The awaited pictures!!

[vegtable newbie!]

Hello

so, here are the pictures I said I would post!

The first pic shows the allotment! You can see the grass path wich is to the left of my patch! The right boundary runs down the other side of the water butt you can see half way up! My allotment runs to the top! We measured it to be 84 feet long and 24 feet wide! a bit daunting!

The second picture shows the crown of rhubarb i have inherited! Does it look good and strong?

The third picture shows the plot again!

The fourth picture is the weed the plot is covered in - can anyone tell me what the weed is and the best way to get rid please?

The last picture shows "bulbs?" that there are quite a few of on the allotment! Are these anything exciting or just dump them?

I hope you all like looking at my new exciting plot!

Thank you

Sue
xx

[The Large One]

Hi Sue
I bet your excited to get going

I reckon your rhubarb needs splitting as 1 clump that size could easily b split and spread out to at least 4
Those bulbs look like old malformed swede or beetroot or something, reckon best to dump them

[Bigmallly]

Hi Sue
I bet your excited to get going

I reckon your rhubarb needs splitting as 1 clump that size could easily b split and spread out to at least 4
Those bulbs look like old malformed swede or beetroot or something, reckon best to dump them

Totally agree, I would be tempted to split the rhubarb into 3 or 4 plants and yes the bulbs look like spent swedes or turnips. They may still be edible depending on their size and if they are still solid. Enjoy and try not to do too much at one go.

[donnakebab]

Hi there VN, yep split the rhubarb. Not sure about the weed and the bulbs do look like swede.

My lottie was in a similar state when I took it on. There are some pictures on my profile that I took the first year. Check them out.

Good luck.

[ladylottie]

I agree with what they all said ^^^^^ above. Can you get a more close-up photo of the weeds please? I can't see them properly.

But how exciting to start a new lottie - just don't try to do it all at once. As you clear a patch, start planting it with something (like potatoes perhaps). Good luck!

[di]

That doesn't look too bad VN.
It is quite daunting, for me the best way was to split it up into manageable chunks/beds/mini plots, that way you get a sense of achievement that you've finished something as opposed to comparing the tiny bit you've dug to the mass that still needs doing. I'd also try and cover as much as you can, that grass will shoot up in no time.

As for what the weeds are, my motto is, if they have strong looking and obvious roots, dig them out. If they're more green with weak roots, dig them in.

The 'bulbs' look like either old turnips or swede...chuck them on your compost.

Good Luck

[Kaiya]

I can't see the photos clearly either but is it chickweed? Plus some other things.

Congrats on a lovely site! I found that even just marking out beds with twine made me feel like things were more manageable. Little parcels I can deal with one at a time, rather than a field. Plus marking beds has also been important to stop me walking on areas I want to grow on this year - if I don't mark it out, it apparently becomes a legitimate walking ground and I wreck any good work I've already done.

Good luck!

[Kleftiwallah]

Just like ours too, plus we had to remove the remains of a burnt out chicken run. Wire netting, hinges, bits of burnt roofing, nails and screws. Years down the line and we are still finding 'stuff'. The soil of your allotment looks in good heart. Cheers, Tony.

[pauco]

That Ruubarb looks good so split into 4 plants, dig in well with some well rotted manure and you should do well from it.
The rest looks like old Swede & Beetroot dig up with weeds and put it all on to your compost plot
to rot down. Just do a little and often, you will soon reap the rewards.


paul.

[mudpies]

Looks lovely - lucky you! I'd start the compost with the swede and draw up a plan for this year - maybe only use part of the plot to begin with and cover the rest to stop the weed and deal with at another time. Then prepare little bits well, weeding as thoroughly as you can stand and trying to get the roots out so you don't spend all summer fighting the same battles. Start chitting a few spuds to go in in the next month or so too. Enjoy!

[vegtable newbie!]

Hi

Thank you all for responding!

Splitting the rhubarb - how do I do that?

Trying to get a free little shed to have on the plot at the mo! Not going very well! I have managed to get some free tools from free cycle though! I also need the a wheelbarrow and compost bins - anything else?

Thank you

Sue

[di]

A compost bin can be really simple to make, Sue. In the mean time, just start a pile.

[Florence Fennel]

Looking good Sue, there'll be some backache there if you're not careful. I'd pull the rhubarb gently in half and then half again each piece to get 4. If it's particularly tough, you can do it with two forks in the middle, back to back and then lever apart.