[Robert_S]

Whilst I am busily beavering away getting my new allotment sorted out, I am also considering taking another one on to plant fruit trees / bushes as I am realising my existing one isn't going to have room for all I want to grow. There's nothing in the tenancy agreement prohibiting fruit trees, and some other plots have them, so I won't be doing anything radical(!).

What's the best thing to have on the ground around the trees? I dont want to just let the weeds grow wils, as some of the others seem to be doing. Is there a cheap / low maintenance "norm" or is it grass. or just a matter of keeping the weeds strimmed.

[madcat]

The normal advice is to keep the ground clear beneath the bushes and trees, to avoid competition, provide space for mulching and maximise rain availability.  I confess that was too high maintenance for me round my soft fruit bushes so let the strawberries loose!  they have colonized the ground in the fruit cage, keep the weeds down and the red/blackcurrents are growing happily through them. Picking is a matter of careful positioning of the feet.   

[brown thumb]

 what good idea suppose afew stepping stones would solve that problem as well

[TerryB]

If you are lucky enough to be able to get 2 allotments I would plant each one half and half, fruit and veg.
Then if it becomes too much work you can give one up but still have both fruit and veg.

[Nige2Plots]

If you are lucky enough to be able to get 2 allotments I would plant each one half and half, fruit and veg.
Then if it becomes too much work you can give one up but still have both fruit and veg.

That's me

[Yorkie]

If you're planning on getting fruit trees, can I suggest that you go for the dwarfing rootstock?  It minimises shade that they will cast either over your plot or, more importantly, those of your neighbours.  They are permanent plants and if you don't get a small rootstock, those trees will really impact on the area in a couple of decades' time.

[madcat]

Good point - and you can get more variety that way in a smaller space.