Allotments 4 All

We''ve finally taken possession of a very overgrown plot on a site in Bristol.  It's a mass of couch grass and bramble, plus lots of dumped stuff, but the soil itself is really good and loamy I think.

We were originally advised to strim and brush cut it all off and then cut back strips of couch grass and begin to create beds, but today a local farmer has offered to plough and rotivate it for us.  He does this for quite a lot of the allotment holders.  Now I know we could be creating a rod for our own back by rotivating a plot full of couch grass, but the plot is in such a state this seems like the best option to get it clear, flat and debris free.

However, I'm looking for some advice as to what to do next.  I've been told growing loads of potatoes would be great because the continual tending of the crop will ensure we get out all the weeds, but I can't imagine just growing them this year.  So what could we do after the plot has been cleared so that it'll be in good enough shape to grow a decent selection of veggies in a bed system on at least some of the plot this summer?  Our original plan for this year was to have eight 10' x 4' beds in a rotation to begin with this year. All advice gratefully received

Stevie

 Hi and welcome Stevie,Iaint no expert but i would get it ploughed and do batttle with the weeds as they regrow.If you can get it all sorted (making raised beds etc)then i would  plant as much as i could this year,

One way or another yo're going to have to do a lot of digging. I'd be inclined to let the farmer turn it over so that at least you get it cleared and leveled but be prepared to have to dig out the grass as it grows back.

Potatoes are a good idea but you can start to grow anything as you prepare each bed. There is something ready to be sown almost every month - check out the seed catalogues for ideas.

Welcome to the site Stevie...  ;D

hiya, stevie, nice to meet you, whatever you decide, have fun with your plot  ;D

the plots were i am have not been worked for over 20 years and were about 4ft high in nettles, brambles and various other weeds.
i got my plot in late july its a big plot and have only now just finished digging it over, some of the others went for the ploughing it over route and they were finished months ago, i think if i was doing it again i would get it ploughed.
there's the theory that if it get's ploughed and chops up all the weeds you only make more work for yourself but to be honest i don't see much of a difference if any in the amount of weeds coming through on mine as apposed to the ploughed plot.

My advice would be to start small - don't try and cultivate the whole plot in a single year unless you have a lot of time.


Trim back sections by all means but only dig one bed at a time - certainly in this weather digging will be very difficult.

Good luck!

Welcome to the forum.  It is personal preference as to dig or rotovate.  Digging is more thorough and is much harder work.  Once rotovated - you could just hoe and chop the weeds as they poke through.  Personally - I dug my jungle out by hand and seem to of done well on most veg grown since.  Weeds have been few and far between since.

Awww thanks for the advice everyone.  I think we'll get it ploughed over, but judging by what people have been saying I'm a bit worried about whether we are being too ambitious to try to sort out a whole double plot in a year, so maybe I'll sheet off what we can't cope with.

See you all soon

We are in a similar situation with my OH and sons new plot, very overgrown and covered in brambles up to 20+ foot long! We are doing it bit by bit by hand, burning the brambles as we go, and have uncovered quite a few plants. mature fruit bushes etc. I would check carefully that there are no such gems hiding in the undergrowth before you get it ploughed up by the friendly farmer. Couch is a pain, but can be kept in check once you are planting up and weeding regularly.

Potatoes are a good starting crop because their foliage will suppress new weeds growing, and you will have to dig them out to harvest them, so can weed more thoroughly then. Think about growing some early varieties that you can harvest in late June/July, and then plant up the area again with over wintering plants like brassicas or leeks to keep the ground occupied and weed free. Squashes and pumpkins are also good at covering a lot of ground, and as they are planted in June will give you time to prepare the ground ready to plant them. Enjoy your new plot! ;D

Thanks Deb.  Potatoes and squashes are definitely on my list now.  Cheers.

I checked over the plot today, but couldn't see anything hiding among the brambles and couch apart from bits of old sheds, cold frames and the like.  I guess there might be something interesting lurking below ground, but the ploughing gets done tomorrow, so anything lurking will have to go to the great allotment in the sky.

I can't wait to start laying out the beds and starting off a few things soon.

Hello & welcome.

I'd echo what a lot of others have said - don't aim to do the entire plot in one go! If you fail, you'll be downcast. But if you aim to do half - but manage two-thirds - you'll be over the moon & throw a party!

And forget the fiddly stuff like roots for the first year. Think big - ie. big plants that take up loads of room & keep the weeds down: potatoes, squashes, courgettes, wigwams of beans, and so on.

(And you're lucky if an old cold frame is all you find - we had half a Morrison shelter on ours!)

black sheet what you cant cope with a little done well is better than a lot done badly  ::)