My New Allotment

[chell25]

Hi,

I'm all new to growning anything and i've just managed to get an allotment, its never been used before for growing. My plan is to spend this weekend down there sorting everything out and preparing to start planting soon.

If anyone has any advice i would appricate it.

Many thanks
Michelle

[plotman]

Well michelle, Welcome to the mad world of allotments ). Seriously my only real advice is DONT try and sort yr allotment out in a weekend, or spend the whole weekend there. Best you can hope for is a bad back, a dampening of yr enthusiasm and not much else. Spend some time planning, Prepare a small area to get started, Sort out yr shed or source one (that will become yr refuge) and generally enjoy the introduction. Allotments are not only about good healthy cheap veg and fruit. But also about chillin out, taking stock of life and hiding away from this busy world. Enjoy it and i wish you the very best. Regards John Plotman.

[Beanie]

Advice? Wow, where to start! With this I guess : Well done you for giving it a go!

Other advice - read everywhere on this forum, it's really useful!

If your plot's never been used before for growing then your first task will be to clear it, assuming the council haven't already done it for you. If not, then please, please try not to use weedkiller - it's horrid stuff & quite unneccessary! Your soil will thank you in the long run!
If there's a large area to clear then chop down what weeds you can, & dig out any nasties like brambles. Then cover as much as possible with manure or straw (to 'feed' the soil), then cover that lot with something like black plastic or sheets of cardboard. The lack of light will kill off almost all weeds underneath. When you want to plant crops, make an x-shaped slit in the plastic/cardboard, & plant into that.

These things do take time to get going though - don't try & do it all at once or you'll strain something! All allotments 'evolve' over the years as we try out different things.

[chell25]

Sorry i really have not done any gardening at all apart from stewberry's!! Its all good fun!

They clear it last year and have put weed killer down, this was before i got the allotment. I got it last weekend and really dont know where to start. I have sown some seeds at home on the window seal, and just really need to start sorting thing out on the allotment ready for planting. I have a little team going down this weekend to get things going. Once i have cleared all the weeds, i have already been given some black weed proof plastic, which i had planned to dig down and lay like a layer of it then put soil over the top mixing in some purchased compost. Would i be better laying it over the top and cutting planting hole in the top as you said above?

Thanks for you advice

[Shmik]

Hi there!

I, like you, am new to this allotment lark but luckily was given a plot that has been worked well for the last 15 years or so..

With regards to the weed fabric, the idea is to block out the light and kill weeds so i would just lay it over the top of the plot and peg it down. No need to dig down and put soil over the top..

Good luck!

[SarzWix]

Sounds to me like you need to draw a plan
Measure your plot, decide if you want a shed (if you're allowed) and where you'll put it. Where your compost bins will go. Whether you'll be growing in big beds or small, if you want a pond or wildlife area. How much space you want to devote to fruit like strawberry or raspberry beds. When you've answered all those questions, sit down with a pecil, a ruler and a piece of paper.

Here's what my first plan looked like, I more or less stuck to it too If you click on the picture, then click on it again once it's popped up, you should get a bigger/enlargeable picture.

[Eyren]

Would i be better laying it over the top and cutting planting hole in the top as you said above?

Yes.



Welcome to the vine, michelle, and congrats on the new lottie! I've had mine coming up three years now, and every spring I still get excited as a kid at Christmas

How big is your new plot? A full-sized one is a lot to handle, and even if it's a smaller one, it's still a lot of hard work to start with. On the plus side it's very therapeutic!

I would second all the advice above about clearing and planning. Now is a great time of year to get started, as the weather is starting to warm up and the soil is a bit drier for digging. I would suggest working out what you would like to eat, then planning an area for each crop. Here's some suggestions for easy veg for beginners:

1. Potatoes - buy seed potatoes (individual potatoes from a healthy, virus-free stock that will grow into new plants) and plant them in March

2. Onion sets - baby onions about the size of a large grape, that will grow into much bigger onions by summer. Buy now and plant in March/April - they need clear soil though, as they are fiddly to weed between.

3. Runner beans - sow in pots in April/May and plant out on your plot when about six inches or so tall (they'll need a support made from canes).

4. Courgettes and squash - sow in pots in April and plant out when they have at least two leaves about the size of your hand. Add some fertilizer to the hole when you plant them, as they are big, greedy plants!

For lots more info on individual crops, check out the "Vegging Out" and "New Shoots" sections and/or do a search on the forum - odds are if it's edible, someone will have asked about how to grow it!

You might also find it useful to get a good book on vegetable growing. Carol Klein's "Grow Your Own Veg" is really well laid out with lots of sowing charts and photos (and is on special offer at WHS - if they have any left!); there are also some good books specifically about allotments, e.g. "The Allotment Book" by Andi Clevely, and "The Half-Hour Allotment" by Lia Leendertz.

Good luck!

[Paulottie]

Sorry i really have not done any gardening at all apart from stewberry's!! Its all good fun!

They clear it last year and have put weed killer down, this was before i got the allotment. I got it last weekend and really dont know where to start. I have sown some seeds at home on the window seal, and just really need to start sorting thing out on the allotment ready for planting. I have a little team going down this weekend to get things going. Once i have cleared all the weeds, i have already been given some black weed proof plastic, which i had planned to dig down and lay like a layer of it then put soil over the top mixing in some purchased compost. Would i be better laying it over the top and cutting planting hole in the top as you said above?

Thanks for you advice

Hello Michelle.

First you need to buy a simple book. I always advise the Veg and Herb Expert - Dr Hessayon. gives you an overview.

Get you're mates to help do some digging over and remove any weed roots you find. Rake it over a bit and then mulch with the compost (I hope you're thinking trailer from council/mushroom farm /stables and not bagged (doesn't go far - too expensive) Lay your weed membrane on TOP of prepared area. peg down or dig in edge

Buy some 1st or 2nd early seed potatoes and plant them through this membrane (scissors and bulb planter best) later in the season you might also plant butternuts ,courgettes, runners, cabbages, tomatoes, sweetcorn through the holes. (use the young plants you have raised in pots.)

You move it about for a couple of years and it will be mostly cleaned out and you can revert to more traditional methods.

If you can find some old floorboards etc they are handy. then 4 pegs and a few nails makes a 4ft wide box that you can fill deeply with compost to grow salads or a few onions etc in

The most important thing is to grow what you enjoy eating but these sort of crops will be realistic in the first year....(we all see folk knock themselves out digging then sprinkle expensive packets of seed about then are surprised when they come back to a sea of weeds with not a carrot to be found...never to return again.)

Forget the shed(until your established) but build a double compost heap..old pallets will do. You will be more able to work out the long term plan after a year or two and once plot is properly cleared

Its a long lace not a sprint. Enjoy it and let us know how you got on at the weekend

[geoff]

When I got my allotment one of the Wise Old Men told me that "a bottle of whisky's not a bad thing to keep in your shed"

[chell25]

Geoff, I like the sound of that one!! Lol I’ll end up getting nothing done!!

Ok i have done a plan of how i would like the allotment to look like; it is 1/2 a plot. I have got a practical allotment book and have just ordered the allotment book by A.M Clevely.

I think as most people say, you learn as you go on. I have made a list of the Veg i wish to grow and have sown some already and they have started showing though now. With regards to Potatoes I know this is going to sound silly, but i have some in my cupboard that have sprouted, can i use them at all? Or should i go and buy some 1st or 2nd early seed potatoes and following chitting?
I have already started collecting things to help, like the black weed proof plastic, which was left over by one of my partners builders, so he grabbed it, i have also started collecting pallets to build my compost bins and trying to get some scaffolding boards for my the edge's

Thanks every one for your advice I really appreciate it.

Chell

[Epsom Gardener]

Chell

I would lay the black plastic you got over the areas you want to plant next year - to give it time to kill the weeds. With the area you want to grow things in this year, lay down cardboard and put your bought or dug up (& weed free) soil on top and plant into that. I know bought compost/dirt is expensive, but you can occassionally get it cheaply - at the moment my local garden centre has 75 litre bags down from £4.99 to £2.49 (Chessington Garden Centre). Go to your local farm/horse stables and ask if they have a Muck Pile (poo pile) and if you can help yourself. Make sure it is well rotted if you want to put it on the beds mixed in with the soil. If not well rotted, put it in your compost bin and you can use next year. I have found the empty compost bags are great for collecting horse poo as they are good and tough. If you make raised beds, make them only 1.2m (120cm) wide, that way you can reach into the middle from both sides and not tread on the soil. If the allotment site has any piles of leaves, grab as much as you can and put it in the compost heap/in a pile and cover with black plastic/in black plastic bags with holes or on top of the cardboard & under the soil/manure.

Keep any carpet you can get for free for paths & to cover weeds.

I agree with everyone else - try not to do it all this year you may get disheartened.

Enjoy!

[chell25]

Ok well went down at the weekend and have decided to get a rotivator arranged for this weekend to do the whole lot. Then i will sort my beds out.

[Eyren]

Re rotavators, they're reckoned to be a Bad Thing if you have perennial weeds like couch grass - they just chop the roots into little bits so it grows back threefold

Personally I prefer to weaken the grass by covering it up, then it's relatively easy to get the roots out - but it's up to you!

[spennysaint]

HI michele

I too got my allotment last weekend and it hasn't been used for 4 years, i'd definately agree with the bit about try not to sort it all out at once. last weekend i thought i'd be cutting bramle and digging, i only got as far as clearing brambles!! I've decided to clear enough to plant what needs planting now. Spent last weekend clearing enough brambles to plant onion sets, plan to dig that bit this weekend once that bit is sorted i plan to get an area for spuds. it's hard work so a few hours at a time is plenty.

Liking this thread for any advice!!

good luck

Claire

[Peter]

...... Once i have cleared all the weeds, i have already been given some black weed proof plastic, which i had planned to dig down and lay like a layer of it then put soil over the top mixing in some purchased compost. Would i be better laying it over the top and cutting planting hole in the top as you said above?....

Burying black plastic under soil
Sentence for first offence should be hanging.
Repeat offenders should be buried in it.


Seriously though, that MUST NOT be done, it makes cultivation in the future impossible and if you give up the plot, or move on, then the future tenant will make your ears burn a hundred miles away when he finds what you buried. Try digging some up after its been under soil for a few years, you'll understand my viewpoint then.

As a base to a raised bed it is a defined area and hopefully easier to deal with, but I'd still advise against it.