Start up advice

[NIguy]

Good morning everyone,

I am hoping that some of the more seasoned alottmenters may be able to offer some advice on starting a new allotment.

I have been lucky enough to be allocated a plot not far from home and am keen to get started asap.

The plot so 10 poles (250 sqm) and is pretty overgrown. Having read many advice guides I reckon it will take me about 12-16 weeks to complete digging and preparation (evenings and weekends).

Obviously if I start now I won't be finished till the end of June and therefore may not get much in this year. Would I be better tackling half of the plot and getting it completed sooner so that I can start planting?

Any advice great fully received

Steve

[Martin H]

Hi Steve, welcome!

I suggest that you do a bit, plant it up, do a bit more, plant it up, etc until you run out of planting time.

Work backwards from one end so that you are facing the bits that are already growing as you work. This stops you getting daunted by the size of the task.

You can still plant spuds for another 6 weeks or so, while beans and sweet corn should go out in May. You can keep sowing stuff including carrots and French beans until July, so you've more time than you think. Then in Sept/Oct you can get garlic and overwintering onions in for eating in 2017...

If you can cover the ground you haven't worked yet, so much the better as this will slow down the growth of the jungle. Otherwise borrow a strimmer and cut it down every six weeks or so, the top growth will rot down into lovely compost in time.

If you have somewhere to start crops in modules at home, you've got even more time available to you. It would also mean that your plants get a head start over the inevitable weeds that will germinate once you've cleared the ground.

That'll do from me, someone will be along with contradictory advice very shortly.

Enjoy the project and good luck!

[veggiechicken]

Hi Steve and welcome to the Forum.
I wouldn't dream of contradicting Martin's advice - for once he's talking sense
If you can get hold of some big cardboard boxes, they're great for putting down over the weeds, until you get round to clearing that area. They'll rot down in time and you can plant courgettes and spuds in holes in the cardboard.

Does that make sense Martin?

[NIguy]

Thanks

Very sensible advice folks thanks.

I have many faults but getting. Bored is chief amongst them so seeing some progress early on will be vital to succeeding for me

Any other advice you have would be great

[veggiechicken]

Once you're picking your own veggies, I promise you, you won't get bored. Just seeing those little green shoots turn into something you can eat is pure magic.

[Guest]

Hi and welcome to the vine

I agree with whats been said, the only thing I can add is take lots of pics. That way you can see how much you have progressed

[muddled]

If boredom is an issue, plant lots of fast growing veggies in your first cleared bit. Kohl rabi, lettuces, things like that. When you start to get fed up you'll have something to show for your work and it might inspire you to keep going.

If you order some raspberry canes you can bung them in now....mulch heavily...an look forward to a bumper crop at the end of summer for almost zero effort!

You can get cardboard by asking at your local corner shop. They have to pay to get rid of all those crisp boxes and so on...they'll be only too pleased for you to take them.

Mainly though, I would say follow Martin's advice and don't try and do too much at once.

[Bigmallly]

Hello Steve & welcome to the Jungle, I can also only echo what has already been said. Concentrate on preparing a small area & plant it up, then move onto another area. Check out the "What I Sowed Today" & "What I Did Today" threads to give you an idea of what folk are sowing & growing. Enjoy.

[Muddy_Boots]

Welcome Steve

I'm only in my 3rd season so I'm only going to repeat the excellent advice that's already been said. Any way of suppressing the weeds is a good idea, I was lucky that my plot had 2 large sheets of thick black plastic that made 2 thirds of it weed free when I took it over.

The last third was a b*tch to dig as it was hard compressed and full of twitch grass, to deal with that I just dug small spade size bits and turned it over leaving it buried for at least 2 weeks for the foliage to die before forking it again to get out the roots. The big challenge is to get out the persistent stuff, I got most of the twitch out but now the challenge is the dandelions.

Above anything make it a hobby with rewards at the end, not a chore.

[Nicos]

Hi there, and welcome to the Vine

One piece of advice from me is not to overdo it.
Unless you are already super fit, you are going to ache in parts of your body you won't even know exist !
Just introduce yourself gently or you could do yourself an injury, or worse still( ) put yourself off clearing the plot.
As the others say though...once you see and taste the results of your efforts ( and your new,toned body!) you'll be so proud of yourself- as will friends and family

[sparrow100]

Congrats on getting a plot - and a proper biggun at that.

This is another echo of Martin's advice - clear, dig/mulch and plant. Cover the bits you'll be getting to last, it makes a huge difference. I use overlapped cardboard bike boxes, but to stop them tearing and flapping about I cover those with cheap tarps, or plant something heavy & rambling like squashes.

Have you thought about where you are going to be composting? If your site has manure deliveries that's a big bonus - and it's never too early to start a big steamy pile for next year's growing.

I've been going 4 seasons now - am still digging some bits for the first time. Rome not built in a day & all...

[Snadger]

I don't know whether you are a raised bed advocate or not.............but four foot wide beds(needn't be raised) ,prepared and planted one at a time give a sense of achievement and can help if you get bored easily.

Congrats on getting your new plot.

[purplekat]

I started my plot halfway through last April. I did one bed at a time, planting up as I went (covering the rest with weed suppressant and cardboard). I managed beetroot, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, herbs, kale, perpetual spinach, sorrel, mustard, broccoli and cauliflower so you can easily get some crop this year. A lot of the oriental leaf veg needs sowing after midsummer, so you always have those if it takes a while.
I used seedings from the garden centre so I could concentrate on clearing. Main things are to clear a patch for a manure pile and get a compost heap up and running, then just clear and plant things as you go.

[Spunky]

If it were me I'd get rid of any rubbish, weed kill the lot, leave it 6 weeks, rotavate it then just work a section with a rake or a cultivator till you're happy then plant into it
After that Just stay ontop of the weeding