[AmandaLouise]

Hi there

My name is Amanda.  I am 37 and live in manchester.  I acquired an allotment in October that was very much neglected and overgrown, but it is a great plot, south positioned, it has two greenhouses and a big shed. The biggest problem we have is getting rid of the excess old wood which is completely covering one of the soil beds, I thought it would be the amount of digging, but not been as bad as I first thought.  After lots of digging and pulling those weeds out, it has come on a lot quicker than I expected.  My intention was to get it straight first, and then take the next step of looking into planting.  

My main interest is going to be growing vegetables, I am not an experienced gardener at all,  complete beginner.  All in all there is going to be six soil patches with hopefully a bit of a play area at the bottom for my children. 4 of the beds have been thorougly dug and hand weeded, and 3 bordered.  

Do you think I now in a position to start some January planting? ie. some potatoes, which variety?  I only have two more beds to dig.  I purchased two allotment books, and feel a bit confused with science and where to start when it comes to planting... do I need to put other plants down to stop pests etc.

I have read about chitting potatoes, but dont know how many I should buy, and also where is the best place to get seeds from?  I have read it is better to get seeds from an organic catalogue rather than B&Q or commercial shops as they are more forced, or are my local nurseries okay.  sorry for this bombardment of questions, I am just very keen to learn as much as I can.

Do I need to buy a soil tester too... however I think I can ask around really at some point what grows best, the only problem is I havent seen anyone since we first got it.  I met one wonderful lady who really knew her stuff but not seen her since we first got it, due to the rotten rainy weather here in manchester!!  When we begun digging our first bed, she got stuck in too!  it also has two mature apple trees and a plum tree.  I am really excited just feel frustrated that I dont know much yet!

I have also bought weed suppressant fabric sheets and covered the first patch , and got to do the other 3 this weekend?  the reason I got this was because the weather has been so bad.  One minute I read the soil should be aired and the next minute to use suppressant fabric.  If I have some direction I will grow anything, I just dont want to get ahead of myself, or perhaps be able to do more than I realised.

I know this is a long winded one, but if anyone can give me a bit of advice I would be extremely chuffed. :blink:

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site and congrats on your new lotty 

I'm going to move this over to the GYO board as you've got a lot of GYO questions in there.

[Yorkie]

Right, now we've arrived over in GYO ... 

Firstly, there's lots of info on the Growing Help main link under the top banner, and also on the articles found on the FAQs board here (including a sowing and harvesting chart):
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?board=36.0

I think January is a little early to be planting spuds outdoors.  Traditionally they go into the ground on Good Friday, which gives you an indication of the period in which they often get planted.  I tend to put mine in during late March.

There are different types of spuds - they all go in at much the same time, but the first earlies take the shortest time to mature, then the second earlies, then the maincrops.  Earlies are generally salad-type spuds.

You can sometimes find places to buy seed tubers loose, but often they come in 2.5kg bags.  This will suffice for a space about 2m x 5m for second earlies (planting distance is wider apart for maincrops).  Don't send off for them unless you are happy to pay extortionate P&P; you should be able to get them locally through a lotty association or even garden centre.

Chitting is dead easy - stick them in an egg tray or any low container with the 'eyes' pointing upwards, in a light place, and leave them for a few weeks until you have some short stubby sprouts.  Some people don't bother with this in any event.

As for soil tester, yes you could get one.  The test tube versions are said to be better.  Can you remember which weeds you had on the plot?  That often gives some indication.

Weed suppressant fabric probably isn't needed at this time of year, when the weeds are relatively dormant (although it has been mild recently ... !).  However, so long as it's not solid plastic, then it will let air and water through and so not affect the soil badly.

PS Don't forget to take photos of your progress.

PPS It helps us to remember where you are in the country.  If you click your username, you can edit your forum profile to insert your location.

[sunshineband]

HI Amanda and welcome to the forum -- sounds like yu have inherited a cracking plot there, and made good headway into getting it ready for planting.

There is masses of information on here so just a couple of tips:

- don't get carried away and plant/sow too early. Usually slightly later plantins catch up just fine and are stronger than those that struggled in the cold and wet
- work out a plan of what is going to be planted where, in family groups so that you can rotate things around year after year withut having to constantly try and remember what goes where next

and for your play area: there are two plots next to mine that have lovely play areas. One is a lawn which looks great but takes much cutting with a push along mower and is not really usable in the autumn and spring as gets muddy. The other is chipped bark (free from our council over good quality weed suppressant membrane (usualy sold as landscaping  membrane) which also looks good but is relatively maintenance free and usuable all year round.

Depends what you plan to use it for I suppose.

Anyway, best of luck with it all . Look forward to some photos too 

[Fisherman]

Hi Amanda
My advice and some regularly used quotes: -

Only grow what you and your family like to eat. Its also good to try a few new vegetables as an experiment.
Read up on crop rotation and keep a record of where you have planted things as its surprising how soon you forget.
Feed the soil and it will feed you. Some crops need a lot of feed i.e. manure & fertiliser and some hardly need any.
Don't rush into sowing things too soon as they will either fail to germinate or get killed with frost. Check what the seed packet says about sowing times.
Read up on your chosen veg and try to create the ideal environment.
Think about plant protection as some plants are readily attacked by bugs and birds. For example its best to protect carrots from carrot fly using enviromesh and protect brassicas (cabbage family) from birds and butterflies using some form of mesh.
Don't get down hearted if you have a few crop failures, we all have them.
If you have any questions ask on this site and you will get a great response from some very experienced folk. Don't worry how stupid your questions might be, we all had to learn at some stage (and still are).
Don't try to do too much at once, just take it easy and enjoy. :blink:

[flitwickone]

all the above advice is good the only thing i would suggest is join your local library and get some books on allotments and you will soon be answering others questions 

oh and a big welcome from me

[AmandaLouise]

Thankyou to everyone and their advice.  I am glad I have found this website, its brilliant.

[gobs]

Other than onions, nothing needs to be planting/sowing yet, even those can be left for a good while. So yes, you are in a position to plan, what you are going to grow.

We are roaming from Feb/March time. Tidy and get everything on the ready to go till then.

Only grow, what you like to eat, but also do try and learn to like and prepare what is very easy to grow. :blink: Like beetroot and chard. There is the recipe section to help you with this.

Apart from tidying all corners, indeed do a good read, as advised. Here and from the library. Then come back with questions.
 
If you fancy growing onions from seed, you could sow those now. And if you want to grow some garlic, you need to plant those nowish, so they get some cold weather.

[gobs]

Oh, and forgetting the most important things! Have you got water buts? Manure? Composter?

Those are the things needing sorting now and planning your lush crops.

[gavinjconway]

Hi Amanda and welcome to the forum. I have learned such a lot from the guys n gals here. Thanks everyone... I also got my plot in October and am just down the road from you in Macclesfield.

Everyone has given you great advice above so my little bit to add is to meet and get speaking  to the plot neighbours. They know the ropes of the area and will be best to give you advice on the local conditions.. Some sites are better suited to certain types of spud etc due to previous disease and slugs etc..

Take loads of photos and put some up on the forum.. here is a thread on uploading pics.. http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=19476.0

You can see my plot by clicking the website link icon under my profile.

[clairebeau]

Hi Amanda, Welcome!

I too am a newbie and also a Mum with children. At first I wanted to plan things for the children to grow/get involved in, but the times I've been down to my plot (we've only had it a month) I LOVE the P&Q and tranquility, something missing in my life on a normal day    and like yourself I find myself cramming everything in to my head about what to do when and how to do it, but slowly but surely I'm coming round to knowing that it will happen as and when. The best thing about growing things and allotments are there are plenty of excuses to use and blame for failures, hee hee, and then next year we can learn from these mistakes. Sometimes that's the only way to really learn, and the beauty of this site is we can all learn from each others mistakes.

I'm keen to let my boys have their own little patch to tend and to have an area to encourage wildlife, but on the other hand I don't want it to appear to look like a playgroups back garden, I want it to encourage them to try eating new things and to understand how food is produced, plus it's to be a beautiful and peaceful place for myself.

Spring won't be long, promise    and all that said, you've come to the right place to pick peoples brains, folk can never know everything all of the time so don't feel worried about asking for advice.  Feel welcome to message me if you like to chat, not that I can offer advice, just encouragement. Ha ha!! x x

[seedman]

Hi amanda welcome to the site
as you are local to me i think manchesters a big place  wheres your allotment.If you need any manure let me no i can give you a phone no, he only charges for the delivery and a couple quid for the lad who brings it you would have to have access for a tractor to your site some where to drop it.Happy digging 

[AmandaLouise]

Hi everyone

your responses have been so helpful, its just fantastic, honestly I am so grateful .  I do have some pics that were too big to download on here so I tried shrinking but didnt work so I need to try that again.  With regards to weeds, I know there was a lot of cooch, looks like chives, not many brambles, I took a photo of the weeds so will post when I sort them out.  In some areas of the soil there were these little orangey/red ants which were taken out.

Seedman, I am in Audenshaw, unfortunately there is no way of getting a tractor onto the site because of the allotment's position, its down the side of a railway bridge.  Its the only downfall, everything has to be wheelbarrowed.  I have a friend who has a horse, I wondered if I should grab some manure each time I see her.  Its so kind of you to let me have the number if you dont mind, and perhaps I could make collections, or maybe he could drop at the hill entrance on the road.  thanks so much.

clairebeau:  When I first saw the site, I thought no way, we will never be able to maintain or put the hours in to dig it up, how will I fit it in, but so much has been done in two months its really surprising.  But so glad decided to go for it, as I feel so happy having a little project, and will be a great place for P&Q, even just to sit in the warm shed quietly!  My only regret is my mum isnt here to share with me, she died last year, and she was a fantastic gardener, and would of loved helping out and giving me advice.  I also have two boys (2 & 5), very energetic, even when you take the batteries out at bedtime!!  I am going to start cheap - ie, woodbark, and a few forgotton toys, and also like you a little growing area, and invite frogs so they gain respect for nature.  Luckily they love insects, I hate it when kids stamp on insects, makes me wince.  so will see how it goes, at first not planning on taking them regularly as I anticipate they would get bored and I dont want it to be seen as a chore, more an adventure, so at first it will be a picnic and set up a little table, and keep visits limited.  Thanks 

Gobs: There is 2 water buts already there.  I have no manure yet, and the composter was empty, and badly damaged so my husband is getting some palates to build a new one, is that the right way forward do you think?

Thankyou everyone

[Yorkie]

Here's how to post piccies in a thread
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=19476.0

If you're struggling with size, I find it best to use photobucket or similar, and ensure when uploading to photobucket that you select the right size to be uploaded to (640 x 480 or whatever it recommends in the thread above).

If the existing composter is badly damaged, you can make a new one with pallets or else see whether you can get cheap plastic dalek ones through freecycle or your local council.

[gavinjconway]

I use MSPaint from windows - open the pic and resize easily from the menu..