New allotment - what to grow?

[chengjing]

I just got an allotment after 3 year's waiting. It is an overgrown plot that has been left for a while, full of weeds particularly male tales. I need to clear everything out before planning anything. I was told there are problems with pigeons and badgers.

I would like some advice on what to grow in the next a few months.


Thanks

[jenjen]

Oooh how exciting. You'll have your work cut out there but little by little you'll reclaim something.

if you get some spring flowering brocolli and cauliflower seeds now, and start them off in modules at home, that'll give you something to give you into a newly cleared section.

Come the autumn, you can plant over wintering onions, garlic, broad beans.

Depending on how quickly you get things cleared, go to the local garden centre and see what's reduced. Or even worse... a dIY store. I've saved some condemned purple sprouting broccoli which was only 50p a fortnight ago from B&Q...

Good luck!

[Lemon]

Congrats on finally getting the allotment! Maybe you can clear some space to get some Christmas Potatoes in! That'd be lovely - eating your own grown spuddies at Xmas!

Chinese Brassicas are quick growers - maybe you could get some pak choi, choi sum grown....Spinach even? And the over-wintering brassicas - Kales, broccoli and cabbages. Carrots too perhaps?

Happy Digging! Don't forget to post pics so we can ooh and ahh at the before and after pics! I'm sure it'll turn out as beautiful as your garden at home!

[weekendwellies]

Congratulations on your new site.
I recently got a new site which was badly overgrown and full of horse tail and other such weeds and found trying to clear it all very disheartening.
I am now just clearing a area at a time about 2m x1m and planting something straight away into that cleared bit.
I have put some plastic sheeting down over part of the rest, and am just ignoring the bits I haven't yet got round to digging.
It is more of a long term project than a quick fix!
There is still time to get in lettuce, rocket, spring onions, radish, carrots, and you could put in some marrows, pumkins, courgettes, which will help smother some of the weeds. How avout some swede and kohl rabi and potatoes too.
Good luck with the digging.
(btw: I wouldnt rotavate it as this just breaks up the roots you are trying to get rid of and makes 100 times more weeds that you need to remove!)

[chengjing]

Thanks guys for your advice.

The site is still full of overgrown weeds, will take sometime to clear them out like Weekendwellies said. It is probably too late for the summer vegetables. I will sow some kale, cabbage, broccoli, Swede and cauliflower and Chinese vegetables at home. I still have loads of seeds. I also think about sow some perennial herbs like fennel and hyssop. Hopefully I can plant them to the site in a few weeks’ time.

I will keep you guys updated with the progress.


Here is the picture of my new allotment and hubby on our first inspection

[NOG]

Thats a lawn not weeds....when I first took on my plot the pigmys that were living in the weeds tried to fight me for it.

[chengjing]

Well, we did not manage to grow anything the last year after all but we started to grow almost 10 months since we got our allotment.

We did manage to get rid most overgrowning hedge and replaced with fruit treess and fruit bushes. We have built a big second hand green house, finished raised beds and almost finished digging. We are going to have a shed on the top of the plot within the next a couple months. All we need to do now is growing

Here are a couple of pics.

From outside lane


Green house, Hubby and our dog Max


Top of the plot

[SarzWix]

WOW! You've done an amazing job there! Well done! I bet you can't wait to get it full of growing stuff

[piskieinboots]

Oh WOW again - that's amazing, really well done you - great inspiration for any new lottie holders

[chengjing]

thanks guys, indeed I am itchy to get plants out. Shall update later when plants start to grow.

[ohbeary]

Seriously good work chengjing, I just got my first "all my own" allotment today at 4:55pm, its on a former cornfield, still got the stubble on it, good soil, top of the field below a high hedge, south facing and only about 15 yards from the layby, (no water on site yet but I can run a hose from a 5 gal drum in the car), compared to my bare plot yours looks like a "Garden Center".

[geoff]

so that's the first time you've seen your husband is it?!

[Princess Unicorn]

Aww wow! That really is a driving insperation!

We got to choose our plot yesterday and got the keys today. Going to takle it this weekend!

But wow! You have done and amazing job!

xx

[chengjing]

Thanks for the comment guys. We have eventually decided to get a new shed. Hubby and his friend spent all weekend to put it up. And it is almost ready for use.

[Currysniffa]

Awesome! Well done it looks great...