Allotment Virgin in need of advice

[glosterwomble]

Hi,

Well today it happened, I arranged a meeting with the lady that is in charge of all the allotments in my area just for me to have a look. 1/2 hr later, rather dazed and confused, I am the proud owner of a key to the site and a rather overgrown plot, how did she do it???? I was only there to have a look and think about it but before I knew it she took my address and phone number handed me a key and we said our goodbyes! I now have plot 28a, a half falling down corrugated shed, weeds/grass ( a good foot and a half tall) all over the plot but I'm dead excited (and terrified!)

Where do I begin? I'm not a novice to gardening but not an expert when it comes to veg/allotments. I have been reading this site for a while and other sites and blogs. I reckon (as I want organic i think) that I should strim it and then cover some in black plastic first, not quite sure where to begin but I was going to organise the hire of a strimmer for Saturday.

Does anyone know where to but cheap black plastic? Ebay maybe or is B&Q cheaper? And do I buy just black plastic or do I buy weed membrane? So many questions.

I'd be really grateful for any help/advice!

Thanks
Chris ... Glosterwomble

[glosterwomble]

[ACE]

Get the shed fixed as soon as possible, at least you can shelter and have cuppa in the dry. You will be there longer than you think as time just flies when you are working playing on the lottie. Take your time and don't be afraid of asking for help off your neighbours. Aftern you have strimmed of the worse just tund the soil in big lumps and let the cold weather do some of the work.

[kt.]

If you want organic then you may have a lot of work on to get it fully prepared for next year. Dig out as much as you can but hand if you want to be organic. You may be able to compost some waste. If you strim, then  certain weeds you can multiply them by spreading all the seedlings with the st rimmer. Do it in sections and don't try to do too much at once. Come planting season you will have areas to plant while you are working on others.

An excellent book I recommend is called "THE ALLOTMENT HANDBOOK" by Caroline Foley £12.99 (ISBN code 1-84330-583-6) My wife got it for me last Xmas. It has everything. What to look for in a plot, tools required, how to clear it, ideas of a plot layout, pest control and treatments, month by month guide of jobs to do and when to plant and harvest crops. There is loads of other stuff too. I read mine a month in advance always, as a reminder of jobs to do the following month. Keeps you on track - weather permitting. Let me know how you are get on over the next 3-4 months. Good luck ;)

[saddad]

Sound advice from Ace, glosterwomble, and keep coming back here to see what else you can find out...
Welcome aboard...
;D

[kitten]

Hi glosterwomble, i've just signed the papers on my new lottie too, but we don't take over til 1 Jan so we have a few weeks waiting before we can even do anything! The book i bought is 'Allotment Gardening' by Susan Berger, it's excellent as it isn't too jargony for us gardning newbies, and is an easy read. Good luck on your lottie and look forward to 'seeing' you on the boards in the future!

[kt.]

The allotment handbook by caroline folley is also ideal for beginners and intermediate

[glosterwomble]

Thanks for the messages so far.. i hate the idea of round up (weedkiller) but maybe once at the beginning and then black plastic to prevent them coming back?

[teresa]

Oh congratulations,
Your lottie ass may have a strimmer you can borrow saves hiring one.
collect all cut and pile in small piles and burn.
Rough dig and let the frost break it down you can cover with just about anything, from black plastic, cardboard, lino, carpet ( not foam backed) I have used plastic tablecloths and blankets. Anything to keep the light out weeds cannot survive with no light.
Little and often is the key but most of all enjoy it good luck you will have a great year ahead.

[glosterwomble]

Thanks for the positive advice Teresa, I feel really excited about getting the allotment but nervous too! I don't want to be part of the statistics of those that try for 2 months and never go back to the site. I know I need to do it slowly but it's knowing exactly how. I'm sure it'll come to me!

[teresa]

Hi glosterwomble,

See if you can dig a few feet and clean you then can put some garlic, onion sets in or even a herb plant  just something to look at which is growing its a great insentive to move on.
Take loads of photos from the start and do an lottie album its great to look back on and have a laugh.
Loads of great gardeners here someone once said to me
"The only stupid question is the one thats not asked". meaning any question is not stupid this is the way we all learn.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Dig a bit and get garlic in if you like it; if you're going to plant onions it's better to wait and use the spring-planted sets. Late-planted overwintering onions have always given me pathetic crops. Then black plastic as much as you can, and dig it as you get the chance. You've got all winter before you can plant very much so there's plenty of time.

[missy]

Congratulations on getting your allotmant. When we got our 1st lottie we stomped it down with our feet as it was 3 to 4ft high in weeds. We then covered it with plastic and got a hugh delivery of manure which filled the compost heaps (quickly made out of pallets)and covered the plastic.
As we pulled back the plastic (in small sections) we doubled digged, cleaned out the weeds and then put in the manure, thus clearing another lot of plastic of manure.. We then covered with cardboard and carpet to let it all rot in.
2nd erected a shed.
2a put up bunny fencing, as the little sods ate everything we put in. (perhaps we should have done that before we put up the shed???)
2b got a camping cooker and a kettle for the drinking of tea with other lottie people.
3rd put down newspaper and covered in sawdust to creat paths
inbetween we planted up things that where little bother and that would boost our enthusiam, buy showing them selves later in the day/ month/year.
Have lots of fun with, i know i have.
Oh, and if you get your horsey manure from the young farmers there's an added bonus, he, he, he!

from sueee

[glosterwomble]

Great, I just bought some garlic the other day to put in the garden at home so I'll probably put it in the allotment instead. Just off to look at black plastic on ebay.

[ruffmeister]

ask your lottie council we dont get much from ours but they give us a plot size piece of black plastic, however we use the covers of the side of a HGV lorry which is v heavy but certainly does the trick.

my only word of advise is dont get DISHEARTEND,  it may look daunting but totally worth it,.

[norfolklass]

hi glosterwomble, I'm a newbie like you. I've had my allotment for 3 weeks now and last Sunday I finally finished chopping down the head-high nettles, thistles and other weeds. I would have got it done quicker but I've only been able to go down at weekends (wish I'd had a strimmer but only had a pair of shears!). I'm currently psyching myself up to start the dreaded double-dig but like you I think I'm going to smother everything in black plastic and uncover a bit at a time. I've found a seller on ebay who has 100m x 2m rolls of quite heavy black plastic for £58 inc. delivery. Sounds quite reasonable to me but I've never bought any before so am pretty clueless.

My allotment neighbours have all been very helpful and friendly, offering advice and patiently answering all my questions, and I've been given some beetroots and leeks which were the best tasting I've ever had! I'm also keen to get something planted, just to make myself feel better and because I can't wait to get growing. I've got both the books mentioned and have been spending the dark evenings planning my plot on paper. Not really in a position to offer advice yet, but I hope you're as excited about it all as I am, there's a lot of enjoyment in just getting your plot cleared and seeing the lay of the land for the first time! :)

[calendula]

Thanks for the messages so far.. i hate the idea of round up (weedkiller) but maybe once at the beginning and then black plastic to prevent them coming back?

it would be so much better NOT to use any weedkiller at all, there will be some friendly bugs etc hibernating and it might not be necessary if you try digging a small patch first just to get to say hello to the land and see how good or bad it is - also if you can get hold of any cheap carpet that would work better than plastic imo - heavier, does a better job at keeping light out and you won't slip on it - you'll never stop weeds coming back, if the land is good and fertile they'll find their way  ;)

[glosterwomble]

Thanks Norfolklass for your words of encouragement, I think I've found the same person as you have selling plastic on Ebay so I might become a customer of his soon. I also think I need to get some books about the subject, I have just ordered the one called "alloted time" about 2 blokes who got an allotment, the one guy had been suffering from depression etc and it's the story of how they learnt how to run an allotment plot over a year and how it helped him with his depression etc, (I've not described it well here but it does sound good)

And thank you Calendula for your words of encouragement about the organic method. My heart really does want to go the organic route, I am pretty much 100% organic in the garden at home and it's not proved to be that difficult really.

[Barnowl]

I read "Allotted time" and thought it was excellent. Also picked up useful information.

With regard to carpets I'm sure I read somewhere that some of them are treated with chemicals that leach into the soil as the carpet disintegrates?

[calendula]

what hasn't been treated with chemicals  :( but if you use wool with a canvas back and keep the dyed side uppermost is the best way - I only use carpet for my paths so ???? - black poly you have to peg down for it to really work but to be honest I prefer the up close and personal method of turning over the soil by hand - sometimes hard work but it should only have to be done once with minor weeding from there on and its the best exercise and very satisfying in many ways and you really get to know what your soil is all about - good time of year to take a plot on, good luck

[manicscousers]

welcome and great news, another enthusiastic plotholder.. we use all the old compost bags off whoever has any , cut down both sides and lay down, cover with wood chippins , straw or other for paths, also have a plan drawn on the computer that we print off each year and fill in, when we started, we worked it out paper first and then, more or less, worked to it
good luck !! ;)