Got my Allotment now its time to learn what to do with it!

I thought that I'd missed out this year but received a email last week offering me an allotment I arranged to go out on Saturday to view it.... Came away with paying my rent for a year

The plot size is 18.75m X 6.7m

This site has only been going since 2012, but saying that the earth is very good, apparently something like 4ft of topsoil sitting on sand, so drainage is excellent.

Problem now for me, is that apart from tomatoes and salad such as lettuce, I've never grown vegetables and only have a vague idea to what granddad used to have in his veg plot during the year. So a complete beginner.

I do have greenhouse which is unheated but again not 100% sure about starting off seeds or when etc.

So I welcome some tips and suggestions, to what I can start off in the unheated greenhouse, and what I should be doing now through to January to start prepping the allotment for sowing

Oh, and some idea concerning how much to grow of each crop such as cauliflowers, gabages and spuds etc. So that I have enough but not too much.

 

Excellent news Ellie

 

That appears to be a 5 pole plot, AKA a 'half plot'.

That appears to be an incredible depth of topsoil, as when working out excavation depths on construction projects the rule of thumb (prior to soil survey) was to assume 150mm/6" on greenfield sites or residential lawn, 300mm/12" for cultivated garden areas and up to 45omm for allotments, the greatest depth we ever found was 600mm/2 feet deep in a large garden within a site that was being re-developed at higher density, where the tenants had previously kept hens, rabbits, grown loads of fruit & veg. The fact that the tenants were then too old to cope with it anymore and would be getting a brand new build property to replace it mitigated my feelings about the loss of such a wonderful garden

 

The chap did say it was half the size of a post war plot, mind you back then families were a lot bigger on average than today's. I'm only growing for 3 of us at home

As the allotments are on the edge of the village, it is a bit exposed at the moment and a hedge has been planted so just needs to mature to act as a wind break. This year they are hoping to drill a water bore hole and install a manual pump, as at the moment there's no water supply only what is gathered from the two communal sheds, and other tenants have their own water butts on their sheds. The soil itself is lovely as you on the main part of the Somerset Levels (thankfully not the area that flooded) I was shocked to see how easily it was digable...

Officially I don't take the plot over until the 1st of January but I can start sorting it out now, as the chap that had it does have some veg still left that he's slowly lifting out, but he has sectioned the plot off to 4 beds, and one he's already cleared so it just got weeds on it... Oh and he's leaving his compost bin...

We can put a shed up, but it must be a 6x4 and no concrete base allowed, and giving a couple the tip of putting anchor poles on the corners, and using extra screws to secure the roof...

I will be putting a shed up, but probably not until March time, as I will want somewhere to store odds and sods, and be able to make a brew while I'm out there.

Meet a couple of the others, and they all seems to be friendly, and pre-warned them that I'm on a rather steep learning curve concerning growing my own veg,

 

Is your plot over grown at all?/

 

Hi Ellie - have a look at these RHS webpages - some good advice here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/beginners-guide/allotment-basics

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/begin...s/what-to-consider-when-starting-an-allotment

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/beginners-guide/allotment-basics/choose-your-crops

a-a

 

@ Jungle Jane, thankfully not too bad, there's no brambles or bine weed to worry about, the weeds that are there are just established enough that a fork will get them out pretty easily, without having to tug them up.

I'm trying to work out what I really want to grow, when to start sowing, greenhouse or out, and how much I need etc

 

What's the rules regarding poly tunnels?

 

Have you got any fruit bushes on your plot? Now would be a great time to buy and plant raspberry canes, strawberries and current and blackberry bushes too. Also fruit trees. After Christmas I will be planting a few apple cordons on my plot.

 

@Scrungee I've just checked the agreement it doesn't mention them... Did see a small polytunnel/closh (sp) on one of the plots.

@ I'm sure that I didn't see any unless the were hidden against the boarder of the next plot as there was some highish foliage against the boarding plot, but I suspect it's not hiding fruit bushes though..

But yes I do intent to plant some fruit bushes, raspberries and blackberries in the main, black/red/white currents and gooseberries I don't like... Strawberries I probably for at least this year keep these at home.

As to apples I think I'm going to leave until 2016 get one year of growing under my belt, so I can see how much space I might need for veg crops etc.

 

Got any pictures of your plot Ellie?

 

I will try to upload one, I took on my phone not very good ones though

 

Not the best of photo's I must admit, the previous chap has split the plot into 4 beds as you cans see the large grass pathway through the middle, the right hand at the front is empty and full of weeds, the left as you can see is weeds, at the back right had is potatoes which he's still lifting and on the left is parsnips... Oh the compost bin right at the back is apparently staying, there was a shed but that has been moved to another plot... But still got a decent base to place another one on.

I'm think that I will dig out the grass path ways that divide the beds, as well losing a lot of growing space there...

 

It looks quite exposed there Ellie. Noway near as bad as my plot, you should have it cleared and ready for spring in no time

 

@Jungle Jane it is a tad, but it's the Somerset Levels!

I've been following yours escapades, very daunting and looking forward to seeing your endeavors next year...

They are very strict on the do's, don't and what is allowed or not on site, this is due to the struggle they had getting it up and running which took several years and they started the site January 2012. They have no funding from either the Parish or District council so it's a case of raising funds via our rents and looking for any possible grants that might be available etc.