What advice would you give to a (hopefully!) soon to be allotment holder?

[bluemoon]

I'll give the advice I give everyone, even though on the face of it it sounds daft. Go there on a sunny day in winter and note where the shadows fall. It's really easy to plant overwintering crops in high summer in a lovely sunny spot only to find they are languishing in the shade all winter because the sun is lower and the shadows correspondingly longer. While you're there check for frost pockets and any areas that might be prone to waterlogging. Visit on a windy day too and try to decide if you're going to need windbreaks, then consider planting fruit bushes instead of using the plastic stuff. After all, if you're going to have windbreaks they might as well be productive ones.
Good luck.

[Alison]

I've sited my shed in the back corner of the plot which hardly gets any sun even at this time of year.

[susieq100]

I find the digging strangely therapeutic (help loosing the plot)
Sorry no pun intended
Mark

Me too. You get into a rhythm, you can actually see what you have achieved and measure the progress. I have had my plot since middle of June and managed to get some crops in - we've had some cauliflower, calabrese and peas so far.
I have dug over quite a bit of mine and laid out some beds. The beds that I haven't planted anything in have been manured and covered in thick cardboard ready for the spring. I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do but the experienced plot holders haven't tutted or laughed at me, so I think it must be OK even if it's not brilliant. It will be brilliant! The planning and walking around the site, looking at all the other plots is really good fun. I picked up loads of good ideas. so, have a good wander around, why re-invent the wheel?

[Tam]

I've always thought that allotment sites should have a couple of resident pigs to that they could be borrowed to clean up overgrown plots. They are better than rotovators, as they eat roots as well as turning the earth over.

[MrsC]

Nearly to ground level with mine, can't go tomorrow and will be away next weekend but aim to go over half term and clear the rest and cover over.

[Sue]

Hi
As well as the whisky in the shed (or damson gin in my case) can I add take loads of photographs. There is nothing more cheering than looking back on the first ones. Mine were taken in winter and it looks bleak and a sea of mud. I then like to look at the one taken this summer of a thriving plot. the difference - 3 years but I have a series of pictures taken from the same position showing the gradual transformation. Very heartening when a shot in the arm is needed.

best wishes
Sue