OMG that's an allotment?

[CADS]

Hi Graham,

Saw your pictures yesterday in the 'before and after' post and was going to say. OMG! I am certainly glad my plot didn't look anything like this when I took over. Yours makes mine look like child's play.

One thing I wish had sunk into my brain last year was that growing your own is a long term project. I didn't plant anything last year as I was to focused on clearing and tidying everything up in one go. Wish I had followed the advise on here to clear and plant small sections at a time and cover the rest.

Good luck.
CADS

[Jardiniere]

my piece of land had 20 years of false acacia trees on it ...we had to hire a man with a digger to root them all out - its now about 1/3rd cleared ...photos on my page if you are interested.......and best of luck with your allotment...

[mrbadexample]

ROFL You mean that'll sort the bit in the box of course.

Oi! That's a quality bit of kit, that!

[Graham K]

Update & pic's

Well, an allotment it still ain't but, I can now see the ground. A full day with a brush cutter, saw and a very big set of loppers and it's coming together.

The large pile of branches and crap on the left is what I've cleared so far, unfortunately I still have to go as far back as the blue bit in the distance (last picture). That's the roof of the shed we are told comes with our patch, shame about the guy that has moved in and now "lives" there, another problem another day!

I'm still in two minds whether to let the local flying club know when I'm planning on burning it all as they are pretty close by and fly right overhead when landing it's going to be a big fire (for a while) and I don't want the CAA turning up with the fire brigade. Anybody know of any restrictions other than local ones regarding bonfires?

I've also added a couple of pic's of the "apple" trees I've found so far, I'm not 100% sure they are apples as there are a lot of them dotted around but they all have some kind of "fruit" growing on them, trees are not my strong point so if anyone has an idea what they are let me know.

More pic's to follow soon, Graham.

[chengjing]

Wow, hard work. Not sure if they are apples, pears or plums from pics. It is getting better tho.

[snohare]

OH NO, you're ruining the wildlife !

Phew ! I thought I was a hard core garden starter, but I've never had a challenge like that. Impressive progress.
Like everyone says, lay in a good store of cardboard. And try to speak to the bloke who lives there, give him a bit of time to move on (it's the right time of year), get him onside so that he doesn't get the idea of sabotaging/parasitising your growing efforts.
The words "nothing stays the same forever" tend to be a well recognised hint for the homeless...

[Graham K]

Update # 2

Oh the joys of pyromania! Bonfire number one almost didn't happen, just didn't want to burn for some reason. Number two was another story, lots and lots of newspaper and a bottle full of BBQ fuel/lighter and we had the towering inferno. Loads of ash and a half(ish) cleared but not weeded/de-rooted site.

Next, is more of the same, I'm going to attempt to reach the shed. Hopefully the "old boy" who's been sleeping in there will get the idea and be on his way, if not, the shed may just disappear in a rather large puff of smoke.

The steel drums that I found in the bushes have all vanished unfortunatly the moron that took them has emptied all the glass that was in one all over the ground. Another hands on knees job to pick it all up again!

I've found the remains of black plastic all over the site, shame it's mostly black bin liners, hands and knees job No' two. Also the dreaded carpet on the ground, I can see why most places have/are banning it, a complete pain in the a***, and by the way Bummble Bees DO sting, if you don't notice the nest under the carpet your trying to pull up.

So, done for now another update and pic's soon.

Graham.

[chris]

Wow, you're making great progress.. I thought my original plot was bad! I too have the glass, and plastic (that's broken down into millions of pieces) problem on a plot. Keep it up though - at your current rate, this time next year it'll be planted up and rewarding you for the effort you've put in!

[taff]

plant something in the ground now while you can, and you could leave a bit of the clearing for the winter. There's still time for beans - runners and french, courgettes, squash, spring onions, bettroot, early potatoes, radish, lettuce etc.
You don't have to make beds or anything, just dig a patch over, and stick them in. You can order your plot properly then in the winter when it's fully done.
Well done by the way.

[Creemteez]

Big pat on the back from me for all your efforts! Yo've done incredibly well. Now get that bare ground covered in cardboard and tarps quick, before all the perennial weeds start reappearing - not to mention this years crop of annual weed seed!

[TallGirl]

OMG indeed! Are you sure there aren't lost tribes and huge wild carnivores hiding in that lot?!

[reads the rest of the thread and sees the 'after' pics]

That's amazing, it really is a plot! Hope you get some veg off it this year.

[aliveggrower]

Yours looks like mine did a couple of months ago. How are you getting on?

[Tracebe]

Wow you have done so well, I thought I had problems on my little patch!!

[Florence Fennel]

Only just seen this Graham and I'm well impressed, that's a massive improvement, well done. How's it now?

[Jelliebabe]

WOW Well done! Looking really good!