[shay]

My allotment is overgrown at the moment. Cleared enough so far for 3 single sized beds side by side with another in the making beside it, so there will be four alongside each other.

As for the rest, I am unsure as to whether I should do another two rows of 4 beds like I have now or 4 rows which are 2xlength of a single bed or just dig the whole lot and use planks to split it so I can walk without disturbing the planks. Any advice?

Either way it will be back breaking but am quite excited by doing it.

Also, the idea of double digging scares me as time is not on my side plus I have 4 kids and 4 business so my time is quite precious, so will do the single digging but I am not sure if I should do a raised bed. Is a raised bed top soil bought from the garden centre or is compost?

Would you advise to put compost and manure on a newly dug bed which until recently was overgrown or is that just overkill?

Sorry for all the questions, I am quite demanding eh?

[paintedlady]

Welcome to the site shay.  Everyone has a different opinion and I'm sure there will be plenty of advice.  There are no hard and fast rules and a lot comes from experience, location of the plot and type of soil - I started off with digging over my plot, but now have decided raised beds are my thing.  I would certainly say go for the compost and manuring, but also read up on what you want to grow - carrots don't do too well with recently manured soil.  Lots of luck!

[Aidy]

Yep loads of opinions will fly. Myself I am now a great fan of mechnical means now, but its no good going over once, you have to do it regular. At the end of the day, do things slow and thorough, get as much root up as you can. john has a great article about new plots and give solid advice. Welcome and good luck and never let it beat you the results are worth the effort.

[GreenOwl]

Not a fan of digging myself.  Don't think I've ever double dug anything.  I grow in unraised beds.  Never had the money to sort edges and extra topsoil so never bothered but I do find it much easier to dig or fork over if I haven't walked on the soil.

Believe either topsoil or manure is usually added to raise the beds, probably whatever you can get hold of cheaply.

Main thing I would say is don't try and do it all at one.  Take it easy, better to take a couple of years to clear it than try and do it by Easter knackering yourself and losing all enthusiasm.

[DD.]

I've only got the one bed on my plot - 32' x 96'    

[GreenOwl]

Are you looking forward to the digging or do you want an alternative?

http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=11578

I tried this at home.  Worked great apart from having to fish out the packing tape and green plastic netting when I forked over the following spring.  The packing tape had been on the cardboard and didn't rot down and the previous owner had laid really cheap turf that was held together with plastic netting  :evil:

[shay]

Are you looking forward to the digging or do you want an alternative?

http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=11578

I tried this at home.  Worked great apart from having to fish out the packing tape and green plastic netting when I forked over the following spring.  The packing tape had been on the cardboard and didn't rot down and the previous owner had laid really cheap turf that was held together with plastic netting  :evil:

To be honest in a sadistic sort of way I a looking forward to the hard work, plus even though I am not a third the way through clearing the pitch, i am well chuffed at how it looks now compared to what it did.

Plus it is helping me loss some extra pounds which I am not complaining about.lol

[paintedlady]

Digging over at least once incorporates air into the soil (a bit like baking a cake!) and helps the roots of plants to grow better than in settled/compressed soil.  So a good choice.  Also, it helps to start building up your fitness now - it won't come quite a shock in spring when it all kicks off!

[DD.]

Digging over at least once incorporates air into the soil (a bit like baking a cake!) and helps the roots of plants to grow better than in settled/compressed soil.  So a good choice.  Also, it helps to start building up your fitness now - it won't come quite a shock in spring when it all kicks off!

Digging is good for the soil, body AND soul!

[brucesgirl]

Hey Shay (that rhymes) we didn't get our plot till May last year - and you know what weather we faced!!
We took it steady and managed to fill the whole plot with veg over the year.
I think what I'm saying is - don't panic.

We work full-time and don't have all day to spend there, so I found the most important thing was to set achievable goals for each visit.

Enjoy