[texas_gardenia]

Hi everyone!

I just got my allotment a week ago and haven't been able to do anything on it because it's rained constantly. The plot itself needs weeding and I need to pull up old roots of abandoned plants from the previous tenant, but all in all it isn't that bad. It was worked as recently as this summer so the digging should be easier than if it was a totally unworked plot. However, I'm not sure what to do at this point. I know I shouldn't walk all over the soil when it's soaked since that will just compact it, and weeding in the mud would take twice as long. But from what I've heard, it rains all winter long here. What should I do? I'm not worried about getting wet, I just don't want to do more harm than good.

I initially was going to weed, turn the soil with a fork and then sow a few broad beans and maybe some other green manure to turn in later. Is this still a good idea or is there something else I should consider? Thank you for any suggestions

[bonfire]

It does not rain all winter - over the winter months there are , I would guess, perhaps three or four days a fortnight on average when the soil is too wet to work sometimes a lot less sometimes a couple more. In London which is comparatively warm and dry, there are all too few days when the soil is too frosted to work. I am in Sussex and have three possible days a week (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) to work my plot and in a year I miss out on perhaps four weeks solely because of weather.

Carry on as you had planned, use a plank to work from to get access a bit earlier without compacting the soil so much, get your compost heaps planned and in use, get any paths sorted out, If there is evidence of what was grown get it on a plan to use for rotation and spend the wet days with the seed  catalogue drawing up the master plan that will mostly fall on its face next season.

[Christine]

Sure - you can put in a composting area and gather compostable ingredients to go in it all winter. You won't get a lot but you'll get a start.

You can also decide what sort of things you will use for fertiliser and buy a little every so often to spread the cost of the allotment. Make a list of things you will need to use for growing crops - pea sticks, runner bean supports, netting for protection against pests, pots for bringing on seeds that sort of thing. Get on to freecycle and see what you can get free.

If you happen to know where there are any leaves that haven't been collected - sweep them up, bag them up and store them to make leaf mold for the future.

[strangerachael]

It must be very frustrating for you not to be able to start work when you have just got your new allotment. Unless your soil has drainage problems you will only need a few days of dry weather before it's ok to start working on it. There is still plenty of time to sow broad beans. In the meantime, as Bonfire says, get working on a detailed plan. Browse the seed catalogues. Is there a shed?

[Loubs]

Texas - I know how you're feeling!

We finally got our allotment about 6 weeks ago after being on the waiting lists for around 18 months, only for Oct/Nov to turn into a really really wet period

But it won't rain all autumn/winter long - you just need to be ready to get out there to dig it over as soon as the weather improves. If you don't mind digging in the rain, I'm sure digging in overcoat, woolly hat & gloves won't be too much of a challenge. Just make sure you remember to take a flask of hot tea with you.

I've spent the time at the weekends when it's been whole weekends of torrential downpours lusting over seed catalogues (& ordering far too much), and reading up on veg growing - I only know a litle bit from years of growing stuff in pots in my backyard, so lots to absorb & lots of planning to do. I'm also spending the time collecting useful unwanted stuff from family & friends - canes, old gardening tools, paving slabs for paths, plastic bottles to make cheap cloches etc, and searching out old pallets to build my compost bin. And repairing the shed that came with our half-plot.

Oh yes, and look on the bright side - all these stormy winds we're being battered with just now make this is a great time to be collecting up those bags of autumn leaves...

[woodsmoke]

Can you sow your broad beans indoors to be going on with or in a sheltered spot at home - maybe a cold frame?  Even garlic can be started off in pots.  But enjoy the planning and just get out there when you can.  Look at getting soft fruit bushes, to plant any time over winter.  And get a good book.  John Harrison's of course, but also Susan Berger's Allotment book and anything by Andi Cleveley.  When it is all going mad in May you might wish for November again.  Or maybe not.  There is a good planning site called Growveg.com.  Not free but worth a look.
Enjoy your allotment!

[Ropster]

I usualy start my broadbeans off in Richy's for the winter crop to get a better start and to give time to get the ground ready

[Babstreefern]

I've just finished digging my main growing plots - whew, it was a near thing with this rain .  But I've still got to weed my two asparagus plots and the fruit bushes .  But there is always something that needs doing, even when its wet.  Do you have a greenhouse, or shed?  You can start on these and like the others say, get your compost bins and paths started .  Because really, you don't have that much time before you're preparing your seeds for growing , ie, I'll be planting my garlic in the next few weeks ; between Christmas and New Year, I'll be planting my mammoth onion seeds in trays , then into February, you start on your main seeds .  By the way, if you have a calendar on your computer go through your seed packets and start putting them in for reminders of when you sow them .  It saves forgetting about them.  I plan mine for Friday reminders, and when I get home from work, I turn on my computer to see what you guys are doing, I get reminders pinging up and gives me my jobs for the weekend .

[Baz1210]

I got my allotment in June this year so I'm a noobie myself. Some things I did which you might find useful: search for a site called growveg.com and register for a 30 day free trial. They have an allotment planning software which is very useful. When you've planned your allotment you click on a 'list' link which tells you when your chosen veggies need to be started and when they will be ready for harvest. It also tells you where not to plant next year e.g no cauliflowers where the cabbages were because of the possibility of encouraging clubroot. I also bought a wall planner and a marker pen from the local pound shop and wrote on it what month I need to start veggies off outdoors and when I need to plant straight into the ground.  It's useful to plan like this because otherwise it all stays a bit scary and not very concrete.

Best of luck to you. As I'm only a few months ahead of you, if you want to chat any more about what trials and tribulations you might expect, I will be more than willing to share my experiences.

[texas_gardenia]

thank you all so much for the advice! I'm crossing my fingers for a dry day in the coming week. thankfully the allotment supervisor seems to be very laid back.. i don't think he is going to be annoyed with me for not coming out to do any work for a week and a half. i didn't have any tools yet and had to buy everything from scratch. that allotment software sounds so interesting! I am going to go take a look and if i like it, i may even keep it past the 30 day trial. i have had 2 people suggest that site to me so far. thank you ALL for taking the time to respond

[Michael D]

Hi  all      We`ve   got a patch   of  sunshine   at the moment,  im  of to  spread  cow poo  on my   potatoe  beds  for  next  year,   let the worms  do  the work   and the  rain.

[texas_gardenia]

Woodsmoke - when you say soft fruit bushes, what are some examples? Blueberries/raspberries, you mean?

I usualy start my broadbeans off in Richy's for the winter crop to get a better start and to give time to get the ground ready

[FERDY]

This time last year I had my plot rotivated & brought in tones of horse muck.
I added paths and planted soft fruit bushes & broad beans.
I also repaired the shed & constucted my compost factory.
Theres lot of odd jobs to do in winter in readyness.
Get planning.

[Jay The Digger]

I picked up a plot this time last year, and the weather was exactly the same.   As tempting as it may be, try not to walk over it too much and compact the soil.  You'll hate yourself when it comes to dig it over.  I have quite heavy soil, so it takes a while to dry out.  My rule of thumb is that if the mud sticks to your boots, it's too wet to dig.

There is so many other things to do though, even if it is chucking down.

[upert]

build a shed!