Very first allotment

[Hedgehog]

HI everyone, my name is Tara, ive just got my very first allotment today. after checking out the plot i signed on the dotted line so to speak and got stuck in.

im really after some advice, i have neve done anything like this before, tomatoes are about my best at home.  it waist height in just grass and blackberry bushes so we got stuck in today with peterol strimmers and all sorts...leave that to the men!! but is there any tips on a fresh patch that anyone can offer!! im so excited only being 23 yrs old i need all the knowledge i can get from other people....
so im sure im gonn be asking hundreds of questions!

thanks for reading my little blog and hope to speak to some people soon!!

;D ;D

[Hedgehog]

[betula]

Welcome to A4A.

My advice would be dig and cover dig and cover.

Maybe you would like to make a plan of the allotment you want.


Hope you really enjoy going down the lottie :)

[Hedgehog]

Thanks iwill most definatly be diggig im sure.
as the plot hasnt been used for 2 years the neighbour on the next plot sid he wold rotovate it for me with his tractor..the plot is huge i achually didnt realize..im so determindto do this..i will be digging for england thoug making sure all the stingers and blackberrys are cut back..

does everybdy go down once a day to water..if it hasnt been rainging all day and all night like so far?!

[pippy]

Congratulations and welcome.

Digging is a must, but don't start out thinking you'll sweep over it quickly.  Plan short bursts and spaces and get some crops into them.  This way you'll keep your enthusiasm going.

Also, talk to other plot holders and get their help - they will know what grows well in the soil on your site and how to work with it for the crops you want.  They may even remember what grew well there for previous tennants, which can be really useful.

Enjoy the sunshine and laugh at the rain.  Expect to fail at some things and to laugh with everyone about it!

[manicscousers]

hiya, hedgehog, nice to meet you,
sounds like you've got your work cut out, it'll be well worth it ,
we worked out where the paths were going to be, covered them and worked from them as we prepared the bed areas, saved us a bit of work.

[cuttsy]

hi, just got my first plot too! sounds similar to yours,  lots of nettles and brambles to get stuck into. I plan to hire a strimmer to get everything down to ankle height, then either cover with plastic sheets/old carpets etc as i dig in some beds bit by bit.....or i might use Roundup weedkiller to totally clear the plot in one fell swoop, then have a blank canvass. I usually don't like to use chemicals but this may be necessary as the allotment hasn't been used for several years. Don't be in too much of a hurry as it won't be until next spring until the real planting begins. Good luck.

[manicscousers]

hi, cuttsy, welcome to the site  ;D

[Crystalmoon]

A great big hello & welcome to you...I love this site, Ive only had my allotment since spring this year & ive got loads of help here with all sorts of queries.

[saddad]

Welcome to both of you Cutssy and Tara (love the tag..)
There are lots of things you can sow now.. I'd start on the bits where the nettles were, they are a good sign of richer soil...  ;D

[Sinbad7]

Hi Tara and cuttsy, welcome to the site.

If it was my plot Tara I would let the guy rotavate the whole plot then cover  best part of it and just keep a small bed to get planted and sown up for this season.  I am not keen on rotavating but when you have such a daunting task ahead of you I think it's the only way.  Once you have this season's things growing you can then start on the next patch and work it thoroughly getting all the weeds, roots out by hand.

My advice is based on me being an impatient gardener.

Good Luck

Sinbad

p.s. Meant to say you should have some good soil if it has laid fallow for a couple of years, which will mean good crops

[keef]

My advice to anyone taking on an allotment, weed and weed and weed! You'll do loads of it - and they will still get the better of you in the first couple of years - but dont give up! Its an ongoing battle...but after a good few years they will give up (as has happened with my pa's plot - he hardly ever gets any weeds now)

The allotments in our next village have just been extended, all rotorvated and ready to go for the new plotters, i can already so couch and docs appearing! People just dont realise how much effort you need to put into weeding when taking on a new plot.

[kt.]

Welcome to you both, Cutssy and Tara.  Stick around.  You will learn everything you need for allotmenteering on here.  Also have some laughs & giggles too ;)

[hanracmum]

Hi Cuttsy and Tara,
Like you I have just got an allotment.  I didn't have many brambles but lots of couch grass, nettles and some very tall things with very long roots, no idea what they are.  Oh except they are very hard to dig out >:(.

My friend has come in with me and we had someone strim the lot last week.  We felt much better after that and have dug over one bed and are in the process of covering the rest.  I have put a Wanted request on my local freecycle site for old carpet and have a couple of responses.

I agree that it will be dig and dig and dig, but I know that it will be worth it.  I have to children and they are so excited with the one bed we have.  They will be planting flowers and digging over their own little area.  We have found lots of frogs and toads and the birds are very friendly - wonderful nature!!

Enjoy your plot, I knwo I will be.  I can't wait to pick the apples, pears, blackcurrants and raspberries that we inherited from the previous tenants.

Kirstie :D

[good7saint]

Hi Cutssy and Tara, I 'm another one who has not had their plot long (less than a month) and was planning on putting in some carrots and beetroot yesterday.
But the weather put a stop to that, not so much rain but the wind.
Anyway think of me about 4pm when I will be catching up

[tonybloke]

Hi and welcome to the site. Measure your plot accurately, plan your beds, keep records. Then crop rotations are easier to manage. Remember you can get 10 pound of gooseberries from the same amount of land as 1 cabbage! plant plenty of fruit, low maintenance beds with mulches. Oh and plenty of compost bins, don't waste any green material, except pernicious weeds. Don't rush things too much, take time to enjoy your plot
;)

[saddad]

On our clay soil we get the best results for carrots germinating if I put them in in the middle of a rain storm!  ::)

[antipodes]

Just about watering - only water regularly the seedlings until they get established, then let nature take over (unless you have a really really dry spell and the crops seem to be suffering) otherwise you will just encourage shallow roots and the crops will be dependent on you for water. Mulch the more vulnerable things like fruits, squash, tomatoes etc with straw, shredded paper, grass clippings and you will find you won't need to water much.
Here I only water the very young plants then let them get on with it.

Otherwise agree with the others - do a bit at a time, it has taken me a whole year to use the whole plot and even then it is badly plagued with weeds. Do cover unused bits, saves 200% effort on digging once you are ready. the fork will go in like it's butter if it's been covered or mulched  ;)
get going now with some plug plants - tomatoes, courgettes, outdoor cucumbers, leeks, and sow some french beans, late carrots, beetroot, swiss chard, late peas.
enjoy!