A place for newbies to introduce themselves.

[galina]

Sorry no, but welcome to the forum anyway. Hope you get your allotment really soon now that sowing time is starting   

[Tee Gee]

I live just over the other side of the hill in Huddersfield!

Welcome to A4A

[johhnyco15]

no im a sunshine coast man tendring peninsula hope you get a plot soon and fill it with fantastic veggies and sweet fruit welcome to A4A

[norfolkgrey]

Hi, we have just got a plot in Great Yarmouth. Busy digging up couch grass and dock roots. Managed to  get some early potatoes in. Hoping to make a brassica bed next and a raised bed for carrots and  parsnips.  A friend has given us a shed so hopefully we can get that across to the plot and put up soon.  Saturday we have a trailer of horse manure coming and we built a bin for it to go in and rot down. Getting fitter by the day 

[RavenUK]

Hi all, I have just got my plot this morning.

I live in Thornton in West Yorkshire, I had been on the waiting list for a while. But after spending considerable amount of time chasing the Council, I was asked if I wanted to view a vacant plot. The last on the site :)

So I have been down to the site this morning and pleased to say I have accepted the plot. There is a lot of work to do, as its been vacant for years, but the council have strimmed it and cleared most of it down.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/B6Nj1hY4N1wB7n1t9 is a link to what I saw this morning. Now the fun begins , we (my family and I) are looking forward to getting stuck in.

Main jobs for next few weeks are:
Clear some of the grass and weeds, so I can start to make a couple of raised beds.
Put up a fence round the plot (thinking pallets)
Identify the few bushes growing and see if we should keep or remove.

Very new to Allotments, and open to all advise etc.

Regards

RavenUK

[galina]

Good sized plot RavenUK, congratulations.  And welcome to the group.  What is the soil like?

If you can manage to make a bed you are still in time for sowing autumn crops, like beetroot, turnip and other fast growing stuff, mooli radish and definitely lettuce.  A second bed a bit later could give you late harvesting or even overwintering crops like endive, salad, rocket, cress, land cress etc.   It might be good for morale to have something homegrown to take home very quickly, even if the rest of the allotment is not up and running yet. 

As the weeds will take over again very fast, it is a good idea to cover with black plastic to prevent weeds germinating.  It makes it easier to prepare the ground later when you get to it.   

Does the adjoining allotment holder know what the bushes are?  They must have seen them year round.   Can't tell from the pictures without closeup.

Wish you lots of energy and good luck. 

[RavenUK]

Many thanks @galina ,

I am going down tonight after work and then all weekend. I am trying to get a fence up and then at least one bed created.

Not sure on what the soil is like.

I am going to ask the site rep about the plot next to mine. As when we met, she said that the chap is looking to give up his plot this year. As he's not been down much and is struggling to keep it up. She said that I had first refusal of moving to that plot if it comes up :). Which as its got a shed, greenhouse and several raised beds and fully fenced off, I would jump at the chance.

However I will still crack on with my new plot, as until it happens I am not counting my chickens.

I will continue to take more photos and update.

Regards

Raven

[saddad]

Hi Raven... how's it going... you took the plot on my birthday... and while it's not been the best season to get started hope things are going ok... any movement on the adjoining plot?

Saddad

[carolinej]

Well, I'm not a newbie as much as a repeat program on Dave lol I haven't been on here for years as I gave up my allotment and didn't do much with my garden.

Now, for obvious reasons , I have a lot of time on my hands so have decided to get back to trying to sort out my jungle AKA neglected raised beds. So far, a million brambles and rogue saplings have been removed (OK, so I was always prone to exaggeration!), the greenhouse emptied (almost) and the heated propagator lugged down from the attic.

So I am raring to go. Tomatoes and peppers in the propagator and several more things to sow over the next week or so.  Seed availability is a problem, and as I am starting from scratch. I used to have so many wonderful variety of seeds, including heirloom tomatoes that were amazing (thanks to Jeannine and her amazing seed swaps).  So it's a few basic varieties for this year and then hit the seed catalogues with a vengeance in the autumn. I foresee a postie with a hernia lol

So, hello everyone, hello to the people who may have distant memories of a crazy veg grower from the ancient past. Happy Gardening!

[Mimi]

Wow things have changed. A LOT!!! I was a member here many years ago and just loved it but life changes. I left my allotment when I retired and as both our daughters had settled in Australia, we decided that we would spend 1/2 year in  Aus and 1/2 yr cruising the canal navigations on our narrow boat. So my gardening is now restricted to my narrowboat roof top garden and my garden in Aus.  So, if you remember me hello again. If you don't, then, Hi 🙋‍♀️. Good to meet you.

[Palustris]

Are you Mimi from Caernarvon?

[Coz]

Hi guys 

I was a member of this site many moons ago as Coznbob but divorced the Bob and had to give up my allotments. Happily life has changed very much, my kids are much older, have remarried and have just got a new plot!

Am very excited to be back in the world of growing, cursing at the weather and heavy clay soil. Am a bit out of practice at this scale of growing so there may be a few questions coming...

[Obelixx]

Good luck with the new allotment.  Hope you have lots of manure and compost for improving the soil.  I always think clay is better than sand tho hard work at first and the weather should be improving now..

[tricia]

Welcome back   . Are you in the north, south, east or west Coz ?

Tricia 

[Coz]

Thank you!

Am on the south coast, Hastings.

Am beg, stealing and borrowing everyone's compostables ready to my my life a little easier for next year!

[saddad]

Welcome back....

[Harry]

Hi folks another newbie. Please be gentle with me.

I just got my keys to a quarter plot and I'm hoping to get some food off it this year. But oh boy, what a jungle. In spite of long waiting lists, someone let this be untended for at least a couple of years.
I'm going to be asking all sorts of newbie dumb ass questions of your folks. Sorry.
My experience extends to a bit of messing about in my back garden with 3 raised beds of 1m*2 each. I've had beetroot, carrots and about one portion each of peas and spuds, so not exactly self sufficient.
Unfortunately, I can't do some of the things which are obvious best practice, for lack of budget. E.g. i know i could pop some compost on cardboard and go all No-Dig. But I can't afford £100s worth of compost, which is what I spent on my few raised beds. So when answering my questions, please tend away from making me spend money.
I'm off to have a read around to see if any of my questions have already been answered.
H

[Tee Gee]

Hi Harry

Welcome to A4A I am sure you will be made welcome dumb questions and all!

I have been around here for more years than I can remember and. I am still learning.

As an introduction to the site I will link you to my iwebsite and in particular the bit on Allotments that is a collection of does and don't,'s I have brought together, many of which I have learned here on A4A

I wish you every success with your venture!  Tg

https://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/A/Allotments/Allotment%20Blog.htm

[carloso]

 

At last......... An allotment after waiting 2 years and 10 years since the last one

[Obelixx]

Congratulations Carloso.  Let the fun begin.

Harry - the compost you spread on cardboard is usually the stuff from your own heap so I'd make starting a composting heap a priority.  You'll have plenty pf material to fill it with a good mix of brown and green material.