Just got a new plot on a new site!!!

Sounds like fun! 

can't offer advice, but surely you can;t go wrong with muck? 

Good luck with the new venture...

Get the spade sharpened and back bent lmpd 
I dunno its up to you with the raised beds,i tried a few on mine but they just seemed to attract weeds around them.The scorched earth style of allotment works best for me where its dug from side to side and top to bottom,i have got a very weedy plot though.
Good luck with the new plot whatever you decide.

Thanks for the encouraging words guys. I've just googled wireworm - I had no idea they were such a wide-spread problem, however the spuds I've got are a small amount of second earlies so fingers crossed - should be ok. I like the idea of plenty of photos as it is just a green rectangle right now - I must remember to take the camera with me today before I do anything!!!

If you go with raised beds over the cut meadow, nothing wrong with this but I would put a thick layer of wet newspaper (think full thickness), followed by a double layer of good quality non-plastic weed membrane, I got some on ebay which I have been very pleased with. Otherwise you will have nice raised-meadow-beds in 6 months. In fact, first I would still cut the sod and turn it over in the areas you plan to cover.

Only things to think about (and this depends on your priorities).

Raised beds don't make the best use of space.
Raised beds can cost a lot of £££ when you add it up.

Hi, sounds like you have got an idea to use something like lasagne gardening to develop your beds.  

You start with a layer of cardboard over the grass/weeds.  You then add a layer of manure and alternate green and brown layers until you have about 6 layers of depth, then top with compost.  You can then either leave the bed to rot down before planting or plant plug plants you have raised in the meantime.  I have had good results (see my ecodolly diary on here for information).  I am gradually surrounding my beds with wood, but this isn't essential.

This is what I have used to quickly convert my overgrown plots I took over (which were wall to wall couch with little else growing in them).  Sadly, I haven't been able to use the concept for the last half of my second plot as the soil is full of plastic, carpet and other junk and it is all different levels.  If you have a relatively level site, then it sounds like a good idea.

This was the half I tackled last summer (I took the plot over in June) and how it progressed.  I managed to get excellent courgette, winter squash, celery, salads, cut flowers and chard crops out of these beds within a very short time frame - no digging required other than grubbing out a few large perennial dock plants that were growing.

To explain the pics: 1) taken when I took over plot, 2) After first beds set up, 3) planted up 4) end of season.  The weed suppressing membrane was just the start of paths I introduced between the beds.  




At the end of the summer, I planted cabbages, cauliflowers, garlic and onions into these beds having added a little pelleted chicken manure to the brassica beds first.

By the way, you don't need to set up beds - you can use the concept over a larger area if you wish and if you have the raw materials to do so - it is just that most people use beds with this method.  I also have bark chip paths to reduce the maintenance as I find, with grass paths, I am always fighting the couch grass from creeping onto the beds.

There are lots of articles available online and youtube on lasagne gardening.

Now in one corner of the plot dig a hole about 18- 24 ins deep this will give you a good notion of the soil and subsoil and its drainage (if the hole fills with water you have a problem ) if its clay 6 ins down then raised beds will be the way to go Plants like a good 12- 18 ins of un compacted soil if its good nice all the way down take the turf of and compost face to face and enjoy as it is

we have raised beds on our plot as it was a blank canvass  :blink: but it does cost for the beds 
we used the 2 inch thick boards and they cost £2.00 each (scaffold) for a 8ft board so they don't go far