We have an allotment - now what?

[ForgiveMeFather]

Forgotten that we were even on the waiting list as it has been so long but got a lovely surprise yesterday when the lady from the council rang to say it is ours.

It's a half plot - plenty big enough for us and its divided into two sections. Both really weedy and overgrown and we are not sure whether we can realistically cultivate the entire lot this tear.

So we are thinking of covering one half with cardboard/manure to get rid of the weeds - perhaps cultivate one end for some fruit trees as they may as well start getting established. Then just focus this year on the other half.

The council are quite strict apparently and inspect the plots monthly to make sure they are being used.

So what would you suggest with the half plot that we are going to cultivate this year?

Potatoes/Squash/Onions/Chilli?

Does that sound doable? Complete novices here!

Don't pull down hedges. See thread below.

Ah yes, I have just read that. I promise not to attack hedges

might snarf the odd strawberry from neighbouring plot though

suggest googling easy vegetables to grow. i'm in my second year, so still learning. what do you like to eat? runner beans, salad and beetroot are easy. pots are good at breaking down the soil and also suppressing weeds - not sure if you have left it too late, but you need to be quick with these. chillis take a long time as they need lots of sun.

what about fruit, as once planted won't require lots of tlc and is expensive in shops.

if you are getting trees check your lease for any specifications on route stock. suggest you go for a dwarf one so you don't get too much shade.

courgettes are also easy. cut flowers?

you can also use black plastic - fairly thick. i've had this on all winter to stop weeds growing and will put on again next winter once my green manure has finished.

Defo a good idea to section the plot up and work on bit by bit. Cardboard works well but make sure you weight it or peg it or it will blow everywhere! The black plastic weed suppressant is vary good but can be expensive. I've found the cheapest way to get it is to order a full roll over the internet.

We have also found the plot much easier to manage when split into beds. Now I have the whole plot sectioned into 1.2m wide beds with paths in between. I've edged the beds with wood and the paths are made from the black plastic above. For me this makes it easier to only work on a section at a time without worrying about the rest, I know what I'm doing for crop rotation and make sure I've got the right soil conditions depending on what is being grown. We did it slowly over the years as and when we had some timber/time/inclination.

In terms of crops, there is nothing as good as potatoes for clearing weeks. They're easy, break up the soil and suppress the weeds. I always stick them in when I need an easy fix!