break up the ground. Good luck and enjoy it.

[esrikandan]

Thank you all! I'll share some pics tommorow of the virgin plot! On a side note, how does one attach the plastic sheeting stuff to the ground? And won't cardboard boxes simply blow away?

[Hans Mum]

well done you, good advice to cover some of it this year, and if you want some fruit bushes/trees youve just about got enough time to get them in

[esrikandan]

Here is it in all it's glory. Had a vistor while I was there as well!

Forgot to mention...dug over about 1/5 of it - soooo many white roots. Bad sign methinks.

[SarzWix]

Are they thick white roots, or thin? If thick, then could be bindweed, if thin more likely couch grass. Whichever, you definately want to get out as much as humanly possible
Nice pylon...

[esrikandan]

Fairly thin, so must be couch grass. There is LOADS of it! Should I compost or sling the roots in the bin?

[seasprout]

Well done.

Sling the roots in to black bags, stuff it and then tie up the bag with no holes.

It will compost that way. In a bin it could escape. Nice pictures. Dont forget to keep a diary.

[esrikandan]

Realistically, how much is possible in the first year? I'm going to spend as much of the weekend as I can at the plot digging, weed removal, stone removal etc.

I'm thinking of working from both ends, doing one end "properly" by creating raised beds, and the other end quick'n'dirty so I can get some stuff growing. Will preparing the soil for spuds (quick'n'dirty end) require much work? How much compost should I dig in?

For the "proper" end, I'm going to try and source some cheap timber and build the raised beds.

Thanks all!

Eric