Trixy's lotty project

[northepaul]

I suppose it depends if you want to be organic or not, currysniffa.

Personally I dont, because I want to be as organic as possible. However I HAD to spray my damson tree which was being complately dessimated by plum mealybugs....so I cant say I'm completely organic.

Its up to the individual.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I sprayed mine 3 weeks a go, most people on our allotment spray, I know it doesn't go down well on here but I don't have a problem with it, I have my own rotovater now as well so I'll be turning all the FYM in with it next march

Not everyone on the forum is against the use of weedkillers. Sensibly and responsibly used, they are a valuable weapon in the gardener's arsenal.

[pipkins]

Hard work but fun, take it at your own speed too and stock up on muscle soak

[trixy]

Thanks everyone, will definitely get the muscle rub in!!

Hubby is a bit worried about what he thinks we've taken on, but it's me who will be clearing it to start, ably assisted by Lucie of course but we'll only know the true damage tomorrow.

I have a friend on the same site who says she thinks it belonged to an 'old boy' who popped in a couple of times during the year scratched his head and then left both times

[Florence Fennel]

I agree with a few who have said "cover up", it saves loads of back ache Trixy. Take it little and often and plant garlic and onions in your first bit of clear ground. Good luck chuck.

[trixy]

We went to see it today, and it has potential!

The soil is light and was worked until about a year ago!! It is now overgrown with grass and has quite x lot of rubbish in there too! I saw a couple of broken watering cans and some old pop bottles, bug nothing major. I'll post pics when I'm on my laptop

[Potstubsdustbins]

First purchase must be a good strong pair of leather gloves.

Good Luck Colin

[Fruit&2veg]

My Plot was a complete tip when i took it over, everything from old bedsteads to broken glass, enough old carpet burried to carpet a couple of houses lol. just take your time, clear a bit and plant it as you go- still time for Broad beans onions garlic etc. also to get Soft fruit organised. keeps the interest going and before you know it you will have a plot to be proud of!
As for spraying or not, Its down to personal choice, as AP says, used sensibly and responsibly they can be a real time and energy saver.
Best of luck with your project

[Nigelsmith]

We only got our first plot a few months ago and I think the best bit of advice we received was Clear a bit,Dig a bit,Plant a bit

We also have a large plot like yours so we have covered half of the plot thus not giving you so much pressure and hard work to begin with.

The second bit of good advise (From this forum) was to relax and chill out and enjoy your plot Rome was not built in a day

Look forward to the updates

Nigel X

[Currysniffa]

We are not aloud to cover plots only paths as over the years people have covered the ground as its getting to much for them then that gets covered with soil and stuff the the plot holder leaves and the next man/woman comes along stars digging and finds carpet, I've just found a load of thick black plastic under 3" of soil, on my new plot its not funny just more work clearing ..

[Alison]

We are not aloud to cover plots only paths as over the years people have covered the ground as its getting to much for them then that gets covered with soil and stuff the the plot holder leaves and the next man/woman comes along stars digging and finds carpet, I've just found a load of thick black plastic under 3" of soil, on my new plot its not funny just more work clearing ..

I dug up loads of those carpet sample sheets on my plot, apparently the previous plot holder had used them for a path - don't now what the carpet shop thought as I thought that you were supposed to return the sample books

[Currysniffa]

I dug up loads of those carpet sample sheets on my plot, apparently the previous plot holder had used them for a path - don't now what the carpet shop thought as I thought that you were supposed to return the sample books

He/she could of been a carpet fitter so something like that, makes for hard work though. The black plastic on mine was 10ft x10ft folded over in places and full of soil so very heavy, not to bad for me but if my wife was doing it it wouldn't of got done.

[trixy]

I've just got back from a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours on the littlie.
The lovely Lucie slept for a couple of hours so I was able to get on.
I found plastic, carpets, a netball goalpost (tut), plastic pots, slug killer canisters, chicken wire, a beetroot and some metal poles

I'll post pictures when I get back from the school run, but on the whole I'm very pleased with my first efforts!

[Two_Sheds]

I dug up loads of those carpet sample sheets on my plot

The black plastic on mine was 10ft x10ft folded over in places and full of soil

On my old plot I dug down about a foot and hit something hard. Tried to dig it up but it was big ~ when I finally got it out it was a 4x3 piece of metal sheet, buried flat. wtf?

In my front garden here, I've just uncovered a concrete slab, buried under 2" of soil. While trying to plant bulbs around it, I hit some more buried concrete and just gave up. I don't want several foot of concrete in my garden, I have no idea what it could be either (doesn't seem to be a hatch or lid to anything like a drain).

[veggiechicken]

I found a turquoise blue bath full of empty wine bottles buried in my garden. Nearby was the washbasin!