All the advice I got when I started on my plot was not to rotavate until you got rid of perennial weeds, because it'd just chop them to small pieces and make the problem much, much worse. I suppose the weedkiller + plastic combination would get rid of them, but I wanted to make you aware of this.
I sowed some seeds on Sunday, but didn't manage to plant the overgrown plants I've got in pots.
And my tomatoes and French beans (indoors at the moment) are in bloom! The beans even have pods. It looks like the weather isn't going to get too cold (no frosts, I mean), can I plant them out now, do you think?
I did use a lot of thick cardboard, I do have black weed fabric and green from neighbour, great if you have been offered help with clearing e.g. strimming
With the nettles you need to dig them out the have quite big roots that spread across and down - i have been removing them in this last week - been digging a lot these last weeks - think once the main perennial weeds dandelions, nettle, docks and brambles have gone it is not so hard digging out the annual weeds as when you dig you do disturb the soil which can have dormant seeds in
What size is the plot, not too bad is only a slight slope
Other than that clear a bit of ground then plant some thing - potatoes help open the soil up and where you earth the soil up over them it helps keep weeds away
Aster2 put them out and in harden them of for a day or two then plant out may be feed at same time
My sweetcorn seeds are up and some cucumbers and sunflowers
thanks gg,signed up yeaterday so have commited now! so it is feasible to start one or two beds at a time? I was thinking of scattering some wilflower seed in one area too. unsure whether shed fit to keep, also gh frame, looks quite big but is flat, I'll look and see if it's ok to just get another plastic cover, any tips for things I can't do without?best things to start with the tatties?
Well done Rosemummy great to get an allotment plot - you need a fork cutter spade, rake - potatoes good to start with wildflower nice, think about what you like to eat and what the kids like - strawberries are good
Do you have ways of taking pics so we can see?
Went to the allotment today bit more digging done - it is a waiting time to see if I have done well enough to keep my plot
Peas are doing good in the garden need planting out,
I'm new to allotment keeping. My friend and I took over a lot over winter. Seeing it covered in 6 foot brambles is quite daunting.
Thankfully someone from the council strimmed it for us We have half a plot and it's quite steep. We're lucky because it's already been terraced, and we inherited a shed, water butts and composter.
The plot had been abandoned for at least two years. I made the mistake of only digging over once before planting the garlic, onions and potatoes. Now I'm thinking it needs digging over three times before it's ready for a rake.
I'm trying to keep areas covered until I can dig them over to remove the weeds.
I'm planning to use the pallet as a edible flower planter by lining it with felt and propping it against the shed. I have no idea if that will work.
I have more ( 10 x 4 varieties) first earlies to plant out some tomato plants seem to be nearly ready. I've been growing some celeriac and celery seeds but they seem too thin and delicate to cope. Did I do something wrong?
Hello Emma28, your and your friends plot definitely had high up brambles, has your plot got couch grass in?
I have pricked out my celerly into individual cell trays and with multi purpose compost still small - celery do need food and found out this year they are a wet land kinda plant like to stay moist to do well
Celeriac first time me trying this and seedlings extremely tiny, I can see the top pic others not
Nice the council strimmed it for you, How many plots on your site and where abouts are you?
I still have potatoes to plant as got free ones from the allotment shop first earlies
Apparently there are only 38 plots on the site although it seems large to me. I'm on the Cranbrook Road site in Bristol.
I seem to have an issue with opening the photos properly.
I think my main issue will be with Brambles and nettles. There is some grass but it's not thrived/ I burnt it over winter. I might be proven wrong though!
Hi all, gosh Emma, mine looks easy compared to yuors! thanks aster, i wasn't keen on rotivating so I'm going to do bit by bit and just dig out weeds and use weed suppressantand maybe cardboard. I'll start with potatoes, I already have lots of strwaberries so can move some there, definitely want fruit bushes and trees, will hang on to buy trees til can get bare root in winter, will get maybe rasberry canes if i see any, and black/red/pink/white currants
Posts
All the advice I got when I started on my plot was not to rotavate until you got rid of perennial weeds, because it'd just chop them to small pieces and make the problem much, much worse. I suppose the weedkiller + plastic combination would get rid of them, but I wanted to make you aware of this.
I sowed some seeds on Sunday, but didn't manage to plant the overgrown plants I've got in pots.
And my tomatoes and French beans (indoors at the moment) are in bloom! The beans even have pods. It looks like the weather isn't going to get too cold (no frosts, I mean), can I plant them out now, do you think?
I did use a lot of thick cardboard, I do have black weed fabric and green from neighbour, great if you have been offered help with clearing e.g. strimming
With the nettles you need to dig them out the have quite big roots that spread across and down - i have been removing them in this last week - been digging a lot these last weeks - think once the main perennial weeds dandelions, nettle, docks and brambles have gone it is not so hard digging out the annual weeds as when you dig you do disturb the soil which can have dormant seeds in
What size is the plot, not too bad is only a slight slope
Other than that clear a bit of ground then plant some thing - potatoes help open the soil up and where you earth the soil up over them it helps keep weeds away
Aster2 put them out and in harden them of for a day or two then plant out may be feed at same time
My sweetcorn seeds are up and some cucumbers and sunflowers
thanks gg,signed up yeaterday so have commited now! so it is feasible to start one or two beds at a time? I was thinking of scattering some wilflower seed in one area too. unsure whether shed fit to keep, also gh frame, looks quite big but is flat, I'll look and see if it's ok to just get another plastic cover, any tips for things I can't do without?best things to start with the tatties?
Thanks, Gardengirl. I've been putting them outside for the day, so I'll plant them out this weekend.
Congratulations, rosemummy!
Well done Rosemummy great to get an allotment plot - you need a fork cutter spade, rake - potatoes good to start with wildflower nice, think about what you like to eat and what the kids like - strawberries are good
Do you have ways of taking pics so we can see?
Went to the allotment today bit more digging done - it is a waiting time to see if I have done well enough to keep my plot
Peas are doing good in the garden need planting out,
Hello all,
I'm new to allotment keeping. My friend and I took over a lot over winter. Seeing it covered in 6 foot brambles is quite daunting.
The plot had been abandoned for at least two years. I made the mistake of only digging over once before planting the garlic, onions and potatoes. Now I'm thinking it needs digging over three times before it's ready for a rake.
I'm planning to use the pallet as a edible flower planter by lining it with felt and propping it against the shed. I have no idea if that will work.
I have more ( 10 x 4 varieties) first earlies to plant out some tomato plants seem to be nearly ready. I've been growing some celeriac and celery seeds but they seem too thin and delicate to cope. Did I do something wrong?
I'd appreciate any feedback/ advice
Hello Emma28, your and your friends plot definitely had high up brambles, has your plot got couch grass in?
I have pricked out my celerly into individual cell trays and with multi purpose compost still small - celery do need food and found out this year they are a wet land kinda plant like to stay moist to do well
Celeriac first time me trying this and seedlings extremely tiny, I can see the top pic others not
Nice the council strimmed it for you, How many plots on your site and where abouts are you?
I still have potatoes to plant as got free ones from the allotment shop first earlies
Free potatoes sound good!
Apparently there are only 38 plots on the site although it seems large to me. I'm on the Cranbrook Road site in Bristol.
I seem to have an issue with opening the photos properly.
I think my main issue will be with Brambles and nettles. There is some grass but it's not thrived/ I burnt it over winter. I might be proven wrong though!
Hi all, gosh Emma, mine looks easy compared to yuors! thanks aster, i wasn't keen on rotivating so I'm going to do bit by bit and just dig out weeds and use weed suppressantand maybe cardboard. I'll start with potatoes, I already have lots of strwaberries so can move some there, definitely want fruit bushes and trees, will hang on to buy trees til can get bare root in winter, will get maybe rasberry canes if i see any, and black/red/pink/white currants
This is how my plot looked last week (apparently the other photos were too large!)
Wilkinsons is selling some berry canes atm (I got a blueberry and golden raspberry). I can't resist a £2 plant!