Topic: First allotment help !

[beckbeck]

I have just been talking to the lady from the council who deals with allotments,a couple of weeks ago she contacted me to say a plot had become available :D ,and sent me a site map with my plot highlighted,i have been to look at the plot and it is so overgrown,not just mine but the plots either side,you can't tell where one starts and the next one ends,anyway i have just spoken  to her to find out more details and try and find out where the boundaries are,she has told me to try and mark where i think my boundaries are by looking at the others but they are all totally overgrown aswell,Ive asked the size  of the plot and been told its 253 square metres,does anyone know is there a standard size for plots,i need to know how many feet in width and length to mark anything out!I am feeling completely daunted and don't know where to start,there are weeds ,grasses, bushes and tigers for all i know lurking there,it is at the minimum 4 foot tall and towards the back looks like a forest of bramble,any ideas ,tips to help,where do i start ,what do i do next,help! Becky  ??? .

[mr plasma]

hi im in the same boat as you.i just got my allotment on sunday and am a complete novice. the one thing i have learned sofar is to ask for advice from the people on the site. i dont know if im lucky or its typical across the country but everyone i have met is so friendly and willing to help, my advice would be to approach someone on your site and ask for help,im sure they will only be too willing to help you out, incidentaly my plot is 5 perch ???what ever that is :)http://

[Tee Gee]

I don't think there is any 'standard size as I recall mines is about 60ft x 30ft which is roughly 18m x 9m

If I were you and you and had first pick I would dig a few trial holes (about 12" square) in various parts of the plot as see what the soil is like and how deep it is.

Our plots are are on the side of a hill and the the soil is best at the bottom of the plots. I put this down to soil being washed down the hill over many years.

I started off at the top of the hill but now I am on the lower half where the soil is twice as deep as the top half.

Regarding you sizes mark out a piece 10m x 25m and you should be OK

Approx alternative dimensions; (9 x 28) (8 x 32) (7 x 36)

I find 9-10 metre long beds quite convenient.

Usually we can work a deal with the council depending upon the state of the plots.

This can take the form of either;

1)They scythe it and spray with weedkiller.

2) They rotovate it. I would not personally go with this one because all they do is cut up pernicious weeds e.g. couch grass

3) We get one year free of rent.

I have known people get example 1 & 3

Try this first then get back to us all.

[supersprout]

incidentaly my plot is 5 perch ???what ever that is :)

Do you really really want to know? ::)
http://www.horticulturist.com/mastermag10/backfill10.html

[MonsterMum]

My plot is 9 meters x 27 meters and was also really overgrown with loads of brambles.  They were about 8ft tall and looked really daunting.  For this we got 3 months free rent.

We got a petrol strimmer and cut it all down to ground level.  IT has been covered with b;ack plastic to stop them growing back while we work on one bed at a time, digging the roots out.  DOn't forget that you can plant through the black plastic so you can still have things growing to keep you motivated.

[Belinda]

We were told our plot is 250 sq metres - which means very little to me  :-\

So I measured using something sensible called 'feet and inches'  :P It is 20 feet wide and 116 feet long. Hope this helps.

[beckbeck]

Thanks for all your comments,we are going to try and cut our way to the back with a petrol strimmer,then work back towards the path,probably covering it as we go with old carpet,we need to create an area where we can put up a shed and we also wanted to create a native hedge around  our plot,the problem now is where does ours start as all the plots either side look the same there are no boundaries or markers,my plot is apparently the only one available but its obvious 50% of the plots haven't seen a spade for years!Now i just have to find someone to watch the kids while i start strimming,so i can make it safe for them to come with me!I cant wait,probably wont be able to plant anything till next year now,just get some control over the jungle first  ;D .Becky.