New member, new allotment...

[heyhay1984]

Hi all, I've been reading for ages and learnt loads already, but need to ask a few questions now!

On Wednesday I will hopefully be getting my hands on an allotment about 50yds from my front door (after my other half has been messing the poor chap in charge about, hope he doesn't get too bad a first impression).

I'm almost certain I know which plot it is, and it's covered in grass, but nothing more substantial as far as I can see, so shouldn't be too bad to get started. I'm guessing the soil will be heavy clay like my garden. My question is, am I doing things in the right order:

I'm planning on digging a fair bit this week as I'm on hols, have ordered a couple of raised beds for salad leaves and things like radishes, so I'll swap those over every year (not perfect, I know)
Then I want to get my spuds in ASAP, have got charlotte and kestrel to go in then rooster when I can. By then I think I will be out of time and back at work

My next job was going to be to dig a bit more and get onion sets and carrots as soon as I can, then work along and sort it out for some peas and beans to plant out over May holiday weekend.

I also want some brassicas but not sure how late these can go out and how best to do the ground? I have access to as much manure as I want but won't be able to get any well-rotted stuff for about a month.

[seasprout]

Howdy.

Welcome to the Vine.

Lets hope the weather warms up a bit soon so you can get started on your plot.

[Eyren]

Hi all, I've been reading for ages and learnt loads already, but need to ask a few questions now!

On Wednesday I will hopefully be getting my hands on an allotment about 50yds from my front door (after my other half has been messing the poor chap in charge about, hope he doesn't get too bad a first impression).

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

Lucky you having one so close! I thought I was doing OK with one about a mile away, having heard folk here talking about travelling 4 miles or more

I'm almost certain I know which plot it is, and it's covered in grass, but nothing more substantial as far as I can see, so shouldn't be too bad to get started. I'm guessing the soil will be heavy clay like my garden. My question is, am I doing things in the right order:

I'm planning on digging a fair bit this week as I'm on hols, have ordered a couple of raised beds for salad leaves and things like radishes, so I'll swap those over every year (not perfect, I know).

Not sure what you mean by this - you are worried about rotation on your salad beds?

AFAIK, most salads aren't overly troubled by persistent diseases in the soil - as long as you sow your radishes and other salad brassicas (e.g. oriental leaves like pak choi and tatsoi) in a different part of the raised bed each year, I think you should be OK. Will you be growing tomatoes on the lottie or in the garden? They are another group that needs to be rotated.

Then I want to get my spuds in ASAP, have got charlotte and kestrel to go in then rooster when I can. By then I think I will be out of time and back at work.

My next job was going to be to dig a bit more and get onion sets and carrots as soon as I can, then work along and sort it out for some peas and beans to plant out over May holiday weekend.

That sounds like a good place to start. If it's only grass on there, the easiest thing to do is to strip off the top layer of turf and stack it upside down to rot, then dig over the areas you want to have as beds (I use the fixed paths system and minimal digging, but you will want to dig everything over to begin with).

I also want some brassicas but not sure how late these can go out and how best to do the ground? I have access to as much manure as I want but won't be able to get any well-rotted stuff for about a month.

The manure will be good for loosening up your heavy clay, so def recommended.

If I were you I'd sow some autumn brassicas in modules in a week or two, then pot them on when they are big enough (usually when they get their first set of true leaves) - they won't need planting out on the lottie until about June, which gives you plenty of time to dig and manure the bed. Follow on with winter and spring varieties, which you can sow in May-July.

Hope all goes well - the weather is shaping up to be wet again

[heyhay1984]

Thanks both, getting quite excited about it all now!

If it looks like it will be a reasonable summer I'll have toms on the plot, was going to stick them next to the spuds so they can rotate together next year. If it loks like it will be another wash-out (lets hope not!) they will stay on my south-facing patio to give them a bit of a chance! Got some marmande and tigerella (best of a poor showing last year!) on their 3rd set of true leaves now, going great guns on the windowsill!

Good to hear I've got a bit more time with the brassicas, I'll pop those in fairly soon.

Here's hoping it stays dry and it's only grassy stuff covering the plot!

[heyhay1984]

Well, have been down to look and have accepted plot (was there any chance I wouldn't?!). Just waiting for the blimmin' paperwork so I can get my key! Back to work Thurs so will be cross if letter isn't here tomorrow, need to get some stuff in ASAP!

It is 300m2, and is near enough square in shape, which could be harder to plan out.
What is especially nice is that the plot is almost exactly where my grandad's was (we used to 'help' when we were kids), the plots were covered over to make a car park then reinstated about 2 yrs ago. Gradad still lottie-ing elsewhere and says the clay isn't as bad as it could be at that part of the plot.

Raring to go!!! Aa I can't get planting I'm going to set up a blog instead..

[sez]

i've got a new plot too and i'm digging in roughly the same order as you ... spud beds, then onions and carrots, then peas/beans, then other late stuff like courgettes and squash. Hopefully thats the right 'order' as I can't seem to dig fast enough! (done 2 1/2 of 10 beds so far!).

Have fun diggin!

[heyhay1984]

We'll have to keep comparing notes Sez!

I found out today they sent the stuff to the wrong address so that explains the delay! The nice lady said I could pop in ot the council to pick up key rather than waiting for post etc, so hopefully will soon catch up!