Selfsufficientish.com

We have a number of people getting new allotments this year. Quite a few are also new to gardening. Does anyone have a website with helpful suggestions and strategies for people new to allotments? Since many of them work and have children, they will need to work as efficiently as possible to get their gardens going well. If we could find some plans they could adopt or modify they could put more of their time into growing things and not lose too much to trying to figure out what to do and when. We would like for them to be able to produce enough food their first year that they will be encouraged by their garden success.

Any sort of suggestions are welcome as often it's hard to remember back to first gardens and what we wish we had known when we started.

One thing the more experienced holders told me (back in the days when I had mine) was don't try to be organic from the start, or you'll break your heart over it and give up, esp if the plot was badly overgrown when you took it on.

I have also seen people who take on allotments it is their first time growing anything and they underestimate the time they needed to give it and it all got on top of them.

Oh and only grow what you actually like to eat.

i find this a good site
http://www.powen.freeserve.co.uk/

Try this, we're going to. Start small and build up

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

Well I've had my lottie 14 months now, and it was about as over grown as it is possible to be (brambles over my head height, couch grass ,thistles galore, docks,and the dreaded mares tail.)

First bit of advice:

1. do a small bit at a time, don't think you can do it all at once you'll kill ourself or get pissed off in the process.

2. While your taking your time the weeds are multiplying and reinfesting the area's you've just dug. you have a number of options:
a) Stop them by using weed suppressant.
This can be the black woven heavy duty stuff Like I bought (buy a whole reel it's cheaper) it has the advantage of not only killing off weeds (no weed can survive with out light for a year,except as a seed that is!), but allowing the soil to warm up earlier,keeps the worst of the wet out of the soil so that you can dig earlier.
This could be cardboard with a layer of soil over the top to initially kill off the weeds then break down.
What isn't now recommended is carpet, it's full of chemicals. Some societies now try and ban it's use.
b) Blitz them with weed killer. Several applications might be required for the more persistent. Not something we decided to do, but hey we're here to be self suffcient, so what ever you feel is necessary.
If you can stop the weeds multiplying ,it'll give you time to get on with digging and planting, which is what it's all about.
c) once killed and dug over, if your not planting straight away either keep it covered or grow green manure to keep the weeds suppressed, because there will still be a lot of weed seed in that nicely turned over soil.

3.Keep an eye on drainage after a lot of rain, some area's might be water logged and raised beds might be the best solution.Or put in drainage.

4.Dig in lots of orgainic matter, and check you pH

5. keep a record of what and where you grew stuff, and what was good or bad.

6. And not least ask the old boy's about varieties that work,advice,and best planting times....but

7. Don't be afraid to give something a try, or do something differently.

Thanks for so many helpful ideas. I think they will all be useful for helping the new gardeners achieve some steady success.

What do you think it's easiest for the new people to begin with? Usually it seems that people have a lot of success with potatoes, leeks, peas, and onions. Which cabbage family plants are the next easiest?

Don't read too many books ... or Internet sites! Decide on one or two recommended guides and then stick to them for at least one growing season. Boy did I get confused about what to do, where to plant things, what to feed etc. Too much info is a bad thing (for me at least).


In NZ a common gardening book is the Yates garden guide. Although full of great info it is produced by a company that manufactures fertilisers, various sprays etc. So after getting thorougly confused and upset about what I would have to spray and when I got rid of the book and have done only minimal spraying since (our garden has a few problemos). So I would recommend getting a general gardening book written by someone who gives organic and non-organic solutions to things.

I really recommend not beating yourself up about not being 100% organic from the start as well. We are presently spraying our weed infested areas with glycosphate (sp) after 1 1/2 years of battle. It has made an amazing difference to my being able to cope with my garden and getting on top of the mess that we inherited when we bought the place. I do not intend to use it regularly, once that bottle runs out that's it. The freedom it has given me mentally is quite amazing ... I'm not obsessing about weeds now and actually feeling quite hopeful of a lovely controllable garden It's weird how I had to give myself permission not to be 100% organic though

I got my havnds on my plot last Spetember and I definately think doing a bit at a time is the best approach. I also recommend to try and get something growing a soon as you can - I got some winter cabbages and onions in and it is great motivation to see them growing, knowing that I'll get something back for all my hard work soon.

There's nothing like tucking in to some homegrown veg to motivate you to go and do a bit more work.

I also spent a bit of time planning ut where I wanted things to go - beds etc and what was going to go into them. Even though I still have loads to do I have a good idea where I am going and can set myself little tasks to get done - a bit at a time.

One other tip, tell them to get a smaller plot then they think they can handle. When, come harvest time, they have an overflowing allotment, they'll feel enthused to to more. A plot that's too large will be dis-heartening becuase there'll be some areas with weeds and no veg.

The replies so far have been great. I'd just like to add on a couple of things

If you decide to use a weedkiller, make sure that
1. you apply it when the weeds are in growth otherwise you're wasting your time and money
2. That it's systemic. That will mean that it becomes inactive upon contact with the soil. This will mean that you can grom fruit and veg on the same ground same season. CHECK THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!
3. That it is not a windy day or else you'll kill off everything your neighbours are growing and they may not thank you for it!

I know this may sound silly to some, but we never recommend that a newbie uses a rotivator on their plot. We would never stop them, you understand, but we don't recommend it.

Although the main reason would seem that they would be turning perenial weeds into the soil and making ongoing cultivation difficult, the real reason is harder to explain.
We feel if you haven't turned the soil with your own hands, understood it's constitution and seen 1st hand and up close what's growing in there, then you've missed out on a huge opportunity to learn. There's a lot to be said for doing things by hand.

Things that are hardest won are more satisfying in the longterm.

Finally, for really overgrown plots we enlist the help of our local scouts to help clear the bulk. They're always looking for donations and they are quite a big work force.

We've just inherited a very neglected plot, handily already divided into two halves. It's mainly couch grass (called switch by the old hands here) and we're going to do the small bit first approach.

We discussed using weedkiller (strongly recommended by the old boys) but eyebrows have already been raised at the words 'organic', 'raised beds' and -good heavens- 'no dig method', so if we're going to be the different ones on the site, I don't want to give anybody any excuse to say we couldn't do it our way all the way.

Don't get me wrong, they're all being very supportive and friendly, but I can just imagine the 'but you did have to use weedkiller at the start' conversations.

So, we've covered part of it with cardboard and weedmembrane, and strimmed the rest. Now we need to do some digging. Guess where I'll be tomorrow...

BTW, I got 'The Half Hour Allotment' from the library, and that was very interesting.

Hazel

I am a beginner and just got an allotment. I am lucky as it has been well looked after. I have found the other allotment holders to be very encouraging and helpful, the first time I was there someone gave me some eggs and someone else gave me a water butt. I have found lots out about keeping hens and where to get them etc from them and they don't seem to mind all my questions!

hmk wrote:We've just inherited a very neglected plot, handily already divided into two halves. It's mainly couch grass (called switch by the old hands here) and we're going to do the small bit first approach.

We discussed using weedkiller (strongly recommended by the old boys) but eyebrows have already been raised at the words 'organic', 'raised beds' and -good heavens- 'no dig method', so if we're going to be the different ones on the site, I don't want to give anybody any excuse to say we couldn't do it our way all the way.

Don't get me wrong, they're all being very supportive and friendly, but I can just imagine the 'but you did have to use weedkiller at the start' conversations.

So, we've covered part of it with cardboard and weedmembrane, and strimmed the rest. Now we need to do some digging. Guess where I'll be tomorrow...

BTW, I got 'The Half Hour Allotment' from the library, and that was very interesting.

Hazel

We were in exactly the same boat a year last November. We went for the cover everything,work away at a raised bed one at a time. We uncovered the raised bed area , double dug out all the couch grass (wicken grass in the N.E!) and marestail we could see, built the raised bed, then planted it. That way you concentrate you efforts in one small area and get planting sooner. By covering the rest you can forget about it, and not have to keep on weeding it. Now we've got 6 raised beds all bar one have produce in them, non of which will be dug , so I can concentrate my efforts on the fruit cage, and the next raised bed.

It really works, I think we've changed a few people's minds. There must have been at least 8 other newbies start with in 6 months of me, we're the only raised bed and plastic. Only one has a plot looking like he's in control, one lad has decided to join us, and will restart this year, the rest have either left and been replace or look just as weedy as before and have no produce at the moment.
The best is I've had a few old boys round congratulating me and asking where I get the boards to make my raised beds as they want to start some off.!

Thanks Cheezy

Glad to know it does work! I spent both W/E mornings clearing, strimming, covering and starting to dig a small area- It will be nice to get something in, as you said, and I don't want the children to lose their enthusiasm!

We also took a few of the chickens up for the morning! I made a temporary pen from metal tomato 'canes' and chicken wire and let them scratch around in there while we did another bit. They made an imact, considering they weren't there for very long, and it's not taking up my time. They also ate any slugs we found hiding under the edge of the cardboard

You're really lucky that your hens eats slugs. I've thrown hundreds at my girls but they just don't want to know.

They also don't eat caterpillars. Which is another big shame as I seem to have whole colonies of them throughout the summer.

Some good news though. They love eating large spiders. This really suprised me but I'm very happy about it as large fat spiders are my pet shudder!