Got an allotment!!!

[*Lavender*]

After being on the list for 19 months, I got a phone call the other day to say an allotment was available - yay!

I went to see it yesterday - it seems really big, and very overgrown! It runs east-west and seems a really sunny spot, with a slight slope.

I'm now really excited about all the things I can grow, but also slightly daunted by the huge task ahead of me, and I'm looking for some advice.

The first job will be to clear all the rubbish off the site, and strim all the weeds etc (I think there are still some potatoes in there somewhere). Then I plan on working out where everything will go (and does anyone have any useful advice about that?), and getting a shed in.

Next will be to work on one section and dig it over, meanwhile covering the rest with cardboard or plastic. Does this seem sensible? What about manure? Is now the time to dig it in?

Do you think I would have an area ready by October and plant some onions, garlic, winter lettuce, chard, spring cabbage? Or am I being too optimistic?!

I've also ordered 2 books - How to Plant Your Allotment (Caroline Foley) and The Allotment Book (Andi Clevely), so can't wait to get them!

[weekendwellies]

Congratulations on your new lottie Lavender.
It is very daunting when faced with a 'jungle' to clear. I know.
Digging over a section at a time and covering the rest is a good plan.
Depends on how much time and effort you want to give to the plot how much you will clear by October for your overwintering stuff.
I suggest you start clearing 2m x 1m areas, and put something in as soon as each is cleared. That way you will have produce growing while you are busy clearing the next area.
Don't do more than your body will allow comfortably or you will just get fed up and knackered. Only you can know how much that will be.

I am a fairly physically weak woman, doing the lottie on my own. So I dont get as much done as those who are stronger, fitter, with friends/relatives to help. But I refuse to get disheartened and do what I can in the time I have.
The tortoise beat the hare in the end

The books look good from what I can tell from Amazon site. Have a brouse through your library, if you take a particular fancy to any of them then they would be worth the investment. You will always get lots of advice from the Grapes here if you ever have any questions.

Someone posted their plot plan a short time ago.
Have a browse and see if you can find it. If I come across it I will link it in for you.

Most important of all is to enjoy your new hobby.
Happy Growing....

[weekendwellies]

Here you go .....

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ase_37489.html

See entry 05-08-2009, 04:27 PM from Hazel at the Hill

[elsie-scot]

congrats I am waiting and I am guessing when I get one, it'll be in the same state! Just take it a little at a time, cover up areas and that'll help kill off some weeds.
Dont see why you cant have an area ready to get some planting in

[SarzWix]

Congratulations I can still remember the excitement mixed with trepidation that I had when I first saw my plot.

If you think there's potatoes planted in the somewhere, then the plot must have been worked at somepoint in the last 12 months, so it may not turn out to be as bad as you think once you start chopping it down.

I think that once you've cut everything back you should measure it, and then draw yourself a plan. Once you've done that, you can decide where to start and do a bit at a time. Plus you'll have some idea of which bits to cover in muck and which to leave (carrots don't like muck, so you wouldn't put muck on the bed where you want to grow them for instance).

When you get a bed cleared, you can either plant stuff (over-wintered onion sets) or, cover it with cardboard and muck to supress weeds and the worms will incorporate it for you over winter ready to plant next year.

Good luck, take lots of pics along the way, and don't forget to enjoy yourself

[jackie j]

I still think aghhhhhhhhhhh what am I doing but I LOVE IT. Slowly does it, you will get there and then say its not big enough, I know I do all the time.
Well done.

[Snadger]

Congratulations *lavender*!!

Just in time for the winter digging!

[Woodstock]

Congrats on the new allotment. I have The Allotment Book (Andi Clevely) and it is a really lovely read. Enjoy

[Herbie]

Congratulations on your allottment. It's so exciting. I got mine back in June and have been working most weekends to get it sorted before the winter months (in time for digging). I also got the Allotment Book as Woodstock say's its a nice book and has recepies in it too for all your lovely produce.

One of the things I've enjoyed is seeing it take shape and next year planted up. Enjoy it, and remember to take a hat and suncream on sunny days, I came home with sunburn and ant bites!

[*Lavender*]

Thanks everyone!

I've been busy making lots of lists and dreaming and planning, but not done much heavy work yet!

I went to have a closer look at the plot yesterday and there is a fair amount of rubbish that will need to be removed first, so need to arrange a skip or trailer for that then we can get stuck in!

[basketcase]

Thanks everyone!

I've been busy making lots of lists and dreaming and planning, but not done much heavy work yet!

I went to have a closer look at the plot yesterday and there is a fair amount of rubbish that will need to be removed first, so need to arrange a skip or trailer for that then we can get stuck in!

Congratulations on the lottie. I do hope that before you remove the rubbish you're going to go through it?

I got a (half) plot in June. At first I thought it was covered in rubbish and weeds. Well, it was But there were also plantpots; enough flagstones for under a shed; netting; enough rather nice semi-circular bricks to edge a bed; 2sheets of black polythene so big that I could cover 2 large areas to leave for digging later; some good bits of wood; 100 litre bag of compost (unopened!) and a bag each of gravel and sharp sand. And I'm not nearly at the bottom of the pile! I keep hoping there's a shed under there...

Have fun anyway.

[russell]

Hi and congrats!

Who runs the allotment. When I got mine the local parish council offered to pay for a skip to get rid of the rubbish that had been left behind.

Maybe worth asking??

[*Lavender*]

Hello,

Oh yes, I'm going to sort through the rubbish first! I'm sure there'll be some useful stuff in there!

When I first went to see my plot, the man did mention something about getting a skip for me - will need to check!

[lesleygl]

One of the first things I grew last year when I had just got my allotment was garlic, onions, cauliflower and they all grew big and strong and I felt very pleased with myself, good luck

[Guzzik]

We got ours about 6 weeks ago now. Totally over grown. Took me around 15 hours of work over about two weeks to strip out the weeds. IN amongst the weeds we got over 70 pounds of "self seeded" potato's! We still have SEVEN rows of proper grown tatties left to lift!

My advice about the weeds is to just keep hoeing them out as they re grow. You might spend about an hour a week doing that to keep them down. As long as you hoe deep enough to see the wee white roots then that will be ok and the sun and wind will kill them of.

Our only slight problem is having to wait till November for the previous renter to come along and remove her apple and pear and cherry trees that she wants back.............