[mashbintater]

Hello all! I've not been on this site for many months, re-cooperating from back surgery, and the usual life's little dramas lol! Having said that, I am sooooooooooooooo thrilled to have had an email today, offering me my very own, very first, allotment garden  . I've been on the waiting list for a few years, and I am chuffed!
Despite my recent surgery (last August), I really do want to give my life's ambition a go. I am making steady progress, & despite my all-consuming urge to dive in & get on with things, I have the nowse to realise that I have to take things carefully. The heavy stuff I'll enlist the help of my son, his girlfriend, & my hubby. Wish me luck (I can hardly believe mine right now lol), I'll update you once I've seen my "new toy" 
Cheers all! Mash x

[Yorkie]

Good luck!

Just remember to make steady progress and to cover up those areas (not carpet  )which won't be ready before the weeds start growing.  If it looks as though you have a plan, and aren't affecting neighbours with seeding weeds, you'll attract a lot less attention!

[snowdrops]

That's very exciting for you,but do take care of your back.You'll just have to stand at the top & waft your hands around being the head gardener while the heavy work gets done.If you do need to cover any areas up invest in some heavy duty weed suppressant membrane, it works wonders & when it's done it's job of killing off the weeds you can use it for paths.Have fun.

[prakash_mib]

bad back and allotment wont go side by side. be very careful what you are doing. a better idea would be to create raised bed for you to work on and congrats on the new plot. if you are really struggling just go there with a flask of hot tea and enjoy the plot. 
dont worry and things will fall in place sooner.

[mashbintater]

Thankyou everyone for your kind concerns & advice, much appreciated  .

I've happily  taken on my half plot, which already has a few fruit bushes, an apple tree, rhubarb, garlic, onions etc, & naturally a few weeds. I have a compost heap & water butt, and can install my own shed & greenhouse. There is a water supply, can't have poultry, no bee-keeping.

A bit of a tidy up & relocating of a couple of fruit shrubs, then it will be great. It is gently sloping north facing, with reasonably good drainage.

I have tried uploading a pic but it's proving awkward at the moment    . I'll keep trying, cheers! Mash x

[DD.]

I am delighted to host Mash's allotment picccie:

[Yorkie]

That looks fine!  I've seen far worse at this time of year - it's recently cultivated.

The ground looks very wet so I'd keep off it until drainage has improved.  You'll do the soil structure no favours by trampling all over it.

[ecky]

Welcome.  Nice to see Skem mentioned. I moved from Ormskirk to South Yorkshire over 30 years ago. Wish my plots looked so clean when I got them.

[mashbintater]

Thanks Ecky, D.D, Yorkie & everyone! I can't tell you enough how chuffed I am. I wanted to start weeding tomorrow, but I'll take Yorkie's advice. I'll just browse, plan & try to take it all in  . 
Cheers! Mash 

[LittleRedHen]

I'm so glad that you are almost healed and ready to rock n roll at the allotment!

[bigben]

It looks in pretty decent shape - on our site there is usually a 9-12 month gap between a person stopping and the allotment being given to someone else. Sometimes if the rent is paid then it can be longer before they have to leave. By which time the plot is a jungle.

[mashbintater]

Thanks Little Red Hen, not exactly "almost healed", more of a case of "getting there slowly but surely"  . I know my limitations, and as anyone knows who've had a broken bone or suffer arthritis, or any boney problem, the discomfort (and I say that loosely), is a lot worse during cold/ damp weather. Some swear they can tell it's going to rain when a flare up kicks off!

I think I'm about to get the best physio ever! Lol!

Hi bigben, it was an allotmenteer who swapped their large plot for a smaller more manageable plot on the same site. Their former plot was then divided into two to try & help meet the growing demand for plots.

[snowdrops]

It certainly looks like you'll be able to knock it into shape very quickly once you are able.I wonder what the answer is to turning vacant plots over to a new tenant more quickly than is currently the case on most sites. Mine had been untouched for a long time before the previous tenant stopped paying or was asked to leave. Consequently it was in a very poor state when I took it over. I had to pay a £50 deposit that is returnable if I hand it back in a good state. Also I think lots are making 1/2 plots to reduce waiting lists but I wonder if this will eventually become the norm so councils can say they have x number of plots when in fact they have 'doubled' them by halving them.Perhaps this could be a new topic, I would start it but don't know how.

[mashbintater]

I don't know the answer to that snowdrop. I am led to believe that the government are pushing local councils / boroughs / authorities to open up new sites (where appropriate) to meet growing demand.  I'm on a small site & the waiting list is longer than the number of plots.

[Trillium]

Like Yorkie said, we've seen far worse so you're getting off lightly. Congrats to you, it's a really exciting time, and one that you must take carefully. Glad you're using common sense and letting the others put in the hard graft. That's what they're there for, right?