Brand new allotment holder - scared!

[rainbowminx]

Hello all! I sent an e-mail last week to someone locally about whether or not we had local allotments where I live. She gave me the number of the chap who knows. On Friday I telephoned him and he said to meet him there in two hours (it's less than 1/2 a mile away), and precisely two hours after that I was the proud keeper of an allotment!!! Now I've embarked on it I must say I'm a bit scared. The plot is 27m x 10m which looks HUGE. I've been reading bits and bobs since then but it all seems a bit overwhelming. I have a small raised bed in my garden where I grow bits and bobs, but have never had 270 square metres of roughly rotovated grassy soil to tackle before! Apparently it's been left unused for about 15 years and is a bit sandy. ANY advice would be appreciated, especially to stop me panicking!

[SarzWix]

Don't panic
Until you get your head around it, and draw some sort of a plan up, try and get hold of some cardboard (broken up boxes from the supermarket or something) and cover up as much as you can (wet it so it doesn't blow away, or cover it with lots of manure/compost if you can get it). Then the weeds don't get a chance to take over the bits you can't use straight away. Also, see if you can get hold of some straw - that's good to cover up the bare bits of soil where you do plant things, so that weeds don't take a hold.
If you want to plant lots of potatoes, T&M have a special offer on their seed potatoes at the moment Potato Special Offer

Good luck, and search out some of the stories on here of tamed allotments - it'll keep you going!


I just found the thread which I first posted on when I got my new allotment, some grat advice on there from the other Grapes
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ned_5098.html?

[jackie j]

Just dont try and do too much decide what you want to grow based on what you normally eat. Do a little bit at a time and before you know it it will be done. I got my plot last september and tho we have dug it all over once it still needs work.
Good Luck.

[Flummery]

Well done. It will be hard work but you'll really reap the benefits. Enjoy it - remember it's supposed to be fun - and don't try to do everything at once.

[snuffer]

New Lottie

Hello Rainbowminx. I'm just going to echo what others have said. Don't panic and do just a bit at a time. Ours is a great hobby but remember that's all it is. If things don't work out exactly as we'd like this year there is always next. That's what's so good, no matter how badly we cock it up it's easy to start again.

I have only recently taken on an allotment and am enjoying gradually taming it. This year I will concentrate on clearing one bit at a time (I have devided it up into twelve 15ft x 10ft beds) when one part is weed free and dug over I move on to the next one. Some of the beds take more than three weeks to clear but hey, it's not a race.

Just enjoy your time on the lottie. If you need advice just ask on the grapevine There's always someone who can help. I've had loads of good advice and helpful tips from the other grapes.

[dwrudd]

Welcome to the Vine Rainbow, I think you get the picture by now eh? don't worry at all. It is supposed to be fun after all.

You seem to have got your lottie when most of us have already done our planning and plotting over the winter period and so may be a little behind but the growing season is young so I would suggest getting a few seeds in trays now, but ONLY THE THINGS YOU LIKE TO EAT.

Garden centres are currently stuffed with small plants of all types of veg and so there is plenty to go at.

I would break things up though. Cover up as much of the plot as you can as this will help surpress weeds and uncover a small bed at a time so that you are only faced with small area's as you want them. It really does work you know.

If you don't use it all this year, so what, there is plenty of time and this really is just the beginning.

Good luck and enjoy.
Darren.

[rainbowminx]

Aww, I'm touched! Thank you all for your friendly words of wisdom and reassurance. I've now cordoned off a full half of it so that I only have half to think about for now (although I'm going to try and cover the un-used half). I've measured (yes, I'm like that!) out some beds and flattened out some paths. This evening I dug and de-weeded 2/3 of my first 5x1.5m bed and it was SO satisfying!! I had some stuff growing in my conservatory (now hardening off on the patio) which was destined for the garden, and which I have no room for, so have some stuff to put in when my bed is ready. I have sprouts, broccoli, purple sprouting broccoli, pumpkin and butternut squash. Do you think I should bung it all in when I have a couple of beds done? It's all quite exciting as well as daunting isn't it?

Thanks again

[percy charlie]

you will need to rotate what ever you grow this year next year, as its a really big plot why not devide it half for veg half for fruit. this way you could plant strawberrys at anytime this year but they wont fruit till next year but will be well established and fruit very well next year, also consider raspberries, gooseberries,currents, blackberry, japenese wineberry, cranberry, goji, blueberry, rhubarb just to name a few, allotments near me are large and this is what may of them have done, as fruit gives alot in return and i find it easier to grow than veg and doesnt need the rotation as often about 5 years for strawberries and raspberries. making raised beds for the veg is a good idea as will help your back. i recommend making the soil good, well rotted manure dug in, bonemeal, potash then left a few weeks before planting (blueberries dont tolerate manure but most other fruit and veg love it) as good nutrious soil is a foundation towards sucessful crops. shame your not near nottinghamshire near sherwood forest area as in august will probably have a good few strawberry runners ive promised a few away but ive 125 plants that will soon be doing runners for england so what ever runners i dont require will have to go as my 125 is enough apart from a few to renew stock, so will have plenty i could have started you off with some for august. any going spare will put on a thread for people to contact me about them i have 8 varieties but it will be requester collects when i offer them.
get fruity on the allotment, it not as scary as you think once everything takes shape all the best percy charlie

i love fruit, and so do kids when they can nick it of the bush, one way to get them to eat it without having to making them.

[Flummery]

Your squashes might do well to be left for another couple of weeks though. They are not hardy and a frost will turn them all black and runny (YUKK!) We might be lucky this year but it's quite possible to get a frost here in E Yorks at any time in May.

Good luck - you've made a great start.

[HeyWayne]

Well done, looks like you've been busy already. Just make sure to work in chunks and you'll soon have it all working.

Sandy soild should mean you'll do well with root veg I think (someone knowledgeable will confirm/deny I'm sure) and asparagus. Plenty of organic matter into the soil and you'll soon be reaping the benefits.

Make sure you enjoy it every now and then though, no fun otherwise. Good luck.