[Lorri]

We have just taken on our very first allotment plot. It is very overgrown with weeds one half and the other half has about 6 or 7 raspberry canes, some rhubarb plants and a redcurrant plant amongst weeds! Not in any order rows etc it all just looks like a big mass of bushes!  It also has a huge rosemary plant ( very woody) and a few other herbs too. The trouble is they all look old and scraggly.
Would it be best to just cut it all down and start again (which was my initial thought) or can they be cut down and moved into a new position once we have dug it all out.
I have no idea of the history of the plot and how long they have been there, I spoke to an allotment neighbour and they said since they have been there 8 years they have never seen anyone there 🙀

Any advice would be really appreciated.

[snow white]

If it were me I would plan what I wanted to do with the plot first and divide into bite size pieces of work to do. I personally like a structured plot with lots of beds.  Others like to rotivate their entire plot and just have one or two areas for permanent planting.   When you have done that, you can clear a section at a time and then replant things.  Rhubarb is best replanted with all the leaves die down.  If the Rosemary is big and scrubby, take cuttings and scrap the plant.  Redcurrants can be dug up and trimmed right down.  Raspberry canes can be transplanted any time but do best when all the leaves have gone.  Herbs can be moved and cut down now.  Do a bit at a time but do it often.

[Lorri]

Thank you for your advice, I'm glad that some of them can be saved. It's going to be a long road ahead 😀

[Aidy]

1st thing first, prepare yourself for a lot of hard graft.

I would think you have the likes of couch grass, mares/ horsetail and a few other pesky weeds that you cant get rid off, so for me the important thing is to clear the area that is not planted first and dig, dig, dig and dig some more and try and get rid of every root you can, at least you will have an area you can use.

The area thats planted with the rhubarb etc again needs to be cleared as much as possible as you dont want to be lifting them every year to weed them, as mentioned the crown can be lifted and moved on if need be, raspberry plants are nearly indestructable, dig them up and wash the roots with a hose to get rid of all the rubbish around them ready for re-planting. Rosemary as mentioned I would take cuttings and replant those, once established they will soon grow on.

The main thing is dont get disheartend, the rewards in the end are very much worth the effort, the better you clear it now the more you will enjoy it when your growing.
Once cleared you can decide if you want a single bed system in which you rotate your veg or the raised bed system, each have advantages and disadvantages, remember its your plot so you decide.
And finaly, good luck and remember the old WW2 posters "Dig for Victory"

[LosPollosHermanos]

My top tip would be to take it steady,  don't try and take it all on at once or you'll crash and burn. I see it all the time with new members dealing with an overgrown plot. They come in and try to sort everything out in a few massive efforts and then never come back again and then the cycle starts all over again. Like others have already said, just keep chipping away at it no matter what style of gardening your going to do, getting a patch that going that you can actually plant something into and get something out of it will help keep you motivated.

Take lots of photos too so you can look back on how far you've come. It's easy to forget how bad it was when you started and you'll get a real kick out of it in a year or two when you come back to those photos.

[Mr Dog]

Will add my agreement to the little and often approach - don't let it become a chore. When I first got my allotment I used to go up when I could to dig, setting myself a (easy) target of how far I would get. I rarely did more than my target and if the area turned out to be more difficult to clear than I'd expected (areas full of plastic/old rope/metal/glass etc) then I had no qualms to abandon the plan and not meet it that day. The only other suggestion I would give is to try and clear a small area, get some autumn onion sets, garlic and possibly spring cabbage seedlings and plant those. You will then have something growing and really will feel like a true allotmenteer 

[Lorri]

Thank you everyone for your help and advice, it is proving very helpful indeed. 👍😀

[rowlandwells]

basically I agree with all that's been said we all have our own methods of cleaning the plot and yes little and often I've seen so many people take on an allotment for the first time bash into it then its a damp squid weeds take over and back to nature

the chap next to me had high hopes sprayed it with roundup his dad ploughed it and then the rotavator it looked good tilth then left it to the elements its back full of weeds seeds and all

so I'm not going to tell you how to suck eggs but how I tackle such projects depending on the weather I roundup all the plot give it about three weeks when the weeds look brown then I would soil test and start digging  over the ground with a fork clearing the weeds as I go

then having a blank canvas work out my crop rotation for the plot and hopefully get hold of some good rotted manure spreading it on top of the plot let the worms pull it in overwinter

I know it mite be long and drawn out my reply but its all down to ground prep for good gardening  hope this helps you and good luck