[AdamS]

I have just recently taken over my frist allotment and have many questions on how I get started.

My allotment is covered in grass as it hasn't been used yet really, so my question is how deep do i dig down when taking the turf off and then once i have got it off what should i do with the turf?

After I have dug out the turf what do I need to do to the ground to prepare it for planting?

What should be the first things i start growing, the allotments have been open for two years so everyone else is already up and started?

Once i have dug up the plot and planted do i need to put anything over the patch to protect it?

Where are the best places to go to get seeds etc for planting?

[Yorkie]

I have just recently taken over my frist allotment and have many questions on how I get started.

1. My allotment is covered in grass as it hasn't been used yet really, so my question is how deep do i dig down when taking the turf off and then once i have got it off what should i do with the turf?

2. After I have dug out the turf what do I need to do to the ground to prepare it for planting?

3. What should be the first things i start growing, the allotments have been open for two years so everyone else is already up and started?

4. Once i have dug up the plot and planted do i need to put anything over the patch to protect it?

5. Where are the best places to go to get seeds etc for planting?

That's a lot of questions which it's impossible to give a full answer to in one post.

1. Depends on the type of grass. 

If the roots are long and thin like piano wire then you have couch grass, which you need to dig all the roots out - use a fork and not a spade, as a spade will just chop the roots into lots of little bits. 

If it's fibrous roots then skim the turf off as thinly as possible with the spade, probably 2" or so, stack turves upside down and leave to compost.

2. Check its pH level - to see whether it's acid or alkaline.  Brassicas like alkaline.  Spuds are not keen.

Depending on the time of year and what you plan to grow, add compost / manure (do not add where you're going to grow parsnips or carrots the same season).

3. What do you want to grow?  Depends when you've finished clearing the plot.  Spuds ideally go in any time from mid March to end April.  If you click Growing Help beneath the top banner, there's articles on what to do each month.  There's also a sowing and harvesting chart too.

4. No.

5. Do you have a local lotty association?  There are lots of seed threads on the GYO board so I suggest you have a browse of them.

[Gleavo]

All good advice Yorkie!

I'd try and check with a knowledgable person if you have couch grass or regular grass first - if it's couch you have a long and arduous task ahead but follow Yorkie's advice on getting rid.

Took over a plot of couch a year and a half ago and I now have half to grow and half still to tackle
 ...

[stompy]

You could start with a one off aplication of Glyphosate to kill all the grass off when it starts to actively grow.
This will kill off the couch roots too so will make it a much easier job from the start, it all depends if you are against the use of chemicals.

I don't use them very often, to be honest the only one i do use is Glyphosate (and thats hardly ever now) as it becomes inactive once in contact with the soil.

It really helped me get on top of a badly overgrown plot and you can begin planting after 2 to 3 weeks of aplication or once the weeds have died with no know detrimental effects to your crops.

[gavinjconway]

Hi Adam. I'm also a newbie since I got my plot in October. Use the "gardening Advice" tab on the top of the page. It has loads of great info and helped me a lot.  Well done on getting yours.. enjoy it and just do it systematically.

[Higster]

Hi Adam, like you I have just taken on my first Allotment, and the advise given on this forum has been a great help, so good luck. It's hard work to start but you soon see the results 

[DigIt]

I have just recently taken over my frist allotment and have many questions on how I get started.

My allotment is covered in grass as it hasn't been used yet really, so my question is how deep do i dig down when taking the turf off and then once i have got it off what should i do with the turf?

After I have dug out the turf what do I need to do to the ground to prepare it for planting?

What should be the first things i start growing, the allotments have been open for two years so everyone else is already up and started?

Once i have dug up the plot and planted do i need to put anything over the patch to protect it?

Where are the best places to go to get seeds etc for planting?

If when you say your allotment is covered in grass, it is pasture grass, I would suggest when digging over the plot I would bury the the turves at the bottom of the trench (upside down).

I did this on my plot nearly 3 years ago and have never had an issue, but I did inherit a new plot on a farmer's pasture field.

[AdamS]

thanks so much guys all invaluable advice, will let you know how I get on, the allotments started 2 years ago and were taken over from a farmers field i believe so i think it is pasture grass on it.

[Yorkie]

Just a word of warning if you plan to grow spuds - pasture grass is commonly infested with wireworm, which loves spuds.  The problem does goes away after a while but you might have to grow a sacrificial crop / have low expectations for a year or two.

[AdamS]

thanks yorkie, will avoid spuds then, what do you think i should try in the sacrificial period?

[gavinjconway]

Adam - You can lure a certain amount of wireworms away from eating your spuds... I found this info here.   I'm going to try it this year on my new plot as some plot neighbours say there are some and some say no.!!

_{Cut potatoes in half and cut out the eyes (so they do not sprout when you place them in the soil). Poke a stick into each to serve as a handle. Bury the pieces of potato in the soil in early spring, before you have planted anything. Use a potato trap for every square yard of soil, burying it 4 to 6 inches deep. Wireworms will be attracted to these potato traps. Check the traps every day and destroy the wireworms by dropping them into a solution of soapy water. Be sure to replace the potatoes with new ones when they begin to rot. Try companion planting with marigolds, wireworms hate them. French dwarf or african.}  

I would try a few rows and see what happens.. the worst is you will get spuds with holes in... or you may get a brill crop.. you wont know till you try.


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