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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

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Original poster

I got an allotment today

37 replies

StainlessSteelCat · 10/01/2015 20:10

It's a half plot, recently been cultivated and has some raised beds. There's some clearing to do, but nothing too daunting. Up until this point, I've had plans that involve fruit, herbs and patches for the kids to use. But suddenly it's reality and I'm getting scared!

Any advice for a slightly experienced gardener but newbie allotment holder?

OP posts:

agoodbook · 14/01/2015 10:55

yes- I think that is were I almost get the most pleasure- summer is easy, -and finding room to store/ freeze is always interesting! -but going and picking now to March is brilliant - at the moment I have savoy/sprouts/curly kale/leeks/sprouting broccoli all to pick regularly

DuelingFanjo · 14/01/2015 11:10

I have had mine for three years and been mostly shit at it but now am really trying to sort out my soil as I think it's lacking nutrients so I advise making sure you compost loads. I am saving all my vegetable peelings and trying to get a proper compost area started as well as putting manure on some of the beds.

Mouldypineapple · 14/01/2015 12:32

Lots of good gardening/allotment groups on facebook. lots of lively chat. See which ones you fancy. i like happygardeners, allotment life, and others.

TheSpottedZebra · 14/01/2015 21:38

Ooh, this thread has moved know a bit and you've all been discussing your plots.
Right, am going to start an allotment/veg patch thread, not intended at all as a hijack. Come and chat, as otherwise I'll just be chatting to myself. Which I can do, especially about seeds...

agoodbook · 14/01/2015 23:22

link please spotted !

shobby · 15/01/2015 00:12

Keen allotmenteer here, I've had my plot since 2006, and took on the plot next door to mine as well a couple of years ago but its still very much a work in progress. Learnt so much as I've gone along, you quickly learn what does well on your soil, but everything varies so much year to year, particularly with the changeable weather!

I grow most things from seed in modules and plant them out when the weather is favourable, that saves a lot of disappointments. I'm at the point now where I have narrowed down what I really like to grow and eat, rather than grow something I've never tried before: you only grow khol rabi and rats tail radishes once! I grow a lot of heritage stuff and save the seeds though.

There are a lot of good forums online as well, I particularly like Allotments 4 all, you can ask any question there and get a friendly reply without being made to feel stupid!

I well remember the excitement of getting my plot, it was very overgrown and took me 6 months of pretty much continuous work to get sorted and productive. Best advice I can give is clear a small area every time you go, improve it by digging in manure, compost or mushroom compost, and then either plant something straightaway or cover it to prevent the weeds getting a hold which they will do depressingly quickly. Its also worth covering weedy areas you can't sort for a while to help retard the weeds, some sites won't let you use materials like old carpets or plastic but you can cover with cardboard (supermarket skips have loads) then put a thick layer of old manure on top to hold it down and it will be ready to plant through in a few months with not much effort if you want to go the 'no dig' route.

noitall · 15/01/2015 10:41

I dont have an allotment but two raised beds and am at wits end as to where to start. Is there any planting that can be done now? I know I should just walk to a big garden centre and ask for advice but I think experienced MNers might be able to motivate me to go looking for something specific rather than a load of stuff that will just rot away. Please any guidance welcomed, book or blog recommendations, esp for novices.

agoodbook · 15/01/2015 11:33

I think it depends on how big the beds are!
i have lots of books, most of which are for allotments - but is it worth popping down to your library and seeing if they have any before you splash the cash? :)I had one bought called grow your own veg by Carol Klein its a Royal Horticultural Society/BBC one that might work for you :)

noitall · 15/01/2015 12:27

Will do agoodbook and thanks . Also will come back with some research and post my progress or lack of it ( hopefully not).