[Ygerna]

Well, here are photos of my quagmire, oops, I mean allotment.

The red lines marks the boundary.





The little shed is probably staying, though will get replaced when I can afford it (or get something from freecycle). There is a water trough right next to my plot so thats great as hopefully my plans for drainage will work but it may mean lots of watering during the warmer months.
There is rather a lot more work to do than I thought regarding weed clearing. I probably wont be getting anything in till next spring, and that will probaby be late. I shall probably start with the area under the black sheeting, moving that to another area whilst I get the first bed/s on that spot.
Looking at it today, I am going to have to do something regarding drainage, as well as the raised beds (which I will probably do double depth) there are a couple of trenches which were full of water. We are going back down tomorrow to measure it up properly (taking a compass to get the north/south orientation) so I can get some schematic plans down on paper about where to place my beds and walkways. I will get a couple of bed areas cleared and get them in place over the coming weeks/months. Hopefully to at least get something out of the plot next year.
Over time I will dig out trenches where the walkways will be, fill the base with hardcore/rubble and then infill again with soil, possibly then putting down a pathway type top layer. Hopefully this will then draw the excess water from the beds during the Autumn/winter months.

Please feel free to offer ideas and constructive criticisms of my plot and/or plans.

[crowndale]

Every where is really soggy right now so it might be that drainage isn't as bad most of the time, but if you are on clay like me then any drainage improvement is probably going to be helpful anyway.  I was standing on some soil yesterday and it was literally squelching under my boots.  looks doable, not too big, not too weedy (coz its not too big!)

[richyrich7]

Like Crowndale says everywhere is soggy at the minute. So don't worry too much yet, when it dries up enough to dig I suggest the you try double digging where your beds are going to go this will help no end with drainage.
Sometimes it's just due to the plot being rotovated for years on end it can create a pan which prevents the water from draining easy.

Nice plot position though, it looks like it's not over shaded at all  

[Ygerna]

I've been and measured up this morning. I took my 4.5 yr old with me, who had great fun in the mud till her wellie got stuck and left behind resulting in her stepping into the swamp in her sock :roll: More of that in future me thinks..

Plot is 9.5m X 10m, its a bit larger than indicated in the photos because my plot neighbour has been encroaching into my plot area over the past couple of years and the commitee made him go back Took a closer look at the area under the black sheeting, not bad, I aim to start digging that over tomorrow. The area that is nettled, by the compost is actually a pile of old rotten wood, nails and all, so I shall have to clear that, and possibly move the compost as it is no longer on the corner of the plot but about 4 ft down.

The soil is very heavy, but if I can get that first area dug over before the frosts start that will help.

Despite all this, I am keen to get started, one of the other plot holders in this area of the site took me to show me his plot and my word its spectacular, and I had SERIOUS shed envy when I stepped into his and saw his bricked hearth and chimney, chairs, coffee table and books etc :shock: Something to aspire too,

[crowndale]

bricked hearth and chimney?!  does he live there?!!!  I'd be content with a weather proof shed that I could safely store surplus produce in.

[richyrich7]

Chimney    be nice to have a shed tho' not my travelling shed that's supposed to be an MPV  

[Michael D]

Well done on getting a  plot and a good size to,  what you should start with now is digging out the weeds start in one corner and do the whole plot, this can be done in winter and when it`s wet, then cover it with horse or cow poo then cover the lot with  black plastic, this will stop any weeds starting over winter.  I`ts hard work to start with but in spring pull back the plastic dig over a patch and plant whatever.   Keep on top of the weeds and you can`t go wrong,      all the best.  Michael