New allotment! Any advice?

[allotmentexcitement]

I'm so excited, we'll have an allotment from Saturday after years of being on a waiting list.

I've ordered "allotment month by month" from Amazon and started googling and watching YouTube videos, I'm making a list of things we need (like gloves, spades, watering can...)

I wondered if any of you had any hints or tips you'd share for a brand new beginner gardener?

Congrats. I don't have an allotment but do have raised beds in garden and greenhouse. I have stopped growing a lot of things I did in the past as the work to reward ratio just made it not worth it.

Trying to grow any brassicas or greens was just pointless in the end due to caterpillars and other pests. I tried everything. I grew potatoes and peas successfully but the amount of space they need compared to the financial value of the crop also made it pointless. You can buy a bag of potatoes for pennies in supermarket.

So now I concentrate on things that are worth it to me. I have planted a ton of raspberries and other berries as they are so low maintenance and give such a good crop of fruit that is expensive to buy.

Also I have a massive herb growing area and is so low maintenance. Mint is buried in a pot so it doesn't take over. It's just walking up now and starting to grow leaves again . Chives is another brilliant one. Just buy a pot of living chives from supermarket and plant it out. It's amazing I'm so many things. I use it as spring onion. It also dies back in winter then comes back in spring and lasts until autumn. Rosemary also low maintenance and gives all year round.

I also grow tomatoes very successfully. I usually grow ones that need training and side shoots taking out but this year I'm going only for bush tomatoes that are low maintenance.

Just my thoughts. I'm sure someone with better advice will be along

Thank you for posting!

I completely see what you mean about "what's worth doing" - you're right, we can buy potatoes etc easily (and also wouldn't know how to use a million of them if you lucky enough to get a good crop).

I'm really interested in doing lots of fruits - I need to find out if there are limits for those.

I love the idea of a herb garden too.

Dig in as much rich, organic matter as you possibly can before you do anything else.

ooh new allotment, so exciting

I think the old adage grow what you eat is a good starter. We eat a lot of soft fruits - raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, black and redcurrants
you might want to think about some fruit trees - there are plenty of dwaft varieties around.
We do very well with these and end up freezing a lot or making jam
I very rarely buy soft fruits any more
peas and beans are very easy to grow as is salad - tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce etc.
I do plant a few spuds.
Sunflowers are a must
Also think about being bee and butterfly friendly - if you have space a wild flower bed. I have a large lavender bush which serves no other purpose than its the first thing I smell when I open the gate and its hums with bees and butterflies.
Make friends with the old geezers on the site - they are a mine of information
Wilkos are great for equipment if you have one nearby

have fun!!

Yes dig in as much compost or manure as you can. Is it in good condition? If weedy, potatoes are a good crop for reclaiming the ground. I like growing potatoes anyway. They are also quite a good thing for an allotment in that they aren’t going to get past it if you don’t visit for a few days.
Does it need protection against rabbits? Get info off the other growers.
Do you want/need to construct beds and paths?
It is exciting!

Soil!

Take the time now to understand what soil you have and determine whather anything needs to be done, such as spreading a well rotted manure mulch across the top so that when you come to plant in spring you know the soil is ready for you.

Also, don't get over excited and start things too early. It's easy to do and then a late frost comes along and kills off your young pans and leaves you all disappointed. Better to start small and start a ittle bit too late than too early.

If you don't have storage on the plot (eg a shed) you will need it, so that's worth spending your first pennies on - I think. What is also worth buying is a fold away chair so you have somewhere good to sit when your work is done and you just want to sit back and admire your efforts.

Also: take lots of photos and take them regularly! You'll want to be able to look back at how far you've come.

I am in the same situation OP and popping up on the vegetable patch thread with different questions!

Lidl is fab for gardening stuff in spring. I don’t work for them promise! (Was just recommending them on another thread - they have cheap fruit bushes this week).

I am going to grow some cut flowers as a big part of my ambition is to not buy supermarket flowers as much if at all.

Excellent choice of book - I have maybe 20 books on allotmenting and that’s the one I run my year by. The Half Hour Allotment is also really good if you are time poor.

My tip - don’t try to clear it all at once. Clear a bit, grow a bit, clear a bit, grow a bit. That way it doesn’t become overwhelming.
Also - don’t have chickens on your plot. They will attract rats which will eat other people’s produce and everyone will hate you. I’m still trying to get rid of ones that evicted tenants had over a year later. They aren’t on my plot too much but neighbours of those tenants have had their crops decimated. We now have a ban on poultry and fowl.