Topic: where on earth to start

[sleepymrsp]

Well the lease is signed and we've handed over the cash so as of tomorrow plot 11 is all ours. Been up today to check the weed situation and i'm pleased to report that we definitely have weeds which is a good sign that the weedkiller has neutralised. We've cleared the raised bed today so we'll be able to put some stuff in there and at least we'll get some produce out of it this year.

The twins and I had a lovely morning exploring the plot and they loved finding bugs and being kids for a bit. Once we've got our shed keys i'll get them a table and chairs and some of their own tools and take up spare boots and coats so we can go up after school at the drop of a hat without thinking about it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8611132@N08/8880750017/ This was just over a week ago
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8611132@N08/8880819733/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8611132@N08/8881303732/ and this is it today

I'm hoping for  tomorrow so we can go over there and get some of the seedlings we've got at home into the raised bed. Just think once we've got something in the ground it'll help. Then I need to learn about fruit bushes and rhubarb because they will need some tidying up and I have no idea where to begin.

Husband is on a mission to get us some large paving slabs so we can put in some pathways. Do we need to clear the weeds before putting down the green manure?

Any thoughts on the plot? Bit concerned about the number of stones in it. Definitely will need to have a good rake through it.

[RenishawPhil]

The pictures are not working but Definately remove weeds first. Stones are à pain

[sleepymrsp]

trying to get the pictures to work as we speak....

[RenishawPhil]

trying to get the pictures to work as we speak....

I use photobucket

[Unwashed]

Here you go:
This was just over a week ago

and this is it today

Do we need to clear the weeds before putting down the green manure?

That's really light weed cover, I think you could dig that through and pull the worst of the weed out as you went, but a good technique to clear the ground can be to go over it with fork in hand and just ease out the worst of the weeds, and then dig it through rough ignoring any remaining weeds and not knocking it down too much into a tilth.  Personally I wouldn't green manure, not at this time of year, I'd bung in some potatoes and runner beans, and see if I couldn't find some trailing marrows too - just cover the ground with something veggie!

[RenishawPhil]

Pumpkins would cover that area in no. Time:)

[sleepymrsp]

thanks for that. my normal tech head self is struggling today! Couldn't remember the name for photobucket either. Just checking to see if there is a phone app for that that works.

I'm in 2 minds about the green manure. The allotment rep thinks that's the best way to go but the lady on the next plot along, the guy behind us and lots of people on here don't think it's the right way to go. I obviously want to get it right though! We're only paying the admin fee this year due to the issue as well so again I don't want to be seen to be taking advantage by going against the advice not to plant on it if that makes sense. The soil is very dry and does need some work. Maybe if we green manure some of it and plant on the rest it'll be a good compromise and it'll buy us some time to find our feet and get into a routine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8611132@N08/8881301029/ fruit bushes at the back. they are really untidy and could do with tidying. there is also some rhubarb that has gone to seed which i'm clueless about

[sleepymrsp]

yet another question. Money is tight so we've been looking at options for paths. Husband is visually impaired so we need nice, clear, boundaries and we need to make it pretty accessible for me (ie not too many tripping hazards as I walk with a crutch). We've been looking and by far the cheapest option is to put down woodchippings. If we dig a trench and fill it with cardboard (I work in a shop where we have tonnes of the stuff) and then put the chippings on top will that work ok as a temporary measure? We'll gradually gather up some paving slabs as we source them from freecycle and ebay.

[Tee Gee]

That plot looks to have potential and is quite clean compared to the ones I took over when I was at your stage.

Rather than writing down any suggestions here, let me point you in the direction of the article I wrote in my website;

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Allotments/Allotments.htm

There are lots of ideas plus a few pictures of my plots.

BTW welcome to allotmenteering i have been on my plot for  over twenty years and I still haven't got it clear of weeds, its just one of those ongoing things I'm afraid.

[SMP1704]

Hello and congrats on your plot. You mentioned that the weed killer has been neutralised; is that why the allotment rep recommends growing a green manure this year?  Do you know what type of weed killer?

[manicscousers]

Hiya, congratulations on getting your plot 
We used thick cardboard covered with woodchip successfully. I also walk with a crutch, <2 off the plot > and had no problems. Happy growing 

[Digeroo]

If the rhubarb is flowering I think that taking off the flowers is a good idea.   

I am not convinced about the green manure, looks good for planting to me.   Courgettes and squashes are very quick.  I did not have enough energy to dig my plot the first year so I just dug bucket sized holes filled with compost or manure and put a courgette on top.  Same for potatoes.

I would not worry too much about stones.  I am on an ex gravel pit and we have loads and loads of them.   Just keep adding biomatter.   According to Charles Darwin the worms will gradually work them downwards.  Even the carrots manage to cope with the stones much to my surprise.  I carefully sifted the soil for one row of the carrots the first year and unsifted soil ones were exactly the same.  Maybe not competition standard but taste well enough.

Part of my plot was 100% raw gravel.   That part is growing soft fruit now.  First year I had sweet corn, that certain did not mind the stones.

[sleepymrsp]

The site rep wasn't sure what had been used but the lady on the next plot said the guy who did it uses the same stuff year in year out on his own plot with no problems at all. Just don't want to be seen to be cheeky when we've only paid the admin fee! I think she was worried that the weeds had taken quite some time to reappear.

it's a lovely plot on a nice site. we've got friends who live next to it and are keeping an eye on it for us. Itching to get started now. Might even go up there this morning to make a start. Just wish I didn't have to go to work today! Mind at least if I go into work I can get some cardboard for the paths.   

[Paulines7]

Good luck with your allotment sleepymrsp.  It doesn't look too bad compared to some that I have seen and I am sure you will soon get it under control and hopefully grow some good vegetables this year. 

I noticed when looking through your photos on flicker that you appear to be doing up an old caravan.  You might find the following forum helpful for anything caravan related.  We have a caravan and I have been a member of Caravan Talk for several years now.
http://www.caravantalk.co.uk/community/   

[sleepymrsp]

The caravan was our last little project. On the whole she's finished, just the odd bit of patching up here and there. 

The allotment is the next one project :) Just been down for an hour with the girls. The paths are marked out and we've cleared some weeds. They came up really easily with my claw (so easy in fact that the kids have been doing most of the work whilst I "supervised") Could really do with the shed key though now. we have to cross a busy road which with 3 kids and hands full of tools isn't fun. Hopefully the site rep will sort that for us.

An hour a day really does make a massive difference to a plot.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Stones don't matter much. There's someone on my site who comes from Iraq; he likes stones since they keep moisture in the soil. The weeds you've got are nothing; take them out as you plant it up. Put in stuff like beans, early spuds (you're planting them late so they won't have so long) and any short-term crops like lettuces.

[antipodes]

Yes, I agree with the others, there are very few weeds there, get some spuds in, if it's warm they will come up in no time, and also beans, courgettes, cucumbers, squashes, you can put in tomatoes if you are warm enough to grow them outdoors there, and cherry tomato bushes take up a fair lot of space if you let them spread! Definitely also lettuces, and I am only now sowing beetroot, leaf beet, and parsnips. If it's still a bit weedy, try to get some free straw and mulch heavily, you can always spend more time weeding once everything is growing ;-)
Cover any bits you aren't using with thick cardboard.

[sleepymrsp]

Turns out it was roundup. Weve found a healthy crop of spuds so have dug that back into the soil today. The soil is solid though so I dug a load of trenches and planted lots of veggie seeds in them to see what happens. Going to start a blog later. Think we impressed everyone at how quickly weve got on. The first path is dug out. Weve got plants in grow bags in little poly tunnels, the raised bed is planted. None of it will win prizes in horticulture or impress the pros but at least weve got something in and hopefully growing 

Will set up a blog later

[sleepymrsp]

http://ourlottieproject.wordpress.com

There you go