im getting a plot

[teengrower]

well i say im getting a plot i have my name down and theres no waiting list its a new site and its just a grass field so my qeustion at the minute (im sure there'll be many more) is how do you start i know you mark out your paths and beds using pegs and string and examine the way the sun falls throughout the day but how do you create beds do you rotavate the ground or lift the grass sods or dig over and plastic over then plant through that

[chris]

Great news, you can start by drawing your plan on a bit of paper (it helps if you know the position of the sun, and plot, etc).

For your beds, you can lift the grass, and stack the sods somewhere that'll eventually rot down to a lovely friable loam. Not sure if you need to cover them, but upside down stacked bits in my garden have started to rot after about a year.

If you rotovate you risk chopping weed roots up which could start growing again - if you're able to dig and fancy the hard work, I'd do it by hand. Make sure your paths are wide enough for a wheel barrow (do you really want to cart buckets of manure/compost up and down your plot all day?!)

Having a blank canvas may look like a challenge, but it's a great opportunity to take time and plan to get the plot how you want it personally. Good luck!

[teengrower]

thanks so much will the sods not take up alot of space while waiting for them to rot down why is digging different to rotavating just wondering i dont mind digging does it matter if beds are then lower down than paths as i cant afford to be buying topsoil

[chris]

Sorry I should have said that when you dog you can remove the roots of perennial weeds etc - rotovatibg will just chop up.

If you don't have room to stack the soda you can tuen them upside down and double dig - I also did this for one of my beds.... I think one name for it is b**tard digging or trenches... It's very hard work. What is the soil like on your plot?

When I did it on top of the up turned sods I added a deep layer of wet news paper, in this bed I had loads of hungry and thirsty stuff growing like squash, beans, etc. The hot hot summer we had I think I watered that bed maybe twice, if that. The wet paper created a water resiviour. When I back filled I nixed in compost too.

Alternatively you can cover with cardboard and then manure (not on cold ground though) or compost etc and leave but I don't think you'd need to.

[chris]

Btw if you dig it, you'll ache in muscles in places you never thought possible . Enjoy it though, take pics as you go on. Mid summer if you manage to get anything in you'll be shocked at the change!!

[teengrower]

thanks think i'll probably dig dont want to create a pernament weed problem just to save time nowdont think ill double dig plot is 12m x 6m so i imagine thered be alot of digging involved in that i intend to make as much of the plot productive this year as i can would digging down to one spit and turning sods upside down on bottomm of trench work if i break up the sods

[chris]

I'm sure it'll be fine, it'll eventualyl rot - however some deep rooting plants may disturb them, and thus you may see grass growing through the bed again - but I'd have thought it'd be easy enough to pull out. Could you not stack them in 3 sods x 3 sods - creating a high stack? Just skim off as little as possible, making sure you get the grass roots.

If you didn't want them, i'm sure someone else would take them off your hands on the site?

You'll probably need to double check my advice about the grass growing through, it's only an assumption.

[chris]

I'm sure it'll be fine, it'll eventualyl rot - however some deep rooting plants may disturb them, and thus you may see grass growing through the bed again - but I'd have thought it'd be easy enough to pull out. Could you not stack them in 3 sods x 3 sods - creating a high stack? Just skim off as little as possible, making sure you get the grass roots.

If you didn't want them, i'm sure someone else would take them off your hands on the site?

You'll probably need to double check my advice about the grass growing through, it's only an assumption.

[Nicos]

We're creating new beds in a bit of rough field- the sods rot down in a year- just stack them upside down to about hip height- a bit narrower to the top o th stack is more solid..
We covered them over with black plastic .
The following year you can dig them back in.

Tis certainly the best way although initially hard work!

If it's a new site- all the plots will need measuring/marking out won't they??

[teengrower]

yes plots will need marked out its a private allotment site and the owners are doing that currently but the plot will be available for use from first of march so if i stack the sods in a corner does it not matter that beds will be lower than path or will it be close to level once digging introduces air into the ground

[Two_Sheds]

dont want to create a pernament weed problem just to save time

First you need to identify what weeds and what grass you have. Perennial weeds, including couch grass, need completely removing

would digging down to one spit and turning sods upside down on bottomm of trench work [/QUOTE] If you just have annual meadow grass you can do this - you must completely cover the grass up with earth or it will regrow. Some will anyway, it always peeps through. I just turned over my lawn in this way and it's been fine.

does it not matter that beds will be lower than path

It doesn't matter if your soil is free-draining, although clay soil might puddle a bit. The beds will fill back up over the years - although you could take a spit off your paths now and add that soil to the beds

[teengrower]

thanks for the advice are they any plants that don't need well dug loose soil i think potatoes is one are there any other i don't intend not to dig the whole thing but because of how late im getting my plot and that i want to make as much of it as possible productive this year there isnt alot of time

[Two_Sheds]

You don't actually need to dig at all, if you don't want to.

You could, at a push, just pop each plant in a hole of its own, then weed directly around it (to reduce competition)

[teengrower]

thanks im happy enough now with how to prepare the plot but now if i want to grow earlies second earlies and maincrop how much of the plot would you give up to potatoes

[teengrower]

thanks to everyone for there advice ive starting chitting home gaurd potatoes and buying the seed and equipment ill need for the upcoming years i notice most people with an allotment have a shed is it essential,where do use get your sheds from as i pressume most of you dont buy a new shed at 300-400 pound to put on an allotment also if i only want a shed to keep a watering can, wheelbarrow spade,fork and a trowel would a 6 x 4 be big enough i know they dont hold much but i dont intend on storing alot in it