[Man-K]

Greetings all   ,

I'm fairly new to this site but love what I have read so far. Figured it would be nice to introduce myself before I start asking loads of questions.

I live in Worcester and 10 weeks ago applied to the council for an allotment (adopted the attitude that I should stop reading about it and just do it) and was informed yesterday that I can have one (Timberdine Ave for any locals out there). I am expecting the paper work through tomorrow morning and all I have to go choose which plot I want and apparently they will de-weed and rotorvate the soil for me, bargain!!!

Brief description of myself: 25 y/o male pacifist with a keen interest in science (also my 'career' choice), writing, sculpting, painting, and anything eco-friendly. 2 years divorced (I know!) and currently living with my best friend although I spend half my time at my Lady's house, both of whom work in different garden centres giving me a discount on almost anything I will HAVE to buy new.

I look forward to pestering you all for your collective wealth of knowledge and experience and wish you all good health.

[noshed]

Welcome to the potting shed. I hope you'll find some useful advice here (just ignore anything from this direction.)
When you choose your plot - you may not necessarily want it rotovated, if the council are just going to spread perennial weed roots far and wide. If it's been cultivated recently then it might not need it. But you'll have to judge for yourself, many people on here have been through this process recently and can give you better advice than me.
All I can say is - when the slugs first get your lovely little nurtured cabbage plants, you'll soon forget any nonsense about pacifism!

[Man-K]

Oh yes, I have been introduced the gardeners nemesis, the infamous SLUG.

I am considering (rules permitted of course) making small child-safe pond in order to breed some local frogs. The websites I have read on this give simple enough instructions. As yet though I'm a little unsure as to how successful it would be.

[milkman]

Hallo and welcome Man-K,
I have small ponds in both garden and allotment each with thriving froggie population - cannot comment on child-safety aspects although no one has drowned on the plot pond to my knowledge although I haven't checked it recently!  My advice with ponds is to try and get them as close to 3 feet deep in once place as you can, once filled with water make friends with someone else with a pond to acquire a bucket of sludge and oxygenating weed, then away you go.
Good luck.

[milkman]

ps. slugs are great...once they have been chopped in half!