Looking for a good first year from an overgrown plot

[ewallsuk]

I've taken over a highly over grown plot just before Christmas. I'm ready to start clearing using mulching with black plastic and round-up later in the spring. It looks like hard work as the chap before was a hoarder and 1/4 of the plot is stacked high with stuff he kept in the shed and greenhouse. The council has said they will take this away eventually (hmmmm....., we'll see).

I'm not afraid of the challenge as I've done a fair bit of gardening and growing in the past but usually on my own land (that is until the "ex" took it from me, but hey, I'm not bitter. Honest!)

My question is this:

Given the effort and time it will take to clear the plot I would like to be able to grow some crops this year that will produce a show for my efforts but also that will not take much effort to start or maintain. What are everyone's suggestions?

I'm thinking runner beans are always good. Maybe some sweet corn although not the best cropper in my view. Onions are easy but could be overrun early with regrowth.

Anyhow, please help me with your expertise. I'm more that willing to experiment.

Thanks in advance.

Ed

[rustylady]

Potatoes!! Clear a bit and plant seed potatoes. The foliage will suppress weeds, and the movement of earth (earthing up etc) will also remove weeds. Runner and French beans can be grown up tripods of canes so should not take up too much room. Courgettes are good for suppressing weeds too cos of the large foliage.

[Currysniffa]

Hi Ed welcome to the vine, I took a overgrown plot on a couple of years ago I hit it hard with round-up 3to4 weeks later I raked it all off and started planting, so it can be done in your first season, I planted runner beans, beetroot's, maincrop potatoes all kinds brassicas, leeks and sweetcorn and I didn't do to bad better than this year with somethings.

[Jeanied]

Hi Ed - welcome to the vine! There is some good advice above. I would suggest a cycle of clearing, adding something to the soil to boost the nutrients and starting planting as soon as you can. Potatoes can go in in March (weather permitting) - and I follow on when the early spuds are harvested with courgettes, pumpkins, squashes, raised in pots ready to go in. Or I follow on with a patch of sweetcorn. If you have some patches cleared you can get broad beans sown now directly. And then start to plan growing whatever you like eating

[chris]

Welcome to the forum ed

[Norm]

Welcome to the forum Ed. If you haven't bought your weedkiller yet, Roundup is very expensive and you're paying for a trade name. Wilko's yellow bottle weed killer is less than half the price, exactly the same chemical (Glyphosate) and does exactly the same job.

[binley100]

and puts exactly the same poison in the soil ...... There's a link on here somewhere to an article about glyphosate ..

I have cleared my plot and got it planted within the first year without resorting to chemicals ....hard work (no rotavator either) but at least I know what I'm eating .....

[binley100]

Read this ......
The inside story on Monsanto and the glyphosate birth defect data - Comment - The Ecologist

courtesy of Zaz......

[donnakebab]

Hi Ed. I was in the same position in November 2009. Totally overgrown plot that had been sprayed with roundup. I planted potatoes in the first area I cleared and as I cleared I planted other crops. You may get wireworm in your potatoes because their habitat is overgrown grassland areas (so I believe, correct me fellow forumers). But as you progress this situation will improve. Once your plot is weed/grass free these pests will decline.

Once you clear an area you can cover to suppress weeds or plant green manures that can suppress weeds and provide nutrition to the soil once dug in after growth but before flowering.

Don't be too eager. Make sure your soil is in good order before you get serious. Courgettes were a good first timer for me...so easy and lovely flowers...don't forget the flowers to attract beneficial insects.

[northepaul]

I would also suggest starting with one bed - working on that, ie clearing weeds and stones, then adding nutrients and then seed potatos - try to think of this crop as a trial, think of it as a natural rotavator, then if you get some potatoes all the better.

[SarzWix]

An alternative to Glyphosate: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ment_5573.html

When I first got my allotment, I set up 2 or 3 beds that way ^ and they've ended up being better soil than the ones that I weedkilled and dug, because they had a good amount of organic matter added from the layers of mulch. I used those beds for spuds, squashes, sweetcorn and beans, planted through slits cut into weed control fabric. Got decent crops from all of them My layers were cardboard (wetted), rotted manure, straw, then the weed control fabric on top.

[singleseeder]

Keeping the ground covered until you can clear it will hold back any new growth and keep the soil easy to dig. If you are doing it in the next few weeks, cover with cardboard to stop seeds germinating.

Cardboard or wetted newspapers (whole folded ones soaked in your wheelbarrow full of water) put between courgettes or down the centre run of a row of runners, the path you walk on etc will save on some weeding this summer and will all be taken down by the worms by next year.

Take photos; you won't believe the difference between now and July. It's great to look back on your progress. Oh, and we all want to see them too

[Two_Sheds]

Clear a bit, immediately plant it up.

Clear another bit, immediately plant it up.

That keeps it manageable.

Clearing it all before you plant anything is pointless, the weeds will just regrow faster than you can clear them.

[Two_Sheds]

^ this was mine when I started: Feb 08 Allotment - a set on Flickr

and two years later: bean city | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Not that it took 2 years to clear, that's just a before and after example. In fact there's a whole thread of B and As somewhere...

[ewallsuk]

Well done Two_Sheds!!!

I have a petrol strimmer (that doesn't start, see separate thread) for this weekend and a large roll of damp proof membrane the builders left behind. I'm going to strim it this weekend and cover the whole plot. Then I'll uncover it a bit at a time and deal with what is there.

There is also a shed/greenhouse structure that needs sorting at some point. Might have to give up my job so I can spend more time at the allotment! I would certainly enjoy it more.

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement so far!!!

Ed