[mgowland]

Thanks for the very informative site. Have just spent the last 30 minutes reading what everyone else has posted in the forum as well as browsing the book section..........need to get an order on Amazon I think.

I'm completely new to allotments and gardening for that matter. Have never owned a house with a big enough garden and nor do I now but am about to be a dad for the first time so thought we should start on the right foot and grow some proper food.

I have just received the key for my allotment and have wandered up to where it is. Fantastic location in one of the higher spots of Exeter. You can see for miles over the top of the city. Will be lovely in the summer. Pretty draughty tonight though.

Unfortunately the view was somewhat tempered by the actual plot. I'm not afraid of hard work and am actually looking forward to it but it is one that has been rough cleared by the council and there are still parts of bramble bushes in place.

Any advice for getting it ready for planting.....looking at the seeds in the garden centre it looks as though mosts things need planting in March/April but its going to take a long time to clear the site I think.

Are brambles something I can rotivate or should I go for the old fashioned dig it by hand.

One of the things I'm really looking forward to planting is Rhubarb. Any advice as to when this should go in the ground.

Thanks in advance.....

[oggy]

Hi mglowland

Welcome, to clear plot is all hard work but worth it in the long run, make a plan of what you want, dig so much, plant behind you, and move forward, using a rotavator is great when the ground is fairly clear,otherwise you are cultivating weeds, see John's article on this site.
Plant rubbarb ....early or late .........now

Dig by hand and clear all.

OGGY

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi mglowland, welcome from me too.  I only joined last week, and am in seventh heaven that I can ask silly questions, and no one laughs at me!  This site is brilliant, and I only wish I'd found out about it before.  as you can guess, I have no one locally that I can talk to about my veggie growing (or not growing in some cases!! lol).  Before you go spending lots of money at the garden centre, look at some of the seed catalogues online.  Ths year I got my seeds from www.edwintucker.com.  I found they were a bit cheaper than some of the others and you get your seeds in a resealable palstic bag, plus a lovely lable that has space on the back so you can record when you sow, when you harvest, yield, flavour and any other little comment you want, and you can file the cards away for future reference!

I know you are supposed to plant things like rhubarb at certain times, but my friend Sharon was working for a little nursery that shut down last August and me and the OH got lots of things either cheap or free (lucky girl what I am!!!)  and one of them was a rhubarb.  I put it in straight away and kept watering it and covered it in manure over winter, and now its growing.  I do have some wild rhubarb growing down the side of the land drain, but the sides are a bit steep and I get worried in case I fall in!!!

[noshed]

For what it's worth I think it's best not to rush planting - if you delay the plants will catch up. If the soil is cold and wet the seeds might rot. Fleece from the 99p shops might be an option however.

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi noshed, I haven't planted any seeds outside yet.  Too cold and wet, but I have started some off in the greenhouse, including a big pot with some carrots, one with leeks and a few other things to try to get them a bit earlier.  There aren't many carrots etc to the pot, so I'm going to see if I can grow them in the pot.  I've put a couple of potatoes in big pots too.  I did that last year after my potatoes had all gone.  7 of them in big pots in the greenhouse.  One of my books said you can do that and have nice new potatoes for Christmas dinner!  Anyway, I don't know if it was me, or the frost, but the ones that did start to grow died.  So I left them thinking I'll clean them out tomorrow......  Just after Christmas, I thought Oh I'd better empty those potato pots out, and I had enough new potatoes for a nice New Year Dinner!!!

As I've got no gas for my heater, nor paraffin for the other heater!!!  I've made a mini greenhouse inside the greenhouse with an old shower screen and some fleece, and I've got some tomatoes in there.  Only did them last Saturday, so nothing showing yet, but seems to keep a bit warmer in there even with no heat.  Fingers crossed!!

[noshed]

Yes I agree - use whatever means you have. I can't pay to heat seeds up so I might have to wait a bit longer to get them going but I'll bet it'll come allright in the end. A lot of the old blokes on our site are Turkish and they grow all sorts of stuff without batting an eye - peppers, garlic, etc. I think shelter may be as important as anything.

[lentil987]

I plant all my seeds at this time of year anywhere in the house as I dont have a greenhouse. Currently I have trays of tomato seeds, leeks and cabbages, peppers and cauliflower. I have ran out of room or I would be planting some more.

The only problem is I have never done this before with anything other than the tomato so dont know if it will work out.

Time will tell