[Leigh]

We are are the proud new 'owner's of an allotment plot after a 7 year wait.  The first task is to clear it as it is overgrown and then we will single dig it in late autumn.  I've never had a garden and don't even have a spade to my name.  I've been looking around for tools and noticed something called an atavator on the Get Digging website.  I have a bad back and it sounds great. Has anyone used one?  Is it easy to use? Can I 'dig' with it?

[noshed]

If it's "azada" I'm yer woman. I bought one a couple of weeks ago and I've found it to be very good. It's good at scraping off vegetation from the surface (for the compost heap) and then you swing it around and you get a sort of ploughing effect. It will turn over ground quite quickly and with relatively little effort. If your ground is very heavy clay it might be harder but it would be for a spade.
I would recommend them - I got a medium one with I think a 2lb head and I found it plenty hefty enough without rupturing any major body parts. It will dig stuff as well - like compost.
Then all you would need is a fork (Tescos are selling stainless steel ones cheap at the moment), a hoe and a rake, although you could leave the hoe until the spring.
It's worth spending a bit of time getting the big perennial weeds out over the winter, because it's hard to get them out when you've planted crops. But once you've done this you're on top of the situation.
The other thing I did which I can recommend is mark out your beds with string and pegs (unless you're going for the extensive field option.) You them immediately have a situation you can cope with - maybe cover a bed with plastic or cardboard for later and just dig one at a time. You can leave the paths - I just scraped them with me mattock and then walking on them forms the path. I'm looking for some straw to use on them for the winter. You can always shift them in future years if you change your plans.
Another thing I found is decide where your permanent things are going early on. Otherwise you will end up moving your compost heap twice like me (nothing was lost, apart from sweat, because it got turned).
I've had my plot since January and it's been great fun. And I've got a bad back - but the exercise is good for it.
Good luck and take plenty of pics. We'll want to see your progress!

[Leigh]

Thanks very much.  I'm looking forward to it and will definitely be taking some photos of progress.
One more question - will the Azada! work like a spade to do ordinary digging, e.g digging trenches and then mixing in compost.

Thanks for the tips and I'll be scouring the forum for everyone's top tips.
L

[noshed]

It digs trenches brilliantly and is fine for mixing in compost - it acts like a shovel as well and is surprisingly effective once you get used to the swinging action. I think there's pictures on the getdigging website which give you a bit of an idea.

[Marmaduke]

"azada" ... I bought one a couple of weeks ago and I've found it to be very good ... would recommend them them

You have convinced me.  I have been thinking about getting one and now I definitely will.