Just got an allotment (Merged)

spendthrift66

Thanks for the site hex2 - ANOTHER forum for me to join!

Thanks for the advice rockie! I guess there's not much else to do but start dragging off all the brambles etc! We've got a pond too - which is nice - but not investigated what state it's in yet. Might have to empty it out and
de-sludge it. Nice!
Thanks for your encouraging words!
Sam

elsien

Could you ask your local council if they can do anything? In our area, because some allotments are less popular so aren't in use for ages, the council will rotivate it for free, because they're so keen for people to take them on. Might not apply to you, but wouldn't hurt to ask, if its looking a bit neglected.
Hope you enjoy it - I'm still dithering about whether I could find time on a regular basis.

spendthrift66

Hi Elsien

Alas, no! They don't have the resources. There is an allotment society for my site - so I'm hoping they might offer help (even if just the encouragement type!)

I think we'll only be able to give some weekend time at the moment - we both work long hours, but I think in the summer we'll be up there all day Saturday and Sunday! (Def planning in a little spot for the deckchairs/glass of something at the end of the day!)

S

hex2

Do you know what type of weeds you are looking at? The risk is if they are perennial ones (eg brambles, nettles, couch grass) then a rotovator just chops the roots up into lovely inch long new growths ready to strangle your plot in six months time. If perennials you can strim the tops off and then dig all of the roots out by hand, or exclude light and water for a long time, or apply a glysophate based weed killer onto every sign of green growth over a reasonable period of time.

spendthrift66

Hi I know there are brambles and probably bindweed. I don't think it'll be a rotavator - I think it'll be brute force and ignorance required! Thanks for the tip as it does seem tempting but I think the only thing for it is to dig it up and either have a big bonfire (rules permitting) or tip it!

hex2

Best of luck - hard work but well worth it. New potatoes fresh from the plot are just pure magic. It was my first year of growing veg last year, and I am really looking forward to it again this year.

I had a lot of brambles at my last garden mixed in with nettles. Weedkiller just knocked them back a bit, I had to dig out the roots to shift them. Then moved house.

MONEYMAKINGMUM

My allotment was the bonfire / dump of the plots before I took it on. I did little & often, 1 - 2 hours digging is better than digging all day & having back ache for a week.
Agree weeding by hand is best as rotavator will give more weeds in time. Wear gloves too, I've found big metal spiky springs, windscreen wipers, sooo much rubbish.
I also take drinks & snacks for a welcome quick break, especially if the kids are with me - I get an extra hour there if they are busy snacking.
It's hard work but I love it, good luck with it.

littlechezza

I've just phoned our local council to apply for an allotment, my parents have one and they have loads of things growing on theirs, I'm worried about the hard work but looking forward to it, hope I don't have to go on a waiting list. I know there may be clearing to do but what do people start off with once the hard work is out the way, also hope to get a greenhouse so any suggestions for this would be appreciated.
Thanks

RAS

Hi folks

Couple of thoughts

Before you start clearing the plot, get someone who knows their onions, or at least leafless fruit bushes and rhubarb, to have a look at your site. I have found really useful bushes, raspberry canes and strawberry plants buried under a rampant 5 foot covering of bindweed and brambles on various plots over the years.

it also helps if you have someone who knows the difference between a bramble and a loganberry or cultivated blackberry cane.

Also, avoid the rotovator if you have bindweed, creeping thistle or couch grass. Each tiny piece of root, a couple of mms long, will form a new plant if you rotovate the ground. You can reduce the amount of root by covering the ground that you are not digging and excludiing light for several months. You will still need to dig out, but it will be less onerous. It is much easier to remove long tlengths of root than tiny soil smeared snippets.

Zazen999

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/index.php

You'll get lots of advice here...