Hello everyone,
as my nick name suggests I am brand new to this site and the whole allotment malarky. So new in fact I havent even got a plot yet.
For at least 10 years I have been wanting to "grow my own" today I phoned my local borough council and found out there are many vacancies at a site only two minutes drive away. I am awaiting an e mail including a plan of the site so I can pick a plot. Full size plots are 90 x 30 feet and half 50 x 20 feet. It was such a nice surprise to find out the prices. £28 and £14.
But what do I do? Is a full size plot going to be too big for a COMPLETE BEGINNER?
Do I get a full size plot and only use half to start with and then as I become more established and proficient use the rest?
I've been down to see the site and it seems very large but only a few plots are in use. The rest just looks like a meadow with grass at knee height! Perhaps a full size plot will be too big just for me with occasional help from my wife.
I want to try growing the usual easy stuff to start with. I also want to stay as organic as possible.
Blimey where do I start once Ive picked a plot?
Blimey how do I pick a plot whats an ideal position?
Well sorry about the post full of questions but by joining this forum it seems like the first commitment towards owning and working an allotment.
Depends how much time you want to put into it. A full-size plot is perfectly manageable with planning; black plastic half of it, work the other half this year, then extend your operations next year.
Grow lots of easy stuff. On a big plot you get lots more weeds as well as lots more veg.
Don't pick your plot from an email plan though - go and take a look - they could be covered in broken glass, couch grass, marestail etc... choose one that will be less difficult to get into production if you can! ASK the allotmenteers on nearby plots about any problems on any of the plots e.g. onion white rot....
Good luck!
I echo the advice to go down and take a good look.
We took the only plot available (and were glad to grab it), but we had loads of trips to the tip with all sorts of junk and broken glass before we could even consider starting to tackle anything else.
Points to look for?
- proximity to a water tap
- shading on the plot e.g. overhanging trees
- slope
- prevailing wind (and protection from) e.g. hedges nearby?
- amount of broken glass underfoot (may be hidden by depth of grass/weed cover at this time of year) & other rubbish needing to be removed.
Welcome on board New Boy!
I don't even have a plot, manage with just my garden, but I'd have thought a plot near a plot in production would be best - that will make it a more social activity and you'll learn more!
Don't forget also to look out for a plot with existing fruit on it (raspberries, gooseberries, fruit trees, etc) might be nice to inheret some rather than having to buy them in.
welcome aboard.
i also echo waht robert has said: it may seem daunting, but i would take the full size plot and cover half of it until you are ready. especially as your allotment site seems very empty :(
i find that after this (my first season) i could probably do with more space - but i have no option to expand the plot, sizewise.
offtopic
what worries me is that your allotment site is very unused. tell your friends about it - maybe there are people about who would be interested also in having an allotment? because if they are not used, the council may decide to change their use and allow other development! spread the word and save the lotties for the next generation ;)
svea
Hi New Boy
First year for me too. We've got a slighter bigger than average corner plot which we've managed to cultivate approximately two-thirds of in a year. The OH is now six months pregnant (how did that happen?) with our second child ;D and for some reason isn't that keen on digging anymore. ::) Therefore the remainder is covered in an assortment of black platic and carpet.
Couldn't agree more with Aquilegia. We'd had the plot a month before we came across hitherto undiscovered strawberries, raspberries (fortunatley unbeknownst to me I strimmed the canes down to about the right height at about the right time), a redcurrant bush and two cold frames :o ;D.
Saved a fortune I reckon and the strawberries are delicious. First tasting of raspberries and redcurrants just around the corner.
I also created thousands of weeds when I accepted the kind offer of the use of a neighbour's rotovator. You live and learn. Â :)
I've become somewhat obsessed about my allotment and this is a great place to get it off my chest. My work colleagues think I'm crazy, so thanks to everyone here. :D
Good luck,
Tony.
Thanks for all the advice guys.
Svea, I agree it is a shame that the site seems to be very empty. However there is an allotment site at the end of my road. When I enquired about a plot there I was told it was full up and very rarely does an empty plot come up there. It really is wonderful just to stop for a few seconds and view this site. All the plots seem to be simply briming over with crops.
Who knows when/if I start producing crops to share with friends they may see the benifit of having a plot
Go for the biggest plot available, you don't have to clear it in one go and you'll soon fill it up when it's cultivated
Some form of an update.
Tonight the wife and I went down to the site and had a good look at all the vacant plots.
Met a nice chap hard at it. He explained how there were people of all ages who owned plots there. Every one helps each other and seems to have a good time doing it.
Very undecided about what size of plot to have now. A half size seems so big!
Did find it very inspirational seeing all the plots producing mahoosive runner beans loads of the most beautiful strawberries etc etc etc. Hopefully when I take a plot on which I hope to be within two weeks I will use this inspiration to join the ranks of succesful lottie owners. ;D
Hi there New Boy! There seems to be quite a few of us newbies about
I have just taken on a lottie too. The condition of it is SO bad (3' high with grass and the rest) I have been given the fisrt year free. ;D So even if I completely louse up at least is hasn't cost me much except back ache!!
I have gone for a whole plot - I've even found some gooseberries in the weeds!! And maybe a raspberry?!! :-\
Definately need black plastic for half if it while I get to grips with the other bit. Do you have a convenient carpet shop that discards underlay into a skip? They would love you to take it away I'm sure!
Keep us posted, we can compare notes - of tales of woe!!! :)
Hi new boy
we were like you but back in April, had the choice between a half or full plot. We went for the full plot and took our time clearing and digging although it wasn't too bad, had help from neighbours with a tiller and plants and loads of advice. We think we made the right decision as we are starting to run out of space.
Keep us posted on how your doing :) :)
i got my plot last August , the weeds where higher than my head ( iam 5ft 2 )
so far I have cleared nearly 5/6 of it only a wee corner to go :)
I have 2 beds of potatoes and onions and shallots , a few salad stuff and leeks ( my plot nieghbour gave me the leeks ) I have also put in runner beans
mags
Hi New Boy,
Like lots of others, I too am in my 1st season. I have taken on my poorly Father-in-Laws neglected plot (he owns it so no rent ;D). It is 150' x 30', which is, I think, much larger than an average plot on an allotment site.
My advice would be to go for the full plot, as when you start to put a few crops in it is amazing how quickly the ground disappears. Mine is fully planted now with an assortment of stuff and I am waiting to get my early potatoes out so that i can get some winter cabbage in!!
The hardest part is clearing it the 1st time, take it slow, cover up what you can't tackle. All I did was to keep reminding myself that I'll never have to dig the whole thing in one go again as long as I stay on top of it. I intend to dig it as I take the crops off, a bit at a time etc.
Most of all, enjoy it!!
hi
I'm new here too, I got call today saying that there was a plot free and went out this evening to check it out. It's got a HUGE strawberry patch ;D, some weeds but managable, kind of....but no brambles :) I am very excited. I'm gonna phone first thing tomorrow and accept it, then i might be able to get my left over french bean plants from the garden in the plot at the weekend. I keep saying 'i' but i am actually sharing the plot with a good friend so it should make it more managable and more fun.
One thing I wanted to ask, someone wrote earlier that using a rotavator made more weeds, we were thinking removing by hand the worst of he weeds, rotavating it, covering it in cardboard to stop the weeds growing through, then covering in manure and black sheeting. That way we can let the worms do their best whilst we work on the rest. Do you think this would be OK?
can't wait to get to know everyone.
P
As I understand it (I'm no expert) it's best not to rotivate the land if it has lots of weeds in it. It's especially bad if your problem weed is couch grass (or bindweed) as one tiny bit of the root will shoot into a plant. Therefore cutting couch grass up into small pieces is very bad indeed. We pulled all ours up by hand and it took a long while. Even when we thought we had rid our patch of every bit of couch grass it still sprouted in places. It's just one of those things that will take a bit of work.
The cardboard and manure thing might work. Although manure has seeds in it too (the ones the animal ate) and it has a tendancy to sprout the odd weed too. ah well... you'll never be completely weed free, not unless you spent a LOT of time weeding anyway.
We have had our lottie for over a year and have only managed to hand dig about half of it but still, wouldn't put a rotivator anywhere near it (even though it's tempting) as we have bindweed. Even though we were really thorough with hand weeding you always miss some. Start at one end and turn your back on the rest - that way you are just pleased when you can see freshly dug earth in front of you ;D
Silly question time.......what is couch grass and bind weed, how can I tell if a potential plot has it?
I have got the plan of the site now. I think I now what ployt I want. I will go for a full plot and from now on in I am on the hunt for free carpet and black plastic.
As a slight aside what is the youngest age on everyones sites (kids not included)
I am 32 and my wife is 27. My money is on us being the yougest by a long way
We have been refered to as the kids! :D
I am 40 & Becky is ??? erm very late 20`s ;D(35 this weekend)
hi
My friend and I are both 33, and female, we have spoken to a few folk on our site that are in their 40's but they say we are the only gals'. Â
P
Good luck and enjoy it. By the time you reach "our" age you will be experts ;D
What part of the country are you in? We are down south with not enough rain!!!
I started with half a plot three years ago..I took on the half plot next to me last year when I ran out of space.... plenty of plants and no where to put 'em.
This gives you the opportunity of having decent fruit beds and still grow plenty of veggies.
A quarter of the plotholders on our site are ladies, the retired male contingent I would say are in the minority
Derek
Google bindweed and couch grass and you will see the evil b*****s. At present my bindweed at the uncleard part of my lottie is starting to flower (white large open flowers). If that helps.
As for age - both me and my OH are 32. Certainly a reasonable amount of people on our site are around our age too. I think that our generation are starting to realise that we want to know where our food comes from and there are no nasties in it ;D
Best of luck
we have a mix of ages but harry who is in his early 70s refers to richard who is mid fifties as 'he's a good kid' ;D
the younger the folks, the more endearing the terms - sweet'art and petal being normal for us (30s)
svea
I took on our plot last year ( half to strart with), now i have the full plot and running out of room. Even put up a GH this winter and its full to bursting!!!
I just love it down there. I'm 29, female and the youngest at the lottie ( apart from the kids of course ;)).
The old boys are brilliant, always willing to give a young girl a hand!! They soon dissapear when the OH comes for the odd visit and to eat the strawbs! I'm thinking I'll need more space next year!! ;D ;D
We are in full sun for most of the day. At about 8pm in the summer we loose sun.
I share my plot with a friend who overheard the guy who has the plot next to ours referring to us as the "dolly birds" - given that we are both now in our early forties that caused some mirth. We have only been allotmenteering since January but the old guy on the allotment opposite has had his plot for 50 years. Whenever I am up there on a Sunday morning I come away with a bag full of stuff - spring greens, lettuces ... or a few spare plants that he has not been able to fit in.
Our plot was infested with couch grass and it was hard work clearing it out - it has of course come back but on a manageable scale so we are able to grow crops around it ;D. It is worth all the back breaking work for the results you get - last nights dinner included home grown broad beans spinach lettuce shallots beetroot and garlic followed by homegrown strawberries tayberries and redcurrants- does life get any better 8)
I took on the plot 18 months ago and am 34 year old mother of 1. All of the other plot holders are older people 50+ however one of the empty plots has been taken on by another mum who I know.
The annoying thing with our plots is that several are rented but completely neglected and yet I know a couple of people who want one but can't get one.
Mine hadn't been cultivated for years and the last person had just used it for spuds and left the ridges in place which the couch had knitted together nicely. It has taken me ages to get to a reasonable place but still have some way to go. It is good fun though and is getting me fit!
Good luck with it!
If our plots are neglected for too long then the renter gets sent a letter to clear it up. one opp ours was growing masses of weeds and the seeds heading our way so I strimmed the lot ;D
Now been taken over and looking better already.
Hi
I got my allotment because the chap who had it before couldn't keep up with it... last night my friend and i chopped down alot of the weeds that had gone to seed, to stop them spreading any further. and smarten it up a bit, DH and I went down this morning to mow the path that we are responsible for. Any how this 'gentleman' came over and was so rude to me about the state of the alloment saying if we didn't keep up with it they'd get us kicked off aswell. I politely informed him that i did not appreciate his manner, and that we hadn't even had the aollment for 24 hrs and that I thought we had done pretty well already, but if he was expecting it to be cleared within a week he'd better think again. Once he realised that i wasn't taking it he changed his manner a little, but i couldn't believe how rude he was, eveyone else has been so supportive. saying how nice it is to see it being cleared up, but that it's bound to take some time. I am so cross with this man because he was so negative,and put a damper on my excitment for a moment. i think he is just miffed that it's a couple of young(?) goorgeous(???) gals taking it over...... wait til he sees the bright pink trugs and gloves we are going to use!! Next time he comes over i'm going to inform him that we are herbalist and intend to grow rows of dandilions and stinging nettles for our tinctures ;D I'm glad to say that his attitude does seem to be in the miority.
Thats that off my chest :)
P
He`s jealous! ask him to swap plots if he is so good.
Probably frightened of new technology and new science producing better crops than his old fashioned way!!! ;D
Try making friends with him and smiling, asking how he is etc... Bet he ends up feeling guilty.......
Failing that ask him if he is.....No better not say that on here :o
hi newboy
i am 34 and have had my plot for two years. i am the youngest on my site out of approx 50. since starting i have made lots of new friends and always have a good crack everytime i go down there. don't be afraid to ask people but be careful. one person will tell you one thing and another person will tell you another. you will learn as you go along and you will learn by failing. good job you took the full plot on as the more space you have the more you can grow. because i am young people dont understand why i have an allotment. part of it is that i can grow organic veg but the other part of it is that i have somewhere to escape. just remember that rome wasnt built in a day. take it easy and enjoy. let me know how you are getting on.
regards
weedgrower
I echo weedgrower - I am in my first year and learning by failure (and I hope later success) I am doing my plot bit by bit and everyone around me is supportive. Just remember those who are and forget those who can't.
PS- I am 35 but do not know whether I am the youngest - I do know I am one of them. But then again - I am one of them all.
Yeah just enjoy your own bit, most people are really friendly and helpful and some are more snotty/jealous ;)
But you can always resort to the GOOD info on this site as good input towards your contradicting ideas at the plot and make your own descision.
None of us know it all, least of all me............(always asking)
Fun though
Giggles ;D at 48 I thought I would fit in nicely....but I too have been referred to as "the girl with the badly overgrown plot"!!!!!!!!
Not anymore though...today I strimmed the whole thing and can now see the wood for the trees, I would recommend this approach to anyone!! :) :) :)
I am new as well, have had my plot for about 1 month. ;D
I feel like I'm the baby now as I am only 24! I think I am doing well though, I have a couple of small beds dug, with radishes and tomatoes growing, just to keep the spirits up! The sunshine is wonderful for the tan but not so much for the baking soil. I think i may start a rain dance tonight! ;D
Only small
I'm only just 23 so it looks like I win 'who's the baby?' competition guys ;D
had my plot for just under a year, got about half of it under controll (sort of) ::) but just when I think I'm ready to tackle the other half I get reeeeeally busy at uni and poof! Time for another monster weeding session. :o The old boys at my site find me a constant amusment but the weeds take longer to come back each time, just keep at it and don't lose heart when you have setbacks ;D
Heh. I was one of the few without grey hair when I got my plot. Since then, after a concerted effort by the Town Council and some very active pensioners, we have almost full take-up and lots more folk (mostly younger) and this year our Mayor is a plotholder - already the town's planning to do the 'in bloom' competition next year! All you need is a few enthusiasts among the holders and your little-used lottie will have a waiting list!
Keep a diary so you can see how much progress you've made when you feel fed up!
Preferably photographic!
Good luck!
moonbells
im a young 'un at 25 as well. it seems as though it is mostly females on the board am i right? i'm male BTW.
The leader of the city council has two plots on our lottie - and he hasn't grassed up my pond ;D
Sorry - that spelling error stayed way too long before I noticed it. Embarrased now!
PS for those coming late pond read pind
Got a few new people on my lottie site (me included this year) - youngest are 25 and 23, oldest must be about 83!! All friendly, helpful and great fun. Trouble is its to easy to spend more time chatting than working ::)
Welcome aboard and hope you get a lot of out it.