New allotment. What have I done

[blackheartsgirl]

Ahh What have I done, panicking slightly about new allotment.

Ive been on the list for quite a while for one, now ive got it and ive had the keys.

its not too overgrown, its got a shed which is full of crap, it’s really not that bad, there’s some overgrown beds and a nice raspberry patch.

but here’s the clinch. I’m now financially in a worse place than what I was a few years back, I’m really hovering just above the breadline and I can’t afford bags of compost or fancy raised beds.

luckily I have loads of garden equipment like forks and spades, trowels, a hoe, a wheel barrow, rake, pots. I have fence paint left over which will do for the shed. I’m absolutely rubbish with power drills or making things but I do have some garden edging rolls that might make a bed.

im doing this entirely by myself, I am a lone parent to 4 dc, the youngest are teens who don’t want to help and I also work part time. I’m peri meno and I get tired quite quickly and overwhelmed (ADHD 😆)

am I crazy for even thinking I can do this. I went down there earlier and I loved it, it’s such a beautiful place but oh my goodness I felt anxious about it all

Congratulations 🥳 that's amazing, just think of all the fruit and veggies and learning opportunities for the kids. You can do this. Will be beautiful in summer.

You don't need fancy raised beds and you can make do without compost. Start a compost heap. Work out what you want to try growing in year one, and just try to tackle it one bit at a time! I'd start with removing anything you don't want/ need from the shed, then weeding one of the beds. If you buy seed, keep an eye on how many seeds are in a packet... some of them only have 3 or 4 which isn't such good value.

Don’t worry about growing anything to start off with! In our experience the weeding, mowing and chatting to new folk will be enough x

You aren’t crazy at all and allotments are the place to do things on a shoestring. A few seed potatoes and packets if seeds that can go straight into the ground like peas and beans and you’ll be on your way. You may also find that plot holders with surplus seedlings are more than happy to share.

I hope you enjoy your allotment as much as I enjoy mine.

Oh yes and congratulations! Our local waiting list is so long I can't even join it - it's closed!

I had my name down for a few years for an allotment. I bought lots of gardening tools and a temporary greenhouse for my back garden to help me "learn the ropes". I have to say it put me off completely and so I took my name off the waiting list. I imagined I'd enjoy gardening but it was much harder work than I had anticipated and I only had to walk outside to do it.

Good luck.

Thanks 😆

this is what I’m worried about.. put off before I’ve even started, I just looked at the plot oh dear me where do I start

How overgrown is it op ? Can you cover the ground in old carpet or cardboard to kill the weeds off ? The cardboard will rot down and provide some compost. The carpet is good for killing weeds. Good luck x would any of the other allotment holders be willing to share any spare seeds/compost? Good luck x

Reassuring to know that I don’t need raised beds to start or compost. I looked at all the other plots and there are many fancy ones with big posh sheds and poly tunnels

ill be there with my make do and mend outlook, my neighbours plot looks fantastic

It’s not too bad. I’ve seen much worse. I mean there’s no waist high brambles or anything like that. I’ll try and post a pic

the shed is too the back of me and it’s overgrown at the back.
also two bath tubs full of water but I can reuse these.

You e got the tools you need, you just need some seed and to clear the patch. I have 3 veg plots in my back garden. No fancy raised beds. You should save money long term by having free veggies!

That does look quite a bit to clear using a spade and fork. Is there an allotment society? I wonder would a rotivator be good if you could borrow one?

You don't need to spend a lot of money. Raised beds are not necessary.
I would divide the space up. Depending on the size of it, aim to bring maybe a half of it into use this year.
Of that half, get half of it dug over now.
Lidl is selling packets of seeds very cheaply - I got 5 packs for a pound.
You can simply have a heap for compost, but an area made with pallets is ideal. This is a great way to enrich the soil in future. You need a mix of greens (dug up weeds) and brown (cardboard) plus any vegetable peelings. If you know anyone with rabbits or guinea pigs, get some of their soiled bedding (newspaper, straw and poop) and add that too.

@blackheartsgirl it looks pretty good....as you say no brambles which is a huge bonus!!

What do you want to grow?

Under that black plastic will be fairly bare soil; you can clear that fairly easily and start by planting some stuff in there. Potatoes are great to start with but you will need some seed potatoes as shop ones are generally treated to stop them growing.

But even before that, pick another patch further down. Strim/cut down the grass on that as low as you can go and cover it with cardboard (free from wherever but cycle shops are great). Then cover it with the black stuff when you've lifted that. That will start the process of clearing it for you. Picture coming of before-and-after 6 months under cardboard and mypex (the black stuff).

We are allotmenteers of many years standing. I often describe our field as an elephant's graveyard. It's where old climbing frames, bits of scaffolding etc go to die.

You have taken on your plot at the perfect time. We are heading into the sowing season. There's no rush. Clear a bed, put the resulting waste in a heap and you have started your compost heap. Sow that bed then move onto the next bed.

Congratulations OP! Scavenging for my veg patch is one of my favourite hobbies. Weirdly, I enjoy it more since I made a game of not spending a penny more than I need to on it. I pick up cardboard from the recycling bins outside shops, free woodchip and v cheap manure from a community farm, pots from skips and abandoned by the side of the road. If you put the word out amongst your allotment neighbours, friend’s & family etc that you’re in need of seedlings, compost bins and anything else that might be useful then I’m sure you’ll get lots of donations. Raised beds are overrated and pretty will come in time!

Google no dog, especially Charles Dowding. Cardboard is your friend and your new allotment buddies will support you with advice. Pallets as mentioned to section off a compost area. Lots of allotments get bulk loads of compost at a discount and wood chip from local tree surgeons. Have you got water on site? If not start looking for cheap used water butts on Facebook. You will love it but just tackle one area at a time.

You definitely don’t need raised beds, just see what grows this year! Have a look at Huw Richard’s and Charles Dowding, they have so much great info on their YouTube’s and I’m learning a lot from it. My plot doesn’t look perfect as I don’t have a lot of time either, but I’ve cleared enough space to grow, and got loads of seedlings growing with quite a lot planted out already. Good luck!

What are the rules at your allotment for how much you’re expected to have in cultivation after one year / after two years? It’s ok to have large areas covered with cardboard or tarpaulin or whatever for months to suppress weeds.
Ask your allotment neighbours if there are any good local sources of cheap manure or woodchip or whatever.
I have an allotment and don’t buy in compost or have raised beds so the soil’s not top quality. The easiest thing I grow is sugar snap peas - literally just put the seeds in the soil and off they go, and I tie them to sticks. Try a few different things and abandon anything that doesn’t work. Brassicas are bastards. Potatoes you could probably just buy a bag of new potatoes from the supermarket, dig a bit of a trench for them, cover them with soil and then gradually fill up the trench as the plants grow. I find potatoes are very enthusiastic to grow if you leave them in the fridge for too long.

Oh… Congratulations OP!!! The start of your allotment adventure begins. So much great advice already on this thread. Enjoy as well as the veg!!

Ah that's a fabulous plot!
I got mine at the start of 2021, it was overgrown with brambles, I had a pair of secateurs and a garden fork and no money for anything else! And a 2 year old trying to help.

If you can keep the grass strimmed down then you can take your time getting to digging it over.
I got my spade and fork on eBay.

You can buy compost and a lot of other garden bits and pieces in Poundland, and seeds/bulbs/flowers.

Get HRT for your peri (and it'll help with the ADHD too).

Keep the gardening simple, esp in first year. Make your own compost from waste food or a nettles steeped in water one (do the latter one now) - then dilute before use.

Grow things that you will use and % or that cost a lot to buy in the shops.

Lidl have some cheap seeds , on 3 for 2 as well.

Congratulations and good luck, @blackheartsgirl . A local lending library might have bigger tools if you need them. You can be lucky on Freecycle and Facebook etc. Your teens may come round to the idea of helping. Otherwise, it's your haven! Mine certainly is.

I spent a chunk of money on raised beds and honestly they're just a nuisance. There's no need to spend loads. Please don't put carpet down though.

As pp said, lift the plastic and sow some seeds now... lettuce etc will all come up quite quickly and give you a boost. And there's nothing like digging up your own potatoes.

Sharing my favourite link for cheap dalek compost bins (if you’re lucky enough to live in one of the participating councils/know someone who does who won’t mind you getting compost bins delivered to them): https://getcomposting.com

Also ask in coffee shops for used grounds, which make great compost and they’re very happy to give away.

I’m another Charles Dowding fan. See https://www.instagram.com/wildlychlo?igsh=Nm16dXl2bm1vbTQ0 for an example of a very pretty plot laid out on no dig principles using mainly cardboard, woodchip & compost/manure. As an influencer, she spends silly amounts of bagged stuff - but I have every confidence you will find a way to scrounge it!

Start with finding a source of free cardboard and bricks you can use to weigh it down with to cover grassy patches so the worms will do the hard work for you while you design your happy place and find the rest.