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New to allotments - need advice on clearing and planting
Del Cardiff
Posts: 8
in Fruit & veg
Hello everyone,
I went to see my new allotment yesterday and signed on the dotted line to take it on. It is rather overgrown and will need to clear it out over the next two weeks. Any tips on doing this? I have access to a rotavator - is this the best way? Or should I strim and weed?
I then need to be seen to be cultivating a third of the Allotment in three months (gulp) and am worried about it being November/December by then and will find it difficult to grow anything!!
I am very excited about finally getting my hands on an allotment - but a little scared about messing things up.
Any hints/tips very welcome.
Del
0
Posts
Del, It will look very daunting at the moment, forget the rotavator it will mash up the weeds and scatter them shades of Joe from Gardeners world when he tried an allotment. Cut down any tall stuff but make sure it is not seeding first then the hard bit. Concentrate on the third not the whole it will be too much. Dig over that section hand weeding as you go, that will be the large rooted weeds especially, if you can get some manure or compost then dig it into that one section, better to cultivate what you will need at first than try doing it all. The weeding is much easier if you have a large riddle to throw the soil onto. Not knowing where you are or the weather it would be best to ask the other allotment growers advice on what to sow between now and winter, they are a friendly lot usually willing to help. It will be hard work which will get easier as you work across the plot and grow more things, good luck with it.
Frank.
Hi Del Cardiff welcome to the forum
I would cut down grass rake it up and pull out any weeds you can get hold of, then rotavate the plot then a general tidy up/ weed. Enjoy yourself, take lots of refreshment cause you will need them. And be prepared for back ache
Get a radio, it makes the job much easier, once you get in to a rythum it really isnt that bad at all, most end up rather enjoying digging! Sorry if im being patronising, its not intended, but be methodical and work backwards so not to tramp all over the bits you have done. Another little trick is to lay cardboard down where you want your path, then empty the stones you collect on to it, its not neat or pretty but works, and saves you having buckets or heaps of stones all over.
Its a little late in the season to plant many things, i would reccomend a green manure like phacelia, it will help (not stop) to keep the weeds down and can be dug in to add nutrients, i have some spare seed if you would like to try, just send me a pm
Best wishes
Im somewhere in the middle when it comes to rotovators, the rule is that it breaks the weeds up which causes an epidemic of weeds as they all re grow from the little bits, however, i have read articles, books etc where this hasnt been a problem, i suppose if you know the risk then its your choice
Hi fellow Cardiff allotmenteer - agree with everyone's comments - approach it in sections rather than tackle the whole plot. Also when you clear an area, try and edge it with planking to keep a clean edge and stop the weeds/grass creeping back into the cultivated areas. Took on my allotment 5 years ago and it was totally overgrown, but within a year it was productive and worth all the effort. I am sure your fellow gardeners will soon be giving you surplus plants to get you started as well
Good luck.
Try and identify which weeds you have too, as this will indicate whether rotavating will be of benefit. If there is bindweed, ground elder, marestail or lots of dandelions, rotavating will make things much worse. My advice is to do as many others have suggested and tackle it by hand, digging over a small section at a time and thoroughly hand-weeding each bit as you do it. Simply digging over and weeding counts as cultivation and will also make other allotment holders happy as they won't be getting any more seeds blown in from your plot!
Bekkie hughes - i agree what you are saying - i should of said dig the weeds up first like bob said rotavating can make some weeds 10 times worse. but my brain don't function to well after i just got up
but i need my beauty sleep 
Hello , having cleared an allotment and now doing another I would not rotavate
definitely do a bit at a time , I would also recommend paths , with bark Chipping's which I got free from a local tree surgeon
I have used a strimmer and on the second one and have used some weed killer , I known most people on this furom would not do this but needs must !
as for planting I put in winter onions and garlic
best of luck
Don't forget that you can compost the weeds even bindweed and docks as long as you keep them separate from the general compost heap and cover them with something to keep the light out, they may take a couple of years to rot down but are full of goodness.