I now have an Allotment

[dazem11]

Hi all,
I now have an allotment in Kempston, Bedfordshire. Having it rotavated on Monday, so if anyone can give some tips on how to get started as its going to be a bare canvas..... Can't wait ....................

[Jeannine]

Most folks are divided about rotovating. May I ask why?XX Jeannine

Oh and welcome..there is a welcome section but here is fine.

[dazem11]

hi , well it has been left for over a year and the nice chap next door volunteered as its in a state. Must say very friendly bunch there.
So why the divide regarding it???
thanks
daz

[Jeannine]

Because if there is a lot of perennial weeds  rotovating chops up he roots and most of them re grow from the bits, even the smallest bit can make a new plant.Some people think it is better to dig them out root and all. It looks good at first but they  maintain you could end up with a far bigger probllem

Others will tell you the other option is to cover it and start digging it a bit at a time uncovering as you go, takes lots longer but you end up with cleaner ground.

It is a hard choice.

Check on the search for rotovating, I think you will find some old posts.


Good Luck.
XX Jeannine

[Digeroo]

Keep hoeing any weeds. 

We started with new allotments and some dug and some rotavated.  In general the diggers have done better, but there are number of excellent rotavated plots and a couple of terrible dug ones.   

I do not think rotavating cannot be considered a quick fix. 

[dazem11]

Thanks for that, we had a look this morning and could not see any bindweed ,its just looking grassey and a few bare patches of soil with a few weeds.  I am expecting to do a bit of hard work before its ready especially a bit of weeding and hoeing.
Just looking forward to it .

[manicscousers]

Congratulations on your new plot, don't work too hard, it's supposed to be fun, too 

[Mortality]

Congratulations 

[pigeonseed]

Yes congratulations and welcome!

I have never rotavated, and have dug and planted a few metres at a time, but now my crop rotivation is a nightmare with little patches of various veg here there and everywhere!

So having rotavated yours, it must be nice to start with the whole plot ready to go at once. It's a good thing.

I bet you'll quickly have lots of ideas for things you'd like to grow. And you're in time to sow some late crops too!

[1066]

Congratulations on the plot 

its just looking grassey and a few bare patches of soil with a few weeds. 

The grassy stuff is probably Couch grass, which is a bit of a mare!
remember to take some progress pics 

1066 

[manicscousers]

we sat down and made a paper plan, marked out the paths and only walked on them..as we were doing beds, we dug the big weeds out, covered with cardboard and filled any soil, manure, whatever we could get our hands on to fill the beds, as ours was covered in marestail, bindweed, docks and marram grass and the land was flooded for 3 months of the year, we had to build up 

[lorna]

Congratulations. Hope you get lots of enjoyment from your allotment and bumper crops.

[Nobbyman]

congrats now the fun starts!!!

[pigeonseed]

the land was flooded for 3 months of the year, we had to build up 

Really? That sounds like rather harsh conditions! But now you've managed to make a productive allotment out of it!

[dazem11]

Thanks for all the good luck,looking forward to it.

[pigeonseed]

That does look good - it is quite a blank canvas. If it was half covered in brambles it would be a lot more daunting.

[tvless]

I now have one too,hiya all,three weeks in and i just found out hadn't been touched for years but progress is being made slowly!

[Lottiman]

Good luck.Have fun.And most of all enjoy it.

[1066]

tvless - congratulations on the plot, its a great feeling isn't it! And remember to take lots of prgress photos to remind yourself of how much things have changed

1066 

ps - great user name - me too!!

[pigeonseed]

Congratulations tvless! (1066, maybe he's called Mr Terence Vless for all you know!)