Topic: New Plot

[gecko]

Well, this is what we've taken on. Not the field full of docks that it appeared to be last week, thankfully. Most of the vegetation seems to be various annual weeds. There are a load of vacant plots on this site, either covered int he same weeds as ours, or else knee deep in grass/nettles. Only about 4 plots are actually being worked.

Seems to be no vandalism etc which is good.

My plot is about 7m across by 34m long so 238 sqm



After two hours work today, we had turned over about 30sqm - tomorrows job is to pick out all the weeds we can from that area. Loads of black plastic arriving on Monday to cover most of the rest of hte plot until we are ready for it.



No idea what the weeds are - any keen weed-watchers care to identify them?



As total novices we'd welcome any advice from anyone else on what we should do next!!

[Piglottie]

Hi Gecko and welcome  ;D

I'm a newbie too and have only had my plot a few weeks.  Yours looks in a better state than ours!  5ft high weeds we have.  Like you, OH and I have decided to cover a large part of the lottie in black plastic (after strimming the weeds down) and then working on a small part of the lottie.  I have sown courgettes, squash, cucumbers to grow through the plastic so that at least that land is being cultivated and weeded at the same time.  Just cut a cross in the plastic and plant!

On the other part I have got salad stuff (lettuce, spring onions, rocket, beetroot), peas and beans.  Also am going to plant some carrots and parsnips (trying to think of the winter).

A really good book is Joy Larkham's Grow Your Own and I get Kitchen Gardener mag for tips and advice.  And not forgetting this site - everyone is really friendly and I'm sure they will be along with lots of advice soon.

Good luck and happy gardening!

[moonbells]

hi!

You have at least some Fat hen in that weed close-up  (they're the ones that are at 1/3 and 2/3 the way across at the top!). There's also a heart-shaped leaf which looks suspiciously like bindweed. Not sure about the most common weed in the photo.

moonbells

[Merry Tiller]

The other weed looks like Redshank, the good news is that it's a sign of good soil

[gecko]

Well, the plot is now mostly under black plastic after a very hot and hard morning yesterday. We cut down the worst/tallest of the weeds and then slapped plastic down on it.

We've prepared one bed and it's getting filled with french beans and purple sprouting broccoli today. They've been going great guns in the greenhouse for the last month or so and look fairly good so will hopefully be able to compete with any new weeds that cropup.

We met the three other people working on the site yesterday too. All dead friendly and the one chap was telling us he'd been on the same lot for 44 years! There are a total of nearly 30 plots and only 4 are in cultivation at the moment  ???

[Anne Robertson]

We have 43 plots on our site and although 12 are being used there are only 8 renters as some have a couple.
Unfortunately we are not all joined so we have mile high weeds on each side of our used ones.
At only £9 (including water) a year I can't understand why more people don't take one on