[gwolf65]

Hi
I've just got my first allotment(which is 2 or 3 miles from where i live with no chance of anything closer in the next 25 years)
It's a decent sized plot(20x25 yards ish) on a slight incline.
My first question(no doubt one of many)is should i double dig it over and fertilize as i go along and not  plant anything this year or can i dig over, fertilize and plant out in a month or so ?
I am unsure as to the condition of the soil or if it was covered in weeds as an enterprising neighour plot holder has ploughed 2 thirds of it (i'm assuming to get some practise on his tractor)
In a roundabout way what i'm asking is it too late to get anything from the plot this year.

Many thanks in advance for any help you can give.

[Rangerkris]

No not to late the growing season has only just started.  Get it dug over and get stuff planted
aAll the best

[oldbean]

I'd perhaps top dress with compost. but there is little point in throwing fertilizer at it as a general treatment. It might not need any. It also depends what you are going to grow, plants don't all need the same nutrients.  I found a lot of useful info from http://www.kylecathie.co.uk/display.asp?K=9781856265430&DS=The-No-Work-Garden. It's also available form Amazon, or your library.

[Elcie]

Definitely, definitely not too late!  Clear a bit at a time and plant as you go.  I got my plot mid-July last year and we had lots of salad, radishes, peas (just!) etc.  We did buy some plants from the garden centre but at this time of year you still have loads of time.

Perhaps you might consider planting some things at home to get them started on windowsills whilst you sort the plot.  You still have time for things like cucumber, squash, pumpkin, courgette, runner beans the list goes on really.

Good luck with it and post us some piccies if you can.

[kopperdrake]

10th May Bean Sowing Day  - or so they say around here Mind you, a couple of miles up the road it's 12the May Bean Sowing Day, but they're an odd lot up there My dwarf french beans are going in then - good luck! See it as experimental year - something's bound to grow!

[Trebor]

No – you are not too late. In fact with a 2/3rd ploughed plot in front of you at this time of year then you are in a pretty lucky position! There are many crops that can go in now are later, in fact I would say there are very few that you have actually missed – just pick what you like, read the packet and go for it.

It is probably worth spending some time improving any ground you are not going to use this year (manure, compost or ‘green’ manure) and/or covering it (not with carpet!) to keep it weed free for next season. Also make sure you have time to look after the crops you put in as they will need weeding and watering in addition to preparing the remainder of the plot.

Also try and put a thought or two into crop rotation and where you want beds to be next year.

(Forget double digging for now and you will soon find out ‘if’ you had any weeds on it!)

Good luck.

[lottienewbie]

hi ya,
       we gor our lottie a bit later than yours last year,and we listened to the advice on the plot,most said get weeding and planting,which we did,but the weeds then out performed the plants,so we weeded it all,divided it up into beds,put weed control matting over the beds,and inbetween the beds we put bark,so when it rains you do not get moon boots,and we are starting a fresh this year,and so far things are looking good,and we are really enjoying it,i am in no way saying the above advice is wrong in any way,as we are very new to this,just saying what we have done.
good luck and enjoy yourself.......we do

regards Neil.

[BobandJack]

2 or 3 miles away?  Think yourself lucky, my allotment is 18 miles away.  Good luck with it 

[gwolf65]

Many thanks for all of your advice.

I've ordered two lots of seed tatties(second earlys and a maincrop).
So i'll bang these straight in with some bonemeal and cross my fingers.

Going to sow some of the free seeds i got with the allotment books ordered off this website. Thanks to John Harrison for putting his years of experience in writing,a big help for us new starters i think.

After that i plan on starting a Comfrey bed. May get something out of it this year and should be good and strong for next year.

Sian420 thought i was bad travelling where i was but it must be love to travel 18 miles !!
The worst thing for me is there are some allotments about 5 yards from my back yard wall,but not a chance of getting one (not as big as mine anyway,sniff)

Elcie shall try and get some photos but as i've missed(photographically speaking)most of my kids formative years i don't hold out much hope.

Thanks again.

[Eatyourgreens]

Don't limit yourself and also plan ahead for the coming winter, still time to sow Swede, Leaks, Cabbages and Kale for feeding yourself after Christmas.

[vineweevil1]

We got our allotment last year in mid April and then went away for two weeks 21st April.  Last year we got lots of
carrots (late one's sown in a builders bag in sieved soil, compost and sand)
Sweetcorn, sown now
Butternut Squashes, sown now
Runner beans, sown now
Salads, sown throughout the summer
Pumpkins, sown now
Onions, sets from a neighbouring plot holder, planted June

Many of the things I have mentioned above can be sown now on your windowsill and by the time the frosts are over (end may ish) you will probably have dug over some areas for the plants.  Everything but the carrots and onions will love well rotted manure or compost worked into the soil anytime between now and planting.

My biggest tip is to try and cover the areas you are now working on immediatley.   We didn't do this at first and the weeds really got a hold.  Our plot is 35m x 5m and we managed to cultivate nearly half of that last year including raised beds (with a lot of sweat) so a lot can be achieved still.