Creating allotment from scratch

[Peter]

Pessemist here.

Just be aware, as LJ said some councils can be a bit funny about what they consider to be changing the environment.
e.g. You incorporate the two acre field between you and your neighbour into your ornamental garden.
You are using your land for your enjoyment.
They say you are changing the look of your village from rural to suburban.
There have been some cases (rare) of people being forced to dig up their garden and turn it back into grazing pasture.

[OverWyreGrower]

It's OK Peter!

I've let our neighbours (who grow their own already) know and they have offered advice about the soil/growing seasons here!

DDL -

The plot is approx 27m x 9m.....

I've got potatoes ready to go in, and carrots ready to plant.
My leeks are coming along nicely in the greenhouse, but aren't ready to go in yet, same goes for my peas!
I've got some lettuces and various herbs on the go as well

My fruit beds will look a bit bare, as I think I've missed planting time for raspberries and blackberries, but I've got some strawberries to go in.

I'd also like a couple of blueberry plants, but might have to have those in pots.

Quite possibly we won't fill every bed this year, but I'd rather have it done and ready to use than not done at all!

The rotavator is coming tomorrow and the fencing materials are being delivered on Friday, so hopefully after the Easter weekend we should have done all the hard slog and I'll have a nice allotment to look after!

[Norm]

Hi OWG. I'm a Councillor (not in Lancs !)and asked a hypothetical question with the planning department. You only need permission to change the use of the land, ie from ag to building or industrial. If it had something growing on it and you grow something different on it, the use hasn't changed, unless your claiming set-aside cash from DeFRA (lol)
Grow in peace!

[nick the grief]

Hi OWG. I'm a Councillor (not in Lancs !)and asked a hypothetical question with the planning department. You only need permission to change the use of the land, ie from ag to building or industrial. If it had something growing on it and you grow something different on it, the use hasn't changed, unless your claiming set-aside cash from DeFRA (lol)
Grow in peace!

Brave man Norm how about planning for a brick shed ..... only joking

[OverWyreGrower]

Next stage... marking out and fencing

Delivery of woodchip... so, quite a lot then....


Mr OWG with copious fenceposts and a gate...


Me, starting to check out one of the beds (before couch grass discovery)


Allotment on Saturday afternoon, starting to lay landscape fabric for woodchip

[TPeers]

It's looking fantastic! Puts my garden to shame! How are you doing on a couch grass solution?

Terry

[OverWyreGrower]

Hi Terry

Decided to dig as much out as possible, cover and plant through plastic where necessary.

Going to take us a while to do, and am going to try and scrounge some old carpet to cover the beds up with.

Got some RoundUp just in case it grows back elsewhere, but would rather not use it. May just keep it and look at it so I know there's a "final solution" just in case!

[TPeers]

I've got loads of old carpet, can you think of a way to get it to you?

Once term time hits I can come at least part way - but Croydon to Lancashire is a hell of a distance!

Terry

[Peter]

Hi Terry

Decided to dig as much out as possible, cover and plant through plastic where necessary.

Going to take us a while to do, and am going to try and scrounge some old carpet to cover the beds up with.

Got some RoundUp just in case it grows back elsewhere, but would rather not use it. May just keep it and look at it so I know there's a "final solution" just in case!

If you can leave a bed (or two) without a crop until June then you can blitz that bed with roundup, by the method I outlined on you other thread, enough to have it weed free. Winter brassica's or squash would be late planting crops.

[kermit]

Just as an aside - if the land is owned by the council and you fence it off and cultivate it, after 10 years you can apply for the title of the land under the laws of adverse possession - a bit like 'squatters rights'!

Just a thought!

[sanman]

Hi Jade

This is a common misconception. Although land can be claimed by fencing it off the situation is much more complex than after 10 years its yours.

[OverWyreGrower]

We dont need to worry about that anyway, as we own the land we're using.

[kermit]

Hi Jade

This is a common misconception. Although land can be claimed by fencing it off the situation is much more complex than after 10 years its yours.

Yes I know, but after 10 years you can apply for the title. It's a moot point anyhow!

Good luck with your allotments, I hope to have a few pics of my new one soon!