New allotment

[sowitgrowit]

Good morning all.

I had a very welcomed call yesterday from the chap in charge of my local allotments (by local, I mean I can see them from my bedroom window) and he invited me to go and see him this morning. Well, I did and am now the proud holder of Plot 10B! Not bad after only about 6-8 weeks since my first enquiry.

There's a photo here (click the image for a larger version if you like ): yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/nz79rvbj Shared by sowitgrowit. I have the area to the left (about 5-6 yards from the path) and between the two signposts.

As you will see, it's been in use recently (still is, kind of!).

So, I will shortly need to start clearing/covering and making workable sections. At the moment I'm awash with sprouts, swede and what may be purple sprouting broccoli? Also a few weeds which I will have to identify (visible at the bottom of the photo).

So, like many new allotmenteers before me, I have these questions:

• Where would you start? It isn't like I've inherited a plot full of brambles, knee-high weeds and lumps of grass. It's obviously been reasonably well looked after at some point, just abandoned for whatever reason. I plan to deal with it in sections, covering them up, and uncovering what I can feasibly work as I go.
  
• Regarding clearing the plot; I don't have a compost bin but will invest in a dalek or two for my green waste in future(I assume there are no mass collections of anything like this as surely most allotments have compost bins), though I understand that the stalks on the brussels (which would be most of what I wanted rid of) may not be ideal for the compost bin? Presumably I will just have to black-bag these and take them away with me to the local tip?
  
• Any idea what the weed is in the photo? There's plenty of it creeping onto the plot from the south side of it. Also, is there a website people can recommend with easy ways to identify different weeds and what they might say about the soil (and how best to deal with them!)?

Thanks in advance, everyone!

(Chuffed to bits with my new plot!)

[donnakebab]

Hi there. Congrats on your lottie and it doesn't look in bad nick at all. Check out my album in profile. last picture is what I started with.

I'd do everything you said as in clear and cover. Then feed (compost/manure/green manure) as you go.

On our site if it can't be composted you have to take it away. Some stems are so dense and thick (lol. I know people like that) if they can't be easily shredded then I put them in my green waste bin according to how thick they are. (not the people). Otherwise you can let them dry out and burn, then use the ash.

No idea what the weed is but it looks like it should pull up quite easily so do it now before it flowers and sets seed to spread over your lovely plot.

Good luck!

[rustylady]

So, I will shortly need to start clearing/covering and making workable sections. At the moment I'm awash with sprouts, swede and what may be purple sprouting broccoli?

Where would you start? It isn't like I've inherited a plot full of brambles, knee-high weeds and lumps of grass. It's obviously been reasonably well looked after at some point, just abandoned for whatever reason. I plan to deal with it in sections, covering them up, and uncovering what I can feasibly work as I go.
Get your compost heap started asap. Then pull up what are obviously weeds and chuck them in it (as long as they aren't dandelions or docks)

though I understand that the stalks on the brussels (which would be most of what I wanted rid of) may not be ideal for the compost bin? Presumably I will just have to black-bag these and take them away with me to the local tip? NO, don't black bag them. You can cut them up with good secateurs or loppers, give them a bash with a hammer and add them to the compost heap

Any idea what the weed is in the photo? There's plenty of it creeping onto the plot from the south side of it. Also, is there a website people can recommend with easy ways to identify different weeds and what they might say about the soil (and how best to deal with them!)? Any chance of getting a closer photo of the weed in question?

Congratulations on your new plot. Have fun with it. Harvest what you can from what is already growing there and start planning what else you want to grow.

[rustylady]

So, I will shortly need to start clearing/covering and making workable sections. At the moment I'm awash with sprouts, swede and what may be purple sprouting broccoli?

Where would you start? It isn't like I've inherited a plot full of brambles, knee-high weeds and lumps of grass. It's obviously been reasonably well looked after at some point, just abandoned for whatever reason. I plan to deal with it in sections, covering them up, and uncovering what I can feasibly work as I go.

Get your compost heap started asap. Then pull up what are obviously weeds and chuck them in it (as long as they aren't dandelions or docks)

though I understand that the stalks on the brussels (which would be most of what I wanted rid of) may not be ideal for the compost bin? Presumably I will just have to black-bag these and take them away with me to the local tip?

NO, don't black bag them. You can cut them up with good secateurs or loppers, give them a bash with a hammer and add them to the compost heap

Any idea what the weed is in the photo? There's plenty of it creeping onto the plot from the south side of it. Also, is there a website people can recommend with easy ways to identify different weeds and what they might say about the soil (and how best to deal with them!)?

Any chance of getting a closer photo of the weed in question?

Congratulations on your new plot. Have fun with it. Harvest what you can from what is already growing there and start planning what else you want to grow.

[sowitgrowit]

Thanks for the advice so far, I love this forum!

I will get a better close up of any weeds I see and will get what good sprouts etc that I can before comppsting anything.

I will see about sourcing a dalek (B&Q I suppose, though I think I saw one at Aldi. There are also pallets about in case I want to knock one up as well.

Thanks for the advice about smashing up stalks. I might pull up a section and stack them up for the time being, then tackle starting the compost heap with them to start it off.

[veggiechicken]

Congratulations on your new plot. You're so fortunate to get one that's been in recent use - and still with crops!
Re the Dalek, try your local council. Ours sells them for £5. Or the allotment association may be able to get discounts for you.
Happy gardening!!

[Kleftiwallah]

What are the councils of this land coming to, they should have left this plot for at least ten years to go to rack and ruin before installing a new tennant. There are procedures you know! ! ! ! Cheers, Tony.

[Pa Snips]

Congrats on getting a plot so quickly, and in such good condition. Have fun with it.

[Bigmallly]

A perfect time to get a new plot.......congrats & enjoy.

[sowitgrowit]

Congrats on getting a plot so quickly, and in such good condition. Have fun with it.

I'll certainly try! Thanks!

What are the councils of this land coming to, they should have left this plot for at least ten years to go to rack and ruin before installing a new tennant. There are procedures you know! ! ! ! Cheers, Tony.

Haha that may be a good point - it isn't a Council allotment! My local council (South Kesteven) don't own a single plot; it's all private. I was lucky that if people give notice that they want to leave it's sorted by the end of March, if they disappear or don't pay the new year's rent in time, their plot is passed over on April 7th. Not sure if this is standard practice but it appears I applied at just the right time to step in.

Congratulations on your new plot. You're so fortunate to get one that's been in recent use - and still with crops!
Re the Dalek, try your local council. Ours sells them for £5. Or the allotment association may be able to get discounts for you.
Happy gardening!!

Good idea - I will see if SKDC are ffering any composting incentives.

Thanks for the advice and best wishes, everyone!

A perfect time to get a new plot.......congrats & enjoy.

[sowitgrowit]

A quick search of their website shows that my local council offer 220l compost bins for about £20 delivered, or two for £30. - 330l are about £5 more each.

Lincolnshire Waste Partnership Offer

I'll look around but compared to prices I've seen that seems pretty good (though I haven't been paying too much attention.... until now!).

[Matt94]

you may be able to pick a cheap compost bin on ebay? or try freecycle. anyway goodluck with the new plot.

[veggiechicken]

If you have pallets, use those. I prefer them to those Daleks anyway because its almost impossible to aerate it through the narrow neck, or take the compost out of the little door at the base. You end up having to lift the whole thing off!

[Matt94]

well i have to dissagree with you there VC (first time for everything) as i wouldn't change the compost bins/darleks to a pallet bin - ive never had any problems when it come to emptying the contects through the little door - and i always manage to aerate them a couple of times a year with no problems at all and manage to get quite a bit of compost outof them too.

but maybe its just me that likes darleks?

[veggiechicken]

Feel free to disagree, Matt
You may not be as short as I am! I have difficulty reaching in - remember the wormery A Dalek has much the same effect.