Topic: 3 Stage Plan

[hightower]

As some of you may have noticed, I've recently acquired an allotment and this week have been sketching some plans of how I want to deal with getting it up to scratch (as it was previously used as a pigeon allotment rather than for fruit and veg).

Anyhow, please check out Slim Jim's Allotment - I've uploaded my plan in three stages with some rather funky 3d plans. Would love to hear feedback about these (and apologies for the shameless website plug, but if I'm going to update it regularly I may as well try and get people following :))

[antipodes]

Lots of work to do there! Are there really that many perennials? Wouldn't it be worth just rotovating?

[hightower]

Lots of work to do there! Are there really that many perennials? Wouldn't it be worth just rotovating?

That's the plan, weed kill it tomorrow, and then 2nd dousing a week later, then give it a month and after I get back from holiday get the rotavator on it.

[Larkshall]

I have been combating Horseradish, Nettles and Docks for several years. I have now decided to crop half and fallow half each year. The cropped part will have to be hoed regularly and the fallow half will be rotavated regularly. I also have to combat Rabbits with an electric fence.

[hightower]

Oh, how plans change! I was up there on Saturday lifting the flags up (photo's on site, link in sig) and there was nothing but a load of hardcore and sand under the flags. But, as you can see from the photo's I now have four perfectly defined beds measuring 12ft by 4ft with a nice solid path between each.

I'd be on forever digging all the hardcore out so my plans for this now, are to obtain wood (from dismantled lofts) and build raised beds and fill with top soil.

[cambourne7]

sounds like a plan you mentioned you were going away on holiday can i suggest that you cover the area with weed membrane or even just thick cardboard weighted down to stop the weeds taking the opportunity to gown more?

looking at your plan you have room along one side of your tunnel to build a cold frame type structure this would help
A) manage the wind hitting the side of the tunnel
B) allow you to full the cold frame with horse manure (maybe 1/3 of it) and the heat will not just keep the plants in the rest of the cold frame happy but also seep into your tunnel :)

Have you though about planting some minnerette fruit trees a few feet in front of the opening to the tunnel this might also help with wind :)