[issyb]

hey guys, I joined the group last night, here is our allotment!

[Kleftiwallah]

I think that with the resourses the council have a blitz with a strimmer at least would have been a nice gesture.    Perhaps you could approach them ?      Best wishes in your challenge.   Little and often.    Cheers,     Tony.

[joyfull]

one would assume that the ground is quite fertile 

[Spana]

Well on the bright side,  the waiting for a plot is over  

With plots in such demand i can not understand how the site committee has allow it to get so bad.

Good luck with it, its yours and i have seen worse.  


Edited to add, Is the tall stuff with the green leaf Policemans Helmet.  Cut the heads off before they seed if it is

[daisy1990]

oh goodness me- good luck with it and keep posting pictures it will certainly encourage others.  The weeds I keep meaning to pull out of my veg plots dont look nearly so bad now!

[adal]

a big hello and wecome to the site best of luck with your allotment

[issyb]

thanks everyone! the tall plants are Jerusalem Artichokes x

doesn't look as bad in real life, the worst part is the front of the photo, as you get further back it's only a foot deep in weeds, the soil seems very good, looking at other plots, just need to get our soil ready for the spring now, going to start small, and section it.

Hopefully the frosts will break up the earth too, so we've probably got our allotment at the right time

x x x

[clairebeau]

Oh Issy it looks so peaceful.  Weedy too but Rome wasn't built in a day, so they say.
Lots of luck and have loads of fun.  Did I read on your other post you have only waited 2 weeks for your plot? Anyhow, post photos as you go along making changes, I'm far too nosey me! Hee hee.
Claire.x

[fluffstermum]

Good luck with all that digging 

Clearing it might seem scary, but then the fun will start.
I can't wait to plan our plot for next year, trawl through the seed catalogues etc 

Do let us know if you find anything interesting under that lot. Our first plot contained a radiator, pile of carpet and a fox skull amongst other random things!

[Ricey]

My plot was similar when I got it mid-June. Actually it was probably a little worse.
But it turns out that was a good thing as after 2/3 weeks of hard graft, I had myself a blank canvass. Personally I think if you inherit a plot that is somewhat established, you may find that you have to work around whats already there.

I decided not to work aroung the untold amounts of burried plastic sheeting, various metal objects, countless weeds, Bramble and Couch Grass.... I got shot of the lot -)

I now have two sheds, a decked patio and Heras rail fencing all round (Ideal for climbers) and all for free. Half my plot has green manure thriving on it in prep for next spring whilst 5 raised beds on the other half are providing us with a little fun as we try to grow a few things. The only thing we kept was a large patch of Comfrey.
The blank canvass really has allowed us to put our own stamp on things and has made planning far more easy and much more fun.
I wish you good luck with the lotty and look forward to seeing further shots of your progress.

[Malturn]

Good luck it is all worth it in the end this was my plot when I took it over last July


the thistles were taller than me. And as it is now



It has been a lot of hard work but we havent had to buy any veg since june this year.
Good luck and dont over do it

Malcolm

[daisy1990]

That looks great Malcolm and just shows what hard work can do- well done!

[issyb]

wow thanks so much for all your inspiration and good wishes!

thanks malcolm for your pics they are great!

what would you suggest for a tool to remove the weeds? we haven't got a petrol strimmer... have an electric one but no points on allotment.  any tips ? x

thanks xx

[daisy1990]

depends if you are happy to use weedkiller, if you are you could spray the lot (should be good weather for it this week) then cover sprayed areas with plastic once it has died back.  If you dont like using weedkiller then it is good old double digging with the best spade you can manage, picking out weeds and roots as you go.  Dont rotivate with weeds insitu they just multiply

[Growster...]

On the weeds question, Issy, I know it sounds like hard work, but can you lay your hands on a cross mattock, which is rather like a 4" wide bladed sledgehammer.

Here's one LINK
It is heavy to use, but with a careful effort, you can chop away the weeds and an inch or so of soil, (which is probably pretty awful anyway), and scrape an area to dig with a spade or a fork.

We started on another full plot a month ago, very much like yours, and, like you are planning, decided to do the work in sections, which have turned into 9' x 4' individual beds. I can do one bed in about an hour, and that includes hoiking out all the couch, thistles, docks etc as well.

The paths are a new idea, learned from the good people here, and so far, it's working very well, with 14 transplanted black currants, two blueberries etc all in place.

And as Malturn says, don't overdo it...;0)

The very best of luck anyway!