Author Topic: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!  (Read 6911 times)

Taterhead

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New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« on: October 25, 2014, 11:44:03 »
I'm currently on the waiting list at two different allotment sites and have been told by one that one may be available in a month or so. Obviously, I can't do anything plot wise yet but I was wondering if there was anything I could do in preparation.

Other than growing the odd spud and carrot in my teens I am a total novice when it comes to growing things.

We do have a small garden, but cannot do too much to it as we live in rented accommodation. We do have a fair size conservatory which I was thinking we could use as a greenhouse to start things off in. I know it would depend on what we grow but does anyone have any tips on using a conservatory as a posh green house?

goodlife

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2014, 13:29:18 »
Conservatory is good for starting things off...BUT...as eager you are to start, do 'hold your horses' as dark season is coming on to us and it is getting bit late for setting plants, particularly as you don't know yet what amount of work you have to do before any plants can go in or if the weather is on your side when the plants would require going out.
If you have any grow lights...those would allow you to grow few salad and herbs as well as you could do 'extra early' sowing of chillies and they would grow under lights and propably start cropping early summer.
At the moment I would just enjoy gardening on paper...make endless lists and plans of what to grow, get together nice stash of seeds and 'what ever may come useful', ask around for sources of free or cheap muck/compost etc.
You can do loads preparation and when you eventually get the plot..you can then rush into action :icon_cheers:
Once you are bit closer to handling soil....give us a shout...."I want to grow 'xxxxx'...how, when etc.".....and we WILL give you at least 10 different ways of how to do it... :tongue3: :icon_cheers:
« Last Edit: October 25, 2014, 13:31:44 by goodlife »

goodlife

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2014, 13:41:42 »
Oh...something came to my mind...GARLIC! And you can start do them now  :icon_cheers:
Take garlic bulb>>break the cloves apart and choose the biggest cloves for planting.
One clove per 3" pot of compost...pushed in finger's first knuckle deep (pointy end upwards)...leave them be outside. You can then plant them in your pleasure during winter (if the ground conditions allow it) or leave it until spring and they will be ready for lifting around July!

There is winter onions too that you can start off in similar manner..though they would benefit little shelter to start with...perhaps placed near to wall with sheet of glass leaning over. They don't mind being out but will do better if not excessively wet when trying to put some growth.

Here we go.... :icon_cheers:

My brain has been bit 'dormant' during last few months...but I'm slowly starting to warm up for gardening again. Once I get my head in gear I might come up with some more ideas...until then, I leave others to stretch their grey matter  :tongue3:
« Last Edit: October 25, 2014, 13:44:07 by goodlife »

GREGME

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2014, 14:26:45 »
Hi I think you should relax until you have seen the plot and worked out what work you'll need to do to prepare until you can plant in spring. There are exceptions but if someone is giving up a plot there's not much incentive to clear it for the next person. If you get the plot say end of november there's not much you can sow direct then as you are a bit late for broadbeans and even then you can plant these is spring. Garlic is possibility others have suggested but is only one crop in the overall scheme of things so i'd would advise to think more long term. I speak from experience where now I wish i had spent more time getting rid of perennial weeds and general planning before planting in my new plot.
« Last Edit: October 25, 2014, 14:47:34 by GREGME »

BarriedaleNick

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2014, 17:17:18 »
Not much to sow now but plenty to get excited about.  If you are definitely in line for a plot that is... Garlic, onions and shallots can be started in pots then planted out later and broad beans can go out if get one soon.

I'd get in a few seed catalogs in and put your feet up, have a browse and circle some stuff for later.
What tools do you have? - you don't need much but now's the time to see if you can get any on the cheap.  You'll need a fork, hand trowel and a spade for starters.  Obviously a few pots and trays will come in handy as well but you can improvise and keep yogurt pots and the like over winter.  Some people keep all the toilet roll holders as they make good pea planters come spring.  You will acquire stuff as you go along so no need to brake the bank now but keep an eye out for bargains or scour freecycle for useful bits and bobs.
Sourcing a good local supply of manure or compost is also hugely beneficial - local farms and stables are good sources but often the council will do a composting scheme.  Also start your own compost heap and source anything and everything organic to go in it. 

Most of us are looking forward to a few months of minimal effort now - I'm still picking a few things but other than that I'm tidying up, collecting leaves and easing into the winter with dreams of a new season ahead!
Moved to Portugal - ain't going back!

Digeroo

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2014, 23:51:18 »
Fingers crossed that you get your plot soon.  I think I would start with a good basic book.   I think I would be worried that if I got started too soon it might spook the deal, so would wait until I heard for sure. 




galina

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2014, 05:49:46 »
I have a conservatory which really helps bridge the gap between the greenhouse/outside and the propagator or windowsill.  I have an old wallpaper table, topped with a sheet of thick plastic, then covered with capillary matting.  There are bamboo canes underneath the plastic along the edges of the table, to prevent water leaks.

This is a very lazy system, because I only need to water onto the table and the capillary matting waters all the little pots.  This saves a lot of time. To be even lazier, I adopted a 'make' idea from Geoff Hamilton.  At one end of the watering table is a gravel tray.  The top of the tray is level with the top of the table and a 'tongue' of capillary matting goes into the gravel tray and transports the water to all the plants on the table.  The tray holds about 3 days worth of water.  But Geoff's idea goes even further - you can add a little frame into the gravel tray and sit a large square bottle of water (camping size or catering oil bottles or the like) upside down into the gravel tray.  Open the stopper and water will glug out and fill the tray.  The neck of the bottle needs to be lower than the top of the gravel tray but the bottle needs to be off the base of the tray, held on top of a frame (mine is just 4 short pieces of wood screwed together).  When the water level in the tray falls to below the neck of the bottle, water will be replenished from the bottle automatically.  When the level of water in the tray covers the neck of the bottle, water flow stops.  This system waters for longer, depending on size of bottle. 

goodlife

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2014, 08:24:22 »
I have a conservatory which really helps bridge the gap between the greenhouse/outside and the propagator or windowsill.  I have an old wallpaper table, topped with a sheet of thick plastic, then covered with capillary matting.  There are bamboo canes underneath the plastic along the edges of the table, to prevent water leaks.

This is a very lazy system, because I only need to water onto the table and the capillary matting waters all the little pots.  This saves a lot of time. To be even lazier, I adopted a 'make' idea from Geoff Hamilton.  At one end of the watering table is a gravel tray.  The top of the tray is level with the top of the table and a 'tongue' of capillary matting goes into the gravel tray and transports the water to all the plants on the table.  The tray holds about 3 days worth of water.  But Geoff's idea goes even further - you can add a little frame into the gravel tray and sit a large square bottle of water (camping size or catering oil bottles or the like) upside down into the gravel tray.  Open the stopper and water will glug out and fill the tray.  The neck of the bottle needs to be lower than the top of the gravel tray but the bottle needs to be off the base of the tray, held on top of a frame (mine is just 4 short pieces of wood screwed together).  When the water level in the tray falls to below the neck of the bottle, water will be replenished from the bottle automatically.  When the level of water in the tray covers the neck of the bottle, water flow stops.  This system waters for longer, depending on size of bottle.
AHH! That is nifty little trick of the trade you have going on there....I can already picture your conservatory in my mind...more room for plants than sitting down to admire them (jungle)?  :tongue3:

Taterhead

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2014, 17:11:26 »
Thanks for all the advice and help, I especially like the wallpaper table idea - I'm sure I have one lurking in the garage which I could put to good use...

I spoke to our landlord the other day and mentioned we were looking for an allotment and he has now given us permission to use part of our garden as a veg patch. It's only a small area, about 4m x 2m but should be big enough for us to get going and practice before we get a plot, especially if the wait is longer than we hope!

galina

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2014, 08:20:03 »
Taterhead, what a good outcome!  :icon_cheers: It is nice to have a small patch which you can use for seedbeds and for other things.  Certainly your garlics can go there now, perhaps in pots planted into the ground which you could easily transfer to the plot when that is ready.

goodlife,  .............  how on earth did you guess  :tongue3:

Digeroo

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #10 on: October 27, 2014, 08:26:41 »
I think if you plan well you will be able to have all sort in 4x2.    I think I would give square meter gardening a go, and have 8 little plots.  There is also sq foot gardening but I think it a bit fiddly.

I do like your watering system Galina, I need something for two weeks in may, might give it a try.  OH will splash something on occasionally. 

Taterhead

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2014, 20:47:47 »
Got started with the Veg Patch this weekend, cleared everything away and levelled it before building the bed. I made sure that there is (hopefully) sufficient drainage as it seems to get quite waterlogged. I layered rubble in the base with some of the bark chippings which covered the area before as these were all rotting down anyway, I then filled the bed with a ton of topsoil.

I have some autumn onions and garlic to go in, so If i have time I shall plant them one morning this week, otherwise they will go in at the weekend

I have attached some photos...

sparrow

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #12 on: November 03, 2014, 21:00:45 »
looking good!

Silverleaf

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2014, 00:38:55 »
I like square foot gardening and all my raised bed veggies are in square blocks. Lets me squeeze in all sorts of different things!

Did you use pallets there Taterhead? Looks great. :)

Taterhead

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #14 on: November 04, 2014, 19:40:42 »
Hi Silverleaf, yes I used pallets. I can get hold of them through work. I spent most of my time sorting and deconstructing the pallets to get the best, strongest pieces I could. It was worth the effort and I'm really pleased with the results.

Silverleaf

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #15 on: November 04, 2014, 20:38:38 »
Hi Silverleaf, yes I used pallets. I can get hold of them through work. I spent most of my time sorting and deconstructing the pallets to get the best, strongest pieces I could. It was worth the effort and I'm really pleased with the results.

Great stuff. :) I'm planning to use pallets for a raised bed myself (1.2 x 6m, but only 30cm deep) so I'll have to use your pics as inspiration!

Taterhead

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2014, 19:50:30 »
Just a little update...

galina

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #17 on: November 10, 2014, 08:01:57 »
Looking good  :wave:

Jayb

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #18 on: November 10, 2014, 15:19:36 »
Your hard work has paid off, looks fab  :happy7:
I'm wondering about the netting, have you been sowing/planting?
Seed Circle site http://seedsaverscircle.org/
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Taterhead

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Re: New Allotmenteer eager to get started!
« Reply #19 on: November 10, 2014, 19:52:31 »
Yep, I have got some autumn garlic and onions in. I will be constructing the rest of the raised beds soon once i source some decent pallets or wood.

 

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