Putting the allotment (and baby!) to bed

Hi AMC and congratulations!!

I got my plot only a few months ago, when I was 7 months pregnant, so everything got cleared and planted in short 2-hour sessions, which was about the most I could handle. My sweetcorn were planted less than 48 hours before my little boy was born!

Anyway, now he's 9 weeks old, and I've been taking him down to the allotment since his second week - also found it a lovely form of relaxation and exercise (and a great way of fending off the housebound cabin fever of the early days). Having a good shady shed and a comfy moses basket or pram for him to sleep in have meant I can feed him at the plot and let him fall asleep, then get in a couple of hours good work. It's definitely possible, and as mentioned above - much easier when you're both there.

And if you leave mum and baby at home a few times a week, you'll get some concentratedwork in - definitely no reason to think you'll be putting your plot to bed!!

All the best
Lisa

Hi Wood burner, can I take you up on your offer also, I have acidic heavy clay.

Firstly, Thanks for all the congratulations and I wish the best to you all who are about to or just have had a child. Lots of good tips on managing the plot with the little un in tow too!

I am really looking forward to having the baby and mum in the fresh air up the lottie and growing good things for us all to eat.

The reason I'm looking at putting a fair sized area under green manures is this: I don't have a single plot, I have  four! Its a long story but basically my dad and his mate couldn't manage their 3 plots due to ill health so I took them on being as tho I'd spent the money making them all rabbit proof. Our site is privately owned, no rules, just respect your fellow plotters. My plots are isolated from the others so i don't bother anyone.

Plots 1 and 2/3rds of plot 2 have willows (approx 400) growing on them. They all need coppicing this winter. Regular work is mowing the paths between rows for weed control and keeping the rabbits out.
Plot 3 (inc 1/3rd of plot 2) is for fruit and veg which has established soft fruits, apples trees, rhubarb etc. I'm going to extend the raspberry bed come
Plot 4. Half is fenced and all prepared for a comfrey bed and willow structures. The other half is rough mown for picnics, barbies and camping with mates and thier kids. Plot 4 also has a 21ft static caravan on it (which I've re-roofed but mum-to-be won't set foot in it), I didn't put the van down there but upto 6 years ago it was lived in!!

So ordinarily I have a fair bit of work to do up there to say the least.... What i plan to do long term is put a third of the large plot under hardy overwintering green manure (alfalfa, upto 2 yrs growth, cut and mulch or compost) and treat this as part of a 3-4 yr rotation to improve soil structure and fertility.

In the shorter term from now til autumn 2009 I plan to have 2/3rds under overwintering long term green manure and the rest under crops/short term green manures. Ive got mustard, clovers and winter tares to go in. best laid plans and all that but I realistically reckon i can manage this and I can always dig up a bit more to put crops in as needed.

(Good info on the site from John under "Info - Manures and fertilisers - Green Manures")

Whadda ya think?
cheers amc

Quote from: "Little Dibber"

Hi Wood burner, can I take you up on your offer also, I have acidic heavy clay.

Have just re-read the thread and realised that it's Elaine G that wants to avoid digging in, rather than amc  :oops:
Anyway assuming you don't want to dig in too, I think buckwheat should be good.
Buckwheat
Half-hardy annual
(sow) April - August
(grow) 2-3 months
Buckwheat grows extremely fast, choking out weeds and producing large amounts of foliage. Its deep roots open out heavy soil and pump up nutrients from deep in the soil. Its flowers also attract bees and hoverflies.

Cut it down after the 2-3 months, and leave it on the plot to feed the worms, suppress the weeds, and protect the soil from the winter elements.
As it's in the rhubarb family it can be followed by anything. No worries about club root.

Grazing rye is also much recommended for heavy clay but has to be dug in.

 good tips and then cover it with plastic what you cant get to the stuff will rot down and he weed seeds will germinate and die .uncover dig over and ur off again