Planning your allotment

[HeyWayne]

In all the books I've read they say about planning your allotment, but very seldom have I read any tips on what to put where.

I keep looking at the blank piece of paper and start by drawing out the boundary, the tree that's already there and then the compost bin, but then I get lost.

It's ok if you know what you're doing I guess but I have no idea where to even start - it's very frustrating!

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hi, HW - I'm in the same boat, being new, but my plot did lend itself to being split into 4 areas (plus a left over bit which is fruit/seed bed):

• one of which I manured and will be going in as potatoes.
• Another one I limed and have done the bean trench thing, and that will be my beans and peas.

Just with doing that, you're half way there already!

Seriously, I've pored over this for many a long winter night (see blog) but I'm hanging my hat on John Seymour's Self Sufficiency (which I can't recommend highly enough).

It's big plus is a double page picture of 'the ideal plot' for each season with a commentry on what should be happening in each of the four plots at that time.
Mind you, I've still managed to put the garlic in the wrong plot!

[Hazel at the Hill]

... oh, and I mark what I've done on an excel spreadsheet...

[HeyWayne]

Wow!!

You look like a pro next to me. I haven't really done a thing yet with mine! I really should crack on I guess. Just having the time at the minute.

I guess the best way is to just get on with it and see how you do...

[Hazel at the Hill]

I guess the best way is to just get on with it and see how you do...

Couldn't agree more!

[JennieAtkinson]

Hi Haywayne - my advice would be to make sure that you also think ahead. It is quite a good idea to draw up what you would eventually like and then split it down into smaller chunks that you can achieve over a period of time. I wish I had done this at the beginning! as I am now having to adapt what I have dug on the ground to what I now have as a final plan. I did do it in the polytunnel and have just finished by last bit of digging (it was a three year plan). It is a good idea to split the area up into four (four areas for crop rotation) and other areas for fruit and perhaps those crops that do not need to be rotated.

You could do a search on the Forum as there was a good thread on producing an Excel spreadsheet (i just typed threadsheet!). I've just completed one and it made me think about what I wanted to grow, when it would be harvested and where I would plant it. So it sort of informed my overall plan.

good luck!

[ian]

allotment advice

Firstly, try not to bite off more than you can chew. Concentrate on getting part of your plot into shape. I'd suggest digging out four foot wide beds. Try growing a small amounts of lots of veg, you'll find out that courgettes and green beans can be massive croppers, you will also work out what doesn't grow too well/gets eaten/requires high maintenance. I grew an allotment for first time last year, concentrating my efforts on half a plot. This year I have expanded to use the full plot, I plan to grow much more beetroot (easy), carrots (taste great), winter squash (taste good and store well), onions and leeks (easy) as well as growing sugar snaps, sweetcorn, spuds. I wont be growing raddishes or lettuces as the first always bolted and the second got eaten. Finally talk talk and do more talking to your neighbours their advice will be far superior to what we can all give you. Good luck!

[HeyWayne]

Thanks for the tips people - I'll take your advice I think it sounds very sensible to me!

Problem speaking to neighbours is there aren't any - well, none I've seen yet, but I guess it's that time of year.

[Two_Sheds]

No straight lines

If you've read my previous posts, you'll know I don't 'do' straight lines...I just stick the plants in where there's a space, but still keeping within my 4-year rotation plan. I interplant flowers with veg, to attract beneficial insects. The pic shows Limnanthes (poached egg, not yet in flower) surrounding my leeks

[HeyWayne]

Which I can understand, but when your gardening skills exist only of turning this:

Into this...



So as you can see, I'm more a designer than gardener (we wanted an entertaining garden).

[JennieAtkinson]

Is that grass "tiles" your using HW?

[Gryfon]

That's a very neat garden!

[HeyWayne]

Is that grass "tiles" your using HW?

He he, it was in a right state beforehand, north facing so it was a mass of moss - so as we wanted to use the garden pretty much straight away, we had it turfed. They do look a bit Alice in Wonderland though! Not any more unfortunately - it was all dug up to investigate a soakaway problem (ongoing).

That's a very neat garden!

Thank you, we wanted that kind of thing - easy to maintain as neither of us are real gardeners - yet. This is our first proper garden, so it will undoubtedly grow with us if you'll forgive the pun.

[nick the grief]

In all the books I've read they say about planning your allotment, but very seldom have I read any tips on what to put where.

I keep looking at the blank piece of paper and start by drawing out the boundary, the tree that's already there and then the compost bin, but then I get lost.

It's ok if you know what you're doing I guess but I have no idea where to even start - it's very frustrating!

Well you've started off OK. A lot depends on what you want to grow HW so start with a list of the things that you like then split that into Deffinate's, Maybe's & Don't be bloody Daft - you won't be able to grow some things out of doors.

Next make a list of the "hardware" you want, shed, greenhouses, polytunnels, compost bins muck heap etc. Again if you want a greenhouse it's no good puting it under your tree Also what sixe you want - no good leaving space for a 6ft x4ft shed & then deciding you need a 12x8.

once you've done that have a play. I do all mine on MS Powerpoint & all you need to do is " insert duplicate slide" & alter that to see what looks the best. For instance, I'd like a polytunnel or a greenhouse & not sure if I shuld move the shed or not so I had a play & came up with these. It probably won't look like this when it's finished but at least it gives you some idea.



Once you've done that you can fit in other stuff around your "Hardware"

[Snadger]

Well you've started off OK. A lot depends on what you want to grow HW so start with a list of the things that you like then split that into Deffinate's, Maybe's & Don't be bloody Daft - you won't be able to grow some things out of doors.

Next make a list of the "hardware" you want, shed, greenhouses, polytunnels, compost bins muck heap etc. Again if you want a greenhouse it's no good puting it under your tree Also what sixe you want - no good leaving space for a 6ft x4ft shed & then deciding you need a 12x8.

once you've done that have a play. I do all mine on MS Powerpoint & all you need to do is " insert duplicate slide" & alter that to see what looks the best. For instance, I'd like a polytunnel or a greenhouse & not sure if I shuld move the shed or not so I had a play & came up with these. It probably won't look like this when it's finished but at least it gives you some idea.

[ATTACH]1307[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]1308[/ATTACH]

Once you've done that you can fit in other stuff around your "Hardware"

Thats pretty impressive Nic! Surely you didn't do that with Powerpoint alone though , did you?