new allotment

[yellow strawberry]

we are lucky enough to be given the plot next to ours ,,it has not been used for the past year so is looking very weedy and over grown,,,once we have cleared it what do you recommend we do with it as we wont be using it this year but want to keep the weeds down,,,was thinking of digging over de weeding and sowing some green manure ,,or do any of you lovely grapes have any over ideas

[zazen999]

Well, what I would do is:

Buy a few packets of winter squash seeds.

go to Tesco Extra several times and load up the car with as many free cardboard boxes as I could.

Clear a bit, put card down, put cleaned soil on the top to weight it down and plant a winter squash in a hole in the middle. I'd do that along one end, and trail the squashed up the plot, clearing each bit and putting more card down so that the whole plot is covered [that's after working out where my paths were going to go next year. Probably do the same along the other end so that the whole plot is covered in winter squash for this year with card under it to keep the weeds down.

Then, in any spare spaces and as the squash finishes, leeks, winter brassicas etc can also be planted in more holes in the card.

[yellow strawberry]

the paths and beds are already set out and it looks like it will work out ok for us as it is (luckily),,,but i do like the sound of growing some pumpkins

[zazen999]

Cripes - even better!!!

[Snadger]

Well, what I would do is:

Buy a few packets of winter squash seeds.

go to Tesco Extra several times and load up the car with as many free cardboard boxes as I could.

Clear a bit, put card down, put cleaned soil on the top to weight it down and plant a winter squash in a hole in the middle. I'd do that along one end, and trail the squashed up the plot, clearing each bit and putting more card down so that the whole plot is covered [that's after working out where my paths were going to go next year. Probably do the same along the other end so that the whole plot is covered in winter squash for this year with card under it to keep the weeds down.

Then, in any spare spaces and as the squash finishes, leeks, winter brassicas etc can also be planted in more holes in the card.

I take it you like squash then Zazen? A whole allotment plot full?

[Maximillian]

You could do pumkins for Halloween and give them to friends

[louisesgarden]

94th on the waiting list ( previous post ) may possibly strangle you out of envy !!! but pumpkins and squash are good option

[NOG]

That will be a lot of Squash.

[chriscross1966]

It's pretty much what I'm doing with mine..... msot of it under weed mulch plastic with squashes, pumpkins and other cucurbit splanted through, weighted down with pallets and builders bulk bags of freecycled topsoil and horse manure with beans, sweetcorn, tomatos, potatos and a few other bits and bobs in them.... all Iv'e got in the flat is some more potatos, rather a lot of assorted onions (I like onions) a few brassicas and leeks, some broad beans and peas....


chrisc

[zazen999]

I take it you like squash then Zazen? A whole allotment plot full?

Well, I'd probably space them out a bit!

I love squash - but the other posters are right - grow loads of pumpkins and give them to the local kids at Halloween.