Allotment - setting up

elliep_2

On a whim yesterday I phoned my local council and found out I can get an allotment right across the road (2 min walk from my house) for £13 per year. I'm going to be going this afternoon to look at the plots and make a decision. There are 3 plots and no waiting list, though apparently 2 of the plots are overgrown with brambles.

What should I be looking for?

Money is a bit tight so other than the rent what other costs are involved in an allotment? I've thought of seeds and maybe a shed. (to start with at least I'll just keep tools in my wheelbarrow and take them/bring them home with me each time)
How much do you lot spend on compost/fertiliser each year on your lotties?

Thank you

nimbo

get/make a compost bin as this wil;l save you money in the long run... there are loads of designs out there on the web that can be cobbled together from a couple of old pallets, and many local councils run schemes where you can pick them up really cheap....

if you get a shed try to also get a rain butt.... again the council might be able to help you here as well as the water company...

is there water at the site, as moving it from your house will take ages, and could end up being exspensive, if you are on a meter... also some allotments charge a standing fee for the metre on the tap, and XXX amount poer gallon.... which is worth taking into consideration.... (some private allotments where i am do this...)

if the idea is to save money, try to see what you could pick up off freecycle... one mans jusk is another mans treasure and all that, people often give away pots, which seem to be really exspensive...

if you take the allotment, try to get to a pound shop as they are selling off loads of stuff like string, and cheap canes etc...

Lotus-eater

Well if 2 of the plots are overgrown with brambles, I suggest you take the other one.

Costs.... well if you live 2 minutes away then you can probably do without a shed for the moment, but if you manage to get one secondhand somewhere, it would be useful.
Much of the costs are in setting yourself up, fleece and enviromesh if you want it, tools.

I get free local manure, grow comfrey and pick nettles for free fertiliser. Now and again I buy a pot of chicken manure pellets for about £6.
Compost, I buy about 3 bags a year, mainly for seeds and potting on. About a tenner.

Not a lot on the surface, but I'm sure all those nice trips to the garden centre means I spend more than that.

So far this year I have spent about £30 on seeds and £10 on compost. And £26 on a good fork.

In past years I have spent alot on plants and tools etc.

I get as much stuff as I can from freecycle and skip diving, otherwise to set up my garden to grow stuff the way I wanted it, would have cost alot more.

elliep_2

I took it. The one without the brambles. Sort of wondering what I've done now but I can't wait t start the proper work on it now!!!

I have a lot of nettles and dandylions but I also found a rhubarb and 2 little bushes with labels, one says blackcurrant and the other says redcurrant.

here it is...
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu220/elliepa/Allotment002.jpg

My mum is going to get me a really good fork and spade for my birthday so that will save me a bit. I'm not allowed a shed or any full height buildings so no greenhouses either but there is 1 communal shed containing some communal tools so I shouldn't need to buy everything.

I'm allowed to build a cold frame and there are glass paneled doors provided for that if I want. I've just been told to use whatever I fancy from the pile and if I find anything that others might find useful then I should add it to the pile - seems fair enough to me.

The guy in charge is lovely and has already been offering me plants and telling me about the annual bulk seed order where I can get good quality seeds really cheap. I think I'm going to really enjoy this!!

harib0uk

wow elliep that's really lucky that you have managed to get one just like that... many people have to wait ages (including me) Have a look at some of the other allotment threads, they have great pictures so you can see what everyone else is doing and get some ideas! looking forward to seeing your progress.... in pictures of course!

elliep_2

Thank you. I'm so excited. And I know I'm really lucky to get an allotment without a wait. I called to put my name down and was expecting to go on a list and hoping I might get one next year. I've been unbelievably lucky to get one straight away, but the downside of that is that I wasn't really ready and haven't got enough seeds and seedlings ready.
I will keep posting pics every time anything interesting happens there.

angelavdavis

Yes, I'm dead jealous too as I am number 30 on a list that hasn't changed for over a year so I am likely to expire before I get an allotment!

harib0uk

elliep wrote: »

Thank you. I'm so excited. And I know I'm really lucky to get an allotment without a wait. I called to put my name down and was expecting to go on a list and hoping I might get one next year. I've been unbelievably lucky to get one straight away, but the downside of that is that I wasn't really ready and haven't got enough seeds and seedlings ready.
I will keep posting pics every time anything interesting happens there.

Thing is you'll have plenty of digging and getting ready to do, so starting off now doing little bits as you go will get you ready and in full swing for next year!

I can't really see if you have any defined beds there, or where your boundary is, but maybe think about digging some over and getting some potatoes in.. as it's supposed to be good for soil that had laid sedentary for a while!

Also a few extra fruit bushes to get ready for fruiting net year!

dcds47

Hi, dont know much about growing fruit & veg, but I am going to give it a go this year.

I have recieved from FREE seeds from various sites on the internet, i found these freebies by checking out the freebie links.

Hope this helps you to get some stock growing.

chiefgoobster

I had (or tried) to get an allotment going a few years ago now. It was a nice sized plot and upon reflection was probably a bit to big to handle. The dream of having this large expanse of growing veg seemed to good to be true.
I made the mistake of wanting too much to happen too quickly.

If I ever get the chance again I'd start by defining the boundaries and then old carpet laid over the whole plot and let nature take it course. In the meantime you can work a small section and take your time de-weeding and digging in manure. Sure, plant something to get you going but patience is a virtue ! Rome wasn't built in a day and allotments aren't dug over a weekend ! For what it's worth someone on my allotments sprayed Roundup (I think) twice over to try and kill the weeds.I even gave it a 3rd go but to be honest I didn't reckon it did any good. Muscle power works better !

Good luck with it though

elliep_2

I'm going with the digging option rather than weedkill and am hoping to use paving plabs or something else that I can get off freecycle to make 3 foot square beds with paths between. I'll use coloured plastic string and tent pegs to start with I think. Then I can just do a little at a time. one 3ft sq bed (once it's there) won't seem like so much to dig and if I can get one planted up I'll feel like something is happening.

My allotment has a smallish area that was worked last year and a lot that isn't showing any signs of ever having been worked. I suppose I'm rushing myself to get the worked part workable again but I'm not bothered about the rest of it yet.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll try and get another picture up at the end of today.