[gstrong]

Hello :-) got my first wee plot (tiny really just 18m2) in mid August this year and it has taken a couple of months to get it into good order (between work and family etc.)
I decided to dig it over, not for the weeds particularly, but with a little test dig I found some rubble just under the surface.
I'm glad I did because I found lots of rubble, glass, half a bicycle, a pair of trousers of all things, some batteries, mattress springs and buried polythene sheeting - nothing would have grown with all that in there.

I'm quite happy to be of the no-dig persuasion now that I know the soil is clear of all that rubbish :-)

Clearing the weeds with cardboard and mulch is good, but I think digging to clear when you first get a plot - although really hard work even for a tiny plot like mine - is the best way to know everything you're going to grow has the best possible start (some of the other plot holders I have been speaking to that didn't dig to start with are still digging up glass and rubble years later).

All in the preparation ;-)

[Yorkie]

HALF a bicycle?! 

[Christine]

Better than the ford prefect that someone dug out of one of the allotments on our site. Or the 250 bricks we found when clearing an allotment. Always dig first. 

[Potterer]

Ok, had been hoping to do no dig, particularly in places that seem to have grass only (not couch). My plot has had various coverings which have sometimes done their job, BUT now appreciate more what Christine and others have said. As we have strimmed bits we hadn’t done before, the extent of stuff left by previous plot holders has come to light. As we are not allowed sheds, they obviously hid lots of things under carpet. And put more carpet over old carpet, and made a big pile of (now rotting) underlay, and put lots of bricks, plastic bags, pots, wood etc - all rotted now and nicely incorporated into the soil so that you cant get them out easily! So no dig will have to wait until we’ve got rid of all the rubbbish!

Hope we manage to get on top of it - another gloomy plot holder was saying how bad our plot is and that it will take years and years to get on top of it. I keep telling myself that each year will be better (less rubbish and weeds) than the last if I do a bit often! Glad its not our first plot otherwise we might give up already! Need a bit of a pep talk really...

[Aidy]

Don't try to do everything at once, slow and steady.

Enjoy it it's a hobby not a chore

Lots of good advice by all, but this one above, pure gold!!


Take it easy bit by bit and dont tackle it all at once.
When I was showing people plots to take over I would show them some of the best ones and explain to them it took the plot holders around 5 years to get it to this state, there is no secret army of gardeners like GW behind the scenes.
Enjoy it, never get downhearted and also speak to people on site, they will know what grows well and what doesn't on your soil type.

[al78]

HALF a bicycle?! 

Unicycle?

[martybenji]

Don't try to do everything at once, slow and steady.

Enjoy it it's a hobby not a chore

Lots of good advice by all, but this one above, pure gold!!


Take it easy bit by bit and dont tackle it all at once.
When I was showing people plots to take over I would show them some of the best ones and explain to them it took the plot holders around 5 years to get it to this state, there is no secret army of gardeners like GW behind the scenes.
Enjoy it, never get downhearted and also speak to people on site, they will know what grows well and what doesn't on your soil type.

Great advice, I've learnt so much about allotment growing from other plotholders who know the local conditions rather than books that deal with generalities.