new allotment

[mustbemad]

I'm in a quandry, having just started a new allotment, planted potatoes, beetroot and some other veg. I have no help, the digging has been tough, as I am a female pensioner. I think that I was too late to manure the plot so I just went ahead and planted stuff. some things are growing well. Should I feed all the veg that I have planted? or just hope that they all grow. the field that my allotment is on has not been used for years and it's been tough going, but I am really enjoying it but just stumbling along. I need all the help and hints that you can offer me. thank you so much for reading this, I did post on here about the sprouts going to buy some more plants and put a netting cover over them and hope that that works.

[zazen999]

And I'll move this one to 'vegging out'

[Incy]

Lucky you!
Although I am not hugely experienced and don't have an allotment, just space in my garden, I have heard that growing potatoes is a good way to clear ground in the first year if it hasn't been worked for along time as it breaks up the soil so it sounds like you've made a good choice there

[magz.mccarthy]

Hi Mustbemad,

I got an allotment late last year and have had the same tough job of digging through concrete ground. Are you finding a lot of worms? I found plenty in mine, and all my veg are growing great! I have been adding in compost when I plant things, but haven't manured or added great amounts of topsoil or anything like that. I'd say feed the plants maybe when they are starting to fruit as usual, but other than that I hope that there is enough goodness in your soil for them to feed off! Best of luck!

[Creemteez]

Hi Mustbemad (we all are!),
Well done for managing what you have. I wouldn't worry too much about feeding your crops. If as you say, the ground that you are growing in has been left for years, then it will be well "rested" Farmers in days of yore operated a "fallow" system by which one field in four was left to rest for a year.
Carry on the good work, maybe sprinkle a bit of pelleted chicken manure around stuff that is already growing, or add some to any ground that you manage to clear.
I'd continue to gradually clear and plant manageable areas through the summer, then come the autumn go to town with the well rotted manure. Just spread it over the tops of your beds and the worms will do most of the working in for you.
Don't overdo it, It sounds as if you've made a great start!

[mustbemad]

Thanks for your help, I'm really enjoying my allotment, would have been better if I had got it in the winter then I could have dug it up and left it ready for the spring but there you go next year hopefully will be better

[mustbemad]

Thats nice and we both live in Cornwall, I'm in Falmouth

[susieq100]

Hi Mustbemad
If the ground is hard, then in the autumn spread the manure over it and leave it! I had a section of the plot that I could not get a pick axe into last summer and by the spring it was easy digging - the worms had done their stuff! Good luck and enjoy.

[dominic10]

Hi - consider getting or making a compost bin/heap for use in the future if you haven't already done this. Good luck this season!