[JayG]

Lots of good advice here, just proves we're not all like your misery-guts plot neighbour!

My pick of the tips would be to grow what you like to eat, choosing some of the easier crops (as in Plum's list) and to make the most of whatever compost or manure you have by using it only where you are actually growing your plants (rather than spreading it too thinly over a large area)

Good luck, and try to view it as a source of pleasure rather than something else to worry about!

[flitwickone]

im a proud newbie and i agree with all of the above sod the doomsayers
do it bit by bit and you will get there
its only the old hands on here and at the allotments who are putting me on the right road and im 45 this year lol 
by the way congrats on the twins and the plot

maybe we all can copy that tv program DIY SOS and do  ALLOTMENT SOS
as long as its local about 30 peeps travel up sort out said allotment and than all go back home  i imagine it would be quite a laugh

[plum crumble]

maybe we all can copy that tv program DIY SOS and do  ALLOTMENT SOS
as long as its local about 30 peeps travel up sort out said allotment and than all go back home  i imagine it would be quite a laugh

I like your thinking!!!!!!

[flitwickone]

i say lets try it
how many volunteers in County Durham

[Rangerkris]

Or cover it all in carpet/black plastic, digging and covering as you can. Keep it covered to kill off the weeds. You should be able to dig a percentage of it and get something growing.

Please don't cover with carpet you will regret it big time one way or another.

[savbo]

Or cover it all in carpet/black plastic, digging and covering as you can. Keep it covered to kill off the weeds. You should be able to dig a percentage of it and get something growing.

Please don't cover with carpet you will regret it big time one way or another.

I know it's well covered in previous threads but for the newbies probably worth reiterating that carpet a) is suspected of breaking down to release toxic stuff and b) tends to disintegrate surprisingly quickly giving you a nightmare mass of soggy, heavy, stringy stuff that is covered in weeds above and roots below and just when you think you've lugged the last bit to the overflowing skip you try to stab your spade into the ground and jar  your wrist on the hidden bit of carpet you missed....

can you guess I'm speaking from experience? 
M

[beanqueen]

Congrats on the twins..fab
All great advice given, would just like to tell you about a great tool for breaking down clods of earth. No idea what its called but got it in pundtretcher ( no tinsore) handle with a sort of claw on the bottom which you dig in and twist  Only about £4 and makes life so much easier

P.S.If you go for the black plastic route..always work with your back to it lol

[gillie]

Are you sure your neighbour wasn't teasing you when he saw you trenching your plot?

Discuss your problem with a member of the allotment committee or whoever runs the site.  Make it clear that your situation was unexpected and that you fully intend to make a go of it.  Ask for advice.  Maybe someone will volunteer to run over your plot with their rotatavator, or take over part of it temporarily.

Gillie

[Undala]

Dear Kev,

I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of encouragement. I share a plot in Bedford with a friend, and between us, we remain quite clueless. The first thing we had to get straight was our mindset. We were there for fun, so if things weren't quite right, it didn't matter.

Having said that, we have been late every year (this will be our third summer). We were lucky to have very kind neighbours. Nonetheless, in the first year, we didn't plant things till May I think. It didn't help that we have solid clay that hadn't been cultivated, apparently, for 10 years. Everyone passing would comment that we'd left it rather late. Later on in the summer when we were harvesting food, we got a chorus of, "haven't you done well". So don't worry, you have time, even in gorgeous County Durham (I spent four lovely years in Durham).

As I mentioned, we didn't know the first thing about gardening and were reading a lot, but didn't always remember everything. So when we were given advice, it sometimes confused us further. I do remember feeling somewhat overwhelmed at one stage, until I reminded myself it was for fun.

Having said that, I would greatly encourage you to draw up a plan of your plot, and then decide on a small section to deal with this year. And please cover the rest. I say this from experience. When we first took the plot over, we had it rotovated and then didn't cover it, thinking we'd get round to it, but got sidetracked by other things on the plot. The combination of chopping up the weeds when rotovating and leaving the ground exposed meant we had a fine harvest of weeds to contend with, which added unnecessary work. We used carpet because I was renovating my floor, but I would agree with the other posters to avoid it if possible. Eventually we bought some damp proof membrane from Wickes for £30 and put it down. Its worked a treat because its thick enough.

Planting potatoes was hard digging, but real fun to harvest. And they help to improve the soil. Similarly, shallots are grand because you plant one but get lots. There are quicker growing veg to put in too. Because of our clay soil, we used two drawers from the tip to build a carrot box. Mixed two growbags with one of sand (I think) and the carrots worked a treat. Just be warned they do take an age to mature, for some reason I thought they would be quick veg.

Good luck, and remember its also meant to be fun.
Undala
 

[harry]

This is my first season and i am just going to put some stuff in and see how it goes.

[Kristen]

This is my first season and i am just going to put some stuff in and see how it goes.

Now look ... you've got that wrong already ... you need to see how it grows

[Kristen]

... Tiddly Pom ...

[GreenOwl]

    

[Snoop]

Fantastic advice from Kristen on page 1 of this thread. I was in a similar position to you Kev, re. your allotment (but not twins - congrats by the way) and had a respectable if not absolutely fantastic harvest in my first year by essentially not worrying too much, digging drills for large seeds (beans, peas and sweetcorn), starting things off in pots, buying in small plants and digging out holes and filling them with muck for courgettes and squash. If you like courgettes, just looking at the flowers gives you such a sense of accomplishment, knowing that soon you'll get to eat the fruits of your labours.

Don't over-do it is the key, I reckon. I certainly couldn't manage to dig down as deep as you're doing. Four inches into solid clay with a mattock in one of my patches was as much as I could manage! And the caulis, sprouts and purple sprouting came up fine if small. Plus, the amazing thing is that the plants will do a lot of work for you by breaking up the soil with their roots, making next year much easier.

And don't pay any attention to doom and gloom merchants. Maybe he'd just had a bad day and rather uncharitably wanted to pass it on. If you're the kind of person with the determination to dig down 18 inches, you're easily the kind of person to get things into the ground this year.

[harry]

This is my first season and i am just going to put some stuff in and see how it goes.

Now look ... you've got that wrong already ... you need to see how it grows

Ok watch it grow