Topic: Journeywoman seeks top tips !

[Heartysoup]

I got my allotment this morning, I was beside myself with excitement. There's loads to do, but I'm up for it and I've got the Weetabix in.

I'll be knocking up a compost bin out of pallets and wondered how you cobble it all together, is it nails, screws or wire ?   

As you can see I'm in need of the basics !

Also, I'm near Rochdale, North Manchester are there any other Mancs on here ?

[manicscousers]

Hiya, Heartysoup, welcome to the site  ;D
brilliant news, make it 3 weetabix, our compost bins are pallets but Ray put posts in the corners and nailed the pallets on, plus the front is planks through a fancy little thing where they can slide up and out..hope that makes sense  ;D
we're a bit away from you, near warrington

[ceres]

Lots of different ways to do it.  I hammer old steel pipe into the ground at the corners and attached the pallets to them with either galvanised wire or cable ties.

Welcome to A4A!

[Sparkly]

Welcome to A4A. No tips on the compost bins, but we are in South Manchester  ;D

[tomatoada]

Hi.  If you have some strong help you can do many things but if like me you are not able to do carpentry etc.. this is what I do.  8 Broomhandles from a Pound shop or any similar stakes.   Hammer into the ground in a square.   Use an iron bar to make the hole first.   Slide the pallet over the stakes and strengthen at the corners by tying the end of the pallets together.  I use old tree ties or thick rope.   I then line with thick card board as I fill up.  When I want to use the compost I just move the front pallet.    Hope this helps. 

[shirlton]

Ower Tone wires the front pallet on. I would like one o them sliding planked fronts like Manics but there ya go.

[chriscross1966]

I got my allotment this morning, I was beside myself with excitement. There's loads to do, but I'm up for it and I've got the Weetabix in.

I'll be knocking up a compost bin out of pallets and wondered how you cobble it all together, is it nails, screws or wire ?   

As you can see I'm in need of the basics !

Also, I'm near Rochdale, North Manchester are there any other Mancs on here ?

I do mine with an Hitatchi automatic nail gun.... OK I'm a gadget fiend but I find somethign that will fire a 3 1/2 nail straight through two pallets to be the fastest way of doing it :-) Pallets also make good climbing frames for thigns like outdoor cucmbers and gherkins, even squash, and of course, surrounding your pumpkin with them makes it easier to keep the fruit off the floor.....

chrisc

[Eristic]

Why is it that little ladies and skinny laddies want to spend all day humping great big pallets around the allotment when great big gorillas like myself just pick up a builders sandbag, fold it up and carry it away with ease? The bag is a hundred times more efficient as well.

[Heartysoup]

Thanks everyone !

tomatoada - I like the sound of the broomhandles and I think I'll be giving that a go.
 
Chriscross - I'm more of a bodger than a gadget guru !

Shirlton - your Tone sounds like a good'un to have around, shame he won't upgrade the bin tho' !!

Eristic - I've just enjoyed a bout of hefty pallet lugging this morning, I'll enjoy my lunch all the more for it. However, I will be lining my rustic bin with a builders sack.  Belt and braces !

[terrier]

I use the 1 ton builders bags for all the garden/plot waste, they make excellent storage for compost, leaf mould, loam,etc. Best thing ever invented and they last a good few years. When full, they make good squash planters.

[Eristic]

Best thing ever invented and they last a good few years.

They come with a lifetime guarentee. In the event one becomes faulty you can take it back to the nearest skip and get a free replacement.

[Heartysoup]

Ton bags for life eh Eristic !

Terrier - ton bags are very useful indeed and I am going to use a few as growing space. Being the new arrival at the allotments I've got the 'difficult' plot which is prone to flooding at one end. The deal is that you start off there and then you can ask to transfer to another plot higher up when you've earned your stripes. I'm just glad of the space and plan to use ton bags at that end. I am going to dig a drainage ditch, but it'll only help the problem rather than cure it. I thought the ton bags would be just the thing......Unless you know better ?

[BarriedaleNick]

I see what you mean by builders bags now!  I didnt think of the one ton bags - they are everywhere at the moment as well.  What a cracking idea..in fact I remember somewhere using them as mini raised beds on a conceret site..

[the_snail]

For compost bins you could try and phoning your council because you can either get a free compost bin or one that is cut price for your home garden or allotment  ;)

Also I forgot to mention my top tip. Take it a little at a time if this is your first time. If you do it all at once you will find it takes a lot out of you. If you work a little at a time then things progress a lot quicker and you enjoy it more. Thats what I found anyway.

TheSnail

[cornykev]

Hi Soup and welcome to the site, I'm only down the road from you,                                                                                         North London,   ???      ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[shirlton]

Gawd elp ya Soup ;D

[Heartysoup]

BarriedaleNick -  I remember that there was a programme on the TV about using ton bags for growing, it was a while ago now. Some clever young things took an unused tarmac'd yard and had lots of ton bags dropped (already full of compost), the locals had a bag each and grew whatever they fancied, it was a really good idea there was a huge variety of stuff growing in them.

The only problem with using ton bags is   1) they take a lot of filling !  and 2) when I use them for other stuff like brash, it's all too easy to overfill them and then do yourself a mischief trying to shift them !

the_snail   -  You're absolutely right about getting burnt out with trying to do too much, small and often's my motto !   It helps that I have other commitments so that I can't be at the allotment every day. I plan what I'm going to do in each session when I am there, do it and go home ! 

Cornykev - If you were coming up from darn sarf, you'd have to get a visa to enter Manchester!

Shirlton - I'll keep my eye on him ......Ta !   

[Heartysoup]

I forgot to say......

I made a cracking compost bin using 4 pallets, 8 broomhandles (thanks Tomatoada for that excellent tip), some wire and then lined it. It's bloomin' great and I think it deserves an official opening !!

After more (and more) groundwork I'll be moving onto making raised beds, I'll be back for top tips in that department from you lot.

Ta very much indeed

[tomatoada]

Glad to help Heartysoup.  My other best tip is to ask for things you want as presents.  It takes friends and relatives sometime to get use to the idea, but when they see my reaction to a lovely bag of tulip bulbs  or a line thing they change there mind.  I also show them the results.  2 lovely pots of red tulips were much admired.  I have now got them onto more veggie things.  A drum of chicken pellets.  Much better them boxes of chocs and cut bunches of flowers.

[Heartysoup]

Just to add.....

I had to do some summer pruning jobs and I kept the wood from a prunus, betula and acer, took it to the lottie and weaved it in and out of my pallet compost bin. I know I need to get out more, but it looks really good !