New allotment!

[Fairweather friend]

I'm so pleased I've finally made it to the top of the list and took on an allotment.
It hasn't been worked for 2 years so it is a tad overgrown but mainly docks and nettles, nothing too nasty. Unfortunately the timing hasn't been great - I fell down the stairs yesterday and even though not injured too badly I doubt I'm up to digging. So frustrating cos I'm just itching to get something planted! Although if I'm honest I'm not much of a digger anyway, usually all my jumping up and down on a spade acomplishes is a laugh at my expense!

I was wondering if anyone has used the lasagne method and how quick the results were?

[singleseeder]

Welcome to the Vine, Fairweather'; you won't be fairweather for long if you stick with us.

Great that you have a lottie, and in the NE too. Someone who has done the lasagne thing will be along soon, I'm sure. Have a quick search too, I'm sure that someone will have discussed it before.

[donnakebab]

I love lasagne. Guessing you are talking about a different recipe though.

Congratulations on your lottie. Sorry about your fall but I'm sure you'll be well enough to get cracking soon. Take some pictures for a before and after album.There is one in my profile and I'm thinking yours will probably be looking similar if it hasn't been worked for 2 years (you have to look at the last picture first though to get the sequence right).

While you are recovering measure your plot and draw some plans of what you are going to do with it. Just to get you even more excited.

[susieq100]

I have tried to put a link in to SuperSprout's allotment postings. You will find them really useful. If the link does not work use the Advanced search tool and type in Supersprout as the name of the poster. You will find the link maybe 6th or 7th in the list.

Good luck!

[Fairweather friend]

Thanks for the welcome, I've been reading the forums for a while now but I haven't really joined in much although I don't know why because everyone is always friendly and full of good advice!

The link works thankyou Susie! It really is an impressive allotment and no dig is definitely a method I'm going to use at least in part.

Yes Donnakebab it looks pretty similar to your picture. I went down again this morning mainly to have another look and take a before picture and make plans as suggested. About half seems to be in really good condition where the soil is really friable and the weeds pull up easily. My plan is to dig this half bed by bed planting as I go. Good old Mam and Dad came to the rescue and dug 1 bed over about 4x1.5m so I can make a start. Now to decide what to plant first..descisions, descisions!

The other half is very overgrown in compacted soil with lots of rubbish strewn about and lot of brambles. Some of the weeds at the bottom end reach my shoulders!! (mind you I don't even reach 5 foot!) I think I will just clear the top growth and cover until later in the year when I've decided where to put permanent structures.

[Pa Snips]

Welcome aboard Fairweather...and good luck with the plot, I hope you have a great growing season.

[Two_Sheds]

I was wondering if anyone has used the lasagne method and how quick the results were?

I have, pictures are on here: lasagne bed 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
I filled the beds in early spring last year, topped off with molehill soil (you could use bought compost) and planted straight away. We had terrific crops out of them

The other half is very overgrown in compacted soil ... lot of brambles.

I will just clear the top growth and cover until later in the year

That's what I'd do. Covering those tough roots will weaken them, increase worm activity and give you lots less work to do when you come to clearing that patch

[Dynamo]

Good luck with your lottie FF. I guess the grounds gonna be pretty hard if it hasn't been touched for a couple of years. No dig isn't something I've looked into, mainly because I'm quite happy to shove a spade or a fork into the soil at any time. No doubt that even if you do adopt the no dig method, your still going to have to stick a spade into the ground at some point. Make sure the grounds nice and damp when you do because dry soil is so much harder to get a tool into it.

[evvy2]

Good luck with your allotment fairweather, sounds like you've got some hard work ahead though

[Feral007]

Never heard of the lasange method - but I figure it's a no dig garden. We've just had one this summer (here in Aus) because our topsoil is not very deep - lot's of rock, and I'm not into dynamiting it out. When we went to a permaculture seminar the no dig seemed good to me.
We used cardboard/newspaper over mown grass, then hay, then compost, then more hay, then a bit of compost/dirt. Then put hay over the top. The hay on top was too hard for the seedlings so I've been using chaff on the top for multch and it's good.
I've put some photos on my profile in the no dig garden album if you want to have a look.
And I've got a blog about it (because it's very exciting!) Ali

Edited to add: Feral007's Blog – Country Life » The other half of the Permagarden

[Fairweather friend]

Thanks everyone for your replies and links.

It seems I have given my parents the bug now too! About a 1/6th of the plot was kindly dug by them while I raked and pulled roots and stones out. They are making as many plans as I am so I'm hoping they are in it for the long haul. My kids (5 and 3) are loving it too. Eldest even thought he found kangaroo bones he dug that deep and keeps asking when can we go back to the "lottery"!. Just need to get the hubbie interested now and it will be a real family affair.

I've sown carrots and beetroot direct and have sown lots of seeds in trays at home too. I'm still going to have some salad crops at home so I can pick them as I need them but I think I will give a lasagne bed a go for salad at the allotment so mam and dad can have some. I'm hoping that being raised will help keep the pests off but I don't know if that is just wishful thinking!

[Two_Sheds]

Never heard of the lasange method -
We used cardboard/newspaper over mown grass, then hay, then compost, then more hay, then a bit of compost/dirt.

You may not've heard of it, but it's what you've been doing

I'm hoping that being raised will help keep the pests off but I don't know if that is just wishful thinking!

Yep, it's wishful thinking