[Rob and Kelly]

So here's how it is, after the rise in food prices and wanting to more organic, me and kelly have decided to go for it and get an allotment, it will also give kelly somewhere to take our 9 month old once he gets a bit bigger and let him get his hands dirty.

Now neither of us are really exprienced in the garden, we can do a bit and make it look nice but now we're stepping into the unknown.

The plan we have so far is to really get the site ready for easter, as it does need quite a bit of work.
Over the next few weeks, i'l be clearing the site, errecting a greenhouse, and building a compost heap.
but what we would like is to get a bit of a head start on the coming season... What can we be doing now in the way of planting and sowing seeds, ready for next year?
and if there is any other help you think would be useful then please let us know.

thansk in advance for any replies.

Rob

[TerryB]

Garlic, winter onions and broad beans can be planted but be ready to cover the beans if it gets really cold.
Fruit bushes and trees can also be put in over winter.
Apart from that just try to get as much as possible ready for next spring.
January you can start some onions from seed followed by leeks about the end of February but these will have to be kept inside untill April.

[Rob and Kelly]

thanks Terry. Well i'm hoping to have a greenhouse up in the next few weeks so should i do them all in there or plant out side?
And should i plant the garlic and onions in the ground or start them in trays?
it would be better if i can start them in trays, as the ground wont be ready fo a while yet.

[TerryB]

Yes you can start them in pots and just leave them outside untill the ground is ready.
Don't use multi compost because I've found it stays too damp over winter and the sets/garlic rot. 

[Daamoot]

Have you considered building cold frames?  I just started a veg patch this year and had trouble hardening off my veg/flowers without loses.  Ofc, the frost in May didn't help either 

Yes you can start them in pots and just leave them outside untill the ground is ready.
Don't use multi compost because I've found it stays too damp over winter and the sets/garlic rot. 

Oops, I started a couple pots of garlic in multicompost.  Going to plant some more in a bed over winter though so hopefully I'll have some that don't rot.

[rowan57]

Buy a good book. The advice you get here is great, but with a book you can read through things in a logical order. I'm not sure there's any rule against recommending books, Mod's delete if so, but I would recommend Joy Larkcoms 'Grow Fruit & Veg' in it's latest iteration, very detailed. Available from Realseeds.co.uk as well as plenty of other places i'm sure.

[GrannieAnnie]

Our own John's books are good too, and you get free seeds!   

http://www.allotment-garden.org/toolshed/our-books

[Rampant_Weasel]

digging it over is your main priority and working as much well rotted manure into your potato area as you can.if its all rough dug then the frost will break it down requiring very little effort to create a fine tilth for sowing in the spring.

[Rob and Kelly]

Oh right, so if I give it a rough turn over with a fork, a cover it in manure, then turn it over again, it should be ok for the spring.

[Yorkie]

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[Rampant_Weasel]

Oh right, so if I give it a rough turn over with a fork, a cover it in manure, then turn it over again, it should be ok for the spring.

i rough dig it and put the manure in the trench to cover it, the worms and frost do the rest