[KerryE]

Morning all,

I have been on a list in our village for 5 years and finally got one of the 6 allotments in our village this past week. The person who had the plot before hadn't used it in 5 years and planted rye grass on the back half of it. It is MASSIVE at roughly 65 meters long and 20 meters wide - so a bit daunting for us as newbies!

We have dug a bed for strawberries and the soil is very heavy! Getting the rye grass out in those bits has been backbreaking (and we've only managed 6 sq meters so far!)

We have asked one of the local farmers if he would be able to plough the main area (the plot is sort of divided by a fence).

We don't have a rotovator or anything either, so I am really just after some advice, should be rent a rotovator for a weekend if our friend can plough it?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can get started? We've grown veg in our garden for years but only easy to grow things, so we're looking forward to getting stuck into that side once we can sort the land out!

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site and congrats on your new field lotty 

I'll move your questions over to the GYO forum.

[snowdrops]

Hello & welcome to the site. Consider covering some of your plot to slow down some weed growth & uncover as you clear, remember the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time, & take it slowly & enjoy. No good hurting yourself in the first week & then being out of action for weeks

[Goneterseed]

Isn't rye grass a green manure? If so, strim it down and dig it in to the soil.

[al78]

Isn't rye grass a green manure? If so, strim it down and dig it in to the soil.

If you do this I would recommend covering it with something light suppressing after digging it in. Last time I trimmed and dug in rye grass it just sprouted up back to life until I covered it over for a good couple of weeks which finished it off.

[Salmo]

Strim off the ryegrass. Rake it off and start a compost heap. Allow it to regrow so there is plenty of new leaf. Spray it with Roundup, or other glyphosate weedkiller. Leave for 2 weeks and then cover with black plastic. Uncover a bit at a time to cultivate.

If your farmer can plough it, ask him to power harrow it as well. That will get it ready for cropping.

One question. If there is a 5 year waiting list why do the owners not split the plots into smaller, more manageable plots? I won't ask why anyone would keep a plot on for any length of time without cultivating when there was a waiting list.

(That is indeed a huge plot. It is the equivalent to 4 full 10 pole allotments or 0.4 acres. You should consider buying a big rotovator.  Unless you have plans for starting a market stall or supplying local shops I would leave the ryegrass half as grass and get some sheep. Even then just half would be too much for most people.)

[ptarmigan]

Why not suggest that its divided into two plots (or even three?).  I have a full sized plot - 5 years in - but I work full time and it's a lot to keep under control and provides more than I really need.

Anyway, have fun - and the tips on covering some of it up are really good!  Google lasagna planting - a great way of getting started and getting something growing quickly.  You aren't too late to get some spuds in.

[Aunt Sally]

Why not suggest that its divided into two plots (or even three?).  I have a full sized plot - 5 years in - but I work full time and it's a lot to keep under control and provides more than I really need.

Most Allotment authorities are very happy to do that.

[snowdrops]

Maybe you could share with the next person on the list on the understanding that in X years you are both offered another one to clear & then you take over your full one if so desired. You might find in a couple of years you need more space if you give half or more up

[ptarmigan]

You might want to look at raised beds as well if the soil is really heavy, can be a good way of getting a couple of beds started while you work on the rest.

[Axe]

Get a few goats in and they will chomp it down then cover it!, plan how you want your plot, then break it into sections and cover the areas (or employ the goats) that you know wont get touched for a while to suppress the weeds, be careful when rotivating you don't make 1 weed into 100 weeds.

Take your time and just do little bits often, my plot is heavy soil and I watch in awe at these folks who turn a garden over in a few hours, mine takes 3 hours to do about 3mtr square lol,

 you will soon get a routine going, but you certainly have got a whopper of a plot there lol

[upthetump]

Morning all,

I have been on a list in our village for 5 years and finally got one of the 6 allotments in our village this past week. The person who had the plot before hadn't used it in 5 years and planted rye grass on the back half of it. It is MASSIVE at roughly 65 meters long and 20 meters wide - so a bit daunting for us as newbies!

We have dug a bed for strawberries and the soil is very heavy! Getting the rye grass out in those bits has been backbreaking (and we've only managed 6 sq meters so far!)

We have asked one of the local farmers if he would be able to plough the main area (the plot is sort of divided by a fence).

We don't have a rotovator or anything either, so I am really just after some advice, should be rent a rotovator for a weekend if our friend can plough it?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can get started? We've grown veg in our garden for years but only easy to grow things, so we're looking forward to getting stuck into that side once we can sort the land out!

it depends on your site rules but, the most effective method we have had for making inroads in clearing big plots is keeping chickens and pigs. it is a bit of an outlay starting off but you can keep them to specified areas with fencing and move them to new ground once they have cleared a patch which you then dig over. you benefit with eggs and your own reared pork should you choose to

[Wiltshire Worms]

Good luck..little and often is what I believe in, but my plot is about a sixth of the size of yours..get a good lawnmower or sub let through the council as mentioned above