My First year... advice please

**HeyWayne** · 15-01-2008, 02:23 PM

Originally posted by giley69 View Post

Good afternoon everyone!

This will be our first year on the allotment, after having to spend the last few months clearing the plot of rubbish and weeds with the help of the resident handyman on the allotment.

I was hoping to get some advice on what to grow in our first year being newbie growers? also, we haven't been able to prep the soil i.e. manure etc... and I assume this will determine what will grow well. Also, a basic crop rotation!? There seems to be so many different methods and it is rather confusing.

I did buy some seed potatoes for the allotment stores, 1st earlies (Winston),2nd earlies (Estima) and Main crop (King Edward).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Louise

Hi Louise

Welcome to the vine.

I myself only started this last year (almost a year to the day in fact), and I think you'd not go far wrong with starting of with tatties. Good ground "cleaners" for a start.

My advice would be to grow things you enjoy to eat, or things you'd like to try. Beans seem fairly easy to grow, and courgettes are bountiful.

Get yourself a good book (opinions vary greatly here - but I've used The Allotment Book Amazon.co.uk: The Allotment Book: Books: A. M. Clevely, Vegetable & Herb Expert Amazon.co.uk: Vegetable and Herb Expert: Books: D.G. Hessayon and Grow Your Own Veg Amazon.co.uk: Grow Your Own Veg (Rhs): Books: Carol Klein,Royal Horticultural Society). They all cover the basics regarding crop rotation, but I have to say I'm not that organised unfortunately. I've just remembered what I've grown where, and make sure I alternate the vegetable groups accordingly.

There are plenty of experts on here, and they're a friendly bunch - stick with this website and you'll not go far wrong!

Good luck, and most of all, enjoy whatever you do.

**giley69** · 15-01-2008, 03:34 PM

Originally posted by HeyWayne View Post

Hi Louise

Welcome to the vine.

I myself only started this last year (almost a year to the day in fact), and I think you'd not go far wrong with starting of with tatties. Good ground "cleaners" for a start.

My advice would be to grow things you enjoy to eat, or things you'd like to try. Beans seem fairly easy to grow, and courgettes are bountiful.

Get yourself a good book (opinions vary greatly here - but I've used The Allotment Book Amazon.co.uk: The Allotment Book: Books: A. M. Clevely, Vegetable & Herb Expert Amazon.co.uk: Vegetable and Herb Expert: Books: D.G. Hessayon and Grow Your Own Veg Amazon.co.uk: Grow Your Own Veg (Rhs): Books: Carol Klein,Royal Horticultural Society). They all cover the basics regarding crop rotation, but I have to say I'm not that organised unfortunately. I've just remembered what I've grown where, and make sure I alternate the vegetable groups accordingly.

There are plenty of experts on here, and they're a friendly bunch - stick with this website and you'll not go far wrong!

Good luck, and most of all, enjoy whatever you do.

Thanks for your reply - I do have quite a few books that I need to plough, I will set aside some time at the weekend to read up!

**HeyWayne** · 15-01-2008, 04:02 PM

Originally posted by giley69 View Post

Thanks for your reply - I do have quite a few books that I need to plough, I will set aside some time at the weekend to read up!

Don't read too much, you'll end up like I did - information overload! No substitute for the helpful souls that congregate here Louise.

Just don't try and do too much at once - do a bit at a time and before you know it, you'll have it all covered. I had only managed to use about half, maybe two thirds of the plot by the end of the year. Hoping to make use of the whole plot this year!

**moggssue** · 15-01-2008, 04:15 PM

Hi and welcome Louise! I can't advice much, only on my first year myself, but hope you enjoy both the growing and the vine! You will let lots of useful advice on here, there are some knowledgeable friendly peeps here.

I do agree with Heywayne about not reading toooo much though - I am suffering from information overload and really just manage to confuse myself!

**Snadger** · 15-01-2008, 10:38 PM

This is an ideal time of year to do your planning!

Important things you will need to decide are :-

* Crop rotation?
* Beds or traditional?
* Things you enjoy eating?
* Siting of sheds,greenhouses and cold frames if appropriate?
* Time available?
* Paths?
* Ordering seeds?
* Plan of plot?
* Soft fruit?
* Watering, ie butts or hose etc?
* ordering manure or compost?
* Growing cut flowers?
* Sitting out area?

Just a few things to take into consideration but most of all enjoy your plot and the produce you get from it!

**giley69** · 15-01-2008, 11:03 PM

Thank you so much for all your replies... I am so excited about getting started on the plot, although I do know that it is going to be hard work!

I have my seed potatoes and also already bought some seeds so I think I will sit down at the weekend and get organised.

I suppose I was just a little concerned that we haven't prepared the ground at all as it has been left dormant for 2 years by the previous tenant.

The potatoes will be the first in & I'll see how I get on.

I hope to post some pictures of our progress or I might even be brave to & set up a blog.

Louise

**Hans Mum** · 16-01-2008, 12:47 PM

most important job is to make sure you can have a cuppa so you need somewhere to sit and enjoy your plot .....welcome to the vine you'll get lots of advice on here

**HeyWayne** · 16-01-2008, 12:54 PM

Originally posted by Hans Mum View Post

most important job is to make sure you can have a cuppa so you need somewhere to sit and enjoy your plot .....welcome to the vine you'll get lots of advice on here

That's where I've been going wrong. I don't even have a flask!

**lainey lou** · 16-01-2008, 01:16 PM

You could dig a bean trench now, bung in all your compostables and stuff and a load of newspaper etc, they'll love it!

**Nicos** · 16-01-2008, 01:38 PM

Originally posted by HeyWayne View Post

That's where I've been going wrong. I don't even have a flask!

Hint...hint....that would be a LOVELY gift for you as part of your MOM goodies pack!!!

( no gardener should be without one you know!!

)

**HeyWayne** · 16-01-2008, 01:54 PM

Originally posted by Nicos View Post

Hint...hint....that would be a LOVELY gift for you as part of your MOM goodies pack!!!

( no gardener should be without one you know!!

)

Lol, I've had mine already - and I'm very chuffed with what I received, but thanks for the thought.

**euphoria** · 30-01-2008, 12:28 PM

I think every one should grow peas. They are so easy and very rewarding also great fun if you have children. I grow mine in saved loo rolls. I fill them with compost put 2 seeds per tube, pop on the window sill and water. When 4" high the whole tube can be popped into the ground about 4" apart. A few pea sticks or chicken wire along the row will support them and off you go for that cup of tea. They need very little human interference. Come harvest the more you pick the more they produce. Kids and adults alike love shelling peas and the pods can be used to make homemade wine. Used pods go back on the compost along with the stems and the roots stay in the ground to provide nitrogen for next years potatoes. A really holistic plant where every bit of it is useful

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