Allotments 4 All

I am very new to allotments and I was looking for some advice on how to set mine up.  I have a half size plot, but should i plant in lines going down or across, or should i do block sections, and any suggestions on how to do walk ways would be lovely please.
Thank you
Linda

its up to you really its your allotment so you do it to suit you not others,
have a look around your fellow plot holders to get ideas i walked around ours for a week taking notes on how certain things were done or laid out and then did them on mine only to discover it didn't suit me so i moved everything around the second year and i will move other things next year, so its up to you at the end of the day.
180 allotments on our site and no two are the same.
Alan

the only problem is there is 10 sites on mine but I am the only one using it, I go down to the allotment frequenlty and have not seen one person, and all the other site are overgrown.  Its not really a big thing in this area.

This thread may give you some ideas...

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,38723.0.html

I would agree there is no 'ideal' plot plan, it really does depend on what you want to grow. I would start by making a list of fruit and veg you know you and your family eat already and then group them into families to grow in patches together. It doesn't matter if you want to grow in rows, raised beds or a mixture of both, whatever will make the best use of your limited space.

A few 'must haves'...compost bins, a shed if you are allowed one, cold frames or  greenhouse? Decide where any structures need to go first, then think about a decent sized path that you can get a wheelbarrow down from one end of your plot to the other. The simplest path can just be grass (which means you have to mow it) or just bare earth.  You can always put some weed suppressing membrane down and put woodchips or anything else you can get your hands on top later. Any parts of your plot you clear must be either planted up with something, or covered straightaway to stop weeds taking over, which happens depressingly quickly ;even well kept plots can get overgrown very quickly if you don't keep on top of your weeding.


Hope this helps a bit! ;D

I divided mine into 5 sections for crop rotation, 1 is a permanent area for fruit, then 1 each for roots, brassica’s, potatoes and peas/beans (see the link below)

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/allotment/allotment-rotation-3.asp

The planting is rows across the width and just soil paths between the rows.

Hi
anything works providing you are happy
raised beds made out of recycled wood are good easily maintained and help keep weeds down chuck an old carpet over a a bit of the allotment hold it in place with soil put down a layer of compost mixed with a bit o leafmould you have the basis of a bed what's under the carpet dies and the carpet breaks down and you have a workable space weed free but if you don't plant it or use it the weeds come back with a vengeance  You will find that Lot's of people will over you advice but that's all it is advice  the most helpful is the one that comes along with a spade and gets stuck in
best wishes with your plot

Hi there,
I'm a new plot holder too, the best advice I've been given is go one step at a time, that's why I've chosen to go with small beds so I can prep them properly one at a time, then cover them.  The only one going right the way accross will be my broad beans and peas. I have soil pathways going accross and one up the middle so I can move my peas and beans next year.
It's only year one of something that most take a lifetime to perfect!  Then they still find something to improve on!!!!! Have fun, I know I am.  I love this site too!
Twirlie
;D

You're supposed to run your beds North-South. Having said that i have mine wrong because I didn't use a compass and made a slightly incorrect assumption about the direction and it's not really a big problem as long as you don't shade your plots with your raspberries or something tall.

Hi Wragg welcome to the site... not seen you posting before...
;D

Welcome. If you want raised beds, I would suggest simply heaping up the soil in the beds to begin with, rather than establishing raised beds straight away. Once you've set up a raised bed it is hard work to move and it may be better to spend a season pondering whether your bed positions are exactly what you want.

I didn't, and have several regrets!