My first allotment

[Gaz_W]

Hi all,
I joined the forum about a week ago after signing the lease on my first allotment.

Today was my first chance to go up and start working on it and I thought I would take a quick snap of the task ahead.


I intended to take measurement of the plot while I was at it today but forgot to take a tape measure, so I counted my strides as I walked around it, and assuming each stride is about a meter (give or take), the plot is 26 meters long, by 13 meters wide.

I spent most of the rest of this morning clearing the plot of timber, bricks, canes and wire netting.
Weather permitting, I am going back tomorrow to chop the dead fruit canes down, strim the grass and lay some black plastic down over as much of the area as I can (salvaged from the plot along with the bricks I'm going to use to hold it down )

Should I be doing anything else at this point?

I think I'm going to use this thread as a bit of a photo diary of my progress, just till I cook my first "Home Grown" veg.

[Gaz_W]

In a mini update to the above, I have seen a lot of people advising people to make a plan of the allotment before starting any work.
Here is my first pass at my plan:


With the exception of the actual plot, and the random (I think plumb) tree in the bottom corner of the plot, this is all theoretical.

Would like to know opinions or any advice anyone may have.

[ginger]

Looks like a great plot - and looks like you've got lots of work to do too! Be great to see the progress over the coming season.

I'm expanding my veggie patch by turning neigbohuring grassy-patches into growing space. Getting rid of the turf is great workout - but very satisfying.
You planning on removing the turfs or going for raised beds?

[Pacey]

Awesome its HUGE! lol
A hell of alot of work ahead but going to get some awesome crops from that
Good luck and keep us updated, Plenty more pics as well

[Gaz_W]

Hello again all,

Hi Pacey, yes it does seem to be a big plot.
I had a walk round the allotment today and I think, with the exception of a couple, it's one of the bigger plots.

Hi Ginger, It does feel like an insurmountable task at the moment but I am really please with how much I have got done so far.
I am planning on removing the turf rather than going for raised beds.

So, here is the photo from day 2:


I was at the allotment for about 3 or 4 hours and managed to cut down all of the dead fruit canes and strim about a third of the plots long grass and weeds.
I still have a few fruit canes around the borders of the plot but I want to speak to the adjacent people before cutting them down, just in case.
I also lay the black plastic (that you can see in the photo) down over the area that I strimmed.

If the weather holds out, I'm planning and going back tomorrow with a view to cutting down those border canes and strimming the rest of the plot.

[ChoccyCarole]

I look forward to your progress and hard work ~
What a great sized allotment~ very exciting
I look forward to all the photos too ~ here
and on Pacey's fab [NEW garden project] thread

Now Gaz_W ~~ I just need to work out all your measurements~ into feet
by multiplying by 3'ish

[bailz]

hi gaz you got any further on the plot i prop jealous i tryig to get a plot but having no luck regards bailz p.s more pics please

[Peony]

Hi Gaz... I'm in a very similar situation to you. I signed the lease for my allotment two weeks ago and I'm in the middle of clearing it up, it's a real mess!

I was told that my allotment is 5 rods, I have no idea how big this is supposed to be, I think it's smaller than yours though. I wish I had thought to take some pictures before I started, it would have been a really good way to keep track on progress!

Are you going to clear all of the grass? And try to cultivate it all at once? I'm considering doing half of it to begin with and then once that's growing start on the next half, but I'm not sure...

I've started to clear a small area and it already looks so much better, I'm really pleased with it! I've also fixed the shed, which was in a terrible state! Like you, I've found old timber, bricks, glass and lots of rubbish.

Best wishes

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Laura, 5 rods is 25 metres or 82 feet. You are going the right way about it by sorting out and clearing one area at a time.

[DavidT]

As you ar cultivating an area, Laura, plant something. That way you are getting something back for the work you are doing.

[Peony]

Thanks Lesley and David! It's great to know that I'm doing the right thing!

[Gaz_W]

Hi all,
Sorry it's been so long between posts, I have loads happening with work, personal life, you know - all the things that get in the way of spending time doing fun stuff.

Anyway, this is a photo showing my plot as it stands today.



I have now strimmed all of the plot but need to go over some of it again.
I have also dig over about 1/3rd of the plot.

The couple of raised beds on the left (as you look at the photo) have onions and strawberry's in them.
The onions are getting huge and the strawberry plants have some big fat green berry's on them now.

I am going back to the allotment this evening or tomorrow after work with the shears to cut down some big thistles before I strim.
Then this weekend (weather permitting) I plan to dig over the rest of the plot.

Hi Peony,
Because I don't know a lot about growing, I figured that even if I cleared half the plot, I still wouldn't know enough to grow anything this year.
I decided to clear the plot in one big go, then spend a few months improving the soil and getting it ready for when I can grow things.

I saw you have started a thread and I am going to have a read now.

[Peony]

Originally Posted by Gaz_W

Hi Peony,
Because I don't know a lot about growing, I figured that even if I cleared half the plot, I still wouldn't know enough to grow anything this year.
I decided to clear the plot in one big go, then spend a few months improving the soil and getting it ready for when I can grow things.

I saw you have started a thread and I am going to have a read now.

Wow, you've done a fantastic job.... I know how hard it is to dig hard, compacted ground! Well done! I've dug most of mine now, just to clear the ground really, but the weeds are already coming back!! I've bought some ground cover sheets from Tesco (fantastic value and really thick for just £1.50 each!!) 5m x 1.5m and I'm going to use them to cover the ground that I'm not planning on using at the moment, hopefully to prevent the weeds from growing so much.

I definitely need to improve my soil too. What are you planning on using? I'm thinking about getting some manure delivered, I just need to work out how much!

Thanks for your comments on my thread, it's lovely to be able to share it with lots of people who really understand!

[Gaz_W]

I made a compost bin when I first got the plot.
By the end of the summer, I should have about a ton of compost that I plan on digging into the soil.

I found a donkey sancuary not far from where I live, and as long as you take your own bags, you can help yourself to as much manure as you like.
It's not going to be rotted down so I am planning on laying it on top of the beds and letting the bugs and worms take it into the ground over the winter.

I have come to terms with not growing a lot this year so most of my plot will be covered over till next year to stop weeds popping up.

[Peony]

That's great! It's really helpful to have access to such fresh manure for free! I wonder if I can find somewhere like that nearby!