Newcomers

[bubblewrap]

On the allotment site I am on we have a steady turnover of "new blood".
It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who think that plants grow on their own without having to do any weeding.
You all know what I mean they come down once a week and wonder why it's such hard work.
So when the weeds take over they give up.
It took me nearly two years to lick my plot(300+ square yards) into shape.

[WendyC]

That's why I was writing a welcome leaflet yesterday for new plot holders with some helpful advice as I see the same mistakes over and over again. I am also thinking of one to give to people when they go on the waiting list so they have some warning if what is in store, or a chance to come off it! I think some have a vision of strolling up on a Sunday afternoon with the kids to pick bumper crops of huge strawberries. Or that the Spring Bank Holidays are enough time to maintain a plot. Going to try going down the education route to see if that helps.

[Sheneval]

Wendy,

Could you share your advice when you complete - I received nothing from the Committee when I got my plot - fortunately I had a friend with a plot and plenty of advice on here, but have noticed that plots are changing hands at a rate of knots for one reason or another with waiting lists dropping rapidly then rising again just as rapidly - some perhaps refusing plots that need a lot doing and then being put at the back of the list?

[Newton]

Yes....it would be really useful for our plot too! Will you share it? And can we do likewise?

[WendyC]

Happy to. It is very basic! My husband (non gardener) said I should call brassicas, cabbages, in case that was too technical! I'm going to put to our committee when we meet at the end of the month and when I've done the inevitable corrections and worked out how to upload a Word document I'll share. Hope don't mind waiting a bit!

[Sheneval]

Will look forward to it

[bubblewrap]

One piece I usually give to new plot holders who have acquired overgrown ground is DON'T ROTAVATE!
It's the worst thing you can do it looks very nice to start with but after about a month it can be worse than when you started.
My usual advice is strim to the ground & DIG.

[greenishfing]

One piece I usually give to new plot holders who have acquired overgrown ground is DON'T ROTAVATE!
It's the worst thing you can do it looks very nice to start with but after about a month it can be worse than when you started.
My usual advice is strim to the ground & DIG.

I wish I had £5 for every time I've given that advice and been ignored........and then the next year they give up and the cycle starts again.

[bubblewrap]

As I have said many time before I blame the T.V. gardening programmes you see the celeb planting stuff in a weed free patch with no mention of how long it took to prep the ground, six months later them harvest the crops with no mention about weeding,hoeing or watering.

[WendyC]

Put don't rotavate in my leaflet. New neighbours did it last year. Then we had a dry spell (yes there was one!) and it baked hard. The plot has been covered since the summer and not seen any evidence of anyone working it.

[bubblewrap]

Another piece of advice it ain't easy.
I think about an average of about two to three hours work a day is needed during the growing season.(allright if there are two or more of you)
I have /had active jobs all my working life so I have found the work not too hard.

[Hazel at the Hill]

'How much time do I have to commit to my plot' is a very good one to put in the 'guide'!

We all know that the time spent at the plot is a movable feast - I enjoy pottering for most of the day on a Saturday or Sunday in summer - but I could bash through all the jobs in half the time if I had too.

In fact, my neighbours with small children come along with furious bouts of activity to whack through the jobs that need doing before two four-year-olds get bored; yet my other neighbour treats the plot as a social exercise and spends as much time leaning on his hoe as using it.

So how little can you get away with? I have made eight 20' long beds (4' wide) plus 5 permanent (fruit beds) on my half plot - it is much easier to keep the weeds at bay now, so that has been a time saver.

Given that the plot is under some (reasonable) control at all times, it would be interesting for me (geek that I am!) to log the number of hours/visits to the Hill that I make this year - and might be useful for others in due course.

My instinct is to say that once you've tamed a plot, then once a week or two weeks (for a couple of hours) in winter, and three or four trips a week in summer would keep my size plot in order. That doesn't allow for sowing at home/processing picked crops.

[WendyC]

I'm writing for 2.5 rod plots and estimated 5 hours a week in growing season so that would roughly fit in with yours assuming you are on a full plot.

[Sheneval]

Glad no one has mentioned roundup - It was one suggestion I received and declined.

[bubblewrap]

I never use weed killer I would sooner do it the hard way & dig you get better results in the end & are not doing any damage to the soil.