first allotment patch

[Anthonyox10]

In the process of getting my first allotment ever!. Ive wanted one for a long long time but havent had the time to persue it.

Im also nervous that i dont know enough about gardening that my plot will be a failuee. What would be the first thing ypu would do with ypur plot to make it ready for planting? How much money do u need to "invest" in it to get it ready?(not including plot fees)

Im excited but terrified!

[muddled]

You'll be fine.
So long as you keep at it, working steadily and regularly, your plot won't fail.

As to what to do first...that rather depends on your plot and the time of year you get it.

I don't invest much money at all in mine. In fact, as a point of principle, I refuse to spend a penny if there's a way to do it without. Some folk on my site spend an absolute fortune....decking areas and ornamental ponds...fancy raised beds arranged like a knot garden with a solar fountain in the middle (seriously).
How much you spend is entirely up to you.

[Bigmallly]

Wow! That was quick work, well done you. Don't be terrified, allotment folk in the whole are a friendly bunch & will point you in the right direction, even possibly with a few freebies. When you get it, take some pics for us all to look at then advice will flow & it will be all systems go.........exciting times ahead for you.

[Anthonyox10]

Im quite lucky where i live as there are about 4/5 allotments with a 5 min drive so rang around a few and hopefully will be able to go see some this week.

My wife thinks im mad but ive got the growing "bug" and im fed up with spending so much on shop brought stuff when i can get the satisfaction of growing it myself.

Will get some pics asap cheers guys

[Bigmallly]

Excellent, you'll get loads of friendly advice from members on the vine. Don't be afraid to ask what you may think is the simplest question.

[Kristen]

Im also nervous that i dont know enough about gardening that my plot will be a failure.

Vegetable plants, in the main, are straightforward and will grow in-spite-of-you although yours may not look as good as some of the others on the site, and for sure with good husbandry and experience gained over a few seasons yours too can be big and impressive! but either way you'll get plenty to eat.

What would be the first thing you would do with your plot to make it ready for planting?

What sort of state is it in? Abandoned and covered in bramble bushes as high as a house, or all neatly cultivated and ready to plant? or something in-between perhaps? Uploading a photo or three would help

How much money do u need to "invest" in it to get it ready?

You need a few tools (depending on what state the plot is in, and what you want to grow), and some seeds and preferably some fertiliser. You could buy some plants a bit later on. Seeds are cheaper, but if the plot is not ready yet buying plants in, say, 6 weeks time will get you a plant that is already 6 weeks old and will save you that time. You can also buy plants if you seeds fail for any reason too - again, you gain back that 6 weeks growing time from sowing-a-seed to having-a-small-plant.

The following advice is oft repeated in posts here, but probably helpful to have it to hand (and other folk here can then tell you differently if they see it differently!)

1. As a Newbie do things that reduce your chance of failure and disappointment. First up for that is do NOT grow anything that you don't actually like to eat - a lot! Failure in a plant that you don't actually like to eat is a double-disappointment. Asking questions on here will help you decide what might have higher-risk of failure.

2. Grow only what you like to eat

3. Grow [in the first season or two] things that are expensive in the shops. Runner Beans and New Potatoes for example, but not Main Crop Potatoes. It will help if you feel that you are saving some money

3a. Maybe avoid things with low yield - they need more space for a given amount of crop, so you have to prepare and look after more "land" to grow them. Flip-side is to grow high-yielding crops. Personally I grow for Flavour, even if low yielding. I can buy rubbish-flavour veg cheaply in the supermarket

4. Grow things which have exceptional flavour, particularly if picked fresh. Sweetcorn is a good example (although it is a bit low-yielding). The sugar in Sweetcorn starts to turn to starch from the moment you pick it ... the cobs you buy in the Supermarket have been travelling for two days already, and if you shop once a week it may then sit in your fridge for a few days ... have the pot on the stove, and boiling, before you pick the Sweetcorn from your plot [I'm being serious ]

New Potatoes another god example, but pretty much anything you grow and pick & cook fresh will taste better than the shops.

5. Get a notebook (or use a Spreadsheet). Write in it the name of each variety that you grow and the date you sow / plant it, and the date when you first and last harvest it. You can use that in future years to decide when you have to do things. In a "Comments" column record "Too Few/Many" and "Liked/Hated the flavour". Over time you will choose varieties that you like; flavour is very subjective, the fact that people on here like a particular variety doesn't mean that you will (and your soil and growing conditions/technique will also influence the flavour), but if there is any!! consensus on here about varieties that's a good one to try. Do not grow too many different varieties of the same vegetable in the first year or two. Do that over time, and use your notebook to decide which you like and then grow that and one or two others as a comparison test in future years.

[Bigmallly]

What sort of state is it in? Abandoned and covered in bramble bushes as high as a house, or all neatly cultivated and ready to plant? or something in-between perhaps? Uploading a photo or three would help

He's not got it yet Kristen, viewing hopefully this week.

[Jay-ell]

Hello and welcome to the vine Anthony. All I can say is listen to Kristen.

Go at your own pace - your more likely to get the plot done than tryin to do everything at once. Where abouts are you, as location can make a difference to some advice (e.g. frost dates, sowing times). If you can put it in your profile people can see it.

[Anthonyox10]

Im in weybridge in surrey. I tried to edit my profile but it says i dont have permission to access that page, maybe because i only joined yesterday?

[Kristen]

All I can say is listen to Kristen.

That's a slippery slope ...

Im in weybridge in surrey. I tried to edit my profile but it says i dont have permission to access that page, maybe because i only joined yesterday?

10 posts I think? Say OK to this one and then try?

Actually you can't do that ... minimum of 10 characters I think, so here's one I prepared earlier for you to cut & paste

OkayOkayOK

[veggiechicken]

Don't listen to Kristen Just keep posting and you'll soon be able to edit your profile

Now that you have the gardening bug, I hope you are offered a plot and don't have to join a waiting list. Fingers crossed for you. We'll talk you through it, once you have a plot and can show us some photos of its condition.

[Anthonyox10]

Apparently there are 4 people ahead of me on the list, so i dont know how long it will be before i get a plot.

However i did have a brain wave. Down by our communal area of the flats, theres an area of land that technically is part ours and part our nxt door neighbours. However this hasnt been touched by either of us in 4 years, so i may claim it as my own.

I might spend the money i would spend on a allotment and instead sort that area out?

I think ive attached a photo, basically its the grassy area between the white tub and pavement area and also stretches back to a nice bamboo bush.

Do u think its worth attempting to "sort" that area or go on the allotment list?

[Martin H]

Do u think its worth attempting to "sort" that area or go on the allotment list?

In your position I would do both.

I wouldn't be able to resist sorting out the untouched area, although from the picture it looks like it gets a fair amount of shade so you'll need to pick your veggies carefully. So I'd aim for a decorative garden space including veggies where they will cope and shade-tolerant ornamentals in the rest. When an allotment comes available you could then decide where to grow your veg, e.g. boring stuff down the allotment and soft fruit and runner beans in your local space?

[TheChemist]

I'd go down to the library and take out some allotment and veg growing books. The allotment geared ones have basics lists, ways to do things on the cheap and how to go about planning a plot. Once you get a plot, keep an eye out on your local Freecycle - you'd be surprised by what people give away!

If you want to do a bit of "guerrilla gardening" on the bit of land by your flats, go ahead, but I wouldn't give up on the allotment or spend any significant amount of money on the communal space (especially as someone petty might kick up a stink about it).

[Anthonyox10]

In your position I would do both.

I wouldn't be able to resist sorting out the untouched area, although from the picture it looks like it gets a fair amount of shade so you'll need to pick your veggies carefully. So I'd aim for a decorative garden space including veggies where they will cope and shade-tolerant ornamentals in the rest. When an allotment comes available you could then decide where to grow your veg, e.g. boring stuff down the allotment and soft fruit and runner beans in your local space?

It gets pretty good sun, very grey day here today so the picture doesnt do it credit haha