Newbie to allotments (and the forum!)

[little-sparrow]

Hi all!
I am getting my first allotment in around 3-4 weeks when it is vacated by the current owner. I haven't been to see it yet, but it is currently in use so I am hoping that it is in good condition and I can start right away!

I know that by the time I am able to start planting it will probably be somewhere around mid-May, so I was wondering what sort of things would be good to go in then - if anything?
Is there anything I can start growing from seed indoors now that I can then transplant later on?

Thanks in advance! Any and all advice to an allotment newbie is welcome, even if it doesn't answer the above!
-Emma

[1Bee]

Congratulations on your allotment! Exciting, isn't it? Welcome to the Vine.

What can you plant in May? Pretty much everything... that is, some of it may be a bit late, but most things catch up. And there are always veg plug plants from nurseries etc to plug the gaps. If you sow at home, the trick is going to be keeping everything happy until it can get in the ground.

In May we're only just past our last frost date up here - where are you? At that time id be planting out courgettes and pumpkins (with a bit of extra protection), sowing salads, carrots, sweetcorn, beans and peas... Lots to do.

My top tip would be to cover anywhere you're not actually growing - weed membrane, cardboard, black plastic - so you don't have to weed unproductive areas.

Have fun!

[Bluenowhere]

Hi little sparrow. If you let us know where about you are those in the local area can advise when they are planting various seeds.

I’d buy a little growhouse if you have any outside space at home. They are called blowaways on here for good reason but if you tie or weigh down they are invaluable to grow most seeds. Those which need more heat to germinate like tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkin, squashes can be started on your sunniest window sill.

If you want tomatoes from seed you need to start asap to allow them to get big enough to fruit. Especially if you were planning outside as blight can be a problem (most people would grow them in a greenhouse or polytunnel).

Most other things I will start in next couple of weeks. The main thing to bear in mind is that you don’t want the seedlings/plants to get too big before you can plant them out after the last frost. You can protect stuff with fleece if you get a random late frost but you don’t want to be trying to stop them getting cold all the time.

[Chestnut]

Hello, and welcome to the grapevine

Congratulations on your plot!

It might be worth asking if you can take a quick peak at your new plot, just to get an idea of size, aspect, existing plants such as fruit trees/bushes which you might want to keep, to help with your planning.

There are plenty of things you can plant in May. It is a really great time to be getting a plot!

Have a think about what veg you like eating, and a browse through this chart from RHS to see which are planted when
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/pdfs/vegplanner.pdf

There’s lots of info in the growguides section on this site, and lots of friendly advice here on the forums too!

Oh, and don’t forget to take photos of your plot as you go along - it is really lovely to be able to look back at how the plot develops and changes through the seasons

[little-sparrow]

Thanks for the helpful replies!
I’m located in East Devon (it wouldn’t let me edit my profile yet!).

Glad to know I can still sow things in May. I am definitely planning on carrots and spring onions, and of course some beans.
Cucumbers and pumpkin are also on my list so I’ll definitely get down to the garden centre for a growhouse. My mum already has far too many tomato plants in her garden so I don’t need to worry about them! I’m quite keen on asparagus too but I feel like that might be a bit too adventurous for my first time!

I am also very keen to have a good lot of potatoes. I know I will have passed the early planing and will have to do a main crop, but I am not sure if I would have the time to chit now? I suppose I could just stick them in anyway haha!

Thanks for the tips about covering. Once I can properly see what I’m working with I can figure out how much space I’ll realistically be able to use/manage this year and cover the rest

I am so excited to get going!

[Bluenowhere]

Ah so you get slightly warmer earlier so probably can get seed sowing right about now but May won’t be too late and some things like salad, beetroot, baby carrots, you want to sow in batches with a couple of weeks between each lot (successional sowing).

Not too late for earlies if you get a wriggle on, we didn’t plant ours until end of March last year (our first year) and our allotment neighbour planted hers in April but you will need to pot in pots/potato bags. Main crop you could get chitting, you don’t have too but if you chit them now you can get them planted asap when you get the allotment and will have given them a headstart.

Asparagus not too adventurous as takes three years before you can properly harvest. Pretty easy, clear as many perennial weeds from the ground, add manure and perhaps gravel if really heavy clay then get a nice trench dug and go for it. I’d get some crowns now if you still can and plant in troughs then can carefully transplant in May. Some might say that’s not a good idea as you won’t be transplanting when dormant but I’d rather try and fail than not try at all. My local garden Center and Wilkos both had seed potatoes and asapagus crowns last week.

So exciting

.

[nickdub]

Might be worth keeping an eye out for any fruit bushes that look to be OK quality on offer at the supermarkets. You could grow them on in pots for the time being, then plant them out later when you have your allotment.

[Baldy]

Welcome along Emma. Nice part.of the world you're in
If you can get a peek at the plot it might be helpful. At home you could sown things like cucumber, courgette, sweet corn (soon) especially if you've got a warm south facing windowsill or two
Come may you can direct siw a lot if things - lettuce carrot radish...etc etc. And plug plants too. Exciting times, good luck

Pictures - we like pictures... You'll need a few more posts before you can upload them though...

[Mr Bones]

Hi LS, welcome to the Vine and congratulations on getting your allotment

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine little-sparrow have a look at this handy site all you need to do is to set your location then it gives you frost dates and sowing/planting times.

https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/cale...rsonalised.php

[little-sparrow]

Thank you all so much for some more lovely welcomes!

I think I’ll definitely get a main crop of potatoes on the windowsill this weekend, not sure I’ll worry about earlies this year.

We are going to have a nose on Tuesday at the allotment. I think it’s just a little one but I am sure it will great to start with. I am sharing with a ‘plot neighbour’ so it sounds like one plot where we each have a bit. Hopefully room for a few beds!

I’d like a raspberry bush and was also thinking of a dwarf apple tree but I will see how I go for space. If I find a decent raspberry I’ll probably pick that up.

Plug plants sound great - never thought about them before! Might be a good idea if I end up short on time.

Will definitely be taking lots of pictures!

@Bren That website is fantastic, I think I might actually print out the seasonal calendar and take it with me!

[veggiechicken]

Hello Emma and welcome from me too.
Bet you can't wait 'til Tuesday - an allotment is better than an Easter Egg any day!
You may be pleasantly surprised by what is already on the plot - raspberries seem to be everywhere.
Do you have a garden/outside space at home? It can be very useful to start things off there to plant out when large enough on the plot. I grow spuds and carrots in buckets, rather than in the ground, and they can sit on paths, patios, whatever space you can find!
Have fun

[Bluenowhere]

Excellent Little sparrow it’s a real bonus to get a sneak peak so you know what to expect and plan depending on what condition it is in.

[Greenleaves]

Welcome to the vine, enjoy the benefits of the advice and humour

[Bluenowhere]

So Little Sparrow do tell, what was it like?