Let the planning begin (Newbie)

[MatthewM]

Where to start ��.

After about a year�s wait I have been to view three plots and picked one, which was a week ago, and now as of Tuesday we have the keys.

So what do I get for my �70.00 a year? (And �5.00 for association membership).

6.78m x 17.4m (5 poles?) of slightly overgrown but what looks to be well loved piece of land, 1 Plastic handmade greenhouse, 1 Shed, Good condition although door needs adjusting (Calendar inside still on Aug so assuming that�s when the plot was last touched).

The plot is next Located next to the compost bins (is this a good thing or bad?) (�1 per wheelbarrow load once paid membership), and Located next to wheelbarrows, the lock up for electric strimmer�s, rotavators etc (again can be hired) and a tap that is about 3 meters away.

We have two Trees, one of which is an apple tree approx. 2m to 3m tall (just starting to bud), the other tree I am yet to find out what this is.

Pictures are to follow, but feel free to ask me any questions, Roll on the weekend and to get a good 8 hours a day (weather permitting) on site.

Well anyway I am looking forward to mixing in with you all and starting the allotment journey.

- Matthew

[WendyC]

Congratulations on your new plot. Sounds like you will be up and running in no time. I'd make your plot nearer 4.5 rods/ poles. Either way you'll soon fill it.
Are the compost bins communal ones? Personally I'd avoid it and make my own as you never know what people gave put in it. Perennial weed, grass cuttings with weed killer on them etc. Perhaps I'm too fussy.
Can you add your rough location to your profile as advice might depend on your local conditions. If you find you can't, keep posting and eventually it will let you.

[muddled]

Hell and welcome,

I too would give the communal compost a miss and for exactly the same reasons as WendyC.
is yours a private allotment or council?

Get to know your neighbours...they will know what your other tree is, they'll have had the fruit off it last year if the other chap finished in August! Should be able to tell you if it tasted good or had a maggoty problem too.

If you're lucky you might have rhubarb and psb waiting for you to harvest as well!

[MatthewM]

Congratulations on your new plot. Sounds like you will be up and running in no time. I'd make your plot nearer 4.5 rods/ poles. Either way you'll soon fill it.
Are the compost bins communal ones? Personally I'd avoid it and make my own as you never know what people gave put in it. Perennial weed, grass cuttings with weed killer on them etc. Perhaps I'm too fussy.
Can you add your rough location to your profile as advice might depend on your local conditions. If you find you can't, keep posting and eventually it will let you.

Thank you WendyC

Yes the compost bins are communal, thank you for the tip on these. I don't think your too fussy at all.

Just tried to add location and cant yet :-( will try again after a few posts. But for now, Im in Hampton, Middlesex.

Thanks again

- Matthew

[MatthewM]

Hell and welcome,

I too would give the communal compost a miss and for exactly the same reasons as WendyC.
is yours a private allotment or council?

Get to know your neighbours...they will know what your other tree is, they'll have had the fruit off it last year if the other chap finished in August! Should be able to tell you if it tasted good or had a maggoty problem too.

If you're lucky you might have rhubarb and psb waiting for you to harvest as well!

Hi muddled

Its a council allotment, I applied for few in the area and others have very long waiting lists.

We had a little walk around on Tuesday night (dressed appropriatly in my suit after work lol), to see what others had and meet the few people floating around, they all seem really nice. Great tip on the asking them about the fruit.

Im happy with how it is at the moment, but anything extra like rhubarb would be great.

Is it normal to be this excited?

- Matthew

[veggiechicken]

Hi Matthew and welcome to the forum.
Its perfectly normal to be excited about having an allotment - don't worry, you're as normal as the rest of us
As Wendy said, keep posting and you'll be able to edit your profile. Some new members can, others can't, but the system sorts itself out in a short time.
Don't forget the piccies of your plot. We're a nosey lot!
Here's a good place to start http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...dar_83084.html

[MatthewM]

Hi Matthew and welcome to the forum.
Its perfectly normal to be excited about having an allotment - don't worry, you're as normal as the rest of us
As Wendy said, keep posting and you'll be able to edit your profile. Some new members can, others can't, but the system sorts itself out in a short time.
Don't forget the piccies of your plot. We're a nosey lot!
Here's a good place to start http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...dar_83084.html

Hi Veggiechicken

I think that is the first time I have even been considered normal lol.

I will have the pics up this weekend (im a very snap happy person).

Thank you for the warm welcome, and that thread idea is great, cant wait to get involved.

- Matthew

p.s. WendyC ive not ignored you, my reply to yours says that a mod needs to approve it first, so I thought better than duplicating it.

[veggiechicken]

I only said you were "as normal as the rest of us" Check my signature

[cariann88]

Hello and welcome.

Congratulations on your new plot

[MatthewM]

Hello and welcome.

Congratulations on your new plot

Thank you for the very warm welcome, its Friday and I've loaded my car with my tools already to get down there and start haha.

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine Matthew and enjoy the day at your new plot.

[Lumpy]

Hello Matthew - welcome to the Vine.
And yes excitement is normal for us lot, closely followed by back ache, then amazement at the stuff you have growing, then joy at the taste on your plate and finally frustration with the winter because you are desparate to do it all over again. I still get SO excited when the new seed catalogues start arriving in the post!

[MatthewM]

Hello and welcome to the vine Matthew and enjoy the day at your new plot.

Thank you .... on route to buy a kettle I can boil using my car output (getting priorities in order haha)

- Matthew

[MatthewM]

Hello Matthew - welcome to the Vine.
And yes excitement is normal for us lot, closely followed by back ache, then amazement at the stuff you have growing, then joy at the taste on your plate and finally frustration with the winter because you are desparate to do it all over again. I still get SO excited when the new seed catalogues start arriving in the post!

Hi Lumpy

My goal is to at least have enough for the family Christmas dinner (16 people), as you can tell im starting with small goals so anything else is a bonus.

any seed catalogs you can recommend?

- Matthew

[Bren In Pots]

Matthew I'd suggest going down to a Lidl or Aldi both sell seeds from around 30 pence a packet.