Whoopee!

[nerdgas]

Hi all,

Only my second post on here but I've only gone and gotten myself an allotment.

I know I'm probably paying over the odds as it's a private site but given that the waiting list for the council ones here are in the order of 5 years I think I have little choice.

Anyhoo I have two plots sizing 15' x 30' each. The plots are costing £50 each per year but the site has it's own car park and water. I am also told that it's a former farmers field that has just been released, is weed free and has been well composted in the past (so I guess that's one less job to do for this season!).

I'm looking at putting nine edged beds in the first plot of around 4' x 8' in size and eight in the second with space for a small 6x4 shed and compost heap. What would you recommend as a minimum spacing for paths? I am looking at going with 2' wide paths. Is this the minimum or do you think I could go a little but smaller to squeeze out a bir more growing space?

I as I am going for smaller bed I am looking to space the plants out by the spacing recommended on the packet for plant spacing both between plants and rows with the rows some of staggered (if that makes sense!) - (I assume this is correct if I am not going to need to have extra space between the rows for walking up and down?).

Now that I am doing a planting plan though it seems that there is so much to work out that my head is starting to hurt!

Anyhoo the approach I am taking is to work out when I expect the beds to come into service in the year and work on the beds that I intend using in Feb (site opens first weekend in Feb) just to stagger the workload (as well as put the shed up) and so on.

Anyhoo sorry for the lengthly post but has anyone got any other advice or recommendations?

Cheers in advance.

Ade.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Welcome to the vine, nerdgas - and well done on getting your plots. Can you still your approx location in your profile? It'll help you to get more meaningful advice on here!

My bit of advice is to plan out your beds in something non-permanent for the first year - nothing worse than have everying 'set in stone' then finding that you'd have done things differently with the benefit of hindsight.

Oh, and paths - I have 4' wide beds and about 20" paths, which is wide enough for me, and meant that I could eke an extra bed out of the space available on the plot.

[nerdgas]

Hi Hazel,

I'm planning them on Microsoft Visio at the moment but I guess that's not what you meant!

So perhaps not edging the beds for now just whilst I get a feel for things?

20" does mean I can squeeze out a bit more space.

I guess as long as I can get a wheelbarrow down the path it should be big enough?

Cheers,

Ade

[Hazel at the Hill]

So perhaps not edging the beds for now just whilst I get a feel for things?

...............

I guess as long as I can get a wheelbarrow down the path it should be big enough?

Precisely.

[Burnzie]

Hi Ade, good luck with the new plots.

Sounds like you know what you are doing, paths wide enough for wheelbarrow, prepare the beds as you need them for planting (no need to kill yourself in the first month), follow planting recommendation on packets.

One thing I found, you may find the same, plans always look neat & well ordered in visio or excel - but they very rarely turn out that way on the ground !

best wishes for 2010 growing season

Burnzie

[Hazel at the Hill]

One thing I found, you may find the same, plans always look neat & well ordered in visio or excel - but they very rarely turn out that way on the ground !

Ain't that the truth!

Note to self for next year: when you plant out that ickle 2" high courgette seedling, it WILL need a space of 4' by 4' if it is not to overshadow everything else in sight! etc etc etc

[geoff]

Make the paths wide enough to stand your wheelbarrow on without going on to the beds. Measure the width of the legs at the back of the barrow, and add a couple of inches each side. This may well work out to be 20''

[nerdgas]

Thanks Geoff.

Guess I'd better buy a wheelbarrow......

[Two_Sheds]

I don't use a wheelbarrow, but I still need wider paths than I allowed for, because plants don't stop growing at the edge, they tend to tumble and sprawl over it.

[nerdgas]

OK now I'm excited........I'm going to go and see my plots for the first time in about 30 mins.

I'll post some pics later when I get back.

[Flummery]

I got half a plot a couple of years back and although I grew in 4ft beds I didn't edge them. (I think this is called the Lazy Bed system - sums me up!) I'm so glad I did though. I now have a full plot a little away from this half, and I'd have had to dismantle my beds and move them! It was useful though. I put the beds where I thought best the fists year. By the second year I could see that I'd have been better with them north/south so my tall peas and beans wouldn't shade things out. So I just moved them by digging.

Congratulatons on you new plots. I don't think that's a bad price really.

[Snadger]

OK now I'm excited........I'm going to go and see my plots for the first time in about 30 mins.

I'll post some pics later when I get back.

Exciting innit! Don't dally too long with an answer like I did and got the only one left which was like an overgrown jungle! Allotment committees's need to fill the plots quickly to get the rents in , so as soon as you have left the next on the list will be contacted!

Good luck!

[Snadger]

Ooops, put my foot in it again. Didn't realise you ALREADY had the plots until I re-read the thread!

[nerdgas]

Thanks Snadge and Flum,

Well it looks as though the field has previously been used for growing some kind of wheat crop.

The ground is a bit mushy underfoot but I suspect that's mainly down to the downpour we had here last night and this morning.

I'm just hoping the the rain lets off enough so digging can commence on the 6th!

I wanna get my garlic, shallots and onions in the ground as well as my rhubarb crowns (assuming they arrive on time).

Another bonus is that it appears some bags of manure are being delivered (organised by two plot holders) and it's free to anyone who wants it. The guys who are running the site are also getting in some stuff in bulk and it's available to people on the lottie at trade prices (stuff like bean poles, etc, etc).

Anyhoo here's the photos you can see the individual plots marked out and the car park as well (how interesting!....)

[Lazgaot]

Good looking plots there! Nice and open so you'll get good light, but could be windy so bear that in mind when planting tall crops, green house/polytunnel, shed etc.

If it's been commercially cultivated then the ground may be compacted due to tractors going over it for years and years. I wouldn't advocate double digging as its back breaking! But dig/fork it down to a spades depth at least then add manure etc on top.

Good luck!