I'm in for allot-o-ment of fun!

[Steve M]

Hullo everyone,

I have been lucky enough to get my mits on an allotment plot from our local town Council. The nice people there are even going to strim it (it is v over grown) and rotavate it for me, so I should be ready to get going next week.

Has anyone any tips on the best way to put my plot to good use straight away - what can I grow considering the time of year, whats the best way to improve the soil etc.

I have a few thoughts but would warmly welcome any suggestions, hints and tips you can give me.

Ta,

Steve

[glenniedragon]

If you can convince them not to rotavate yet that would be good! Weeds are busy growing seed heads waiting to be spread this time of year (especially after all that rain and a few days of glorious sun), all rotavators do is chop up roots of weeds and make tiny root cuttings to grow elsewhere. Strim down, Cover up with something and plant through for the first year is the best plan, a weed resistant membrane kills off lurking weeds but you still get a crop out. Chat to the ole boys on the lottie as they usually have a good idea what grows and what don't. Keep your eyes open too to see who are the chemical gardeners around you-I had one next to me the first year and I got caught in the drift and had regular pest probs too- this year I've had another non-sprayer next to me and we had loads of ladybird larva and no blackfly probs at all! even on my broadies. Good luck with it and enjoy- remember to take a deckchair up to survey your land from.

Kind thoughts
Deb

[MaryContrary]

Mmm I agree, rotavating will cause you more aggro in the long run If you have a gym subscription, cancel it! An autumn of digging and clearing an overgrown allotment is much cheaper, and more fun. Whichever method you choose to cultivate your ground, green manure is a great way to keep the soil covered. Dig in early spring. Good luck!

[SueSteve]

Congratulations on getting your allotment, you must be very excited, I know I was!!
As others have said, try to stop them rotovating, or they could be setting you up with a bigger battle with weeds for years to come!! Digging by hand can be hard work (removing as many weed roots as you can in the process), but you will be really pleased with your acheivement!

I have just planted kohl rabi, autumn carrots, beetroot, winter radish, chard. I might plant some turnips today.
You can also get onions for planting this time of year! And garlic should be planted around November time.
You can plant a few new potatoes for Christmas, but I am going to do mine in pots as I had blight at the lottie this year.
Other than that try the green manures.
Red clover (essex or red mariot) can be planted in August and dug in in spring. It is easy to dig in and fixes nitrogen.
Good luck with it all,
Sue

[Steve M]

Thanks for all the advice. I popped down and spoke to the chap who has the plot opposite and he said exactly the same as you guys reading rotivating. He had taken on his plot this time last year in as bad a state as mine and got half it rotavated. He said there was at least 5 time s the weeds in the rotavated half.

His plot look pretty good and productives so I am full of hope and raring to go! Luckily the Council haven't touched my plot so I will be able to get them to just give it a good strimming, I was also please to be able to get a couple of pictures for before and after purposes.

Thanks for the tips on what to plant out - I will set aside a corner to get something growing as soon as I can I think.

Cheers

Steve

[Cheezy]

I have just planted ... autumn carrots....

I'm looking to get some late sowing in at the mo, could you let me know which variety of carrots is good to plant this time iof the year (and where you get them from...Ta

[Ranter]

Heartily agree with the advice against rotavating - our plot was rotavated before it was offered to us - still digging out blasted dandelions & bindweed a year later.

We've just harvested a bed of tates & when the garlic comes out in the next week or so we will have an empty bed. Anything worth planting now, or should we put in green manure til Spring?

[SueSteve]

Hi Ranter,
I mentioned a few things that I have recently planted in a message above. Since then I have planted turnips, and planted on some leeks. I am also waiting for some onions sets and garlic to arrive, and then they will be planted too.
Sue