[18TheParks]

My neighbour and I, in our fifties, have taken on a new allotment (250sqm) which WAS a farmer's field, that's been cultivated and sectioned off.

It's January, pretty muddy, and the task ahead is clearing/digging over the allotment, which right now seems a pretty daunting task.

Apart from getting to it ... has anybody got any tips that may help?

[arugula]

Hello and welcome. This article of John's is very useful:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/articles/Clearing_a_New_Allotment.php

[Higster]

Hi welcome, it sounds as if you have your work cut out, but you will find this forum very helpful. If you find a problem the answer is within

[sunshineband]

My plot is that size and was previously pasture.

Taking it slow and steady is the key, and John's article explains it of course.

Tips from me from when we started are:

1. Look out for orangy brown shiny thin bodies grubs in the soil. These are wireworms (larvae of click beetles) and are often rife in pasture.

They don't bite people   but do eat holes in root veg and can be  areal nuisance. Picking them out as you go is the only way to deal with them.

If you have loads after the first dig, then burying unwanted potatoes in the ground about four inches down, with a stick through them so you can find them again, will capture loads, especially as there will be little else for them to eat!

2. Decide on where your main paths are going and deal with these, so that you have somewhere safe to walk. (Ours are weedsuppressant fabric covered with three inches of chipped bark) Then at least you can work without slipping and sliding -- our soil is very clayey withlots of  big stones

3. Every time you dig  abed, take out as many stones as you can and throw them into a bucket. Keep them in a pile somewhere out of the way ... not the middle of the plot or you'll have to move them again

Hope that helps a bit  

PS Please will you add your locality into your profile as it will helps with responding to future posts. Thank you   

[seedman]

Hi and welcome to the site sounds like you will be having fun.

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site 

Excellent advice there from Sunny 

Two more things to add:

1. Take lots of photos of your progress.

2. Keep off the soil if it sticks to your boots.  You'll do more harm than good.