Assigned a shady allotment

[AubreyBullock]

Hi there everyone! First post here im currently in the first term of my first year in a BA in horticulture and plantsmanship... we have been assigned allotments to grow prescribed vegetables and herbs. My plot is butt up against a giant beech hedge so there is very little sun hitting it. (No luck!!!) I have picked herbs that do well in shade and im going to plant my vegetables on the end of the plot furthest from the hedge, so wish me luck there.

My question is... what are some things i can do for the plot over winter? Someone told me to keep the soil warm but im a complete newbie... my thoughts were to maybe cover it with straw and then fleece and a black plastic? Is that too much? Not enough?

Im really looking forward to some top tips from you lovely people

Excited for the challenges ahead!

Thanks so much for reading.

[veggiechicken]

Hello and welcome

Are you leaving the plot empty over winter? - Is it ready to plant now?
Are your fellow students on the same allotment site?

I'm curious about the hedge - which side of your plot is it - and how close to it?
It would also help us if we knew where in the UK you are based.

Lots of questions to answer before we can offer can specific advice.

[Snadger]

I have a shady plot...........and love it. Wherever possible I like to grow stuff all year round. My shade is from deciduous trees so winter time is a good time for veg growing as they have dropped there leaves and the shade isn't so bad.
I grow all the winter brassicas including kales and Spring cabage. The Japanese onions and broad beans will mature before the leaves on the trees re-appear. The leeks grow well and you don't need to blanch therm in the shade as they blanch themselves.

[Jay-ell]

Hello and Welcome.

First of all where is the plot and what state is it in at the moment? Anything growing - bushes, weeds, leeks or is the ground weed free and ready to plant (as if - no one gets a plot like that). How big is the plot? it would be a shame not to get the full use if at all possible.

Is the hedge on the North, South, East, West, Northeast, North-by-Northeast , you get the jist, which direction is the hedge in also what direction is the plot lying in? "giant" is subjective - if you ever see my giant carrots you'll see how subjective- so approx. how tall is the hedge.

Light will hit the plot differently in summer than in winter so what is in deep shadow now may get more light with the longer days and higher sun of summer.

What's on the prescribed list of herbs and veg? Is it prescribed varieties or just "cabbage, kale, kumquat" kind of list?

My plot has a hawthorn hedge running across the north-east edge of the hedge with a large bird cherry hanging over the end of it. In the summer because of the height of the sun and the foliage on the tree the area under the cherry is quite shady (rhubarb, sweet cicely, hostas, udo, fennel, perennial kale etc) but without leaves and with a lower sun it's lighter in the winter (when the herbaceous perennials have died back and the walking onions, elephant garlic, perennial leeks and perennial kale make use of the sun).

[Chestnut]

Hello and welcome.

Lots of questions, like how high is the hedge, and which side or sides of the plot? Are you allowed to prune the hedge?

You may find that your plot does still get sunshine, particularly in the summer months.
Suncalc.net website will give you a diagram of the angles of the sun in your area at different times in the year.

I haven’t been gardening long, but do also have some shady patches.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=934 Has a few ideas.

[nickdub]

Covering the plot in winter with something as a mulch helps to suppress weed growth and also moderates the leaching effect of heavy rain, where as black plastic in Spring helps warm the soil, making early sowing of some vegetables possible. Whether either is a good idea in your particular case depends on a number of factors.

I note you don't mention fruit, but a lot of soft fruit like blackcurrants will grow well in somewhat shaded sports.

As an "off the wall" idea - if permitted by the rules, you could put some mirrors on the side of your plot to reflect more light back on to the growing area.

[Dynamo]

If you decide to cover any of the plot I suggest you put something under the cover like cardboard or leaves if you know somewhere you can collect them from. I've collected loads of leaves over the past week or so. Most has been shredded to make leafmould and the rest is under sheets.

[Snadger]

The beauty of having trees hanging over the plot is that the plot is self mulching after leaf fall!

[hamamelis]

Hi and welcome!

I wouldn't put fleece on the ground, it wouldn't really help anything. I wouldn't worry about the soil getting cold; it's going to anyway, and if you're not growing in it yet, it doesn't really matter if it gets cold. Come to think of it, straw and fleece covered with plastic sounds like you might get an excellent mouse crop, as the plastic will keep the straw dry. Maybe not what you want

Covering the ground when it's empty is a good idea though, it can help keep in nutrients (which can be washed out by rain), stop weeds growing, and protect the soil structure. You can cover with plastic, or go biodegradable and cheap, and cover with cardboard, ideally with some manure or compost on top. That will improve soil structure as it breaks down, unlike plastic, which can cause problems if water can't get through it at all. Or you can just mulch with leaves, straw, manure or something like that that will break down over winter.

Come spring, that's when you might want to get things warm, and black plastic and cloches are good for that.

Ps, hope the course is going well, I'm also a Horticulture student, doing an FdSc at the moment