Help needed!!!!

[pinknessiejeff]

Hi I got my first allotment yesterday and I love it but what do I do now????
It has been cleared so there is no grass or anything. ow do I plan it and what should I be doing this time of year. Oh I have one apple tree at the end.
So please help cheers,
Ness.

[bantiekeeper]

Hi there. Congratulations on getting your allotment! Weather conditions permitting I would rough dig the plot now. Do not knock the clods down too much. Then leave the frost, snow and rain to work on it over the winter. Order some seed catalogues and spend the cold nights planning what you will do next season. It is not that far off bearing in mind we will be looking to buy Potatoes and Onion sets in about 12 weeks or so!

[pinknessiejeff]

Thank you for your reply.
There is a trading shed were I can put an order in for potatos so I have just done that. Will have a wonder down there tomorrow see what goes on in the shed!!!!
Can I put grass seed down now for the paths? Sorry to keep asking questions!!!!
Thanks again..

[bantiekeeper]

You could sow grass seed now as the weather is quite good. I have tried all types of paths on my plot over the last 17 years including grass. The one we have ended up with for the last 5 years is woodchip with a membrane underneath. I found the problem with grass paths apart from the amount of time spent cutting them throughout the summer is that, unless you can catch the cuttings in a grass box, they fly all over the beds and grow away.
I used a petrol strimmer and it flew everywhere. They also have a tendancy to grow sideways into the beds, especially if couch grass gets in.Hope this helps.

[Poolcue]

You could try and plant overwintering onions and garlic now to start something off