Officially got my plot today.

[Nicola.P]

Don't be discouraged, Nicola, parents don't know everything. You will do fine. It's not as if you've got a 10-rod plot waist deep in brambles and couch grass, is it!

That is what I said to them. It is only 2.5 rods and is dug over not covered in weeds. The last two times they told me I wouldn't go through with something I got a tattoo and jumped out of a plane so will just have to prove them wrong a 3rd time!

[WendyC]

You'll be fine. It's in good shape, if you Dad wants to see one with work to do then he can pop over to see my new one! And even that isn't as bad as some horrors you see on here. I reckon in high season I need 5 hours to work my plot. Cover the areas you aren't working to keep the weeds down. Regular weekly visits are far more useful than longer fortnightly stints as you can keep on top of weeds, pests etc.
Wait until July and invite them round to dinner serving up a selection of home grown vegetables. You could have runner/French beans, early potatoes, lettuce, beetroots by then.

[Nicola.P]

I was expecting an overgrown heap so I was really pleased with what I got. I am drawing up my plot plan to scale now. I am going down to clear some debris tomorrow (only small.bits nothing that won't fit in a bin bag) and will mark out where I want the beds and shed and will then cover it all with a tarp so it doesn't grow while I work on it bit by bit.

[Bigmallly]

Just took my parents to see it and my dad has said that there is tonnes of work to do to it and that working full time I won't have enough time to do it so not feeling as excited now.

Take a friend down with you to help Nicola & prove him wrong.............he'll change his tune when you start lifting those lovely spuds..................don't get disheartened, you will get there.

[Jay-ell]

Those large superstores such as JTF or CostCo get through tonnes of large cardboard boxes - all you have to do is ask. Great for covering up ground if you can stop it blowing away. you could always hold it down with bags of debris (putting it to good use). If you have the transport you could ask them about pallets while you're at it.

P.S. Hi and welcome (where have my manners gone) once you get into the swing of it and work out your own way of growing you'll be great.

[Nicola.P]

Now that I don't have to sneak around the plot I got some better photos. I have marked (with a very bad wiggly line) in yellow which area is mine. I have also drawn it up to scale and planned how I want it to work.

The man in the photo is standing on the west side of the plot. (He has already said he wants nothing to do with the plot)

I don't think the plot is that bad?





Edit: Forgot to add the measurements are 8m x 7.6m

[MarkHackwell]

Exactly the same on our allotments, no one is ever down there. This past week seen one person down there, and he was pruning the hedge, and theres me sorting out my raised beds and pruning my fruit :P Some have turned over there soil, but I haven't seen anyone down there on the days I have been down (the dry ones) soo they must have been doing it in the rain

[Nicola.P]

I saw one man today. He said shouted over hello and then hid in his shed!

[Bohobumble]

I saw one man today. He said shouted over hello and then hid in his shed!

It's bleddy cold out, I did similar with the one person at mine, I was mainly in the greenhouse working!

[Bigmallly]

The plots looking good & your plan is ok, keep your beds to 4ft wide max so you can reach the middle without stepping on the soil. The only reason I can think of the guy not being interested in it is because the shed is on the south side & may cast a shadow but that's minor. It would be interesting to find out why he was against it though.

[Stan79]

Your parents sound similar to mine. I normally work seven days a week and go away a fair bit with work and I've managed to produce enough from our 8m x 5m plot to make us pretty much self sufficient in veg within 2 years.

Just needs good planning and the will/desire to carry it through! You'll be fine!

[Nicola.P]

Well been down for 2hrs and managed to dig over 1 of the 4 beds and pick out all the roots as I went (I fear it is bind weed and couch grass!!)

Next job rake it level and put slabs down for the shed.

[iGrow]

Use the shadow created by the shed to grow raspberries.

[Nicola.P]

Do raspberrys do well in the shade?
I was going to put the compost bins there but will still be a shaded part.

[WendyC]

They are one plant that will cope with it. Compost will rot quicker with some sun to warm it. However you don't really want to waste prime sunny growing space by putting your compost bins there.