Oh my, we've got an allotment!

[RillaBlythe]

We have been on the waiting list a year & just got the call. We've got half a plot of weeds, they will dig it over for us & we want to start planting next weekend.

Any tips? What books/websites should I read? & what can we plant at this time of year?

Welcome to the good life!! (record and then) watch gardeners world - goid for reminding you what you need to do! Otherwise the internet is best, i've never found a book that does everything. We grew all sorts last year - some worked some completely failed, this year we're Only growing the essentials/basics eg potatoes, peas etc if you grow too much you can always give it to friends etc they'll be soooo pleased. Happy weeding!!

Hooray! Another allotment newbie :)

We got ours 4 weeks ago, it's quite a large plot, and was totally overgrown with grass and weeds. So far we've covered half with weed membrane to rot down til Spring, and we've dug, turned and weeded 2 beds.

We've got swede, beetroot, shallots, carrots, parsnips, sweetcorn and purple sprouting broccoli on the go at the moment. All bunged in together this year, so I'm sure some won't do as well as it should.

We got a shed off ebay and erected that yesterday. We've inherited a large rhubarb plant, some raspberry canes and 4 blackcurrant bushes too.
I've borrowed some books from the library, and have photocopied anything really amazing.

You can get in leeks, winter cabbage, lettuces. If you get some good sized plug plants, you might be able to get in some runner beans, beetroot, sweetcorn. Ask at your local garden centre - they were very helpful to me.
Also get a soil Ph tester kit, as some plants like very acid/akaline soil :)

Congratulations ! This forum is very useful. Them digging it over will be a huge help and save you ages.

Have a think about splitting it into sections to help rotation in future years and it makes it feel easier if you can break it down into chunks. We've got a rectangular 10 x 15 meter plot so have split into quarters with a herb bed in the middle. The paths are weed membrane then stones from the plot. We started marking them out with string then did them as we had more time later.

Think about soft fruits, we've got raspberry canes at the end of one quarter, strawberries and rhubarb at the end of another. You could sow some green manure in these areas for now then plant in the autumn.

First thing I'd do is stick up a couple of wigwams for beans then get hold of some bean plants or sow direct, makes it look cultivated straight away ! A couple of courgette plants if you like courgettes. Sow some carrots, beetroot, lettuce and rocket directly . Whack some peas and mange tout in.

Think winter veg as well. Sow some swede, see if you vacant get hold of some leek seedlings. Rainbow chard is great stuff and looks lovely, easy from seed, as is kale.

Personally I'd skip the spuds now as blight is on our site already and I think any you planted now would just get wiped out. Get yourself something to sit on so you can sit back and enjoy looking at all your hard work!

Oh osmio thats a good idea - or try a post/request on freegle!