Finally, an allotment (I hope!)

[Mark Lottie]

If you are getting Chickens then they will do a lot of the hard work for you

look up "chicken tractors" which is what bigmally is talking about I think - there's a good video by Geoff Lawton about the subject.

frost pockets - I mentioned them but might not be relevant. If the slope doesnt have a "hollow" at the bottom that raises up again; i.e. catching descending cold air, then you wont get them. I mean that mound on the right of below picture.



but apparently the frost hardy veg are some brassicas, leeks, parsnips, scorzonera and salsify

With the 3 sisters just plan around having the sweetcorn about 50cm high before you even plant the squash/beans because in the UK corn just doesnt grow fast enough (IMO).

also, there's a chooks forum for chickens

[bario1]

Remember no-one can take the allotment off you, so take your time! I actually wish I had been less gung-ho when I got my (half) plot, because my head was full of plans and in my enthusiasm I rushed to implement them all - 3 years on I have no more 'major' jobs to do on the plot and I miss the excitement of making improvements... now I'm just itching for more space!

[TheChemist]

Remember no-one can take the allotment off you, so take your time! I actually wish I had been less gung-ho when I got my (half) plot, because my head was full of plans and in my enthusiasm I rushed to implement them all - 3 years on I have no more 'major' jobs to do on the plot and I miss the excitement of making improvements... now I'm just itching for more space!

Will try to bear that in mind. Perhaps I'll do a couple of large "mixed beds" to get things growing this year (these can become my perennial beds later) and focus on one area at a time?

If you are getting Chickens then they will do a lot of the hard work for you

look up "chicken tractors" which is what bigmally is talking about I think - there's a good video by Geoff Lawton about the subject.

frost pockets - I mentioned them but might not be relevant. If the slope doesnt have a "hollow" at the bottom that raises up again; i.e. catching descending cold air, then you wont get them. I mean that mound on the right of below picture.



but apparently the frost hardy veg are some brassicas, leeks, parsnips, scorzonera and salsify

With the 3 sisters just plan around having the sweetcorn about 50cm high before you even plant the squash/beans because in the UK corn just doesnt grow fast enough (IMO).

also, there's a chooks forum for chickens

I already have my five girls in the garden, in a fancy Omlet Cube with run extension. It is on wheels, but how I'd get it and the chooks to the lottie I don't know (I drive a three door Ford Fiesta!!) Not planning on ever moving them there indefinitely simply because I don't fancy going up there at 6am and dusk every night to lock them up!

I see what you mean about the frost pocket now - I do believe the allotment ends before the slope does, if you know what I mean, so that hopefully won't be a problem!

Thank you all for the friendly advice. It really is much appreciated

[Mark Lottie]

ah fair play didnt realise they were in the garden

wish i was allowed some chickens

[TheChemist]

ah fair play didnt realise they were in the garden

wish i was allowed some chickens

I was under the impression that all allotments have to allow chickens. Am I misinformed? Only problem would be getting up there to look after them. I can't sleep if mine aren't locked in!

[WendyC]

Remember no-one can take the allotment off you, so take your time!

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but yes they can. Check your tenancy agreement carefully as to the expectations of the standard required in maintaining your plot. Hopefully there will be some lee way in your early months. The biggest reason for being asked to surrender tenancy is weeds seeding on others' plots. Cover land you are not using. .

As regard the keeping chickens, again check you tenancy agreement. No livestock on my site.

[TheChemist]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but yes they can. Check your tenancy agreement carefully as to the expectations of the standard required in maintaining your plot. Hopefully there will be some lee way in your early months. The biggest reason for being asked to surrender tenancy is weeds seeding on others' plots. Cover land you are not using. .

As regard the keeping chickens, again check you tenancy agreement. No livestock on my site.

Hi Wendy,

I have chickens already in my own garden, and am not planning to move them to the allotment! But I have read, in several places, that local bylaws can't actually overrule the allotment act which states that all allotment holders can keep chickens/rabbits. Probably not worth being at loggerheads with the parish council over, though

I'm still waiting on the tenancy agreement. Luckily the allotment is completely covered in (normal) grass, and there's bizarrely not a weed to be seen. We will be covering to prepare them though. The deadline for "cultivation" each year is May 1st. They don't state how much though:

Hughenden Parish Council - Rules and Regulations

After I get the agreement I may ring to clarify.

[Gillykat]

Oooh congrats on getting your first plot....isn't it exciting!!! I got mine last month and am loving it.....and have so many things I want to do and am getting SO annoyed at this cold weather and cannot wait for the warmer weather to kick in.

I just got my tenancy agreement last Thursday and when I read through it was mostly common sense stuff (and the council covering THEIR backs ) ~ permission if you want to keep livestock (most tenants here seem to have pigeons, chickens & ducks in that order), no harassing neighbours, no trees over 8ft etc.

I wouldn't worry TOO much about getting your plot looking immaculate in the first year....I think as long as it's obvious you ARE doing something then they'll be happy with your tenancy. Neil and I aren't the richest folk in the world and thought we would get an open blank canvas like yours and would be happy to achieve a few raised beds, cheap plastic greenhouse and a few flowers in the first year.

THe main thing is just have fun I too barely slept that first night after getting my keys because my head was spinnning with all the ideas for what to grow!

[TheChemist]

Oooh congrats on getting your first plot....isn't it exciting!!! I got mine last month and am loving it.....and have so many things I want to do and am getting SO annoyed at this cold weather and cannot wait for the warmer weather to kick in.

I just got my tenancy agreement last Thursday and when I read through it was mostly common sense stuff (and the council covering THEIR backs ) ~ permission if you want to keep livestock (most tenants here seem to have pigeons, chickens & ducks in that order), no harassing neighbours, no trees over 8ft etc.

I wouldn't worry TOO much about getting your plot looking immaculate in the first year....I think as long as it's obvious you ARE doing something then they'll be happy with your tenancy. Neil and I aren't the richest folk in the world and thought we would get an open blank canvas like yours and would be happy to achieve a few raised beds, cheap plastic greenhouse and a few flowers in the first year.

THe main thing is just have fun I too barely slept that first night after getting my keys because my head was spinnning with all the ideas for what to grow!

I've already had a sleepless night and I haven't even got a key!

We're definitely not swimming in money either. I've found some great money saving ideas on Pinterest, but my main plan is to dig, get some seeds in the ground, cover the rest with cardboard (free) and bricks (loads in a skip up the road, going to grab them tomorrow) and try and save some seed for next year! I love the idea of skip diving to salvage things for repairs!

We're going to try to aim to grow things that are expensive to buy, too. I adore asparagus, rhubarb, raspberries, artichokes and courgettes (I think the latter is the only one I can hope for this year...)

I've just found your blog; will definitely have a read this weekend!

[bario1]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but yes they can. Check your tenancy agreement carefully as to the expectations of the standard required in maintaining your plot. Hopefully there will be some lee way in your early months. The biggest reason for being asked to surrender tenancy is weeds seeding on others' plots. Cover land you are not using. .

As regard the keeping chickens, again check you tenancy agreement. No livestock on my site.

Ok, technically they can take it off you, but something tells me the OP is not about to dig over half her plot and then lose interest in the whole thing... . Besides, all you have to do (on our site at least it seems) is turn up once a year, turn over the ground, then ignore it for the next eleven and a half months! I've never heard of an eviction.

[sparrow100]

We're going to try to aim to grow things that are expensive to buy, too. I adore asparagus, rhubarb, raspberries, artichokes and courgettes (I think the latter is the only one I can hope for this year...)

Even though you're new to the site it might be worth talking to your plot neighbours. About this time of year loads of us are getting rid of raspberry suckers, lumps of rhubarb, spare currant bushes/cuttings. strawberry runners and some have globe artichoke suckers that are happily donated. If you can get some freebies it would cut down on how much you spend.

As for cultivation rates - it's worth asking if it's not clear, just so you know what the expectations are. Our site's very active, so the guys who turned up once and then didn't bother again last year have now been evicted and their plots re-let.

[TheChemist]

I've just signed the allotment agreement and cheque. I'll send it off tonight! It's ours! The agreement is just a copy of the rules, which says site should be cultivated by 1st May - no specifics, so must ask. It's my daughters birthday this weekend (I'm taking 15 girls to the cinema and for pizza ), so while I'd love to spend the entire weekend up there we are going to wait until Sunday. It's forecast to be grey and 9 degrees, so we will fill a large thermos with tea, swaddle ourselves nicely and hope it doesn't feel too chilly.

We're planning to take a measuring tape and enough string to tie the entire planet up in a pretty bow to start by marking everything out. Then it'd be nice to get something dug out.

We have about 100 seedlings on the go at the moment, and more going in at the weekend. Looks like it's going to be quite an adventure

The camera will definitely be taken along so I can post millions of gratuitous progress pics (and so you can tell me all the silly things I'm doing wrong!)

[Lumpy]

Hi Ya - the plot looks good but try not to stress about getting it all done quickly. Me and the OH got ours in Jan and have managed to do some of it but I am not going to strain something just to keep my impatient brain happy.
We have planted some first earlies by using a bulb planter the growing tatties will loosen up the soil - which will be dug when the tatties are ready.
The most important thing is to enjoy your growing space as the veggies will taste so much sweeter.

[Edmund Blackadder]

On the chicken point - I was wondering the exact same thing. Turns out you're right. Section 12 of the Allotments Act 1950 states that you can keep hens (and rabbits) "(n)otwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any lease or tenancy or in any covenant, contract or undertaking relating to the use to be made of any land..."

Perhaps don't tell the council where to shove its terms quite though.

[TheChemist]

The rough plan so far... Mr. Chemist has just poured me a pint and congratulated me on my "ridiculously ambitious" plan. I'd like to start by trying to get the bottom five beds dug, so we can get something growing. Pretty much all the seedlings are started now, so it's time to dig dig dig.



Still have to get up there, measure, mark it all out with string etc. Lots planted. Possibly have to ban myself from frequenting garden centres!

We are sharing the dining table with lots of seedlings which have come in from the blowaway! If it gets any worse, I may have to change household legislation surrounding eating on ones lap!