Beside myself with excitement!!!! Lottie at last!!

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Deb P
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Have just been contacted by the Chairman of the Allotment where I have been on the waiting list for ages, now have three plots to choose from, hurrah!

I'm off tomorrow to view them, apparently in varying states.....what should I look for as a priority do you think? Aspect? Soil? Amount of nasty weeds? Advice please!

I'm so overexcited I can't think straight, I don't want to just rush in because I've waited so long to get one, but I can't wait! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
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tracie
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good for you. Somwhere near the taps( if they have them), away from trees. Take a spade with you and do a test dig, so you can see which one has better soil. If possible try to find out which one was cultivated most recently then hopefully the weeds and weed seeds shouldnot be too bad. Happy digging :P
who needs the gym when you have an allotment
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lizzie
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Congratulations!!! :P

You can tell the type of soil just by picking up a handfull and feeling it. You want something nice and viable. You should be able to mould it into a ball and then it should just crumble away again.

Keep away from anything that has mares tail on it. Check also for bindweed. Although bindweed can be eradicated (eventually) mares tail is a real problem.

Check where the taps are too as Tracie said. A wheelbarrow full of watering cans can be really heavy and tricky to move without spilling what you've spent 10 minutes filling up!!!

Enjoy
Lots of love

Lizzie
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oldherbaceous
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The others have just about covered all the important things, but it might pay to have a word with one or two of the old boys, or old girls for that matter, to see if any of the plots have had a lot of sprays or nasty diseases in the last couple of years.
i'm truly pleased for you, and hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of your new plot.
Gosh it would be awful if, when you got there tomorrow they had made a mistake. :shock: :wink:

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.
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Jude
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Also, keep an eye out for 'leftovers' eg rhubarb, fruit bushes etc. They can save you a fortune if you learn how to renovate/propogate them!
Wishing you very good luck, hope you enjoy your now changed for ever life!
Jude

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Johnboy
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Hi Deb,
I am delighted for you. There are several things to consider but feel that if you see Mares Tail on the site give it a wide berth. Nettles generally are a sign of good fertility and once they are removed they are very easy to keep at bay. May I further suggest that when you accept your plot and find Dock present that you very carfully cut the seed heads off thoroughly and put in Polythene bag to be disposed of. This means that the rest of the plant can be composted safely without having fear of sowing a fresh batch with your compost next year. Ground Elder is also at the seed stage and I would do the same with them. I do not know your attitude towards weed killers but with Ground Elder If you pick the ssed heads off then strim they will regenerate and when you have a nice showing of green again then this is the time to hit with Glyphosate and you have the opportunity to be rid of them.
I wish you the very best of luck with the allotment and it is not too late to get certain things planted to give you good picking in the Spring.
JB.
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Carole B.
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Have a good look round at what your nearest neighbours grow,it will give you an idea of what the soil is like.
Access is important too,I am up the top of a sloping site and the only wide path is down the bottom so everything has to be pushed uphill!
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Jenny Green
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If it were me the first thing I'd look for would be bindweed or mares tail. Most other things can be dealt with but spending large amounts of time trying to deal with these and never quite succeeding can be quite demotivating. Of course the other persitent weed is Japanese knotweed. The general advice for this if you have it in your back garden is to move house! It's less effort apparently.
You don't want a site that has any largish trees nearby as these will take all the moisture and nutrients from the soil for quite a distance around. Also, have a rummage around for rubbish concealed in the greenery. It's dangerous and boring to have shattered glass to continually look out for.
Other than that - enjoy! :D
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oldherbaceous
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Dear Deb P, I hope all of us haven't dampenend your enthusiasm, we are just tying to warn you on the worst situations, with the mention of perennial weeds, bad soil, dumped rubbish and diseases.
Lets hope when you get there you will be pleasantly surprised.
Of course when you get your allotment you could get some grumpy neighbours. :shock: :wink:

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.
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Deb P
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Thanks for all the advice..I gather I have a choice of 3 plots, one is still being worked by a gentleman who can no longer keep it going due to ill health, one has been abandoned for at least a year, and the last was allocated at the end of last year but has had very little done to it. I'm going to take my camera along this afternoon, I'll report back later!!

You have not dampened my enthusiasm in the least, I ran out of vegetable and fruit growing space at home some time ago, there's hardly any room for flowers now, so although I'll be a novice lottie holder, at least I'll have had some experience growing. I know to tackle things slowly and not do too much at a time, so in some ways taking on a plot at this time of year is quite good, as I don't have to rush to get ready for the main growing season. Oh s*d it, I'm still thrilled to bits, trying to stay cool and reasoned, but failing miserably!!
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Weed
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There's still time to plant some stuff for this year plus there's all the over wintering crops to look forward to
I am in my own little world, ...it's OK, ...they know me there!
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tracie
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I have got mares tail on one of my allotments, you must try to dig every bit out. The roots are black and a bit tricky to see in the soil.DONT rotivate or you will nevewr get rid of it.
Mine is a lot better this year, i pull it up every time I see it comming through, dont compost any of it take it away or burn it.
Last year i had a weedkiller which you painted onto the plant, its a bit of a pain to do but I have defenatly OOpS, got less this year.

regards

Tracie
who needs the gym when you have an allotment
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Deb P
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Well, I didn't expect it to be such a tough choice! But this is the one I have gone for, bearing all your advice in mind!

It was the one that had been partially started, but mostly a blank canvas. Bonuses includes 2 sheds (1 derelict), and a small greenhouse, constructed but not glazed, which I am paying the current owner for. There is some couch, and docks (advice re bagging the seedheads note JB), but has been partially covered with carpet and plastic for ? long, still plenty of clearing to do though. A mature pear tree (small, but fruiting ok), some blackcurrant bushes, and plenty of brambles to the rear, no veg I can see, but some mixed flowers in a square 'bed'. Exciting eh!

Image
Last edited by Deb P on Fri Aug 25, 2006 3:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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sprout
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It sounds fabulous with all the 'buried treasures' Deb - best of luck, look forward to future posts and pix! :D
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oldherbaceous
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Deb P, i really am pleased for you, it looks a charming little sight, and can imagine you spending many a happy hour there. :D
You really do deserve it. :wink:

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.
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