Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Space Chick]

Just got our allotment after years on the waiting list

 

I know that several of you have allotments.

 

If you were starting again, what would you do differently, and what advice would you give a newbie like me?

 

We have a HUGE plot, about 20 metres x 10 metres

 

Only half of it has been cultivated in recent years. The overgrown part we have put down black sheeting to kill the grass or at least stop it growing more

 

We have bought a shed, and are looking at greenhouses

 

I want to get some dwarf fruit trees and fruit canes - I've always wanted raspberries, cherries, blueberries etc

[sjp]

the first thing I tell new plot holders is to take your time you don't have to dig the whole plot in one weekend and don't set targets that are unrealistic once you do that you stop enjoing it.

[Space Chick]

This old fella said that us earlier

 

We felt soooo daunted, but having covered over the overgrown area, it seems more manageable.

 

We keep telling each other... Baby steps

[Couperman]

I would recommend separating the area of into a number of individual beds with permanent paths between them.

Our lottie is also huge and the prospect of digging over a humongous field was very daunting. Digging a bed at time helps as it breaks up the work, beds that you are not working can be covered. This way the beds rarely get walked on and are easier to dig, and you don't waste money adding manure to areas that become paths.

 

As soon as you get an area dug over and cultivated get it planted up and attack the next.

 

Probably the biggest mistake I make is I go down there to do a specific job and then see something more urgent and then whilst doing that I see something more urgent still and flap about doing everything but what I set out to do.

 

Your best friend is your hoe, keep it sharp and massacre them weeds when they are still young.

 

Most of all enjoy it.

 

Kev.

[Christian]

A shed, portable kettle/stove, a chair, some hens and a seed catalogue!

 

I am still waiting for my allotment - none around here, but live in hope.

 

Get out some paper and a pencil and plan what you think you would like and where. Start with small beds and work from there. As others have said, little steps!

 

Enjoy it!

[Olly]

It's some years since I had a 'lottie', but I agree with all the above. Decide on a few crops, and focus on things that you eat (sounds obvious, but no point growing beetroot if you hate the stuff!) you can add more variety next year.

 

Potatoes can be planted in rough ground; lay cardboard down (old boxes), cut crosses at the points where you want to put the seed potatoes, and then plant through the cardboard. Spread some soil over the cardboard to weight it down and then just earth them up as they grow - the cardboard keeps the weeds down, and by the time they've grown it will have rotted away. Then that bed will be easy to dig over for your next crop. Good luck!

[Tara.F]

Start a comfrey patch. One of your lotty neighbours is sure to have some to share...the best fertiliser you can get and perrenial (meaning no work at all once it's planted)

Have lots of perrenial crops, fruit, welsh onions etc.

 

To start, make yourself a nursery bed. If I were you I'd cheat Make a raised bed and fill it with shop bought compost. Now is the time for sowing and if you can sow in a nursery you'll be able to transplant as you go, filling each freshly dug area with sturdy little plants.

 

Grow for the hungry gap. Sow parsnips, winter cabbages, leeks, kale, celeriac and swede for the winter now. Also, purple sprouting broccoli for next spring. Summer crops are easy and plentiful but winter crops are what you will really come to value

 

Flowers. They help to get your crops pollinated and they make your plot a beautiful place to be. Bung them in wherever you can.

 

congratulations on your new plot

[counturchickens]

Hi, we have had ours for 4 years and could write a book, but can recommend you get hold of a DVD called the allotment. It was made by itv west, on the back there's is a web address www.allotment.info, not sure if site is live still though! It has lots of advice on reclaiming an old plot. For example, you could get some manure, cover with plastic then plant pumpkins or squash through holes. That way, by the end of the year the weeds should be dead, and you will have a crop. You can then turn the manure in, and all ready for next year. We did this and it worked really well. You can do the same with spuds, you still have time to try either.

[stehaggan]

If you are going to have yourself a herb patch keep them in pots, we had all ours in individual pots and I thought it would be nice to put them all in a bed, now it just looks a mess so they will be coming out shorly and going back in pots.

 

I personally have made raised beds for my growing parts and have permanent paths because web it comes to wired time, the look of a huge piece of mud is not so inspiring. I made mine from b and q deckboard for £2 a piece cheaper than buying ready made beds.

 

Make sure u make strong supports for runner beans, I used canes but theycollapsed under the weight. This year I have built some huge ones from wood so hopefully they will holdout.

 

I still haven't done this but I plan to get some free manure and leave it to rot away for some free compost

 

If you need any wood bark for ur paths try a tree surgeon they will normally bring s huge load for free as they have to dispose of it - I used to buy mine from b and q x

 

But most of all enjoy it and set yourself a little patio area to sit in the sun, have a shandy and a rest and enjoy it hehe x