New allotment - advice please!

[leicesterweb]

Hi guys - I have just secured my allotment and, although I know that I cannot grow much until the spring, I would appreciate any advice on what to do with it until then - I am a beginner so any tips would be very useful!

Regards,

Stuart

[Headfry]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
A new plot holder, now the fun really starts.... I am just about to put in white lisbon 'spring onions' to see they will over winter, you might be ok with turnips, mooli radish, khol rabi, even some carrots and lettuce.
you do not state where you are so a lot will depend on your location. Many, many kind and helpful people here. I am sure they will help you no end....they have me! I'd be lost without them!

[leicesterweb]

Thanks for that Headfry - I am based near Leicester and and my plot has just been rotivated after being unkept for two years. Any tips on clearing the plot and what to use to bring the soil back to life - I have access to horse manure at a very good rate so will this be a good idea at this stage?

[momol]

Hi Leichesterweb welcome to the vine!
I don't have allotment, can't be any help at the moment. Hope you enjoy your stay here... and the rest of the allotment holder grapes will surely shade you some usefull informations.

Cheers,
Momol

[leicesterweb]

Thanks for the welsome guys - does anyone out there have any tips on preparing my plot for 2008 or indeed, planting crops for this year? I am a beginner so would appreciate an advice anyone can offer me.

Also, I am under no illusions that it will be hard work so please be frank!

[clareg]

Hi, and welcome to the forum. I've had my allotment for 3 years. I'm sure there'll be lots more advice coming but I would say the first thing to do is plan!

1. Is there an existing shed and/or greenhouse, are you going to keep it, and is it in the right position (e.g. would it cast your allotment in shade)? There might be rules about the placement of sheds and greenhouses.

2. Work out how many and where you want the beds to be. Mark these out with a bit of string tied to bamboo/twigs etc. You want to be able to easily get around your allotment with a wheelbarrow without it or you toppling over (I know from experience).

3. Start weeding! Concentrate on the beds and consider covering the other areas to suppress weeds. I use weed suppressant membrane, but it could be anything such as cardboard (weight it down with carrybags of soil).

Hope this helps!

Clareg

[leicesterweb]

Thanks for that Clare.

Would you make, say, five or six beds which are a yard wide by 10 yards long with a yard's walkway in between or would you go for larger beds? Also, would you plant anything just yet as it's so late in 2007?

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'm with Clare on this with marking the beds out - gives the allotment some structure.

If you can get any veg plug plants -eg brassicas - from the garden centre (or mail order) then do so and bung 'em in as soon as you've weeded a 'bed'. This 'instant gardening' will give you crops overwinter and keep the weeds down for your main assault in the Spring....

Any 'beds' which you can't get planted up, hurl on a load of manure - the worms will incorporate it over winter as it rots down, and it surpresses the weeds. Only exception is next years carrot/parsnip bed which I would not manure, but cover with plastic/cardboard/weed surpressent.

Happy growing!

[Hazel at the Hill]

Depends on how long your arms are, but I'd go for 4' wide beds so you can reach into the middle from either side, and the path should be wide enough for a wheelbarrow, so a yard wide should be ample.

Don't make the beds so long that it's a complete pain to walk all the way round.