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• Message 1. 

  Posted by earth_girl (U8663626) on Friday, 18th February 2011

  Hello ,
  
  I have just had the best news ever hee hee! I have been offered my first allotment site and was hoping any of you could give me some tips please?
  
  Ideally, i would like to grown herbs, some salad items and veg.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Kleftiwallah (U13700999) on Friday, 18th February 2011

  Don't rush into it while wearing rose coloured spectacles. Stand back and see how much work will be involved 'getting it back into shape'.
  
  I know you are keen to get stuck in but the physical effort of clearing a rough allotment can mar any joy you may hope to gain from growing your own crops. You may choose to decline this one and wait a while for one that is already 'up and running' or this one may be close to a track and open to theft by 'the borrowers' .
  
  Don't like to wee on your cornflakes but just take care in taking the first one that comes up. Cheers, Tony.
  
  

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Calendula (U2331338) on Friday, 18th February 2011

  With apologies to Roger McGough:
  
  "I want an allotment
  I REALLY want an allotment
  Can I have an allotment?
  Can I? I can?
  Promise? Promise?
  Yippee I've got an allotment
  I've got an allotment
  
  OK what shall I grow?"
  
  
  

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Den2611 (U14436560) on Friday, 18th February 2011

  Congratulations earth_girl.
  Unfortunately this isn't the best time of year to get a plot as the sowing season is almost here and you may have a lot of weed clearing and general tidying up to do if the plot has been neglected. You really need to dig/rotovate the soil before sowing anything too. If that all sounds a bit daunting, I'd suggest cultivating just a part of the plot this year and cover the rest with black plastic or something similar which will kill any weeds eventually and you can then dig it in the autumn ready for next year.
  Most important thing is to enjoy it so don't let it become a chore.
  Good luck with everything you grow
  D

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by tiptonnic (U14496053) on Friday, 18th February 2011

  I would portion your allotment into sizes that you can tackle one by one and cover any "unused" areas with black "plastic" sheeting, old carpet or something similar that will kill and suppress any weeds while you focus you work in other areas.

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by the2 jays (U14383723) on Friday, 18th February 2011

  Have you seen your plot yet? People might be able to advise better when you know what it's like.

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Playingtimeaddedon (U14150224) on Friday, 18th February 2011

  If your ground is not too heavy, I would rough dig (dig a spade-full and turn it over grass-side down) two or three rows a day.
  
  April time, I would dig that over with a fork, shaking out the roots and turf, ready to plant potatoes, which would be part of the ground cleaning process.
  
  Don't try to do it all at once, do a small area at a time, and sow things, because it gives a boost to morale when you see some return for your hard work.
  
  I would also try to arrange the plot so that when you grow things, especially peas and beans, that the rows are North and South not East and West. This is because bees work best in the sunshine, and with N&S rows, the sun shines on one side in the morning and on the other in the afternoon, so you get better pollination, which means a heavier crop.
  
  Gardeners are usually happy to pass on their experience and give advice, so have a look round and see who has the best plot with the widest variety of crops, and ask them. There are plenty of people with plots that have weeds up to waist height who are full of advice! If they know it, why don't they do it!
  
  Good Luck!

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by overtonmike (U14318708) on Saturday, 19th February 2011

  This notion about bees in the previous post is spurious at best. There's no evidence for this at all! Perhaps the biggest barrier to new allotment holders is all the smoke and mirrors nonsense. I would recommend:
  1. Buy a couple of decent books (Monty/Carol/Geoff/Alan/RHS - Whatever's your poison)
  2. Study the other plots on your site this first season - You'll learn loads about what everyone can grow, what only a few people can grow (this points you towards experts in particular crops) & what won't grow well on your site.
  3. Keep a record of what you plant and when (this doesn't have to be a chore and will payback aplenty in years to come.
  4. Use these messageboards, but don't take everything as gospel. These are just people's opinions after all
  
  Cheers

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Saturday, 19th February 2011

  Congratulations!
  
  I basically agree with what most of the others have said.
  
  I produced this article based on my experience of 'allotmenteering' over the past 30+ years.
  
  Hopefully, it might give you some insight as to what to do or expect.
  
  Biggest tip; do a little often rather than a lot in a short time!
  
  Use the related links and feel free to have a look at a year on my allotments.
  
  

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by Playingtimeaddedon (U14150224) on Saturday, 19th February 2011

  Try it out for yourself overtonmike.
  
  Grow a double row of runner beans on a N/S line and a similar double row on and E/W line, and I bet that you will find that the beans on the Northern side of the E/W row will produce less beans.
  
  Of course, I had my first allotment in the 60's so have not much experience.
  
  

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