Author Topic: My Allotment Plan (Read 8545 times)

kt. · « **Reply #20 on:** January 29, 2007, 21:20:16 »

This is my allotment plan for this year. Never done one before. It does not state all the different varieties I intend to plant. I have up to 3 varieties of each produce including early, late and maincrop. & 6 kinds of spuds.

FUNPHIL · « **Reply #21 on:** January 29, 2007, 21:30:24 »

How about a shed

kitten · « **Reply #22 on:** January 29, 2007, 21:33:54 »

Wow jclo what a plan! I'm afraid mine's only on a piece of paper, and it's nowhere as detailed as yours! We've decided to grow a little amount of lots of things, so that if we have a total failure of one crop then we should always have something else to replace it with. Good luck, keep us informed of how you're getting on! x

Amazin · « **Reply #23 on:** January 29, 2007, 21:35:39 »

jclo, you've done everything absolutely right, as far as I'm concerned.

Firstly, although your beds are labelled, for instance, carrots, I didn't assume that you were going to plant only one kind of carrot, all at the same time.

Secondly, you're taking on as much as you feel able to cope with. If you check out some of the other advice threads to new growers, you'll find that 99% say: just grow a few things you like with to begin with, and build up slowly. I also think it's great to take such an organised approach so early on.

Things might not always go to plan (successes, failures, etc) but you're not haphazardly plonking things in haphazardly and then realising you've loads of gaps or empty space, and thinking "I could've grown so much more if only I'd been more organised!"

I did this year's plan of my half-plot on a roll of paper, on a scale of 1 inch to 1 foot. It's up on the wall as I write - one and a half feet wide by five feet long!

I wish you all the very best - start as you mean to go on, and more power to your digging arm!

;D ;D ;D

dgillings · « **Reply #24 on:** January 29, 2007, 22:16:41 »

Wow I am impressed! I got my plot in the middle of September, and haven't got as far as you - I've been clearing the VERY over-grown land. I think I'll have it hit on the head after this weekend, just had a good weekend clearing land.

My plot is almost exactly the same size as yours, so I'm very keen to see how you get on with this! I've not really got a tight plan arranged as yet, but I do plan on having raised beds so that my niece and nephew can come down and give me a hand and I know that they can walk around the place without worries ;)

Good luck with the beginning of the growing season! :)

Mrs T · « **Reply #25 on:** January 30, 2007, 08:03:08 »

I'm a 1st timer just trying 4 beds this year with the 4 veg families so then I will rotate next year. I read catch crops can go anywhere so thats my plan.
Does any one else do crop rotation? Any advice?
Mrs T

jclo · « **Reply #26 on:** January 30, 2007, 09:06:08 »

Thanks again for the comments. I did my plan in Microsoft Excel. All I did was change the size of the cells and made them square and then simply coloured areas depending on what I needed. Quite easy really. Then I printed off some and worked on the paper copies then back to excel to input my changes and ideas.

The raspberries were on the plot when I got it. I too think there is too many but I want to wait and see how they fruit. If I have poor pickings then I made rip the lot out.

Your quite right about my staggered planting. Where theee is beetroot, carrots etc. I will be sowing with weekly or monthly intervals. I'm hoping that I will then be able to replant over the top of my first pickings and go again! Also yes I'm going to grow a few varieties of each. Mostly the funny rainow coloured ones but thats more to try and get the kids involved.

I thought that a plan would also help with crop rotation. I don't know what was on the plot last year so I didn't think it worth worying about this time but next year I will have a record of what was planted where. Then I can rotate.

I would like a shed but being so close it doesn't seem worth it. I just load up the wheelbarrow and off I go.

I'll keep you all updated. Right back to my digging :(

Jitterbug · « **Reply #27 on:** February 01, 2007, 15:53:17 »

What lovely plans. I have made mine on Word and cannot get it to copy over so that I can post it here. But I have taken a few hints and tips from both. Thanks for the help.

Good luck with the planting.

Kind regards

Jitterbug

kt. · « **Reply #28 on:** February 01, 2007, 16:02:36 »

Quote from: Jitterbug on February 01, 2007, 15:53:17

What lovely plans. I have made mine on Word and cannot get it to copy over so that I can post it here. But I have taken a few hints and tips from both. Thanks for the help.

Good luck with the planting.

Kind regards

Jitterbug

I did exactly the same as you have done. & had exactly the same problems. I had to change the format into a jpg file then post it. To re-format your document:

Click SAVE AS, select SAVE AS TYPE, on the drop down menu, select the one you want. The document is then ready for posting. I use Kodak easyshare but there are plenty of others available.It has appeared a bit bigger than I wanted it to. Couldn't figure out how to resize it. Think I may now have this sorted though.

I emailed Dan regarding this issue. He said it was to do with MS word and viruses or something similar. There is nothing he can do to alter it.

cacran · « **Reply #29 on:** February 01, 2007, 18:20:31 »

Been trying to work out how to see your plan. Was going to give up but hey presto, clicked a feew things and got it. It is very professional.
I am just going to do one on squared paper. I got my allotment at the end of 2006. Am trying to plan out how to grow things, crop rotation and stuff. I would like to make some separate beds with wood and pegs, think it might be easier to divide the patch with some paths, at present it is just a huge clear site, just a few sprouts left to harvest. One of the neighbouring lottie holders ahs given me a vague plan of what was were so hoping to use that as a guide. How vital is it that I get it right as it seems like things were planted a bit higgledy piggledy not quite, brassicas, root and legumes as the books say?

theothermarg · « **Reply #30 on:** February 02, 2007, 13:40:15 »

oh dear are you supose to have a plan? only joking, i,m impressed i have lots of plans but i get confused and forget which one i,m following
:-\marg :-\ :-\

jclo · « **Reply #31 on:** February 06, 2007, 11:14:52 »

I was up the lot this weekend and having finished my digging I started marking out my beds. Its amazing how different it looks! I've been able to increase the size of some beds while reducing others. When I've finally got it worked out I'll post the final planting plan

miniroots · « **Reply #32 on:** February 07, 2007, 19:54:00 »

Did you really inherit a plot with an asparagas bed already there?

I'm very jealous.

My plan is - clear a bit more ground from perennial weeds and plant potatos. Where the potatos were last year, plant beans. Where the beans were, plant onions.

If I successfully raise anything else at home I'll play it by ear...

Love your plan - nothing like colour coordinating to make you feel in control!

timelady · « **Reply #33 on:** February 08, 2007, 09:12:26 »

Wow, thanks for sharing these plans! I've learned a lot just reading all this. Now I think I have to draw up something myself, even if it's basic. Fun! Going to draw up a calendar too. Everyone's comments here are really helpful.

Tina.

jclo · « **Reply #34 on:** February 12, 2007, 14:20:33 »

Quote from: miniroots on February 07, 2007, 19:54:00

Did you really inherit a plot with an asparagas bed already there?

Yep
I inherited Rhubarb, Aspargus, Raspberries aswell as an apple and pear tree.

emmy1978 · « **Reply #35 on:** February 12, 2007, 17:05:44 »

Wow jclo, I am so impressed! Bit sad now looking at my Al Titchmarsh style plan, all pencil crayon and scribbles! I hate Excel with passion so no chance me making lovely plan like that. Maybe OH would like to do it!!
Mrs T- check out Steve Partridges fantastic site www.myallotments.co.uk- he has a really simple crop rotation diagram, not to mention allotments that make you want to cry!!

jclo · « **Reply #36 on:** February 16, 2007, 09:23:15 »

having finished all of my digging. I thought I'd share a few pics with you

just a quick page knocked up to show a friend so nothing fancy and the pics are a bit big

http://www.fishkeepingforum.co.uk/morgan/

sally_cinnamon · « **Reply #37 on:** February 16, 2007, 11:18:34 »

Pics are fab jclo - do you have any "before" pics to compare? Also, how long did it take you to do the digging? I have just taken on a similar sized plot that is covered in mostly grass and a few other nasty weedy things, and I think it will take me a lifetime! Although I think I'm being a bit particular when it comes to pulling the weeds out. Guess I could just leave them at the surface to die and then rake them away? (Comments welcome!) Sorry, don't mean to hijack your post jclo!

PS Your plan looks great, it has inspired me to have a go at one myself, being the most disorganised person in the world, I think it is perhaps the best thing I could do!

;D

Oh, yeah - found out (by accident!) that if you click on the big images on your webpage, they open again as a nice screen sized pic, much easier to see...

Pigface51 · « **Reply #38 on:** February 16, 2007, 12:31:39 »

These plans make my scribbles look pathetic!

...but then, I take a digital photo from various angles on the first weekend of each month so I can see what I grew and where (and also gives a good time reminder as to when I started to sow/plant stuff out).

The only comments I'd make about the plans so far (and as I only started on my plot April last year, I'm not overly qualified to really comment), would be :

With the lettuce rows, sow part of the row every two weeks to stagger the growth (last year I suddenly had 8 dozen lettuces fully grown and ready to eat - at least I now know better)...

...or maybe even better is use lettuce as an intercrop with the onions (personally I am intercroping my carrots with onions & spring onions to try and avoid those pesky carrot fly)

Pumpkins & courgettes are really great for intercropping through your sweetcorn - saves space and helps protect the sweetcorn roots from drying out.

....and don't forget to plant plenty of marigolds to encourage hoverflies

cambourne7 · « **Reply #39 on:** February 16, 2007, 12:42:02 »

If anyone wants a copy my planting plan please PM me your email address.

7 large beds and 4 smaller beds with a plant list of over 140 different seeds.

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Author Topic: My Allotment Plan (Read 8545 times)