Help Wanted

[matthew2riches]

I am a new allotmenter. I wanted a plot for ages and finally went down to see if they had any - any they did!

I got in July. Me and my brother cultivate the plot. We have forked the whole plot removing anything that chouldn't be there and we have also built a small shed (for keeping tools in - you wouldn't fit a person in there with all the junk) gained a large wooden composting bin, dug a pond, put up our boundries using rope and posts and started a grass pathway down the middle.

I only grew a few radish last year as it was getting to the end of the season before things were ready.

I have built a raised bed which i will grow herbs in and i have also planted 4 rhubarb crowns.

Could people now tell me what i should do?

I have started a blog: Plot 26a - Matthew & Shaun Riches - Morland Road Allotments
This will gove you more of an insite to what is going on.
If you would like to know anything - contact me.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hey Matthew - welcome to the vine! The world's your oyster now, I reckon! Well done for getting the plot ready - lots of hard work for you both, but you'll reap the rewards this year!

Not much to direct sow at the moment, but I'd use the next couple of months in getting your seed potatoes chitting ready to plant, and splitting the plot into four and doing a plan of what should go where. There's lots of advice here on the vine on the subject of rotation if you do a search. on the green bar near the top.

I don;t have a greenhouse, and besides getting the plot ready and chitting potatoes, the first things I'll be getting in will be early peas and broad beans - although I'd be tempted to start these off anytime now in pots to give them a headstart...

[Farmer_Gyles]

Could people now tell me what i should do?

if you're stuck, you could always come and dig my veggie patch over! LOL

wish my brothers weren't lazy .......

[HeyWayne]

Looking at what you've done already Matt, I'd say it looks like you know what you're doing already.

One thing I'd suggest that you do is make sure you keep yourself on here - a great wealth of knowledge with a large helping of humour. It's helped me through my first year!

Good luck chap.

Wayne

[andrewo]

I suggest that you keep it simple, plant masses of potatoes and they will break the ground up. You could plant earlies, main and late. I suggest that when the earlies are out of the ground, you plant salads there and when the main and lates are out you plant a green manure, like phacelia or rye grass. You can also do courgettes, a few outdoor toms (marmande) and climbing beans/peas.

Good potatoes are anya, pink fir, cara, red duke of york just to name a few. I wouldn't try and do too much and the beauty of potatoes is that the foliage smothers weeds.

[piskieinboots]

welcome Matthew - all the above is excellent advice as it always is on here

[SarzWix]

Looks like you're doing fine Matthew
If you've got your seeds already, then I would read the backs of all the packets, decide what you're going to sow when, and then sort them into a box/tin with dividers for each month. That way you shouldn't miss anything out, & if you're sowing some each month (salads etc), once you've done your first sowing you just slot the packet into the next months section. It almost worked for me last year, altho I was still a bit late sowing my winter stuff (swedes, cabbages, brussels etc). Oh, and don't forget to buy GYO mag, for reminders of "What to Do This Month" !

[veg4681]

Welcome to the vine.

I think I would have a few beds (or even raised beds if you don't mind the extra work) with walking paths between them, I personally don't fancy treading on soil esp. when it's been raining.

Up to 4 beds, you can implement 4 year plan crop rotation but you might want to have more beds depending on your plot size. I would be make sure to prepare bed soil, get rid of as much weeds/roots as you possibly can (I used my hands!) and when you're happy with the 'neat soil', you might want to enrich it with manure, compost etc depending on your soil type/quality/condition, some of us are blessed with immediate good soil and some aren't so lucky.

Starting to think about what to grow from January is a good headstart. I didn't get/buy my seeds till about after April - June so missed a lot of chances. Good luck with your new plot and enjoy this friendly and very helpful forum.

[bramble]

Welcome to you both and well done on getting your plot. If you are anxious to plant anything right now you could put in some garlic.

[Flummery]

My main advice to new growers is - please try to believe the sowing times on the packets! You might just get away with sowing earlier than recommended but it's always a gamble. If it says sow March to May, DON'T put them in yet! Later sowings do catch up.

Best of luck with your plot - regarding the blog - you could put this forum on the links page. Well done so far.

[Nicos]

Hello and welcome to the Vine Matthew!!

I'd get hold of a few fruit bushes and the odd fruit tree and get them in now as it's the right time to do that

First of all you need to plan your plot and future rotations...think of what veg you like and where they fit into the 3yr rotation.

Then you can decide where the best place is for the fruit.

There are loads of books in the library to check up on rotations and then you can treat yourself to at least one of them ( for now!!...)
Tis a good time for getting a plot.
DO be aware that where you put muck/compost varies as to which part of the rotation you are on.
Sounds tricky but it's as easy as jam butties!!

Not checked your blog yet...but should be interesting!! ( loads of piccies please!!)