Allotments 4 All

I am starting work on a new allotment this year which is completely overgrown but the council are going to scrape it so that I can dig out all the old roots etc.  Can anyone advise  (as this is new to me) on the most economical way of fertilising the soil and if this is needed as it is a very large piece of ground to cover.

Many thanks,  Rob

If there are plenty of weeds like nettles growing on it, it's probably quite fertile already...Start by making a compost heap with the weed debris, that's free.

In addition to preparing the compost heap, working the ground should help more than blindly adding fertilisers etc. The most important part is to clean the ground of roots etc as you have already identified.

Good luck

Derekthefox :D

The first time you dig everything over is a sort of experiment really. I would be inclined to do as Derek advises, just stick the stuff in and see what grows. I cleared a reasonable patch the first year by putting some 'early' spuds in, you can get these out of the ground by June or July and have time to get some leek seedlings planted in the same space.

I use as much compost as possible but I've given up with chemical fertilisers (it can be a lot of money with not much extra to show). I guess the crops can be 20% bigger but I just plant 20% more instead :)

< .... and put a hip flask on your Chrissie Prezzie list, coz you WILL be going down there in ridiculous weather just to look at it    ;D

Yes Aiken, I must admit I used to visit mine sometimes just to stand and look ... and think ... I still do in fact.

Derekthefox

I do that all the time if I can't get down there to work. It's my escape from the madhouse.

Thanks for your advice everyone.  I think I had better go and buy some wellies.

Merry Christmas!!!

Can't really add to the above advice Rob..Mmmm or can I?   Perhaps the only other consideration is that if you have need of a bonfire plan it either to burn on the worst weeded spot (the heat will kill many of the roots near the surface) and/or have it where you plant onions because the ash itself is a good fertiliser containing ermmmm potash I think.

Iain

Hey! And don't buy wellies!!!! DMs or something...sorry......will go....but nice to meet you...

You like your DM's don't you, UP.  Funny how I came up with that idea...  :D  Welcome to A4A, Rob, you'll get loads of good advice and support here.  ;D

Me, I agree with Icyberjunkie, though I used a Flame Gun from Hire Shops, which was good value for a weekend.

Truth be told I'm a closet pyromaniac, so I just told myself it was to burn the grass, weeds and roots and improve the soil with their charred remains...    ;)

Dave

Someone on our allotments has offered to lend a flame gun thing, I wondered what that was all about. Does it really work? And am I in danger of burning down everyone elses plots? Do you burn it all off, then dig as normal?

Quote from: Icyberjunkie on December 23, 2005, 19:52:32
.....  Perhaps the only other consideration is that if you have need of a bonfire plan it either to burn on the worst weeded spot (the heat will kill many of the roots near the surface) and/or have it where you plant onions because the ash itself is a good fertiliser containing ermmmm potash I think.

Iain

Don't grow potatoes where you have the bonfire though as ash can worsen problems with scab.  It was significant on our plots.  Scab was much worse where hubby had dug in the ash.  

Pauline

Quote from: deboydoyd on December 23, 2005, 20:55:04
Someone on our allotments has offered to lend a flame gun thing, I wondered what that was all about. Does it really work? And am I in danger of burning down everyone elses plots? Do you burn it all off, then dig as normal?

I think it's just a quick and easy way to clear large areas of weeds/grass/undergrowth (or should that be overgrowth on a lottie), but I'm sure somebody will help enlighten me if there's more to it than that.   :D

It appealed to me because of the slash and burn principle that indigenous peoples around the world used to grow their crops and I didn't want to use chemicals to shift the weeds.  There again, as I said in an earlier post, I like burning things!

Seriously,  I didn't have much problems controlling the burning a couple of weeks ago, probably because of the time of year.  It burns up the weeds, goes out and then smoulders for a bit.  Doing it in Summer in tinder dry conditions is probably not a great idea though! :(

Also, if you've got wet, heavy clay, it will help improve the soil no end.

Hope this is of help as I'm a newbie myself.

Dave

I did the bonfire thing to prepare first beds for planting. Well I say beds but that would be an exaggeration  :)  In my cleared bits I planted broad beans (my first thing in  the lotty) peas and red onions.  Then in another bonfire bit I planted a batch of Japanese onion sets - overwintering ones.  So bonfires are good  :)

Thanks MutantHobbit and everyone else about burning the weeds.  I can't do this as the ground has already been scraped and now I just need to dig up the weed roots. The ground was full of nettles and a few trees had sprouted so jennym may have a good point. I will definitely be starting a compost heap though! 

Perhaps Mutanthobbit should try growing Chard (sorry for the pun - couldn't resist)!

 ::) Everyone thinks they're a Comedian...  You'll fit right in here! ;)

Dave

Yes terces, you will be having lots of bonfires with all the roots etc, but at this time of year that is a very satisfying thing. I must agree with undercarriage plan on the footwear, boots are better than wellies, particularly around bonfires. I always wear industrial boots with the steel toe insert, my old pair had steel midsoles too, but my later ones dont. I have a pair of wellies in my shed, but have only worn them twice in five years.

Derekthefox

What happened to the scrapings - hopefully it is available for digging in or composting otherwise it is a valuable resource wasted.

Yes I presume the council would not want to be encumbered with the scrapings, so would want to leave them on the plot ...

Derekthefox

Quote from: deboydoyd on December 23, 2005, 20:55:04
Someone on our allotments has offered to lend a flame gun thing, I wondered what that was all about. Does it really work? And am I in danger of burning down everyone elses plots? Do you burn it all off, then dig as normal?

Used for what it was intended for flame guns work really well. They are intended to dessciate weed seedlings, not to incinerate mature plants. They are very fast, you can almost go at walking speed, and non selective (don't use too close to crop plants!). Any attempt to use one to duplicate primitive slash and burn techniques misses out on the slash part which, as the phrase suggests, was done first. As terces plot is virgin, probably full of seeds, he would most likely benefit greatly from using one as the council has done the "slashing".

Not sure I know what DMS is. Is this some sort of bag that goes over your shoes?

The council have already strimmed everything doen to about 2 inches so there won't be much substance to the scrapings and I think it might be a bit damp to have a bonfire, although the flame thrower idea seems good!

Just bought a 12' X 7' poly tunnel thingy so I intend to start sowing in late Jan.  I just have to wait for approvel of where I want it to be put.  I am thinking of using grow bags and intend to grow tomatoes, melons (water and suger), cumcumbers. gherkins and bell peppers.   

DMS = Doc Martins ... ie boots !!!!

I hate Doc Martins actually, I prefer real indistrial boots, but I do have a large pair for when I go out at night (not that I ever do now).

Derekthefox

OK for my post then substitute strimmings for scrapings.

Industrial boots sounds good.  Anything that doesn't clog up too much.

The council have already taken the strimmings away redglanger.

Anything at all will clog up when the ground gets all wet.
Shame on the scrapings ...

Derekthefox