New allotment holder

[jayelle]

I am hoping to get a council allotment in the autumn of 2004.  I would like to spend the months up till then planning the whole thing.  I have no idea of the standard size of an allotment, nor how to go about planning it.  I do know that I should clear the site and dig the plot over and let it sit for the winter.  Then what? and in what order?  Can anyone  tell me of a good book that would help me.  By the way I am 67 years old so please don't suggest anything too strenuous.
Jayelle

[jayelle]

[SueT]

Hi Jayelle, I`m sure you will find all the help you need here so I wouldn`t worry too much about buying a book just yet.  I know nothing at all but many others here do and they will be happy to help you.  They`re nice people! ;D

[Ceri]

Hello Jayelle - I agree with SueT - if you look at the thread on Internet Links on this board there is a list of websites that are really helpful. I would flick through these (especially Gavin's which I find brilliant).  I would spend time thinking about what fruit and veg I want to eat, and then have a look at each thing.  Down my way, lottie sizes tend to be about 60ft x 30ft, which is a heck of a lot of digging at any age!  Lots of people advise digging a bed at a time, rather than the whole plot, but I suppose it depends on whether your plot has some particularly nasty weeds.  If you know on which site your allotment will be, I'd have a regular wander round, talk to the lottie holders and you'll soon find out what grows well and what pests and weeds are a problem.  Good luck

[kenkew]

Hi, Jayelle.
I'm no spring chicken but jumped at the chance of a 20 x 10 Metre plot at the end of 2002. I'm busy loading pics of it now. You'll see what a mess this place was then, but my first season last year was a hugh success. The plot hadn't been touched for about 7 years, the grass and weeds were almost shoulder height when I first saw it. The fence was on the ground and there was no gate. The hut was mouse infested and there was rubbish all over the place. The secret in starting on a plot in that condition is to cultivate one bit at a time. Concentrate on removing all the weeds, especially the perennial weeds such as dock and dandilion. Autumn isn't the end of the season, and if you're quick off the mark you might be able to plant over-wintering veg. If not then consider a green manure crop, nature hates bare soil and if you don't fill it up, she will!
Don't be shy about asking what might seem to be 'silly' questions. Every person on here made their first start at sometime. Anyway, have a look when I've loaded the pics at what can be gained in less than one season. Good luck.

[kenkew]

http://
Try again!

[kenkew]

http://www.hpphotos.com/servlet/com.hp.HPAlbumPict?com=us&awp=albumshow.html&album_id=3602351

This link to the album doesn't seem to work. If anyone knows how to share HPPHOTO albums please advise. Cheers.

[The gardener]

Thought I would try HP to see if I can get it to work...........here goes;





If I have managed this is how my allotment looked when I took it over and progress 3 months later.

[Tenuse]

Jayelle,

This is what I would recommend:

• Get allotment (or promise of one).
  
• Get over-excited.
  
• Buy graph paper and spend hours making Grandiose Plan No.1.
  
• Buy a decent vegetable/fruit growing book.
  
• Rip up GP No.1 as according to the book it is unworkable.
  
• Create GP No.2 with complex rotational system.
  
• Buy tools.
  
• Get key to allotment.
  
• Visit allotment.
  
• Rip up GP No.2 as your real allotment is a different shape to your paper one.
  
• Create GP No.3, taking account of all paths, sheds, mysterious lumps etc.
  
• Compose seed order.
  
• Wait 3 weeks for the weather to turn.
  
• Go up to allotment and start digging.
  
• Send in seed order in a fit of bravado.
  
• Go back next weekend and continue digging.
  
• Realise that you are not going to get it all dug and that you have ordered far too many seeds.
  
• Keep digging.
  
• Plant some seeds because it's nearly spring.
  
• Keep digging.
  
• After a month of digging, realise it is not going to happen and rip up GP No.3.
  
• Compose GP's No. 4, 5 and 6 before finally settling on 7.
  
• Keep digging.
  
• Realise that your seedlings are ready to plant out and the bed they are supposed to go in hasn't been dug yet.
  
• Rip up GP No. 7 and plant seedlings where there's a bit of dug ground.
  
• Keep digging.
  
• Resolve never to make a Grandiose Plan again.
  
• Wing it, like the rest of us!

Just my suggestions...  ;D ;D ;D

Ten x

[Doris_Pinks]

Brilliant Ten! And oh so familiar! ::)

[mysticmog]

Exactly Ten, spot on  :D

[kenkew]

This link works...finally.
http://www.hpphoto.com/servlet/com.hp.HPGuestLogin?username=chiro&password=63828135

[The gardener]

Someone else has been there.........is that right Ten  ???

[allotment_chick]

...and don't forget to take a look at the Top Tips Board!

AC   8)

[Tenuse]

Been there? I'm still there!

Ten x

[Ceri]

Tenuse - that is brilliant, and oh so true.  I started with excel sheets, power point diagrams the works - now I dig a hole and plant something!  My mother says of me that I'm all enthusiasm and no organisation - don't you just hate mothers for being so right!

[Hels_Bels]

Well done Ten - I reckon I'm on about GP 4 at the moment - on the back of a cardboard box and covered in Post It notes that I move around periodically when I realise my imaginary digging is happening far quicker than my 'real' digging!

A few bits of advice I've picked up are to plant what you like and b*****r what anyone else wants!

Plant something before winter hits - it will give you the incentive to go back after the winter break

Put in a compost bin - again another incentive to visit when the weather's nasty and you'd rather be inside dreaming up Grand Plans.

My mum's 67 and she's had an allotment of some shape or form since she was 9! (Fab eh?) She has arthritis in her feet but still manages to dig more than me when she comes to help out.

Dig what you can manage until you find out what your body's limits are.

I've also got some lovely tools

Good luck - it's great fun and when you taste your first bit of 'home grown' whatever, it's brilliant! ;D

H_B

[DarkSkies]

I took my plot on end of last year, I am gradually working through it ...

BTW is someone could shrink this pic I would be well happy ta. :)



Ohh no its gone...

[allotment_chick]

I agree ...the gentle art of planning is, I think, to do it in the winter, when it keeps you interested and impatient and you need an aqualung or huskies to visit the lottie - and then ABSOLUTELY do your own thing!

I do my excel spreadsheet mainly to remind me what I grew where to help with the rotation.....if I can't get peoples names right ( ??? ) there is no hope that I'll remember where I grew 20 odd different varieties and what those varieties were!

AC x