Allotments 4 All

i have had my allotment for about a month and have not been able to do anything to it till now...

Think its too late to plant anything, so will just dig, weed and thought i might  cover what i dig with a thick layer of well rotted manure....wil this be ok till i can start planting in spring??

Hi Olicat, welcome aboard!  It's not too late to start sowing now.  Lots of your winter veg seeds can be sown now and there are loads of other things that you can start in pots and then transplant when you have space.  Last week I sowed seeds for cabbage, sprouts, cauli, spinach, beetroot, turnip, salad leaves, raddish, rocket and beetroot.  Most have already got their heads above soil level.  In a few weeks things like Japanese onion sets will be ready for planting out.  Good luck.  Lance

There's loads of stuff you can plant now. Have a look at the wiki.

Please be very careful to check with the supplier of your manure whether it has been sprayed with herbicide.  If they don't know or won't tell you, don't use it.  It doesn't matter if it's well-rotted.  The herbicide doesn't begin to dissipate until the plant material it's bound to is broken down by soil organisms and in the meantime it can wreak havoc with your plants.

It's not too late to plant for this season - there have been lots of threads recently - a quick search in the archive will turn them up.

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Just been to my lottie  and have made my first start... it has been cleared and dug over already by the allotment assoc,  so it a clear flat plot.. i have a load of top soil that they have given me, which needs barrowing to my plot.!!!

Have not got much time in the next few week,so doubt i will get anything planted this season as its going to take me a while to  rake over the new soil  and make it level...

There was only one other person there today... ! it was a lovlely day, sunny/cloudy but no rain.

Wondered where everyone was!!!!

oli

Prob hiding in their sheds till you went,you had it for a month and didn't do anything 
you went down and they had cleared and dug it over for you and left you a pile of topsoil to spread out and you say you can't spare any time(is it that word barrowing)how much more do you want other people to do for you there is still plenty of time to plant stuff for over winter beats me why you got an allotment in the first place  ???

Buster, you have it all wrong..... dont make assumptions without the facts!!

the local allotment assoc have been reclaiming land from the council and renevating plots, and my plot is one they are dealing with... i was told when i  was offered the allotment that they would weed,  dig and provide top soil.... i was informed this week that this had all been  done and the soil was ready for me to transport to my plot.

And we are not allowed sheds on our plots!!!

Ps... I   work, have small children and holidays coming up...  and a complete newbie to gardening... i will spend as much time as  the above allows!!!!
We cant all spend all day every day down our allotments, well i cant!

Olicat, don't be put off by the perfectionists. I am usually only able to get to my plot at weekends as I work full time and long hours during the week. It is not as well weeded as some and a wet weekend really sets me back . However, I still manage to get loads of excellent crops and huge enjoyment out of having the plot. Do what you can, when you can and I'm sure you will get much pleasure out of it.

Thanks Katherine...!  And i am looking forward to spending time, when i can, on my plot!

Oli

Well pardon me but from where I am standing it don't look like your bothered I only got mine in April and it hadn't been dug over in five years and had been unattended in the last 2,I got no help from anyone spent every minute I could digging it over for 7 weeks removing every root and weed to get it something like,now I am barrowing horse manure half a mile round trip 7 barrows a day,all I am saying is when someone gives you a helping hand you don't repay them by letting it grow over again or wait for someone else to do the work for you

I didnt ask for a helping hand... i am lucky that my allomtment assoc are caring for their plots and trying to get people to take them one once they have cleared them.... i am not alone, as other plots have also been treated this way... 

the plot has not grown over, it was only cleared 2 weeks ago...  and i am now working on it preparing the soil.

I appreciate the work that has been done, but as i said, never expected it or asked for it.

So please dont make accusations or assumptions... you do not know the facts!

thanks

ps your  a little bit rude and  i have reported you to the moderator... sorry!

it's a very good arrangement olicat. Most of the new people on our plots start with an inherited jungle. Some try for a bit and give up, and some take years to get it into shape. It must be so disheartening to be new to the whole thing and have to spend months trying to clear weeds.

The downside is (probably) you'll have the Allotment Gestapo checking up all the time on the weed situation (yuck).. How much could I not cope with that  :D

Think there may be a touch of the green-eyed monster here. ;)Wish all allotment socs were as good as yours, Olicat. We don't even have a society and the council doe b****r all to help.
Good luck with your plot.

Quote from: olicat on July 20, 2008, 21:17:55
the plot has not grown over, it was only cleared 2 weeks ago...  and i am now working on it preparing the soil.

I had my current plot for 10 months before planting on it.  It took me that long to clear the rubble and jungle.  I also prepared the soil for the following year.  It paid dividends as I now get the best harvest, more than any allotment I have had in the past.  Council gave me the plot rent free and even provided 2 skips just for my plot!  Everyone was gobsmacked when I got them.  That's how bad it was.

Good luck Olicat and just enjoy it.  Yes it's hard work but you sound like you're more than prepared for it, other commitments willing.  Pretty soon, your kids will be asking for a photo of you because your "always up the allotment" lol  What you can't work on, cover and that will stop any outbreaks of weeds.

Sorry Oli but I made my accusations or assumptions without the facts based on your first 2 posts if you had posted the facts in the first post I may not have bothered to post,you call it rude I call it plain speaking,its a bit irritating to read when people are queuing up for allotments and you read that someone with a cleared plot in july is just gonna cover it with manure and leave it till the spring
Well thats all from me on this I just deleted my final paragraph as I was making another assumption  ::)as I don't want to upset or offend anyone

Both feet first  Buster  ;D  I knew tha wer from rar'nd eer with thee fest post .
I know weer tha comin from anall. But  tha carnt allus say it as tha sees it  even tho tha may be reet ,,,, Sum don't wek same way as us ..   ;D ;D  cheers ,Jim

There are a lot of things you can still plant; brassicas, overwintering onions, garlic, broad beans (pick the right variety for overwintering) and so on. You can also buy plants. If you can't deal with it all, cover some of it, or plant green manure. Be extremely careful buying manure at the moment! There are some major problems with herbicides in some of it.

Spent another 4 hours today levelling and spreading top soil.

Will start making beds when i get back from my hols.. going on Saturday... maybe try and plant something...will look around  see what i can get...

Dont think i will put down  manure.. thanks for the tips.. !

We worked hard today, but it was worth it as the plot looks good now!

Back on Thursday to finish off and define the edges of my plot...