How to get motivated!

lianne1978

Hi everyone.

I got an allotment approx 8 weeks ago, in the first 2 weeks I was really motivated and spent a good few hours on it, clearing rubbish etc. 2 weeks after this I had an operation on my wrist which put me out of action for 5 weeks. I went up to the allotment for the first time last Sunday and felt like crying all the digging and trimming of hedges has been undone and is now about 10 times worse! I feel so despondent, I'm not sure what I expected but in places there are dandelions as big as me! I am a complete novice so any advice would be great on how to tackle my jungle? For example, would it be worthwhile hiring a rotavator/cultivator (not sure of the difference!) and pulling all the earth up or starting with one area, or just covering it with liner and putting raised beds in? HELP?

angie_loves_veg

You sound like you need a shoulder and some motivation - let me try to help.

First - well done, you got started, but then life got in the way - it happens. Here is my advice.

Start small - very small..... using four short sticks and a piece of string, mark out a bed - about 4 or 5 ft wide, and as long as you fancy (that you dont find daunting) say....10ft? This is the area you will try to clear, digging, removing as many weeds as you can. Slow, but very rewarding. An area this size, may take you a morning.

Add the stuff you are removing to your first compost 'heap' (literally a heap unless you have something immediately and easily available - one day you can make a 'proper' heap with this as your first layer)

As for the rest of it, beg/borrow/get from freecycle carpets/plastic etc etc to cover the rest - just hack it down to a short (below knee) height first - you will get to that *when you can*... might be next week, might be next year - who cares!?

Next step - get plants/seeds/seedlings in the area you have cleared - the best thing about an allotment is growing stuff - it cheers you up, and keeps the weeds at bay.

next step? leaving a path size strip, mark out your next bed........ by now you are an allotmenteer. The first year on my plot I cultivated and grew in two beds this size, was stunned by the amount I grew, and tackled the rest as I had the time, motivation and health... If you fancy, you can make wooden edges for these plots, but you don't have to - they can just be areas divided by paths.

Personally I wouldn't hire a rotovator/cultivator - it sounds like your plot needs clearing first, your wrist probably won't stand the agony (it is actually quite hard work using them - I borrowed a friends for an hour - never again!) also, if you clear the whole lot, as you know, you would have to get it planted in double quick time or the weeds will be back before you know it!

good luck, try and enjoy it - else what is the point?!

Jayar

Great advice angie. I don't know about Lianne, but you have certainly motivated me
I'm reminded of a quote from one of my favourite gardeners; Monty Don
"Don't take the garden too seriously. If you are not having fun, then you are doing it wrong. Take it easy, take your time and do it your own way. Find out what you like about gardening and keep doing it. It is bound to be the right thing for both you and your garden."

lianne1978

Thanks Angie and Jayar for your help. I agree with you Angie I think that is how I need to go about it. I have a vision of what I want my allotment to look like and at the moment can never see that happening, plus I do like things to happen asap! Now the football season is over my partner is going to give me a hand with the manual labour! I am just so desperate to grow some veg and get the children involved, my son wants to grow a pumpkin for Halloween (although I'm not sure if it will be too late by the time we get started.) I have loads of stuff - plastic sheeting, pallets etc., just sat there waiting to be used. What are the best veg to start with that don't require a huge amount of time - too obviously allow me to concentrate on clearing the rest.

angie_loves_veg

pumpkins, courgettes, other similar squash...
runner/french/climbing beans....
spinach/chard etc....
carrots/lettuce/pak choi/parsley/rocket/spring onions.....

start with what you want to eat, then see if you are too late to plant (all the above could be sown direct from seed into prepared ground in may/june) you might have to get a move on, but if motivation is what you need - why not race the seed packet sowing dates!!!!

Lord_Gardener

Get some friends in to help or better, hire a pro gardener - you'll be surprised how much they'll get done in a couple of hours!

elsien

Can you ask the council about help with rotivating. It probably depends on where you are, but our local council is so desperate to get people to take allotments on it does it for them.
Alternatively have an allotment party, take along a bbq, some cans, lots of friends and leave them to it.
Also, if it's too much in one go, can you cover half with old carpet or something to suppress the weeds and come back to it later?