My first allotment

[LinandEm]

I have just been given my first allotment, which at the moment, has been given some kind of treatment to get rid of most of the weeds cos its been left for a long time. I just don't know where to start.

The site is on an old claypit so there are loads of bits of crockery, pottery and old bottles, i've got a strip of brambles about 3 foot deep, 3 foot tall and about 12 foot long, which i want to get rid of (mostly...can they be tamed at all, cos i do love blackberries but didnt know if this was a good idea or not.)

I also have a strip of grass (not normal grass, the long stuff with loads of seeds at the head, wispoy stuff, hard to pull up) this is about 12 foot long by 4 foot wide.

So have any of you got some firsdt advice to givce me to get rid ogf this stuff....and i presume i need to spend ages picking up all the broken pots, big stones and stuff as well

And someone said i am too late to start planting stuff now anyway, so do i need a plan of action?

help!!!

[NOG]

Burn it all off. Then dig it over to get all the hardcore out then rotovate it.

[LinandEm]

right, and am i too late for sowing even if i did manage to get the site cleared?

[Two_Sheds]

right, and am i too late for sowing even if i did manage to get the site cleared?

No. Start some seeds in modules: sweetcorn, French beans, salad, pumpkins.

They can go out as you clear a patch.

[Two_Sheds]

i've got a strip of brambles about 3 foot deep, 3 foot tall and about 12 foot long, which i want to get rid of (mostly...can they be tamed at all, cos i do love blackberries

Depends on the quality ... some wild blackberries are lush, others are pippy, seedy and maggotty. You need to wait till autumn to find out

[Two_Sheds]

i presume i need to spend ages picking up all the broken pots, big stones and stuff

I've got the same rubbish on my plot ... when I weed, I also have a "stone" bucket. All stones go onto my central path

[NOG]

Alot of stuff is only going out now:

Squash, Carrot, Corn, Lettuce, cabbage, parsnips,

If you want don't dig but go no-dig for this year. just clear the dits you are planting into.

[LinandEm]

yeah I've manged to draft in 3 little helpers, armed them with gloves, a bucket and a spade each and they love it, picking up the stones and bits of pottery..don't know how long it will last but I'll make the most of it, got 5 days off work so intend to spend it sorting out my allotment, thanks for the advice. any more gratefully received

[NOG]

Have a good look over it first to make sure there is nothing nasty lieing about that could heart the little ones.

[LinandEm]

yeah they've been banned from picking up any glass, and they got their gloves as well, and i know the novelty will wear off very quickly and they'll be moaning when are we going home mum, I'm bored!! They'll each have a little square to plant stuff in once we get everyting sorted out. I just can't wait to taste proper potatoes.

[Snadger]

Congratulations on getting your plot. There's still loads of time for planting so best way is to dig a bit and plant a bit as you go!

Purple Sprouting broccoli can be sown in a pot or small seedbed now giving you plants to plant out later. Likewise with all the differing Kales.Spring cabbage can be sown a bit later into the summer, maybe July.

I noticed in my local Dobbies GC that they still had onion sets, albeit reduced in price. The Japanese onion sets will be in the shops later in the year.
Sow some leeks, or buy some plants..........you have to have leeks! You could still possibly get away with a late planting of reduced price seed tatties.
The list just goes on and on.......so have fun!