[GreenDavie]

I've just had my allotment ploughed after round up on it but although it looks fantastic its very lumpy with the plough trails. I'm thinking about hiring a cultivator, see this link-

http://www.hss.com/g/62526/Cultivator-8hp-Petrol.html

Will this render the plot flat and easy to bed out after going over with the above. The soil is very clay filled at the top of the plot and very composty at the bottom, prob 50/50.

HELP!!!!!  

[Trillium]

That's very expensive for a rotovator hire. There must be somewhere else more affordable. I used to rent them for about 20 quid a day. perhaps from someone in your allotment with a rotovator?
But rotovating will definitely make the furrows more manageable for planting. I'd never bother trying to plant into furrows - a waste of time and seed/plants.

[corndolly]

You will need to get your soil into the right condition to recieve the seeds or plants , you want to grow. The smaller the seed the finer the soil should be, plants ... cabbages and onions like firm soil, levelled and firmed with feet or roller.
You could try using a hand pronged cultivator, it will break up soil into smaller pieces ,then rake to level the area, then make drills with a hoe and sow seeds.You need to look at a book to get the spacings between rows and plants for each variety of veg.

AS your soil is clay at one end,I would recommend mulching this with plastic,compost or  manure ,the winds will dry out the big lumps of soil into the equivalent of house bricks which are very hard to break into small  particles once dried out.

Good luck .