[blakey1986]

hi all. Iv recently got myself an allotment after contemplating the idea for a while. As a kid i used to help my grandad with his but whilst doing my research it has come apparent how much i have forgot/still got to learn.i was wondering if anyone could offer some advise.the plot has been recently rotivated by the previous person and has been left bare. I have no greenhouse at this moment in time so the soil will stay bare for some time whilst i get everything together.would you suggest i put a layer of hay on top of the soil for over winter or will it be fine left as it is?
thanks

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site 

I'll move this over to the Grow Your Own board for the veggie people to answer.

When you refer to hay, do you mean rotted down or fresh?

[Goosegirl]

Hello and welcome to this very friendly site! You will get all the help and support you need on here, and don't be afraid of asking "daft" questions as we all do that sometimes. I'm sure others on here will recommend John's book as a good starter. I have many other gardening books and always find a snippet of info I haven't seen before. It's a good idea to see what sort of soil and aspect your site has and, hopefully, no perennial weeds have been rotovated in - you will soon know! It is best to cover the soil with something that will rot down over winter (not sure about hay), or black plastic if you don't have anything else. That will give you time to make plans over winter for its lay-out, what you want to grow, where your compost bins will be, etc. Best advice is to take it slowly and in manageable portions, sow a variety of the usual veg so you can see what does well and what doesn't (given that next year will be a better one for growing !!??) and don't worry if it goes wrong - you never stop  learning. Good luck! 

[compostqueen]

You could yes    Or manure or cardboard, or black heavy duty sheet mulch. It's not going anywhere    You have no need to start getting frantic, it will still be there tomorrow    Some would say roughly dig it over and leave the big clods for the winter weather to beat down for you.  You could start digging and weeding as you go.  Or cover most of it up and just concentrate on preparing a bed at a time, planting as you go. You still have time to prepare a patch and plant say a crop of overwintering onions, shallots or garlic. Winter brassicas.  Oh all sorts of veg can still be sown and planted once you've got a bit prepared.  It doesn't need to be all the plot 

[sunshineband]

Hi blakey and welcome to the forum 

Would you mind adding your locality into your profile please, so it shows under your name? This would help with any other questions you have, as climate/weather conditions vary enormously across membership 

Good luck with your new plot. Great to have it weedfree for you, but it won't stay that way for long at this time in the year. Covering the ground will help suppress them while you sort out your ground plan etc

[blakey1986]

thanks for all the advice.i have added my location now also.i popped down this morning to find the weeds are rearing there ugly head again and on closer inspection now the site has had the previous owners items removed i have a nice border of docs and a patch where the rain runs into and settles.the soil in the most part seems very nice but in areas left unplanted it is heavy clay.but at least i have plenty of time to plan and rectify these things.

[compostqueen]

Weeds are an inevitability so don't sweat em    It proves your soil is fertile 

Do a bit at a time, it will still be there tomorrow. Don't forget to enjoy it. Stand and stare and make plans, preferably over a cuppa

[sunshineband]

Standing and staring is a well known and well loved part of allotmenteering 

[Madame Cholet]

Standing and staring is a well known and well loved part of allotmenteering 

also scratching heads and chatting to neighbours

[Manteiga]

Not got much advice as this was my first year of allotmenteering (is that a word?). Just make sure you visit your plot regularly (every day or two) as it is amazing how quickly the wildlife can decimate your crops, especially when they are much loved seedlings.

[GYO Girl]

thanks for all the advice.i have added my location now also.i popped down this morning to find the weeds are rearing there ugly head again and on closer inspection now the site has had the previous owners items removed i have a nice border of docs and a patch where the rain runs into and settles.the soil in the most part seems very nice but in areas left unplanted it is heavy clay.but at least i have plenty of time to plan and rectify these things.

Make a start on them NOW while you've got a lovely rotavated plot and nothing planted.  Dig over the soil a bit at a time, dig out any roots you find, and keep doing it.  You'll thank yourself later, the weeds can get hold so fast!

[stompy]

If it has been rotavated why bother digging it over? 

Personally i would look into buying a few plug plants from a reputable retailer and prepare an area to get growing, not too big an area but big enough to get in what you can get hold of.
Also time dependant, you could also prepare an area for planting garlic cloves or over wintering onions!

Where ever your not going to be growing this season though get it covered, black plastic is the best as it helps warm the soil underneith and gets the weed seeds to germinate only to find they can't get to the light and so die.

Straw is also good as it lets the soil breath, still supresses the weeds and is cheap, then at the end this can be cleared and put on the compost heap.

The main thing is, don't try to do too much in one go, as others have said it'll be there tomorrow and for years to come so enjoy it and take it easy but get it covered 

Andy

[DD.]

If it has been rotavated why bother digging it over? 

Andy

Because it is quite likely that perennial roots have been chopped into smaller bits and carefully re-planted many-fold!

[stompy]

If it has been rotavated why bother digging it over? 

Andy

Because it is quite likely that perennial roots have been chopped into smaller bits and carefully re-planted many-fold!

Possibly D D,

But if it's been rotavated and it's litterally just become vacant to the point that the weeds havn't even begun growing then it's likely the previouse tennant cared for the plot and there were no perenials to grow back!

And if there were any bits of root that try to grow back  they won't be able to if it's covered as the tiny bits of root won't hold much energy to keep them going long enough to come back.

Just a thought, thts why i would just cover it with black plastic 

Also blakey1986 it's maybe worth asking around a few of the other allotment holders a little about the history of the plot to find out who was on it before you and find out if it was a jungle before it was rotavated or if it had been well tended!

Andy

[DD.]

Possibly D D,

But if it's been rotavated and it's litterally just become vacant to the point that the weeds havn't even begun growing

I popped down this morning to find the weeds are rearing there ugly head again

I rest my case!