New allotment advice

Ellie78

Hi everyone
I've just put my name on the waiting list for a local allotment and while I'm not sure whether I'll get a plot any time soon I thought I'd start planning (as much as possible) now so I'm ready and raring to go when it's my turn.
This year was my first attempt at growing veg in the garden but we don't have a lot of space.   The dwarf beans, radishes, spinach and mange tout did really well but the beetroot never grew bigger than walnut size and the swedes were eaten to stumps by caterpillars!  

For the experienced allotmenteers here - what are your top tips for a newbie?

-taff

Don't plan anything until you've seen what your plot is like. When you've seen your plot, work out the shady bits, the sunny bits, the windy/exposed bits and then make your plan accordingly, with a permanent area for fruits and rotating bed system for plants, a greenhouse or polytunnel if you can situated for maximum sun.

A friend has had an allotment for years and years and last year, she covered the whole plot with weed membrane and built raised beds from pallet collars. She said this year is the best year she's had and by far the least work.

Farway

-taff said:

Don't plan anything until you've seen what your plot is like.

This ^^^^^^^

Your plot may be one abandoned by a Monty Don look alike with established fruit bushes, rhubarb, cordon apple trees etc.

Or more likely full of couch grass, docks, bindweed with club root for good measure, so your fits season may be mainly back breaking work

Assume the latter and be prepared for a surprise

The mixed results you got from your first attempt are perfectly normal, in fact could be worse on an allotment, pigeons for instance are a very common problem, so factor in netting from the start, likewise fine mesh to stop the butterflies laying the eggs to become caterpillars

twopenny

Congrats on your sucesses!

Your beetroot and my attempts at carrots too. I have problems with root veg where my neighbour never did.

Now it the time to take advice from those who have had allotments there as to the best way to do things. They will know the soil and how to imporve it, what grows well and maybe what went before.  They may even share small plants and cuttings.

One thing you can do now is to go and look at what others are growing and what is thriving. It can be a bit disheartening when you see enormous and healthy plants that most can only dream about but everyone has to start somewhere.

And with gardening it's always ' next year it will be perfect'

Mrs_Z

By all means, it's great to do a bit of planning - no harm in that.  Generally, I'd say grow what you like to eat, no point putting in a lot of effort in growing something you won't eat. 
But as others have mentioned, it's better to wait until you get your plot to see what you're dealing with.  If it's something that's been totally overgrown with perennial weeds (bindweed, mares tail, couch grass) it'll be a while before you get to enjoy the produce!  Also, a lot depends of the soil type - if heavy clay - you will struggle to grow carrots for example.
One piece of advice someone gave me at the beginning were these 3 words:  Little and often.  Basically, what he meant was that it's better to work your plot little bit at a time, but do it often rather than for longer amounts of time not so often.  This way you don't get too tired, you see little progress but most importantly it's also a better way keeping on top of the weeding. Nothing worse than spending a day weeding your beds, returning a fortnight later and you'll be back in square one - the beds are covered in weeds again!
I'm on year 3 with my half plot next year and every year it gets better a little bit easier maintenance wise.  Lot of time in the beginning is taking getting the layout established (raised beds/paths), working and improving the soil, composts built etc.  All very worthwhile of the time spent, they will make your life easier in future!  
It's hard work at times but so so rewarding.

Ellie78

Thanks for all the great advice so far, I appreciate it.    I know there's not really much I can do until I've seen the space but I'm making notes of must do's and don'ts for future reference.   The netting/mesh and weed membrane for example.  I'm more after essential need to know tips for anyone starting out.   
Great idea about chatting to the people already using the space there too.  I might take a wander up tomorrow to see if anyone's about.   

Brambling

I second talking to others on the allotment especially those on plots near to yours, some of the best advice we got when we had ours was from the old boy next door who advised us that our plots always seem to get a late frost due to their location therefore not to plant beans etc too early and he was right.  He was a good source of advice and any left over plants he grew from seed   our allotments also had a weekly shop where you could pick up cheaper supplies like bean and pea sticks, manure etc and free advice (not always asked for) 

It may be stating the obvious but only grow things you really like for example runner beans and courgettes are really easy and will usually supply a good crop but don't grow them if you're not keen.  Allow for a winter crop so you can benefit for longer but be aware that plants like Brussels take a lot of room.  Collect things now which will save you money later ie toilet roll tubes make free pots for seeds and can be planted straight into the grounds, egg boxes to chit potatoes and grow your own plants from seeds so much cheaper than buying plants at the garden centre.   

If you have a choice of plots consider the distance to the water supply when making the choice also ours was on the edge and we found out too late it meant we were responsible to keeping the 10 foot hedge trimmed as well 

If you inherited a really overgrown plot chunk it out and dig a bit, plant seeds then dig a bit more etc 
stagger your planting where possible especially beans, peas, leafy veg etc so you have a longer cropping season
poly tunnels are a hothouse for weeds as well!  
Just because it's how it's always been done doesn't mean you have to do it that way look into methods like square meter gardening there's no need to plant every thing in neat rows unless you have gardeners ocd
try something new or different each season
give fruit a try we had rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and currants - we were given a lot, don't be afraid to ask people if they have strawberries for the runners the same with raspberry canes

Ellie78

Thanks @Brambling    Yes I already have a list of well loved veggies and fruit I'd like to try and grow if the space is good for them.   
I have a load of veg seeds I didn't get to try this year because of lack of space.   Even tried a few seeds out of a pepper from the fridge, which all germinated but never got bigger than a few inches. I thought it was probably too late in the season to plant them but thought what the hell.   Will try again earlier next year!  I'm used to collecting/growing seeds from flowers and will look at getting a little greenhouse for the garden to give me more space so our windowsills aren't completely taken over by seedlings. 

I'm even thinking of digging up a square of lawn in the back garden to prepare it for spring as I doubt I'll get a plot for a while. There are people ahead of me in the list and it's not a huge allotment. 

Brambling

I don't have the room for a greenhouse but I do have a mini one which i brought when on sale at the local garden centre at the end of a season which sits on my patio.  I can get a lot of seedings in it and i grew my chillies and some tomatoes in it over the summer.  Just be aware that it needs some weight in the bottom if it is not positioned correctly when empty.  

  I also plant hanging baskets with tumbling cherry tomatoes and i'm thinking for next year i may utilise my fence to hang small containers from.  

My sister has a very small back garden and manages to produce a lot of veg from it using 4 or 5 small raised beds, she ignores some of the spacing guidelines from books but it was a little trial and error at the beginning.

Ellie78

@Brambling yes I'd have to sit one on my patio too but there's room for a little one like yours against our south facing wall so would hopefully be good enough for peppers and seedlings.  I used hanging baskets for lettuce and rocket this year which worked well.  I'd like to try one of those hanging pocket planters next year if I can find some wall space.  Maybe I'll use the shed!

Black_Cat2

I second what B has posted.  I also have a 'spray tan booth' as my husband calls it.  Mine has no shelving and I grow tomatoes in it.  A good heavy tomato bag at the bottom holds the frame down and stops it blowing away.  Great success.  Bought mine on Amazon 👍