Just got new allotment, where to start?

[CADS]

Hi everyone

I have just taken over my first allotment ever after waiting 18mnths.

It doesn't look like it have been worked for a couple of years. It is 100sqm and seems to have crouch grass, binding weed and some brambles. The plots on either side are is a bad state to and one is definitely full of brambles.

Can I spray at this time or year, or is it best to cover and leave to late winter? Also, it looks like there is some sort of berry bush and a bay tree, know nothing about bay trees.

Not sure where to begin and what can be done at this time of year. I have hopefully attached some photos so you can see what state it is in.

Look forward to getting started.
CADS

[Two_Sheds]

there's loads of advice on here if you do a search
Search/advanced search ... then type in something like "clear" under "allotment advice". Here's one to get you started: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ent_29177.html

You don't have enough greenery to spray, wait till spring.
Make sure it's a sweet bay if you want to cook with it, not a laurel.

[CADS]

Thank you, Two Sheds.

Next question - Have been digging up a small patch of the allotment and it is full of roots which I assume are from the crouch grass, bindweed and bramble.

I might be able to get hold of 1 year old manure, will it be easier to cover areas with cardboard, build raised bed and fill with manure?

Will most things grow in manure? I have some good compost for carrots. Just wondering about other veg.

Dying to get on the plot tomorrow but the forecast here is HEAVT RAIN, plus moving house in 3 weeks.

CADS

[Two_Sheds]

the allotment ... is full of roots which I assume are from the crouch grass, bindweed and bramble.

They need to come out.
Digging will be hard work and you'll miss some, but you must do it or they'll just grow through any crops you put in.

Easiest thing would be to starve them of light with a mulch of cardboard/newspapers/old fence panels/weed suppressing membrane ... anything.
You could top that with manure if you wanted to. Leave it till spring and then dig it over. The roots will be weakened and easier to dig out.

[Snadger]

If you can get some manure, get it now and pile it up in the area of your proposed compost bins.

Firstly decide what you and your family like to eat, especially veg that are either expensive in the shops or veg that are best eaten really fresh from the allotment.

Then its a case of donning heavy boots and using a good sharp spade. Start at one end and dig and weed making sure you get out all the roots. Cover the newly dug area with a well rotted manure mulch in the spring and plant through it.

Enjoy!

[Lazgaot]

my £0.02 worth....you can cover the lot with cardboard, newspapers etc and mulch over the top with manure. From my limited experience this works but it's slow as you can't plant straight into the manure. If you have access to vast amounts of compost then you could use that instead and plant immediately.

I tied the first option as an experiment but I wouldn't do it again, I'm far to impatient! Instead I dug the whole plot over with a fork (to a forks depth - no double digging...), rather than spade. The soil is very sandy/loamy and the roots were easily removed. It amazed me the quantity of roots that I pulled up!