[andreadon]

It looks like the previous people used raised beds too (the bit on the left).

It shouldn't be too tricky to get it draining.
I would double dig and put a bit of gravel at the bottom of each trench.
When it's filled in again it should drain through it and the worms will do the rest.

My ground retains a heck of a lot of water.  I grow a lot of lupins because they LOVE wet soil!
(not good for eating though.... )

oooh! and you could try water cress or rice (  ) in the really boggy bits!!
 

[andreadon]

I had another thoughtlast night.

You could get some ducks on it.

perfect.

[rainbow1]

Hi Spongebob

My husband keeps asking me every five minutes "did he take it then?"

So please could you put him out of his misery (and stop him bending my ear!!!)

Thanks

[Haz]

It looks good decent size plot.  I wonder if is all levelled.  I mean if it is all water logged or there is slope i.e the front is drier than the back.  Then you can use the dry half and leave the wet half for the rice crop and the ducks as Andredon suggested 

[gimli]

 :)take it and wait see if a better one comes up.
also as you get to know the other people on the site you will get tips as to what has worked for them

[spongebob]

hi all

thanks for all your comments

well i went down today to meet the site warden and to look around

  so i have gone mad  because i have took it on(my back is already hurting thinking about the work ahead)

it will need a lot of work the ground is very wet so i'll will have to do raise beds

when i get the paper work through and the keys

the plan is

1/ clear site bricks and sheeting (will keep bricks)
2/dig out the bog grass plants out
3/ ask a friend to see i can use is tiller and rotovate all the plot
4/ get black plastic sheet from work to cover soil
5/ make some wooden frames up
6/ dig out soil fill with manure put soil back

i think thats the way to go about what do you think?

sounds so easy when wrighting it down 

[Rangerkris]

It does sound easy when writing it down hahaha my plot does as well
Well done for taking it tho

[sawnee]

Hi Spongebob

No, it's not sawnee but his better half!!!!

Been having a nose on the site and I would say - Grab it with both hands!!!!  When we first took on our site it was 100 x worse that yours - but once you have put in a lot of graft and sorted out the problems (raised beds worked well for us) then you will reap what you sow.  It will be SO worth it in the end . 

We can't wait til the weather improves to get back on our plot - it's contagious

[matron]

Congratulations - may the back pain begin. 

[Christine]

It strikes me that taking a plot from chaos to orderly productive is one of the most rewarding things you can do.

In two years time it will all look so much better on a sunny summer's evening with a tinny in your hand and beds full of produce. 

[Elcie]

Good luck with it Spongebob.  It is great having an allotment and all of the hard work you put in now will make you appreciate it all the more!

[woodburner]

hi all

thanks for all your comments

well i went down today to meet the site warden and to look around

  so i have gone mad  because i have took it on(my back is already hurting thinking about the work ahead)

it will need a lot of work the ground is very wet so i'll will have to do raise beds

when i get the paper work through and the keys

the plan is

1/ clear site bricks and sheeting (will keep bricks)
2/dig out the bog grass plants out
3/ ask a friend to see i can use is tiller and rotovate all the plot
4/ get black plastic sheet from work to cover soil
5/ make some wooden frames up
6/ dig out soil fill with manure put soil back

i think thats the way to go about what do you think?

sounds so easy when wrighting it down 

Get the drainage sorted before you rotivate! The path between your plot and the ditch is almost for sure acting like a dam. If you cut a few ditches across it, put drainage pipes (not ordinary plastic drain pipe!) or brushwood at the bottom, back fill with soil, putting the topsoil at the top. You should notice the difference in a matter of days!
Actually, if you're going to dig out the soil, there's not a lot of point rotivating anyway.

Digging out the soil, before placing the frames is a much better idea than importing soil from elsewhere, and you can line up the paths between the beds to the (filled in) cuts across the main path so that the paths act as part of the drainage system! Personally, I don't use wood so my arrangement can even double as irrigation ditches if necessary!

[spongebob]

Get the drainage sorted before you rotivate! The path between your plot and the ditch is almost for sure acting like a dam. If you cut a few ditches across it, put drainage pipes (not ordinary plastic drain pipe!) or brushwood at the bottom, back fill with soil, putting the topsoil at the top. You should notice the difference in a matter of days!
Actually, if you're going to dig out the soil, there's not a lot of point rotivating anyway.

Digging out the soil, before placing the frames is a much better idea than importing soil from elsewhere, and you can line up the paths between the beds to the (filled in) cuts across the main path so that the paths act as part of the drainage system! Personally, I don't use wood so my arrangement can even double as irrigation ditches if necessary!

hi woodburner

i think i know what your saying but the ditch is at the bottom of the plot
if i dig a tranch like pic and put a drainage pipe in that should help right
but the only worry about that is the ditches all around the allotments need clearing out
some people have push there plots back that the ditches are filled in
the site warden says they going to sort out the ditches but could take the year and more to sort them out
for now i think i put a couple of raise beds in to get started and see if can get couple of other people on the next plots to help me clear the ditches out around our plots 

[woodburner]

I was just meaning a short ditch or two, cutting across the path, not really on the plot at all.

My first lottie had standing water at the lower end, and just one in the corner did the trick.

I had to use brushwood and back fill it on account of it being the main access path! Proper drainage pipes set into a bed of gravel are the pucker way to go though.

[randombod]

i would take it. what with all the medi aattention from people like jamie oliver etc its becomming dare i say "fashionable" to have an allotment and alot of band waggon riders will be pushing up seed prices and taking plots so us normal folk wont get a look in. That plot will just need some tlc and possile raised beds woudl be the way forward. Anyways if another one comes your way you could always try and swap it