What should I do first?

[Barry]

I am running out of time!
On my new allotment, I have been setting up a series of very deep raised beds of the 4ft wide 3 metres long variety. It takes me about a week to build one of these and get it planted. However, my early potatoes need planting rapidly, while I still have a whole load of rasperies to move across from the old plot (both summer and autumn varieties), along with a whole bed of strawberries. But there isn't time to do everything. This week, I have to start on the strawberry bed (which will take all week), then complete a new asparagus bed for the arrival of 25 plants just ordered from Moles. But how am I going to get the spuds in and the raspberries moved across in time!!! Not to mention having to find somewhere to put the onion sets and shallots...
Any advice?

[Compo]

Bit early for earlies, most people put them in the ground from next month on, unless there is some kind of cover over them, the answer is you cannot do it all, and try not set your standards too high, the first year on a new plot is hard work, as you are finding, do you work, howabout booking a couple of days off? If it is getting stressful then your not enjoying it and it will become a chore.

Either get some help or lower your standards a little, I would say.

Good luck Compo

[Malk]

Most of the old hands at my allotment plant their earlies from St Patrick's Day onwards, so you have time yet. But we're up north, but you usually have a month or two chance to plant with potatoes, I think.

[tea-shot]

I already have my first earlies in and sprouting - just a tiny touch of green through the soil - and St. Pat's day is this Sunday so second earlies are going in then, and we are a lot further north than you. They are in raised beds and have had bubble wrap on to warm them up, and basically I'm just following Stan next door who has had a plot for around 50-60 years.

Is there no-one to lend a hand to you - like what we do up here in't frozen north - or other members of family, friends, casual aquaintances, or promise workmates a couple of bags of produce for their help now.

Hope this helps and the plants won't know if they're in a finished bed or some old pots for this year. Good luck

[Beryl]

Stop panicking, slow down, take a deep breath and tackle one job at a time. It will all get done.
It's still early for potatoes and for those of us that have been flooded we won't be planting for another couple of weeks anyway.

Beryl.

[Jenny Green]

Are you keeping the old plot going or are you giving it up completely? The reason I ask is that you may find it necessary to leave the raspberries there for this year. If I were you I'd get the asparagus bed ready first so they can go straight in when they arrive. My next focus would be the strawberry bed - they should be moved soon if you want to get them before they start growing. Next on my list would be the raspberries, but it's getting a bit late to move them now. Potatoes can wait a long time, as can onions.
Just take your time and don't panic. You don't want to be cutting corners when preparing new beds. If you don't get everything done perfectly it isn't the end of the world.

[Barry]

Thanks for the advice everybody.
I was talking to one of the old hands (83) who said that planting the potatoes needn't be as onerous as preparing the raised beds, since it is just a question of turning over the soil and chucking them in! He's right. However, more permanent stuff does need more serious ground attention and it is in that department that time is running out. I am horribly aware that it is getting almost too late to move raspberries, but I reckon with a good earth ball around them they can still be moved. Anybody disagree?
I am sort of keeping on my old plot (it is so complicated to go into the explanation, but once I am 100% moved over I will try and explain all the history -it is fascinating!!), but would prefer to get as much out as I can or risk losing produce to a certain group of other plot holders...
I can take time off; I am self-employed. Unfortunately, this is my busiest time of the year and the time when I make most of my money! As it is, I am now doing 2-hour sessions daily, but am going to stretch this to three over the next couple of days in order to try and get my raspberries in. (This is more complicated than it sounds. I am having to remove couch grass and put in a rabbit proof outer fence at the same time, since the raspberries follow the fence. This, in turn, requires me building several pallet compost bins to support the fence, all of which is extra work. I have to do it like this because the nylon cord I am using is supported on the compost bins! Honest, it works like a dream once in.)
In addition, as I have posted elsewhere, I put in a further two hours in the evening simply moving stuff across. It is knackering and the damn clock will not stop ticking. This coming week is going to be crucial. Pity about the pulled muscle behind my shoulder and the pain in the lower back. At 49, I am feeling too old to do all this, but it is fun!

[Compo]

Raspberries are pretty hardy Barry, with or without the root ball of soil you will salvage some, and if they are in the right spot, a few years later you will have a voracious row of canes to contend with. And you are right about spuds, a rough dig, turning the annual weeds in if you need to, will suffice for a crop of spuds. Strawberries are beginning to wake so will need abit more care depending on the variety.

Don't panic. grow what you can, there is always next year

Compo

[Malk]

Barry, if you're looking to simplify the potato planting even more, I wouldn't even bother with the trench method. Last year I tried two ideas, one in open bottom buckets that I placed on top of my raised bed. I put in some rotten manure in the bottom and then some soil, my tatties and then topped up with more compost.

I also just dug 8 inch holes with my trowel, but in some manure, a layer of newspaper and then my tatties and then filled it in.

I was pregnant and not allowed to do any heavy digging (didn't totally stop me).

But both methods worked really well and caused little back and belly strain and took half the time of the usual trench method I do.

[Compo]

Or you can use a large dibber or bulb planter, make a hole and pop em in.

[Barry]

Well, I took some of your advice and simply took several more hours off of work, which enabled me to at least plant all the strawberries. My asparagus plants have now arrived and, depending on advice I get from another posting, they will probably have to go in next. The raspberry transplant will take longer than I had hoped. The raspberries will have to follow the line of a rabbit proof fence I am putting in place. This has to be in place first, which means establishing palleted compost bins at either end to hang the fence from. I have to do it this way, but then there is all the soil to dig over. Groan. I used to like digging, but when you are having to do it against the clock it ain't much fun.
For the spuds, I will first have to strip off "turf" prior to doing any planting. However, I don't trench plant anything. I use a solid metal pole, ram this into the soil then throw in the spud! Basic stuff, but it always works.