Just got an allotment... what do we do???

[ThePhantomDeregisterer]

We were supposed to get one in March but there was a saga so all my allotment in spring research and excitement has waned. And of course there is all this rain.

Do we just clear it and that's that? It's not in too bad a state as a person had it, but got ill last spring and it's been left since then.

Cover in black plastic/weed suppressant stuff. Clear any crap off it first. Start designing it for a fruit bushes to move/plant in autumn.

Thank you! Doesn't take much for the excitement to come back after all!

It's nice to get some stuff in the ground as soon as you can, so if you can clear a little space, maybe plant some quick growing things (beetroot, radish, lettice) seeds asap to harvest in the autumn and if you can get hold of some small plants leeks and brassicas (eg: sprouts, purple sprouting broccolli, cabbage) to harvest in winter/early spring.

Then work to get some more ground clear to plant overwintering onions and garlic and broad beans (aqualducie claudia) and peas (early onward) in October.

And then get the rest into production in the spring

Do you know what kind of soil your lot has?

Ours took a while to get going as it was very heavy clay soil which if it's too dry, is very hard to dig, or if it's too wet, it becomes very squelchy!

Thank gelatinous, those sound perfect for a patch for ds too! It really does make a difference to get things going right away.

Show tunes girl, there is a seam of clay going through it, but the rest is okay according to one of the old guys we chatted to. We'll find out more as we go along!