Beginner's allotment basics

RAS

Hi, if you have a disability, I'd second and third using no dig/Dowding/compost tractor techniques. Make a decision about the location of one  bed. Wet it if you are allowed, lay down cardboard and whatever weeds you have (minus the flowers of thistle, dock and groundsel). Add a light layer of manure, as much household veggie and garden waste as you can. Once you have a good layer, water, spread a layer of wood chip on top, then more garden/household waste and weeds. Rinse and repeat the waste, manure and woodchip layers.

By spring, you should have several inches of decent soil, some formed when your waste was dragged into the soil by worms and some heaped on top. Loosen the soil to remove any pernicious weeds like dandelion and bind weed. Ditto couch grass.  You might want to dig over once to remove rubble and roots, or to use it to grow squashes next summer?

Consider also getting one bed cleared of the worst weeds, wetted and planted with "winter" onions and with broad beans; the variety Valenciana would prefer an October sowing or even early November. Those we planted in September last year had gone over by Christmas. If you know anyone who goes to any of the autumn shows DT Brown attend ,the price is usually £1 per packet (and that includes green manures. Dobbies/Johnsons also do it and Wilkos sell Johnson's seeds.

Then move onto the next bed. 

Look out for the lockable storage chests sold in the supermarkets, as this provides a seat and storage. And a rake is very good for evening out ground, and for covering seeds without bending.

LessImpecunious

Had not come across the "compost tractor" before - thanks RAS!

pickledonionspaceraider

What a fabulous thread - quietly following, as I am nearing the top of the wait list for a plot (and am a complete novice too)

Cariboudle

I got my half plot last year in October.  The weeds were taller than me!  And it was terribly rutted with what might once have been potato rows.  As I slowly cleared it, I found broken bits of wood, bricks, carpet (ew), nails and screws (so be careful as you walk around!) and, if you'll believe it, 18 perfectly good concrete slabs under about three inches of dirt and grown over with grass.  These I used to make a base for my shed.  Your overgrown allotment may well have buried treasure too!

While I was trying to save money as much as possible there were just some things I had to spend on to get it in hand.  However, here's the best thing I did for relatively cheap.

I borrowed or bought the tools that I needed to brush cut all the weeds down to ankle height, then mow everything down as low as I could with a petrol mower.  Then I collected a shed load of cardboard, and purchased a huge roll of weed fabric from amazon and managed to find loads of free pallets (facebook, garden centres, builder's merchants, building sites) and covered most of the plot with cardboard and fabric, using the pallets to keep the fabric in place over winter.

The idea is this:  You've cleared the plot and *mostly* prevented the weeds from coming back full force by excluding the light.  Winter also sorts out a lot of that for you.  Now you can uncover a small patch at a time, dig out any remaining weeds or roots, and install a bed / plant a thing in manageable chunks.  Meanwhile, the plot looks a little taken care of and tidy, and your allotment neighbors can see you're working on it.

Speaking of storage, though, do check facebook marketplace.  Sheds, greenhouses, storage benches and garden furniture are often offered on there for next to nothing or free.  

Sapindus

LessImpecunious said:

You might like to consider a no-dig approach to your new plot - the claim of no-diggers (and my experience as a newish convert - in a garden, not allotment) is that it is labour-saving especially in terms of ground preparation and ongoing maintenance (weeding). There's lots of advice at https://charlesdowding.co.uk/faqs/ and, specifically re. allotments, at https://charlesdowding.co.uk/allotments/; and a very helpful FB page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Undug

One advantage of no-dig would be that you might not need to dig out every small bit of plastic (though you might want to remove larger rubbish), as you would be planting into a mulch of compost laid over the soil, which remains permanently undisturbed (unless you need to dig out perennial weed roots). I would avoid membrane under paths (or anywhere), and recommend woodchip for making paths (often available in bulk at allotments - tree surgeons happy to offload their waste!); wood/planks for edging beds have some advantages but tend to harbour slugs and snails, though can be useful temporarily to create your beds. Also, would highly recommend saving every bit of weed/green waste you can - not disposing of it elsewhere - to make a compost heap (a bin helps to keep this together, but not necessary - though a few pallets tied together works well) - whatever kind of growing you do home-made compost is one of your most valuable (and money-saving!) resources.

LessImpecunious you are an allotmenteer after my own heart.  In fact - are you actually me???

LessImpecunious

Sapindus said:

LessImpecunious you are an allotmenteer after my own heart.  In fact - are you actually me???

 Not guilty!  (I'm not even an allotmenteer - just a gardeneer! )

Prudent

Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate all the help.

I am happy to report some progress, albeit quite slow because I haven't been well the past few days. The tiny bits of plastic have mostly gone. I measured the plot - it is 38 feet by 18 feet. After stretching (!) my maths skills I converted this to square yards and learned about rods. It is pretty much spot on size-wise for a traditional quarter plot.

There is now about 4 feet of earth weed free, lightly dug over and covered in cow manure at one end. I have ordered some autumn mix green manure. The soil is full of worms and seems to have a good structure. It is very slightly acidic so I am looking into the possibility of spent mushroom manure to be able to grow brassicas in the spring. 

Everyone is so helpful and friendly. I have been using the communal tools and wheelbarrow as I am cycling there most days. Due to my illness (which impacts my concentration) I sometimes can't drive for long spells. There is a cycle path 90% of the route between my house and the allotment which is fabulous. I pop things like gloves, a flask and small tools in my panniers. I have bought a plastic compost bin and in the interim, I am going to store a folding camping chair in it. I have drilled some holes in the side and I will tie it the fence.