Author Topic: rookie grower (Read 4386 times)

pandora,s box · « **on:** February 01, 2009, 15:35:36 »

:) hi i ave just purchased a small allotment roughly 32 ft x 32ft...its just very rough grass with the remains of a bonfire on it!!! i would appraciate some guidance of were to start first!!! i would love to have potatoes,onions and carrots as a starter....whats the best way to sort the ground out etc to get a good base to start planting....any other ideas would be gratefully appreciated...thanks

Flighty · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2009, 16:21:19 »

Welcome to A4A!

Have a look at topics under The Basics and you'll find posts like this that should help you

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,47465.0.html

Happy gardening, when it gets a bit warmer!

Trevor_D · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2009, 16:24:01 »

Hello and welcome....

I always advise newcomers to start in one corner and work along one edge, creating a bed as you go. So many folk start making a bed somewhere in the middle and are amazed when it gets overgrown by the surrounding grass. So take a good long look at the plot, sort out the "best" bit - ie. the easiest! - and start there.

Mark out a bed 4 feet wide, take of the top layer of grass and compost it. Then dig the bed and take out as many nasty roots as you can. (Burn them!) It's slow and it's hard work, but you won't regret it in the long run. And meanwhile, mark out the next bed and cover it to help kill the weeds.

Potatoes & onion sets don't need to go in until mid-March or early April, so you've got time to prepare the ground for them. Personally, I'd forget carrots for this year - they need fine soil. (Or why not grow some in a bucket or trough and use grow-bag soil?)

And don't try to get the whole plot cleared in one season. Aim for half, or even a third. And if you manage more than that, throw a party!

pandora,s box · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2009, 16:31:35 »

;) thanks for all the tips..will try to get started when the weather improves....i have a good idea were i am going to start...thanks again

littlebabybird · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2009, 16:40:45 »

no advise to add but welcome to A4A and take lots of pictures forus
lbb

caroline7758 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2009, 16:48:35 »

Welcome to A4a! Ask all the questions you want, that's what we're here for! I'd agree that carrots are one of the hardest things to grow so I wouldn't bother in your first year.
Asothers have said, do it little by little and try to get out as many weeds as possible so you don't have to do it all over again next year! (I speak from experience!)

Lauren S · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2009, 16:48:39 »

Welcome to A4A from me too :D

Can I add...Mark out your paths before you start.
No point digging that area, keep it nice and firm. Lay down cardboard on the pathways, this can be replaced with weed surpressant and bark chipping (or materials of choice) at a later date.

Oh, don't forget to take lots of before, during and after pics

Good luck and please keep us posted of your progress. We love seeing progress pics ;D

Lauren :)

manicscousers · « **Reply #7 on:** February 01, 2009, 17:25:25 »

hiya, pandora's box, nice to meet you ;D
you've plenty of time to sort out a fruit bed, too..the bushes and trees are only just getting into the cheap shops, see bargains for details ;D
I agree about the paths, means you know where to walk :)

shirlton · « **Reply #8 on:** February 01, 2009, 17:35:52 »

Welcome to the site

tonybloke · « **Reply #9 on:** February 01, 2009, 18:26:31 »

Wotcha! welcome to the site! ask away as much as you like!

cornykev · « **Reply #10 on:** February 01, 2009, 18:46:27 »

Welcome PB as said already strim the grass nearly bear, skim the grass off and stack upside down out of the way this will rot down in a years time and you will have some lovely soil to throw back on the lottie. Do a little at a time, but give yourself a target, but you will have to wait till the soil drys out a bit first. ;D ;D ;D

saddad · « **Reply #11 on:** February 01, 2009, 18:48:53 »

Welcome to the site PB... last time I saw that name it was in an Adrian Mole book... ;D

thifasmom · « **Reply #12 on:** February 01, 2009, 21:24:48 »

everyone has given very good advice but i would like to add that although carrots can be difficult on virgin soil i had 80 - 90% success my first year by digging out a 1f x 2ft area about a spade's depth and sifting the soil back into the area. i then sowed my seeds into this light friable soil and hey presto long straight carrots. now if you want enough carrots to store you'll have to wait, but for a few fresh carrots this summer this is another option.

pandora,s box · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2009, 21:50:30 »

WOW ...THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR ADVICE....I CANT WAIT TO GET STUCK IN....JUST NEED SOME NICE WEATHER NOW!!!!!! :)

cornykev · « **Reply #14 on:** February 02, 2009, 14:01:50 »

Don't hold your breath with this SNOW. :o :-\ ;D ;D ;D

pandora,s box · « **Reply #15 on:** February 22, 2009, 18:58:48 »

;) hi everybody just to keep you all informed that i have started to dig out my plot and i think there used to be a scrap yard there!!!!!!! i am really enjoying it and everyone around me is giving tips and helping me along...lets hope i get some things planted this season as the ground is a lot worse than i thought!!!! hope to get some photo.s on b4,during and later!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

saddad · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2009, 18:29:55 »

Have you found the glass mine yet? Every plot seems to have one, where somebody stacked all the glass for a greenhouse and then left it to get broken and overgrown... :-X

cornykev · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2009, 18:43:31 »

Stack up the scrap in a corner, you never know the scrap prices might go through the roof again, some of it might come in handy. ;D ;D ;D

shirlton · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2009, 18:44:56 »

When we started we unearthed parts of a bed and armchair. Not so long back Tony dug up a pair of slippers and socks and a pair of trousers. I told him to stop digging in case there was something more sinister down there

tonybloke · « **Reply #19 on:** February 24, 2009, 14:24:49 »

Quote from: saddad on February 23, 2009, 18:29:55

Have you found the glass mine yet? Every plot seems to have one, where somebody stacked all the glass for a greenhouse and then left it to get broken and overgrown... :-X

that's in a corner of my plot!! I recently planted 3 fruit trees there.

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Author Topic: rookie grower (Read 4386 times)