Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi everyone

just got back from our first visit to the allotment and just about thawed out.

Plot size is about 150m2 which looks huge at the moment as there's nothing on it but we're only planning to use part of it in our first year. Didn't want to take on too daunting a task in our virgin year in case it put us off.

It's very overgrown as we expected but at least it means material for compost I guess. Total novice here so am asking if it is ok to use the weeds for compost?

Anyway we plan to go back next weekend all tooled up and get digging.

Am I right in thinking that all we need to do for now is rip up the weeds, turn over the soil and then cover till spring? Or do we need to add something to the soil before we cover it? Haven't had chance to read all of my book yet so still a bit unsure of things.

Got hubby to take a pic of the plot so will figure out how I can upload it asap.

Signing off for now

Rondaroo

Hi Rondaroo,

The weeds first. You can add annual weeds to a compost heat & they will rot down but what you never add is perennieal weeds of anything that is going to seed. I would guess that it will be mostly Couch grass and you can't compost that so either stack it up & burn it or bag it up & take it up the tip. If you leave 1/2" of root it will re-grow same as bind weed so make sure you clear it out well.

As to diging it, I would turn it over with the spade & leave it rough over the winter. The rain & the frost will get into it & come the spring you can just fork it over & it will break down lovely ready for planting.

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

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Thanks Nick

good job I asked the question about weeds or it could have been a disaster!

Rondaroo

Good luck with your new plot Rondaroo! Nick's suggestions about the weeds are spot on, I speak from experience as we've almost finished clearing our 250m2 plot, its hard work but great fun and a huge sense of acchievement!

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Blessings
Suzanne (aka Mrs Dobby)

'Garden naked - get some colour in your cheeks'!

The Dobby's Pumpkin Patch - a blogspot work in progress!
Last updated 26th November2008 - more new piccies!

You'll be fine Rondaroo. My plot is of a similar size to Mrs D's and was full of brambles. I was really daunted at first but just got stuck in. If you feel yourself losing heart, visualise how its going to look packed with lovely veg next year. You know its worth it.

Love Kirsty
(a fellow newbie)

Rondaroo, they do look huge when bare but once you have things like compost bins, a shed and even a modicum of fruit bushes, you will start having to choose what to grow as that huge plot will all of a sudden be not quite big enough.

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs

Hello Rondaroo, you must be very excited. What a great feeling. You've had good advice there so just enjoy it. I'm sure you're primarily interested in growing vegetables but I would suggest you consider growing a few easy care flowers as they will attract bees and insects to polinate your tomatoes, courgettes etc AND they look nice. Have a good time.

all the best ion the new plot
i was in a similar situation with a very overgrown plot and it was and still very daunting
but with perseverence it will come too
im aiming to have roughly half the site clear and bedded up by april and tackle the rest next year

and dont rotovate you'll spreaD the weeds
all the best jason

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Thanks everyone for your good wishes and advice, it means a lot

Hubby and I plan to divide it up into sections and clear a bit at a time. It'll seem less daunting that way I suppose.

Take care and bye for now

Rondaroo