Complete absolute utter newbie

[Ricky.curtis]

Hey all

So I've got myself an allotment literally got all the paperwork completed today. I've been down and seen it a few times and it's been well looked after has a shed, a greenhouse, a couple water butts and a composter (I think I got lucky)

But as the title states I'm a complete new starter I grew corn on the cob, cucumber and tomatoes in my conservatory last year absolutely that's my claim to fame 😂 After visiting Bali I decided I wanted to grow more

It looks like there is some sort of fruit trees in the ground already and there is def some rhubarb other then that I'm not quite sure so is it worth me just redesigning and digging the rest up?

I'm looking to grow a bit of everything what can I put in the ground now?

In the shed there is rolls and rolls of bubble wrap any know what it would have been used for?

I also have a bath tub in the ground can I plant straight into this?

Thanks in advance for the help

[Ricky.curtis]

Pics I have so far

[Snoop Puss]

Welcome to the Vine and congratulations on the plot. Looks like you've got a winner there! You'll find other people on here who have just taken an allotment on and they're having a terrible time with buried rubbish and goodness knows what. You've got all the basic infrastructure in place already, saving you a huge amount of effort and expense.

What kind of redesign are you talking about? Me, to be honest, at this stage of the year, I'd be tempted not to do too much but use the general layout that's already there. It would save you a lot of time and effort, which you can put into getting plants going instead. You'll find the path very useful. And the existing beds will have been well worked, so rather than stirring the soil all up, you might wish to just leave them be.

If, at the end of the summer, you think you want to change things, you'll have the whole of the autumn and winter to do so.

The bubble wrap is probably for lining the greenhouse and wrapping round pots to provide protection against cold. There's a section on the forum about growing under cover that you'll find useful. Me, I'm green with envy, as I'd love a greenhouse.

As for the bath, is it full of soil now? You might find it's already got something in it that needs to be confined to stop it getting out of hand. Mint, say, or horseradish. But you might not know till it starts to spring back to life.

There are some great growing guides on here, a seed sowing thread so you can see what people are starting off to give you an idea about what everyone else is up to at this time of year, and there's a book thread as well if you want something to read in bed without having to be online.

Anyway, there will be loads of people along to say hello and give more advice shortly.

Best wishes for a great growing year.

[Guest]

Hi and welcome to the vine

The only use I can think of for bubble wrap is to insulate the inside of the greenhouse over winter.

In regards to the bath tub it is fine to use as a planter and is good if you have something you want to stop spreading.

[bikermike]

welcome! (have I been here long enough to say that yet?)

What a plot!

Personally, I would leave it alone for the first year and just grow stuff in it, it's always a learning curve. Take notes of everything you find and draw a plan of the plot.

Do you know anything about how it was previously used? was the prev owner a no-digger? a chemist? etc? it may affect the state of the plot. Also, if there is any evidence of what was grown where last year, and if there were any disease issues you can adjust your planting accordingly (as a general rule of thumb, don't plant the same thing in the same place each year, and really don't do it if there was disease for that plant in the previous year).

Give the greenhouse a good clean out, there are various products for scrubbing and cleaning them.

What's in the shed? Be worth having a look in there before you buy any tools etc.

What's in your compost bin by the way? is it ready to use? (does it look like compost?) if so, it might be a good idea to get it out and used sooner rather than later, so you can start filling it again.

Otherwise, weed it, tidy it and whack in your plants/seeds. If you don't think you are going to use all of it, cover the bits you are less likely to use with plastic sheet/weed membrane/cardboard (ideally cover the plastic with eg woodchip to stop it degrading in the sunlight).

Another bathtub! I repeat my previous advice - freak out your neighbours, clean it out, and put a rubber duck and a towel rail by it. For max effect, be seen walking to the plot in your dressing gown with a towel over your arm (pre-planning, hide your actual clothes in the shed).

By the end of the year (1) your neighbours will think you a lunatic, and (2) you'll have an idea of the site, the drainage, the soil, the shade, what you enjoyed growing etc. and then start making changes in year 2

[Small pumpkin]

Welcome to the vine
That's a lovely plot you've got.
I wouldn't dig anything out until you're 100% it's something you don't want. So a little later in the year when it's revealed what it is and you don't want it. Dig it out. But if it reveals itself to be something you like but it's in the wrong place for you. Dig it out next autumn/winter and move it.
I grow carrots in my bath

Good luck with everything. Lots of photos of your progress please, we like photos . Shout if you need advice with anything . There's always someone around who can help.

[Baldy]

Welcome along...

looks like you've inherited quite a plot - congrats

[Nicos]

And a big welcome to the Vine from me too!

How exciting!...bet you can't stop grinning!

[nickdub]

I agree with the advice already given not to do anything radical for at least 1 year. Looks like you've inherited a plot that was someon's pride and joy, take good care of it.

Probably soft fruit on the right of your photo and some fruit trees on the left. If you care to post some more detailed photos later on in the year when they have a bit more in the way of leaves on them we can get a better id for you.

If you have a patch of ground which you are not too sure what to do with I'd say stick a few potatoes in for now taken from the not too big ones at the supermarket. If you change your mind later and decide to dig them up again you wont have lost much, but if you leave them you are virtually guaranteed some sort of crop. (sort of beginner proof) :-)

[lottie dolly]

Congratulations on the plot,and welcome to the vine,others have said it all,buti will repete the leave alone for now,exept a general tidy and weed,when you meet other plot holers ask them what they know about the plot,a shed is good,thats your shelter,storage and kitchen,good luck ,and pics please.

[muck lover]

You have clearly been bitten hard by the growing bug. Enjoy your plot. Make friends with your neighbours. They could be a great source of advice a d maybe a few plants too.

[Bluenowhere]

It looks amazing, we have taken a year to get ours cleared and infrastructure in (still not completed), and even with using scrap materials it has probably cost more than we want to admit so you are super lucky to have it in place.

I’d concur with others, take some photos close up of what is there already and ask here for help identifying or ask the neighbouring plot holder they are bound to have noticed what was growing.

If there are fruit trees and rubarb I’d be very surprised if there isn’t soft fruit as well.

Raspberries might look likr dead sticks with a few buds or even be cut right to the ground. Depending on where you are in the country they might only just be starting to sprout due to the cold weather we have had.

Blueberries, red currants, white currants and gooseberries can look like uninspiring little shrubs which might be difficult to identify until you get leaves.

Asparagus might not have any spears yet, mine doesn’t so looks like a patch of bare ground, I know people who have grown that in baths so they can have a well drained mix, bit like a giant alpine planter.

Strawberries may well be overgrown with weeks with lots of dead leaves so I’d personally be careful before going on a digging spree.

Picture is a bit dark but looks like you might have kale or some sort of winter greens growing as well.

Most crops for this year can be started in module or seed trays and I would do that in the greenhouse which will also buy you time to see what is in the ground already.

To me it looks like someone has had real pride in it so bound to be loads of hidden gems.

Crop rotation is all well and good but not essential if you can’t find out what was grown before. If it were mine I’d focus on identifying the permanent stuff, clearing weeds and getting things in the ground then as the year progresses as you use it you can see if things are in the wrong place for you i.e in the way or just plain difficult - we moved our pallet built compost bins twice, they are now back where we first put them - what does well what doesn’t and most importantly do you like the taste of something already there.

[Snoop Puss]

^Great advice.

[Ricky.curtis]

Thanks all

Thank you all for the great advice I will try and refrain from digging things up. Apparently the guy that had it before gave it up last October and it's been untouched since then.

I've been down just looking around and pottering for just over a week and trying to catch anyone down there is a challenge they must go all different times.

What I have learnt is that in the beds around the bath and including the bath he uprooted and removed everything just before he gave it up so I've spent some time today wedding 3 beds ready for stuff to go in this weekend.

I've also found bits that he had hidden in places like the poles for a poly tunnel were hidden/stored behind the shed, some homemade wire covers with plastic over were thrown by the compost heap so I've been around and collected bits up and put it all in the shed ready.

Took a couple more pics today although I feel this could be the start of something beautiful lol

[rary]

Welcome to the Vine, as others have said weed and wait, till you can identify what you have, and while waiting think on what method of gardening you want to do whither it will be dig or no dig, or a mix of both, there is plenty of time to plant things out, unless I am providing additional shelter with plastic or fleece, I won't be planting out till about the second week in June so plenty of time for you discover a lot of what you have got