Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Tatty on April 30, 2010, 22:12:08
Title: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Tatty on April 30, 2010, 22:12:08
Hi, I have been reading the posts and gaining lots of help - thank you.
My allotment is still awaiting digging over ready to plant and I admit I am a bit overwhelmed by it not helped by having a major upheavel a few days after getting it.
So I don't think I have time to dig it over by myself and have looked in to getting something to help - have come across a 'power digger' that is available to hire - anyone know whether this will help? A cultivator is too expensive and too big for me to handle (the one available to hire). They have a tiller but it says only for use on small beds - and I think it wont do any good to my undug lottie?
Lottie has light weeds and is quite compacted.
Have brought some wood to make raised beds - just about 7-8ins high so am thinking I can dig it over then put these on and top fill with compost? Have brought decking boards Any advice welcome
Thank you
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: flitwickone on April 30, 2010, 22:49:20
Hi and welcome to the forums
im a newbie this year too :o
my advice is make sure you know what weeds you are dealing with cos if you chop em to bits they will come back ten fold also to help break the ground up dig over a small area and get some potatoes in they do wonders for breaking up the soil etc
the most important things i have learnt is one its not a race and two take it easy do it bit by bit
good luck and if they are just very light weeds get the digger to turn it over but go easy
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: redcoat on May 01, 2010, 12:30:36
I read about this method of setting up raised beds ...
Decide on the permanent position of the beds, build the sides and dig over the soil in the beds. Now go down all of the paths and dig up the first couple of inches of soil and put it into the beds, making that soil level even higher.
Extra compost, manure etc for nutrition will be needed but it did seem a good way of getting deeper loosened soil to start off the raised beds.
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Sparkly on May 01, 2010, 14:22:03
I am presuming you are struggling for time and don't vist the plot for hours each day by your post.
If you haven't got time to dig and clear the full plot this year don't worry! Cover up everything except an area you can comfortably deal with. I would recommend starting with an area of about 30x30ft (this is about 1/3 of a typical allotment) especially if you have taken on a plot at this time of year. Don't try to do too much. You are much better to do a smaller area well. You could cover with weed supressant matting, although if you are planning to leave this until the winter to start clearing put some decent quality stuff down. Try screwfix.com. You could also thick thick cardboard. I would avoid using carpet (quite a few thread on here discussing the problems with this method). The new lottie holders who are successful are those who are realistic and don't try to do too much at first.
I would strim down the top growth and remove general junk. Then turn over the soil with a fork. If this is not possible use a mattock to break the ground up. Use the mattock to get out any big bramble roots. Then go over the area slowly pulling out any perenial weed roots. Go over the area at list twice and go down at least 2 spaces depth. Covering the whole area over and just rolling back the cover as you dig each bed is also a good idea.
I would not recommend leaving area unweeded and uncovered at this time of year because in a few weeks you will be lost in a jungle.
If you post some pictures you may some more helpful advice specific to the task you are dealing with.
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Sparkly on May 01, 2010, 14:23:29
Forgot to say you could plant things like squash through the matting, which quickly cover the area and make it look ok.
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Digeroo on May 01, 2010, 15:13:22
Welcome to the forum.
Another vote here for courgettes, squashes and pumpkins. I started my allotment last year and realised I was not going to be able to dig it all over. So I dug holes and filled with manure (or compost or recycled compost) every metre or so and let them spread. Not only did they suppress most of the weeds but they also broke up the soil much better than expected and so it was easy to dig through once the frost had killed them off in November.
I hope you enjoy your allotment as much I do mine
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Tatty on May 01, 2010, 16:30:20
Hi thank you for replies, have had a very productive morning at the lottie.
Used the power digger but had to remove weeds first, it worked really well and really turned over the soil.
There is a few feet at the edge that have not been done but will sort those as best as can and then plant my pumkin and squash there following reading the posts!
Have made some raised beds this afternoon - going to use those and have some paths and stuff.
Yes, I have been overwhelmed by it but feel I may be getting somewhere and it was reasuring to see the other allotments not all planted up yet
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: redcoat on May 01, 2010, 16:38:45
Blimey, that looks just brilliant. What a start!
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: caroline7758 on May 01, 2010, 16:48:45
Wow- you've made brilliant progress in a short time-well done! I presumeyou don't plan to put your pumpkns and squash out just yet!
If you've got something to cover the ground that you've cleared, that will stop the weeds coming back so quickly untilyou are ready to plant.
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Tatty on May 01, 2010, 17:11:53
No, have learnt from on here that they cannot go out yet - I thought I had missed the boat so to speak but it seems most things cannot go out till threat of frost has passed.
I have some very thin cloaches (sp?) that I could use to protect things but am I better to wait?
Next to the edge I haven't finished is some compost heaps - was thinking squash would trail up and over these nicely?
Lottie is smaller than normal size, I think it was 11 metres by 6 metres when I measured it but then there is more that is 'mine', two sheds, bench, and an extra veg bit that is probably a metre and a half by about 4 metres.
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: gerkin on May 01, 2010, 19:44:28
hi will be following this thread carefully as ive just started from scratch as well ;)
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: manicscousers on May 01, 2010, 19:53:49
Hiya, Tatty, welcome to the mad house, that soil looks great, our plot is all raised beds 4' wide, it works for us ;D
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Tatty on May 01, 2010, 21:38:25
Mmm raised beds are giving me a bit of stress - I had brought some decking to use but have now read about treated wood being a problem and now I don't know what to do!
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 02, 2010, 00:23:07
I plan to creosote my planks before I use them to build beds. It's has been used for I don't know how long, and the plants thrive anyway. If the planks rot, you've got work to do!
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: plainleaf2 on May 02, 2010, 04:49:17
cool some trying to poison there beds with creosote. cool have not seen that idea used since creosote was listed as carcinogen.
You can no longer buy creosote its been taken off the market
You can buy creosote but its not the original nasty stuff (mind you,you can still get that too if you know where to go)
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Alimo on May 02, 2010, 09:38:39
Tatty - those before and after photos are brilliant... what a good piece of kit the power spade must be!!
My power spade is called my husband ;D
Alison
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Tatty on May 02, 2010, 09:51:32
It was good - did cost about £48 to hire though.
Thought it was a bit rubbish to start with but then realised that you have to kind of hold it back as it wanted to travel - by holding on to it tight it churned over the ground really well. Not that I got to play with it that much as I was on weed clearing duty and my children aged 9 and 13 got to use the digger!
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Jeannine on May 02, 2010, 09:58:55
Yes Plainleaf I thought the cool reference to poison was rude and definately out of order XX Jeannine
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: chriscross1966 on May 02, 2010, 11:59:53
I'm not sure I understand why you think that you can't use a rotavator, I was using my dad's Howard Gem (http://www.donaldantiquerototillers.com/1970Diesel.jpg) like this but with a different engine when I was eight... the good ones have adjustable handlebars to suit the operator... certainly all Howards had them cos even my dinky little Bulldog (the smallest proper rotavator they did) has height adjustable bars.... You can fgrequently pick up rotavators on ebay for sensible money, I paid less than 80 quid for my Bulldog (and it works properly) though don't buy a "non-runner, easy to fix" one.... if it was that easy they would have fixed it themselves..... My other rotavators (a Howard 400) needs mer to strip the engine and gearbox down this winter cos of that, whatever the problem is it won't be that easy :D.... that siad it only cost me 60 quid so if aI have to machine up a conversion plate and fit the spare Honda engine I have lying around then it won't be too bad.....
chrisc
Title: Re: New lottie - advice please?
Post by: Tatty on May 02, 2010, 12:24:24
I didn't use a rotavator because I was hiring a machine and they didn't have one - they had a cultivator (not sure of the difference?) but it was more expensive and needed a truck to transport. The power digger was suitable for a estate car.
I did have a look on ebay but I know nothing about rotavators!
Wasn't sure about the power digger at first but was pleased with it - am hoping though if I use raised beds (if I can find suitable untreated wood :) ) then I wont have the big dig to do again?