Kitchen Garden Forum

Deb P, maybe you could just put pen to paper for the next couple of weeks. You could make a list of things you want to grow, things you can plant now.
Also any fruit trees, bushes you might want to order for the autumn.
Thats if the excited new allotment holder has not already done it.
You will be on there soon.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

Thanks for the advice Old H, I'm trying to remain content with planning!
Visited my soon to be mine plot yesterday, found a few treasures!
Firstly, behind the tumbled down shed, we found a lovely rusty airraid shelter! not sure what to do with it yet, but it's in better nick than the shed!


Then had a good look at the greenhouse, glass piled at the side, and found several previously unseen fruit trees, will make a nice mini orchard!

I'm sure I'll find more hidden treasure yet...

OOhh - it's so exciting! I want an allotment just like it!!!
keep up the photos, please

On hol's this week, and it's the first week I've been allowed on my allotment to sort it out; and what little treasures we have discovered! so far:

2 baths (filled with heavy clay subsoil and couch grass- now painstakingly dug out and de-couched!)

2 complete car tyres
2 ironing boards (?)
3 tarpaulins
3 cut up toilet water tanks
Several 70's kitchen tiles (broken)
2 pallets

On the plus side, a well! But we can't quite work out how we would get the water out, buy a hand pump? It seems to be accessed via quite a small drainage pipe, we can't see any water, it must be way down!

We've used the pallets and tarps to make a huge double compost bin with covers, and a nasty weed pile for drowning/burning. Used the soil from the baths to level one bit where it had presumably been dug out to make several strange holes- perhaps the previous owners were going to make some sort of multi level pond?

Am now gently aching from the digging (the forked version of the azada was interesting to use, really good for ripping out couch!) OH has been collecting large pallets to make raised beds for one part, I'm covering most of the rest with weed suppressing membrane to deal with later. Lots of wildlife around the plots, including lots of quite bold foxes! Mustn't leave my gloves lying around.....I'll post some more pics when it looks like....we've actually done something other than just tidy up!

Deb P, your well sounds quite a find, if you can see how much water is in it, it would pay to buy a hand pump for it.
It sounds as if your going about your jobs the right way round, as it's very easy to just want to fill it up with plants.
And i love your enthusiasm.
Glad you have finaly been able to get started.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

Sounds as though the baths could be useful as small ponds to attract frogs who will help you with some of the slugs in return

Something I have been considering for my plot...netted of course to keep the kids off

Just founds this post after 20 years! I’ve still got the same plot! It’s done me a power of good to see this post and your encouraging comments, I can remember that excitement and enthusiasm when I first got stuck in, but now look at it from a slightly different angle when so many new plotholders take on more than they can chew and subsequently give up. I really try and help the newbies that post similar ‘help what do I do now’ posts like mine now, I really caught the allotment bug and now realise I have learnt so much in the past 20 years. Here’s to many more years of allotmenteering!

Oh that’s wonderful Deb! How nice to have found your old post

Dear Deb P, how wonderful to see your old post…..I often have a look back, at some of the early posts with great fondness and this one certainly comes in that bracket.
Hope you are keeping well…..

Welcome back - just got to round up the rest of the contributors to this thread and we'll have a forum again.