Topic: Total Newbie saying hi

[*Mia*]

Hi!

Me and my partner got our keys on friday for our very first allotment!! I am so excited!  The only problem been, i know nothing lol  So i have been reccomended this site by another plot holder i got talking to yesterday, she tells me the people on here know everything between them.  So i just had to come see.

I have had a look around and must say it looks great......i can see my day has just been planed for me lol

My allotment, it's not overly big and i've dropped in real lucky with the fact been that my plot was taken only a month ago, they dug it all over (only a few weeds left in) then something happened and they had to give it up.....i dropped in at the right time and got lucky!

My first question really is...... what can i plant out now?  Straight into the ground?  Or am i better off starting things off at home first?  Th problem with that been i live in a very small 2 bed flat with 2 small kids, so space is very limited.  I do have a small garden (all paving slabs) which is shaded most of the day.

Is it too late for potatoes?  My neighbour (at the allotment) has given me some onion sets he had spare.....should these be going in now??  Also a pack of sweetcorn seeds??

I would also love to have a bit of the allotment for fruit (strawberries, raspberrys etc)..... is it too late now??

Sorry for so many questions in my first post!!!  I really am looking forward to getting to know you all and learning from you.

Many many thanks!!!

[chlodonnay]

Hello and welcome. This site is very friendly, and as a relative newbie myself I have learnt alot. We only got our allotment a few weeks ago, and yesterday we planted chard, letuces, radishes, spinach, carrots, spring onions. We also have lots of plants growing at home (tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, chillis, aubergines, broccoli, cauliflowers) but they do take up alot of room! we have a 1 bed-room flat with 2 destructive cats so its not always easy to fit everything in! It's probably to late to grow tomatoes, cucumbers and aubergines from seeds (i may be wrong) but you could pick things up at the local garden centre instead, as this wouldn't fill your house up!
Enjoy!  :)

[Jeannine]

Hi Mia, wecome to the forum and many congrats on the lottie.You will find all sorts of folks on here that each seem to have a sort of speciality area plus some really expert all round gardeners. Spuds and onions are not one of my areas of knowledge but I can help you with your corn. Plant the seeds now in small individual pots ,one to a pot, they like warmth to generate,don't soak them or make the potting soil too wet as the seeds rot easily. Do you know what the name of your corn is, as they have different needs for germination? The supersweets need a bit more heat than the regular hybrids.

Again welcome to the site,  good luck...XX Jeannine

[milkybardave]

Hi

Newbie myself & everyone has been very helpful & welcoming.... I've learned, not to be afraid of asking any questions, because you will always receive useful advice.

Good Luck with the Lottie

Dave

[kt.]

Hi and welcome. Good time of year to get a plot - more so the fact it is dug over for you. Spuds can go in now no probs - you will get maincrop and probably 2nd earlies in. Enjoy.

[Trevor_D]

Hello & welcome!

Potatoes, no problems if you get a move on. (Plenty on our site still putting them in.)

Onions, probably pushing it a bit, but give it a whirl.

Just the time to sow courgettes, winter squash, beans, sweetcorn in modules. Try tomatoes - they might catch up. They had some nice ones for sale at our Farmers' Market this morning.

Peas & all root crops can go in outside now (but wait a bit for beans if you can't sow them indoors.

Fruit, wait until the autumn. (But you can prepare the site earlier.)

I'd say you've got plenty you can get on with. (And keep looking at A4A - we're always asking "Is it too late?" or "Is it too early?")

[Multiveg]

From a starting fruit and veg point of view - perfect timing. Its not too late to plant out raspberry canes (one label said plant out Nov-May), etc. potatoes, even onion sets (might not produce big onions!).
Some things that don't like frosts - french/runner beans, sweetcorn, pumpkin things can be sown indoors or say in late May (hopefully by then, no more frost) direct into the plot. Peas and broad beans can go straight outside, as can root vegetables - carrots, parsnips.
Good luck.

[lorna]

Welcome to A4A Mia. Have fun must warn you A4A is very addictive :)
Lorna

[manicscousers]

congratulations on getting your allotment, mia..
you can still buy strawberries in pots so you can leave the pots on your allotment, just make sure they're watered and you'll get strawbs this year and plant out in september

our garden centre is doing 10 for 1.00 on lettuce, all brassicas, even shallots from seed so there's loads you can have a go at, happy plotting, it's addictive  ;D

[Suzanne]

Hi and welcome.
There are some really knowledgeable people on this site who are very willing to share their experience with those who haven't been growing veg etc for long. I am learning bucketfuls at the moment.

When I started I asked my family to buy me things for the allotment for birthdays and Christmas including seeds, they even bought me my asparagus crowns and rhubarb etc which will keep on going for years. And they love it when I bring them a small return on their investment even if it is yet another carrier bag of courgettes!

The garden centres, farmers markets and nurseries are full of plants that can be put out at the moment. If the land is already prepared for you I would shop around for a good value selection and plant those that can go out without protection now. Leave your windowsills for tomatoes etc, when you can put them out in early June. I also wouldn't buy plants of runner beans etc. even when its okay to put them outside because they are so easy to grow.

Best of luck.

Suzanne

[okra]

Welcome Mia, this sites brilliant just ask and somebody will have the answer, you can also do a search as most things have been raised at one time or another. The top tips bit is also terrific for newbies

[*Mia*]

Thank you everyone!  What a lovely welcome :)

Well after spending a couple of hours on here this moring i went down the garden centre and bought me some potatoes and was going down the allotment to plant out.  I was all inspired lol

When i got there, there were 3 rws already dug out ready for the pots to go in.... after double and triple checking that i was on the right plot, a guy came over and said.  Hope you dont mind, i thought it would be a nice welcome.  I was gobsmacked!  This guy was the tennant rep, he was lovely!  Said he had done it with his tractor for me as a welcoming gift.  I was almost in tears lol (still emotional from having my baby in jan lol)

He also gave me the low down on the other plot holders.....apparently there are 3 on the site that seam to only be out to cause trouble!  Also my neighbour (the one i havnt yet met)  Looks as if he's never touched his plot.  So i asked if he still went down and was told..... ' the only time you will see anyone is first thing in a morning when the homeless come out of the shed!!!!!!  Apparently he rents it out!!  Must say it has me a little worried....even tho he assures me they never have any problems with it!  We shall see!

Thanks again everyone x

[Jeannine]

Ah but Mia, grasp the opportunity, there could be a fortune to made there, early bird brekkie,home made in the shed next door,might even pay your ground rent. 

You will also fine that some of us have a wicked sense of humour !!

XX Jeannine

[*Mia*]

Now thats something i didn't think of!

Menu's printing as i type lol




Actually....best get a shed first lol!

[rosebud]

Hiya Mia, welcome to A4A, you will be addicted in no time at all.  Don`t forget to look in Swap Shop.  Rosebud.

[emmy1978]

Hi Mia and welcome. Loads and loads of stuff you can plant now and all the way up to july. There are late varieties of all sorts of veg like parsnips, leeks and carrots that can go in from may to july and all salad bits can go in now and be sown up to july.
Still fine for rasp canes, woolies have got fab bargains on fruit trees and all trees actually at the mo. Got 4 rasp canes for £1.99 earlier in March and a little orange tree for £3. 6 strawberry plants for £1.99 too, then it turned out there were loads on the plot anyway. Also lidl, wilkinsons and poundland v.v. good for bulbs, seeds, plants, pots etc.
Have fun! x

[Jeannine]

Mia if you need seeds give us a shout, lots still out there but stocks will be depleted.XX Jeannine

[*Mia*]

Thanks guys, going to go to garden centre this afternoon to have a look what they have left and will nip into town tomorrow morning. 

I even dreamt about this allotment last night....who knew it as going to be so addictive lol

[emmy1978]

Mia if you need seeds give us a shout, lots still out there but stocks will be depleted.XX Jeannine

This is true if you want more unusual seeds but the common varieties of just about everything still going strong in my local woolies- buy one get one free on all Mr fothergill seeds too!

[markfield rover]

A few sweet peas too ,either along side runner beans or wigwam of their own
or even up a sunflower ,tall type.