Allotments 4 All

As a newcomer to Allotment Life, I was wondering if you could give me any tips: I have a 16m x 16m plot, heavy clay soil, under tarps.  I hope to put in a few raised beds each year, and plan to grow a variety of different veg to see what works, and what doesn't.  I have prepped a bed 3m x 3m for Winter Field Bean (green manure), planted a few rows of garlic, and a row of dwarf broad beans, having exhausted my meagre supply of home-made compost to make the soil more healthy.  Apart from more digging, and a liberal amount of horse manure around the beds intended for legumes next year, is there anything else I could be doing to get started?  I have also started moving over some soft fruit from my garden (red-currant, goose-gogs, raspberries), incorporating a healthy amount of rotten horse manure, and will be starting off some peas / beans, etc. under glass for early crop in the Spring.  As I have a bit of a "blank canvas", any ideas?

Dig and turn, Dig and turn, Dig and turn, and, when you get bored with that  ... Dig and turn, Dig and turn and Dig and turn ... but limit yourself to about an hour a day  .. and walk around and look at, and, if possible, talk to, the other lottie's on your site. Even the "boring old fogies" have knowledge that they will willingly pass on  .. most of all  ..... ENJOY !    {:¬)#

P.S. It's a way of getting back in touch with old friends  ... commonly called The Four Seasons  .... the Band as well , lol

Sound advice!  Thanks, AikenDrum!  I was sure to make contact with my neighbours - there is nearly 70 year's Allotment experience between the three of them.  We are already discussing the merits of green manure, sharing beans, etc.  As a Newbie, I'm not scared to ask.  Why make old mistakes, when I have neighbours who can show me the pitfalls, and help me avoid them.

Hi Wardy.  Your Lottie neighbours might be suffering from Seasonal Depression.  Officially, according to our T&C's, we're not allowed bonfires (except, of course, the annual Allotment Bonfire Night dealie).  Perhaps they were burning their allotment T&C's?
:)

Hey Jimbo and welcome! Wards, am all on my lonesome, in middle of bramble patch!! Lovely most of time, but no nice friendly neighbours to chat with, just restless natives, glaring in an onimous fashion  :'(......sniff..., but by eck have a huge bonfire, forgot to light it on November 5th.. ::)
Lottie

Quote from: wardy on November 19, 2005, 00:21:32
My lotty neighbours were in no mood for talking today just intent on their bonfires -three huge massive conflagrations today. Plumes of thick black smoke - gosh knows what was being burned  :(

They have been reading Multiveg's thread in The Shed.

Hi Jimbo, stick around here and you are bound to pick up lots of good advice.  This place is full of experienced allotmenteers willing to share their knowledge and ideas. I've learned lots on here and I've been gardening for 40 odd years!! Only had my lottie since 2003 though and still knocking it into shape.

Clay, you say?  My garden is clay and I grow different things here than I do in the lottie.  Picasso spuds are one of the things that seem to do better in clay. 

Good luck with the digging and do take it easy.  :)

Quote from: myrtle on November 19, 2005, 17:38:01
Hi Jimbo, stick around here and you are bound to pick up lots of good advice.  This place is full of experienced allotmenteers willing to share their knowledge and ideas. I've learned lots on here and I've been gardening for 40 odd years!! Only had my lottie since 2003 though and still knocking it into shape.

Clay, you say?  My garden is clay and I grow different things here than I do in the lottie.  Picasso spuds are one of the things that seem to do better in clay. 

Good luck with the digging and do take it easy.  :)

Thanks for the advice, Myrtle.  I'll see if I can get my hands on some Picasso.  My garden is little more than a concrete yard with an 18" border filled with stoney, gritty soil.  I guess I could try to grow some cacti!