[bramblewood]

hello i have just taken on a neglected allotment !! it hasnt been used for over 10yrs its grass!! and more grass and twitch  and weeds and nettles there is an apple tree ! on a good note but that is stuck in the middle. i want to keep it though .
 
i have decided to dig square by square

i could get it ploughed as my eldest son is an agricultural engineer so access to loads of gear

 but i made that mistake once before with a previous allotment  twitch forever . cant decide whether to use roundup but not keen on chemicals

 
i have three kids the youngest 6 who is very into gardening all our ancestors were gardeners landscapers etc and farmers so it in the genes!

we breed rabbits for show so excellent compost

any tips welcome cant see us growing much this year !! if i can keep the weeds and twitch down it will help i may cover it up to die off any ideas will get a photo of it

i need inspiration as blistered hands and aching limbs :roll:  (who needs an gym ) !!

sandra

[Jake]

Hello

Our plot was unused for 8 years so quite similar. I think it is a very good thing, the other plot holders seem to look enviously at our soil now.

We dug out most of the grasses and they are composting now, should be well rotted come next year. It was hard work but 3 of us doing it wasn't too bad.

I'm new to this so can't offer any tested advice but I think getting compost on the go by digging up some of the grass and weeds then spraying what is left may be the way to go. Growing some potatoes would be a good idea, if you can clear an area soon enough as they make the soil nice.

[John]

Welcome to the site!
Sounds like you have your work cut out.  If you go in late with potatoes, plant earlies. The term early just means they grow to be usable faster than lates. So if you shorten your season by being late, use an early.

[flowerofshona]

Small world i bred and showed silver fox rabbits for 15 years and was a show judge, what breed do you keep ?

[John]

Completely off topic but maybe amusing

Devil Rabbit Terrorises Village

From todays Register

[bramblewood]

hi i have been showing rabbits for years see http://bramblewoodrabbits.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk
i keep british giants but my main love is the belgian hare
 i havnt many now but keep my hand in  
the allotment is going to take over!! the plot hasnt been used for 15years i was told yesterday by one of the elderly guys
 everyone is full of advice !
they cant understand why i wont plough it ! but i would rather do a bit at a time i have ordered some black polythene to cover   half of it untill i can get to it the soil is nice but slightly on the heavy side full of worms i was busy yesterday constructing the boundary , the site is 5 mins from the local tip so i went scrounging wood lots of it too my plot is the first one in from the gate with a blackthorn hedge and blackberys to go with the apple tree yumm! all around it.
 a few holes that i have now blocked up

thanks for the tip on early spuds i will get some of those in
asap
keep the tips coming hands blistered and splintered :roll:

sandra