[Only1Dionne]

Hi, I'm a total, total newbie to all this!

I've just got my first allotment, and I'm so chuffed to bits!

The thing is, it's a new allotment, not an inherited one, so at the moment it's a patch of grass.

Obviously my first job is to plan out how I want it, then get it rotavated but I was just wondering what next; digging over with manure?

Is this a good time of year to do that?

Any advice I can get would be great, I'm sure I'll be back for more soon!!

[Only1Dionne]

Hi!

Just got my first ever allotment yippee!

It's not an inherited one, it's just a plot of grass right now so I have to get it rotorvated before I do anything. Also have to build compost heap(s) etc.

Think it was a good time of year too, I've got time to plan it out and make sure I do everything right.

Planning to have slightly raised beds, maybe divide my lotty into four, have fruit in one section and rotate the other three.

So much to do!!!!

Any ideas?

[New shoot]

Congrats on your new plot.

If its grass and not perennial weeds, rotovate and then dig in your organic matter. If you have dandelions ect you may just be making more of them by rotovating so you may have to hand dig bit by bit and get all the roots out.

Cover any soil you are not planting straight away with black plastic and that will keep the annual weeds down until you are ready to plant.

Have fun - there's loads of info on this forum and people ready to help with anything you want to ask 

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site Dionne 

Congrats on your new plot, it's definitely a good time of year to get one!

Before you start doing any rotavating, check whether the grass is ordinary grass or whether it's couch grass (tough thin white roots like piano wire).  If the latter, do NOT rotavate or you'll chop the plants into lots of little plants, which will all grow.

Feel free to ask away with more specific questions in the Grow Your Own section 

Edit: I've just noticed you've posted an identical thread in GYO so I'll merge the two to avoid duplication for both yourself and other members.

[webwahm]

Hello from another newbie...

We got ours about a month ago - inherited, which is great, but my biggest problem is having to clear the old guy's stuff out before we can get started properly, e.g. knock down tilting shed, loads of rusty metal, rotten wood, glazing, unmarked powders in tubs...

One tip:  look on YouTube for videos on gardening and allotment basics.  Some good stuff on there.

[Only1Dionne]

That's an excellent idea - I'll definitely check out You Tube! I need to know how to build compost heaps and raised beds etc.

[webwahm]

here's one i liked for raised beds, by a GIRL!!!... (infact 'GardenGirlTV' has a few good ones!)

mPrMvItUIuQ
and another I asked a question on (i'm kidswebsitesguide)
q-WLaiyeIRc

[madcat]

If you can get it roughly turned over in the next few weeks, you will find the hard frosts of February will do a lot of the work for you breaking down the soil and hopefully killing slug and other pest eggs.  Then when the weather warms you wont have as much heavy work to do.

[Leedsniner]

Hello from another newbie...

We got ours about a month ago - inherited, which is great, but my biggest problem is having to clear the old guy's stuff out before we can get started properly, e.g. knock down tilting shed, loads of rusty metal, rotten wood, glazing, unmarked powders in tubs...

One tip:  look on YouTube for videos on gardening and allotment basics.  Some good stuff on there.

I had exactly the same problem - rotting pallets, rusty chickenwire & shed full of binliners containing all sorts of junk (& some useful stuff as well) Bonfires have been the order of the day!

[stompy]

It is hard work at the beggining.
But the feeling of satisfaction you get when you have a neat and blossoming plot in front of you is fantastic.
At least you've got it at the right time of year.
If i had to be given one piece of advice before i started my plot, it would have been to plan the plot out carefully. don't just throw things in anywhere.
I did just that and spent two years having to move stuff around after i had a good think about how i really wanted it.

Andy

[Babstreefern]

When I took over the plot I'm on now, the chap before me had an area that he had grassed as a lawn.  I didn't want this as you can't eat grass, so I dug it up and laid it soil to soil - grass to grass in a corner of the plot, I then put a large black plastic cover over the whole lot, and hey presto, I've got beautiful compost.  I'm leaving it for another couple of months - just in time for Spring, and will spread it over my allotment. 

If your plot is way too big, then I would suggest that on your first row, dig a trench, slice the lawn, and turn it over so that the grass is face down in your trench, then dig another trench, using the soil from that to cover over the first trench with the sods in, and so on and so on, so that eventually,  you've dug it.  Over time, it will all compost down.

[Veggie Virgin]

Although I have a petrol tiller, I am now debating whether I'll ever use it again.  I manually dug most of my allotment this autumn/winter (leaving the frost, etc to break down my clay lumps!) and what I noticed was the number of worms busy doing some work for me....  Rotavators and tillers are inclined not only to chop couch grass and bind weed to pieces (bad news!)  but also the very useful worms (even worse news!!)  Digging is fantastic exercise and really doesn't take that long.  It's all part of getting the plot prepared and I get a a tremendous sense of satisfaction seeing my plot all dug over, ready for the spring planting.

[thewoodleymartins]

Hello,
I notice in one of your posts that you have just got an allotment in Woodley...  We picked up the key to our first allotment (also in Woodley) at the beginning of last month. Just finished the first dig of the first bed today. You haven't got one of the new plots off of Reading Rd have you.....?
All the best,
IanM

[Babstreefern]

I wouldn't bother with a tilley - only good for raised beds - as it only turns over about 4 inches of top soil - just tickles the ground basically.  I manually dig the soil over in October/ November and then leave it until March/April, then I rotovate it - this breaks down any large clumps - saves using a rake to "a fine tilth" - by the way, thats the only time I ever rotovate, in Spring time.

Also, if its never been worked on before, you don't really need to manure it.  Also test the soil, manuring it can make it acid, and if its acid already, you will make it worse, and could end up with bad a harvest of most veg.

[savbo]

if it's lawnish grass you might want to hire a turf cutter - clears it off to a preset depth and then you can compost the strips as per Babs recommentation.

M