Another allotment newbie...

[Bigmallly]

Looking good already.

[Muddy_Boots]

Nice to see you have made a start, I agree with what Muddled said don't get fixed on making beds of this goes here, that goes there. In your first year get stuff in you've always wanted to grow together with the stuff you like to grow, that way you will know what grows best. Next year you will know what grows well and during the winter you can properly plan what you want to happen next year.

My plot is in its 3rd year and only now am I properly changing it and deciding where the strawberry bed is going and where the 6 Raspberry canes are going to go.

I was once told by the old boy 3 plots down "Its a hobby with rewards at the end, once it becomes a chore then that's the time to give it up" wise words that are so true.

[MissC]

Just a quick update from me... I've been on the plot a few times this week, met the previous 'owner' of my half-plot who has moved a few rows up to a full plot. It was really helpful to talk to him, I found out lots.

The canes that I thought were raspberries are actually vines, he said they haven't done very much over the last few years so I may pull them up as they're taking up a large bed. Does anyone have any experience with growing grapes?

He also told me that I shouldn't dig too much as there's lots of mares tail on the plot, he said it's better to turn over with a fork and try to 'follow the root' if I can and pull as much out as possible. Need to read up on this me thinks.

I did build a few beds (had a week off work) I'm hoping to smother as many weeds as possible before they start popping up. Put the spuds in yesterday and a cheeky fox had dug up two by the time I got there today! No damage to the seeds though so I've just stuck them back in, covered them with old fruit cages and hoped for the best.

Also finished my lasagne strawberry bed today: a layer of wet news paper, then part rotted manure, a layer of coffee grounds, a thick layer of MPC then a thick layer of spent hops to hopefully retain some of the moisture. Our site is so dry! It's very open and dries the clay soil to crumbs in seconds.

Oh dear, that ended up being a rather long update! If you managed to get through all that waffle, well done

[Florence Fennel]

Well done you

[Muddy_Boots]

He also told me that I shouldn't dig too much as there's lots of mares tail on the plot, he said it's better to turn over with a fork and try to 'follow the root' if I can and pull as much out as possible. Need to read up on this me thinks.

We have mares tail on our plots, you have to dig if you have it to get the roots out. When you are growing stuff the best way to stop is to let the fronds develop then bruise then and wipe them with neat roundup weedkiller .

[MissC]

We have mares tail on our plots, you have to dig if you have it to get the roots out. When you are growing stuff the best way to stop is to let the fronds develop then bruise then and wipe them with neat roundup weedkiller .

He said that he double dug the whole plot, triple dug in some places, and the roots were still deeper. I think I'll follow your advice and get some roundup for when the little beggars decide to pop their heads up. Thank you!

[Muddy_Boots]

The advice I gave you was from an old boy in his eighties a few plots down, the reason you have to bruise the fronds is because the thin leaves are waxy and if you just wipe the neat concentrated roundup on it won't be absorbed by the plant. Bruising the plant gives the roundup somewhere to get inside the tissues to start doing it's work.

Its a long slog and I haven't won the war yet with mine, but winning each battle is the way to keep it down.

[MissC]

I can't believe it's been only a month since I got my keys... I feel like I've been digging for a year! I'm getting there though.

April 17th


Today

[Gillykat]

It's looking fabulous! Fun part will start soon as you plant stuff....and don't forget the flowers too so you have a nice colourful plot and attract all the helpful pollinators in.

Agree with the others as regards you moving stuff around as you settle in over the first couple of years....I'm still constantly tweaking things on my plot Think I'm sorted now though....

Looking forward to seeing how your plot develops this year - it already looks great!

[MissC]

It's looking fabulous! Fun part will start soon as you plant stuff....and don't forget the flowers too so you have a nice colourful plot and attract all the helpful pollinators in.

Agree with the others as regards you moving stuff around as you settle in over the first couple of years....I'm still constantly tweaking things on my plot Think I'm sorted now though....

Looking forward to seeing how your plot develops this year - it already looks great!

Thank you! I'm just starting my marigolds, giant sunflowers in the greenhouse and hoping to buy some more bedding plants next week. I can't wait to see some colour! I've just pinned the paths down at the moment so if I decide it doesn't work I can just lift them and dig it over at the end of the year. Really looking forward to seeing what Spring/Summer brings.