[mike1987]

ok ive had my allotment for about two weeks now and the only thing i seem to have been able to do is make a pile from the bigger bits of rubish any sugestions would be great on how to go about clearing it now theres weeds stones and rubish and a load of old carpet strands in one of the places that ive tryed to clear

[Runwell-Steve]

Don't try and do it all at once.

Make a plan of where you want to grow things, where you want to put a shed / compost bins, and where you want the paths to be, and mark them out with some stakes and string.

Once you have done that just start clearing one small patch at a time, sort the rubbish into three piles, one for composting, one for burning, and one for the tip. 

Once you've got a small area cleared, plant something in it, then once it starts growing it will give you the incentive to carry on.

Keep a photo diary as well, you've got a start already, then you can look back and see what you have achieved.

Good Luck, and pop back here as often as you like if you need more advice.

Most of all enjoy it, don't let it become a chore.

[mike1987]

forgot to mention we are not allowed fires and a lot of the rubbish is plastic

[Runwell-Steve]

Sounds like quite a few trips to the tip then, unless your site has provision from rubbish disposal.  As it is a new plot and there is a lot of rubbish on it I would be inclined to ask if they will help you get rid of some of the rubbish.

[missycat]

Have to agree with Runwell-Steve...it's the way I started tackling my plot when I got it and although there's still a lot of work to do I can see the progress I've made by looking back at my photos. Just on ething to add try covering over the land you can't work yet...weeds grow remarkably fast. Good luck and remember to post some 'after' or even 'work in progress' photos

[trogg]

Hi Author,  I know the feeling     I would just put it all into a corner of the plot and carry on with working/growing the actual allotment.
You will probably find you will use some of this 'rubbish' and the rest you can get rid of a bit at a time.

oh, what is that roofing sheet in your picture made of ?   asbestos ?  if so don't try and break it up  

[mike1987]

no metal theres loads of it i was stood in a shed made from it when i took the picture had a good look for asbestos  before i started horible stuff and seems to pop up wherever i go theres also a pile of stuff about twice the size of whats in the picture behind the shed i have used some of it to repiar the fence thanks for the help i know i will get there one day

[trogg]

Hi again mike , sorry I called you Author  I looked at the top left hand side of your original post and it said 'Author'  going to have a look a all my posts on these forums to see how many people I've called Author 

Anyway, I've recently started an allotment in similar condition myself.
 At first I just made piles of stuff all around my allotment, bricks in one part glass in another, timber over there, plastic over here, but in the end I just shoved it up one corner of the plot and forgot about it for a while so I could concentrate on the weeds     

It is hard work at first but if you treat it as a hobby and do a little at a time I think you'll soon start to enjoy it 

[lmpd]

i was in the same position last year. i ended up borrowing a van and taking the lot to the tip, a lot of the stuff i'm sure would of come in handy eventually, but it was very satisfying
being able to see the dog for the rabbit-so to speak

[izzy]

little and often You will be surprised how it will all come together .if you can manage a visit every day even an hour or so works wonders

[PennyS]

Stick with it, you'll get through it in no time.  Keep the pictures coming!

[skywalker]

Get some weed membrane and cover the area you are not going to work immediately. This will have two distinct advantages. Firstly you will suppress further weed growth which at this time of year is really important otherwise you will find its a foot high in a few weeks and it will look even worse giving the impression that you are going backwards not forwards. Second benefit is that the plot will look a lot clearer and manageable. You can then take it back a bit at a time and turn it into beds. If you dont get through it all this year then by next year the sheeting will have killed all (most) of the weeds underneath it and you will be left with good workable soil. My plot was just like yours when I started and it took me a while to realise what a good idea this really is.
Other option is to dig it all over soon but I know which option I would chose 
Good Luck!

[mike1987]

been down every few days for an hour or 2 this time last week you oculdnt even see soil the week before that was spent cleaning out the old chicke coop with 5 well dead hens in it not a verry nice job
thanks for the words of support they are really appreciated

[sunshineband]

The dead chickens sound dreadful -- what kind of allotment officer do you have on your council who allowed you to take on a plot with dead  still in situ.

You are making steady progress though, and as long as you keep ground you are not going to deal with covered, you will get there.

Opened out cardboard boxes held down with anything heavy (old plastic milk bottles filled with water for example is cheap and does the job well). You can also compost the cardboard when you have finished with it.

Best of luck, and stick at it 

[mike1987]

supossedley there was no dead birds left as the rspca had been in a few months earler to take what was left both dead and alive im not sre on exactly how many there was in the first place but was told arround 40 hens 6 turkeys and 2 geese the thing is as soon as i moved the bedding in the chincke coop i found 5 burried was probebley the worst job i have ever had to do removeing them as im an animal lover