New Allotment!

oldtractor

How Exciting! Congratulations allotments are scarce these days.

C_Mababejive

I'm no expert but i've just got half an allotment. It was previously tenanted by someone who just sat on it and did nothing hence it is overgrown and weeded. First job,get a good sharp large dutch hoe. Use it to strip off the surface weeds. Dig it over with a good strong fork,not a spade and as you dig,remove all the long rooted weeds such as dandelions,bag up for disposal. Underneath all the weeds will almost certainly be some good soil. I already have assorted seeds propagating at home to get them started.

macma

floss2 wrote: »

Ooh, our site has just gone self managed - whereabouts are you? I'm up on the sunny Lancashire coast.

We're in Weston super Mare in Somerset,The allotment club became self managed a few years ago. I don't know what changed but I think we were challenging develpment
'Love our lottie ,love the people if they built houses on the site I would weep

AnGee

Well, went to have a look today. It's a half plot, covered in weeds. Lots to do!

Bought some seeds today to start off. Hope it's not raining tomorrow so that I can get started on the digging.

Thanks for the advice about the hoe - looks good

C_Mababejive

AnGee wrote: »

Well, went to have a look today. It's a half plot, covered in weeds. Lots to do!

Bought some seeds today to start off. Hope it's not raining tomorrow so that I can get started on the digging.

Thanks for the advice about the hoe - looks good

Remember,take it easy....back straight,knees bent...:j

culpepper

what i did when I cleared our veg plot was, dig a square about 5 X5. cover with cardboard weighed down with stones. Dig another square beside it .repeat.
When I had a 30 ft by 5 ft strip, I moved along a strip and started again.
I left a couple of uncovered squares and had french beans in one and potatoes in another just so there was something to harvest .

davehills

Little and often is the key. Don't worry if all you do is spend the first year clearing the site and growing nowt! Don't over do it or you'll not enjoy it!

I know a lot of people will berate me for this but invest in a decent weedkiller (Roundup) and spray everything you don't want, repeating if required.

Once it's all died back pull it up/strimmer it and compost it. If anything starts to grow weed killer it again. Borrow a rotovator or dig it over. Do this a few times to turn the soil over and dig in some organic matter if you can.

Oh, and join your local allotment assoc if you have one!

Good luck and enjoy!

AnGee

Thank you for all the advice - much appreciated

The person who had the plot before me has left a large black polythene sheet weighed down with bricks over one one quarter of the plot (lots of weeds and long grass under it) - I'm leaving this alone for now. Another quarter is covered with mostly dead grass (maybe he had weedkillered it). I'm working on clearing this quarter first so that I can get some seeds planted asap. I've sprayed the remaining half with glyphosate and will see how it goes - if needed I'll spray it again next month.

I've ordered the digging hoe/azada - I'm looking forward to trying it