Allotments 4 All

Hi
We have just got our new allotment. It is lovely, large, not overgrown (the owner moved rather than abandoned it). There is a pond, with frogs  ;Dand 3 sheds :D. It is already sorted into square beds.

So where should I start. It's January so what can I do down there, or is this mainly a planning stage?

Are there any good books to get? I have the Vegetable expert, but was thinking of something that gives a month by month guide?

Also there is a 1/2 plot, very overgrown next to it, should we take it or just concentrate on our plot for now?

thanks

Emma

Hi Emma!  Welcome to the boards.  I am fairly new myself and don't even have an allotment (yet!) so I can't really answer your questions but I am sure some of the more experience lottie holders will be more than pleased to advise you. 

Good luck with your plot - be sure to post some before and after piccies for me to drool with jealousy over  ;)

I'd concentrate on the one plot for now.  Have a look at books in library before buying one. Bob Flowerdew is good bloke to read.  I read a book in the library (spent ages in there) reading a book called The Practical Allotment Gardener (or similar).  Joy Larckomm's book is good and I;ve just had one for Christmas but not really delved too far into it yet.  I like the HDRA organic book (again it;s in the library so don't buy it til you've tried it).

Sounds like the plot is quite ship shape.  Get some seed catalogues ordered online and then you'll be able to start thinking about starting to growing stuff.  Many seed catalogues selll seed potatoes and onion sets, garlic, shallots as well as seeds.  Once you get started you'll be hooked.  Have a look also on the Swop Shop on A4A where folks swop seeds etc (all free of charge).  If you follow the Edibles thread on here folks are always talking about sowing and growing so you'll get loads of tips on there.  Have fun  :)

Take the other one. What the heck. I've got 3 and would take 3 more if I could. All for the price of a large round of drinks.

Next, plant stuff. Read books by all means but just have a go - it's quite difficult to learn how to do the stufff in the books without the plant in front of you, so to speak.

Soon time for planting early spuds, onion sets and hardy salad stuff. All easy-ish and really useful in the kitchen.

Don't worry about getting stuff wrong - there'll often be someone shaking their head. But hey, they're still doing it wrong after thirty years!

I would do as terrace max suggests and take the second plot, if the cost is not an issue. Even if you decide you don't want it, you can release it again next year, but if someone else takes it, you could be kicking yourself.

This is naughty of yous two!  If she takes it but doesn't use it then it will become more horribly overgrown for some poor soul to take over a year from now if she were to relinquish it.  Also one less lotty to go round. So I think one should be enough to start with  ;D

This is for people with overggrown lotties, as apose to you Emma, who has obviously won the lottry and paid some councillor a big big bribe to get you a plot.

go to the lottie.  take a bottle of water. in one hand and a scythe in the other.

get to lottie...look at lottie and overgrown mess...run into spinning around frantically. fall over. Stop. wake up and look around. realise your lost with only one bottle fo water to last you. then you will have to cut your way out with the scythe. handy thinking before you left that was!

30 minutes later, one very clear allotment. a very hot and sweaty you, and still a full bottle fo water, that you forgot about... ;D

How does a scythe compare with a strimmer? I assume it probably couldn't be used effectively for trimming grass on a path between beds.

Emma - great sounding allotment!  Have fun with it, whatever you decide avout the other.

a scythe is good. i got one when i got the lottie, came free in the shed ;) got most of me tools free in fact.

thye are good work and dont get tangled up, ive cleared outr plot with it and the neibhour cleared theirs with it.  soon gets thru it and will cut fairly close to ground.

Keep it maintained and it wont break and will be a dream.

As for the paths, it will keep them pretty neat. wont get you a bowling green but will keep them loooking good, may take a bit of practice though so you dont keep whaking the ground.

I was reading about this very subject last night, amongst others, in my self suficciency book (mine of info it is so I can waffle about all sorts now that I couldn't before)  and the chap in that was saying how close a cut you get with a sharp scythe with practice.  I'd be scared of chopping me foot off!

your ok.  it doesnt really go near your feet.   i get scared of it slipping out of my hands and hurtling accross the lottie like a boomerang, which is fine until it does turn into a boomerang and flies back at you.

Oh that's all right then.  Mind you I bet my new book tells you how to deal with an amputated limb - it's got everything in it  ;D

can you scan all the pages please wardy?? and then post them.  i want to read it now!  ;D

I took on a second plot and found I couldn't really do it justice -  I ended up spending more time weeding than growing things. Now I'm back with one plot I find I get more produce out of the managable area with quite a lot less work.

It could also be worth asking any of the plot holders near you if they knew what was being grown in each of the raised beds, then if any of them have asparagus you won't end up digging them up by mistake.

I can't believe my husband bought me this book!  He's a highly stressed engineer who lives to work and earn money to spend on bigger and bigger tellies  ;D.  Maybe he was subtley trying to tell me something.  Tis a good book Adam but a huge leap for lotty folk like most of us.  There's still plenty of good reading in it though as it covers sowing, growing and cooking.  Keep pigs, goats, cows, fowls etc, making milk, butter cheese, carpentry and such like, metal work.
It sets out how people can set about self sufficiency on varying scales which is interesting but scary.  Does make you think about things though and how wasteful we are as a society.  Apparently(according to the author( the dustman should never have to call).  Well, I'm nearly there on that one.  He also abhors the modern flush toilet and all the damage it does to the planet and has built himself a double thunderbox.  Tune in tomorrow night for another thrilling installment  ;D

Hi emma,
We have just been notified that we have an allotment in the offing, so we are in the same situation as you.  We are sharing with friends though, so hopefully we will all get on.  Will be interested to see how you get on, are you the younger end of the age brackets, like us?

sounds fun.....

get scanning them pages tomorrow,  do the first hundred and i will be happy for a day or two.... ;D

newbies??

are you going to stay on A4A, if so what when about if you become a full member?? you will be stuck!

eh  ???

That self sufish book should be in the library Adam - go take a look.  I think it's by a cove called John Seymour.  Very good for if you need to know how to skin a rabbit etc etc  :)

a what now??  ;D

ive seen one before where it had how to make like traps etc and tools from sticks and such like.

Well, it's lovely to have all that potential ahead of you!
I'd definitely grab the half plot, and cover everything with cardboard and mulch whilst you sort out where you want to start.
This is the most useful place to come for hints and tips - you already found it!
A couple of links I found useful (calendars/month by month guides)
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/veg_planner.asp (you can customise this to your postcode)
http://www.suttons-seeds.co.uk/ have a month by month garden guide, but it might be too general - not just veg.
If I was starting over, the one book I would use would be 'The Vegetable Gardener's Bible' by Edward C Smith (David & Charles). Well argued and explained science bits, pix of REAL UNRETOUCHED veg, hints and tips, an A-Z veg guide, what plants go and don't go together. Written beautifully by a guy who loves gardening who lives in Vermont, applies well to the UK except we don't have to deal with raccoons and gophers. ::)
Oh, and watch what your experienced allotment neighbours are doing, and do what they're doing. That one never fails! ;D

I would definatly go for the extra plot I have two and found that by the time you have all your perminant beds planned i.e. Rhubarb, berrys, asparagus etc and a shed, compost bins and seating area if required,pond? there is very little room for anything else. You dont have to use it all for the first year, just cover large areas with weed suppressant and leave it until your ready to do something with it. Above all just enjoy it.
Regards
Chris

You can do bowling green finish with a scythe if you are expert enough. My husband's first wife came from a farm in Schleswig-Holstein and there they did all their grass-cutting by scythe.