It's hello from me

[Bobbygrrl]

My name is Bobby, I'm a woman married with 3 children. I made a new friend at a networking event and we got talking... both of us had considered allotment gardening, carried on talking and finally we have got ourselves a 50/50 share in an allotment. signed up this week and I visited again today to get my barrings.

So far, I have propogated some beetroot/carrots/lettuce/spring onions bought just one bag of late desiree wondering when to put them all out (and how ie should I take the shoots off the potatoes or leave them on?) I just have a hard time knowing if they are big enough... or what kind of realistic distance to give. we want to grow as much as we can but not make it overwhelming for the first year

It just seems so big, yet if we ignore some of it the ground will go to pot and we will waste the start it as been given! I got the history ... the previous person retired back to the Caribbean but loved his plot for years before he went.... Here is the dilemma - don't want to ignore the fact that the ground is ready to be productive and we are happy to purchase enough to fill the ground but as newbies we don't want to 'do it wrong'

Have purchased the last two Grow Your Own mags which have been great, and the small booklets have been so informative... planting in batches.

here is our 7 rod plot
ALL ADVICE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED AND APPRECIATED

[jacob marley]

Hi mrs bobbgirrrl fisrt of all welcome it looks from the photos that your plot just wants tickling over with a rotavator and then planting lots of new plot holders would be very envious of you it looks good to go potatoes leave the shoots on put them about 18 inches apart in rows 30 inches apart this may seam very wide but the more room you give them to grow in the bigger they get as for the planting out everything you have in your list can go in now
carrots lettuce beetroot onions in rows 15 inches apart GIVE THEM PLENTY OF ROOM ps and water good luck

[Bobbygrrl]

Thank you so much. (Have resized and edited)

and thank you Jacob, shall get out there tomorrow then

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi BG and welcome to the vine! You've got a super plot, in lovely condition (compared to most of us who take over sadly neglected plots!) Looking forward to seeing your photos of how you get on - I would suggest getting the following book:
The Vegetable and Herb Expert by Dr D G Hessayon ISBN 0903505460 - it was my bible last year - and still is! You can get a copy at your local B&Q or garden centre.
Also don't pull the growth off your tatties - its called chitting (potato growing term!) and is good. When you plant them, make sure this bit is pointing upwards.

Bernie aka Dexterdog

[Nicos]

Hi ther Bobbygrrl- and welcome to the Vine!
Looks like you've got a smashing plot!!
Look forward to seeing how you get on!

[has-bean]

hi Bobbygirl. How I envy your weed free level plot with good access. Mines like the north face of the Eiger, full of stones and is the only one of 35 on the site that cant get a load of manure delivered near it so have 3 days of wheelbarrowing every few years,

Sound advice about planting spuds and courgettes as always a good low maintainence crop altho courgettes need loads of water to be at best. Beetroot is always good for me too and is usually easy to grow. Still tijme for a few runner beans as well look nice and prob tastiest crop i grow. Good for soil too as roots fix nitrogen. Happy gardening

[Norm]

Yo BG, the only way you can 'do it wrong' is if you don't enjoy it! OK grapes, hands up anyone who hasn't made a mistake or 6....... see - no hands went up.
The best advice you can get is from other lottie holders. They will probably have been growing there for years and know the soil and weather conditions to start growing stuff.
Not only will they be pleased you've asked them, they'll BREAK THEIR NECKS to give you all the tips they can. If the other holders are like the guys and gals where I garden, they love to see EVERY plot doing well. It makes going in so much more enjoyable and rewarding.
Good luck, eat well and enjoy.

[pigletwillie]

Welcome Bobbysgirl, a plot like that to take on is a reare beast indeed. There are lots ofcrops you can grow and its amazing how quickly you will fill up the space.

Things like peas can all so be sown a row every few weeks, then there are french beans (dwarf and climbing), blocks of sweetcorn and lots of salads for a starter.

If you keep an eye on the "what I did today" thread in the vegging out section, you will get a rough idea of what people are doing and when, just to give you some more ideas.

[LaurenGrows]

Thanks Piglet, that's a great tip for me...Lauren


"If you keep an eye on the "what I did today" thread in the vegging out section, you will get a rough idea of what people are doing and when, just to give you some more ideas"...PigletWillie

[Alice]

Welcome to the Vine Bobbygirl. Looks like a great plot you have there. If it seems big - divide it up into areas, even if only mentally. You could have a section for growing flowers to give you cut flowers for the house. A section for soft fruit - rhubarb, strawberries, fruit bushes. Maybe a section for square foot gardening for herbs and other things you want in small quantities. Oh jings - you'll soon wish you had more sections. Enjoy your plot and hope you enjoy the Vine.

[Flummery]

Welcome Bobbygrrl - lovely plot you've got. as to your question about spuds - DON'T break off the sprouts - this is the growing point (or points) for you potato plants. Plant them about 6" deep with the sprouts uppermost and when they peep through the ground, rake some more earth over them. You'll then end up with v-shaped trenches between your rows and inverted vs on top.
I only grow early varieties of spud but the later ones you can plant further apart - I'd suggest 2ft apart in the row and maybe allow 2ft 6" between rows.
Best wishes, and keep us posted.

[Bobbygrrl]

Thank you so much for the overwhelming welcome, its lovely to see so many nice people with such great advice.

I shall definately go look for the 'what I did today' section and purchase the vegetable and herb expert book at the weekend. That new mag out on 25th looks good what with all those seeds!! I did put out some onions and garlic in my little back garden but I'm not sure they will grow as they are under the black material and bark, do you think it would be okay if I dug them up and transferred them now or just leave them to see what pops up?

We have decided to divide it up into 8 equal plots and are of the same mind regarding what we want from it... just need to consider the partnership so that we can hope rotation at least... is on our side /turn over/propegating/turn around for... cabbage; carrots; cauliflowers; Green beans/peas; sweetcorn; courgettes; marrows; sweet potatoes etc. Your right, where we are panicking about the size being so much we will probably run out of space!

Section 1: My friend Sue spent an hour and a half digging out one corner that the green beans will go into. She met quite a few fellow lotties and she said they were all lovely and helpful.

Section 2: we hope to put potatoes in here this year (start tonight hopefully).

Section 3: planning - suggestions welcome

Section 4: planning - suggestions welcome

Section 5: planning - suggestions welcome

Section 6: salad

Section 7: section for herbs... I'd quite like to do this on a raised bed.

Section 8: I got there around 4 and there was no one around for me to introduce myself to but I made a start on this corner last night, it still has some rhubarb in it. We can make that section the soft fruit area as suggested (rhubarb, strawberries, fruit bushes)

[LostthePlot]

I would suggest that you make a list of every type of veg that you both like to eat and purchase from a shop and then find a place to grow it on your plot, you will soon realise that the plot is not half as big as you would like it to be!!
I am using my plot like a kitchen garden by growing something of everything that we like as a family. Obviously there are some 'greenhouse' exceptions, but not many. Anything that will freeze I am growing more than enough of so I have a glut to keep and other stuff that has to be eaten/used fresh I will be growing as successional crops or at least trying to get the timings right so that the crop is getting picked and not wasted. Don't forget to bung in the companion flowers that will brighten up the plot as well as encourage the good bugs to come and feast on the nasties. HTH's

[Norm]

Yo BG. Before you go out book hunting at the wekend, have a look on ebay or amazon. There's usually loads on there and they're cheaper than garden centres or waterstones. I got DGH's fruit expert from a bankrupt stock book shop at the beginning of the year for £2.

[JennieAtkinson]

A belated welcome Bobbygirl! Looks like you have a great plot.