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Ooh you lucky devil! Allotments are like gold dust these days and that looks like a fantastic plot. I'm assuming you're planning to grow your own veg and maybe some fruit as well? A bit late in the year for potatoes but still good for cabbages. I'm sure you wouldn't, but plesse don't use roundup or any other kind of weed killer! Have you considered keeping bees?
The Allotment Thread ๐ on 17:16 - Apr 25 by hubble
Ooh you lucky devil! Allotments are like gold dust these days and that looks like a fantastic plot. I'm assuming you're planning to grow your own veg and maybe some fruit as well? A bit late in the year for potatoes but still good for cabbages. I'm sure you wouldn't, but plesse don't use roundup or any other kind of weed killer! Have you considered keeping bees?
Yeah, defo not involving roundup or any of that old shit, and I also want to *try* and do a no dig garden.
I havenโt got a lot of time, so I want to grow things that are low maintenance and only need collecting once a year.
Iโve not got a garden so this will eventually be a place to chill rather than a really productive allotment.
Would defo consider bees.
Itโs really shady so not sure I can produce a lot of fruit?
[Post edited 25 Apr 17:26]
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 17:26 - Apr 25 with 1255 views
The Allotment Thread ๐ on 17:13 - Apr 25 by Paddyhoops
Dig down .
Well you really are starting from scratch, it's going to be plenty of graft, a good idea to get you started is to hire a rotavator, or even buy a small one ยฃ99 from Amazon, ยฃ69 from Screwfix, you don't need a big one and the bigger one is really hard to handle.
Failing that it's a spade to create some beds, get rid of the grass, build a compost and that can be the home for the grass. You can use some sticks, attach some string to create some straight lines which can create the shape of the bed you are trying to create, lots more once you get started.
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 17:35 - Apr 25 with 1237 views
Over the last 4 years I've adopted No Gig gardening. It's fantastic. You need lots of compost but if you're prepared to get that in, it's so much better environmentally because no fertiliser is used, much easier because you don't dig and the results are excellent.
The No Dig guru is Charles Dowding. He has an excellent YouTube channel. Here is one of his showing the basic idea.
Some really good points made above. No dig, sort your water out. I do recommend having a look at a product like starch mulch from the Organic Mulch Company (Some of the pics on their website are publicity shots done by my partner at our place - we don't own any shares.)- it's really effective, warms up the soil, keeps weeding to a minimum. The thing to be aware of with say Charles's no dig approach is that it takes a lot of composted muck - his brother is a dairy farmer and he has as much muck as he needs next door! Good luck with the allotment! Advice on taking on a bigger plot: don't try to do too much all at once. It's really easy to go big but then just produce less everywhere... Bit like the last time we were in the Premier League.
รขโฌหmorbid curiosity about where this is all goingรขโฌโข
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 19:11 - Apr 25 with 1056 views
If you are in a hurry, and you may be because itโs addictive - a couple of raised beds will get you through the next few seasons as you prepare the rest of your farm ๐
I bought a few pressure treated planks and made a box. Presto- hey off you jolly well go.
Sweet corn going in on my next day off.
Itโs bloody marvellous.
Did I ever mention that I was in Minder?
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 19:23 - Apr 25 with 1028 views
I tried no dig on one of my beds and found it a complete waste of time. Cooch grass and bind weed are no respecters of no dig. The only thing I found that worked was to laboriously dig down and sift the stuff out on my hands and knees and keep pulling out the bits I missed. Hard work but I got there in the end.
Rotorvating any plot with cooch grass would, IMHO, be completely counterproductive.
Leeks, Parsnips and winter cabbage could be started and theyโre good to stay in the ground all winter as and when you need them with minimal attention.
Good luck.
ps. Whoever is managing the site should not have allowed those trees (if theyโre within the boundary) to get that high casting as much shade. They should be lopped or preferably removed.
[Post edited 25 Apr 19:26]
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 19:29 - Apr 25 with 1003 views
Posting on here is as 'technical' as I get on anything.
When we stopped roaming planet honneywood in 2021, Mrs. PH got a potager (allotment) and it became abundantly clear that it's a f..k of a lot of work! However, the more regularly you go, the less you have to do. Alas, too much for my back - although I love to appear when its harvest time - but she's soldiered on, and regularly returns with bag loads of wonderful tucker.
Look what others are growing and when. No point trying to cultivate truffles if you've not got the soil for it. Plus, look what crops compliment each other. For example, Mrs PH planted flowers alongside tomato vines and it seems to work wonders. The 2023 Planet Honneywood (Mrs) harvest was immense and were best I've had in decades.
Finally, don't plant too much. Spread them out to rest soil and move stuff around. Oh, and she swears by good quality horse shit manure.
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
If you've got any builder mates, get yourself some old palletts to make a large compost bin, It's really easy to do. I gave up a brilliant local plot when we thought we were moving and really miss it. Massive commitment at first to get it looking good, but so good for health and mental well being.
Enjoy!
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 19:33 - Apr 25 with 995 views
The Allotment Thread ๐ on 19:23 - Apr 25 by Beckenhamhoop
I tried no dig on one of my beds and found it a complete waste of time. Cooch grass and bind weed are no respecters of no dig. The only thing I found that worked was to laboriously dig down and sift the stuff out on my hands and knees and keep pulling out the bits I missed. Hard work but I got there in the end.
Rotorvating any plot with cooch grass would, IMHO, be completely counterproductive.
Leeks, Parsnips and winter cabbage could be started and theyโre good to stay in the ground all winter as and when you need them with minimal attention.
Good luck.
ps. Whoever is managing the site should not have allowed those trees (if theyโre within the boundary) to get that high casting as much shade. They should be lopped or preferably removed.
[Post edited 25 Apr 19:26]
This is the other side!
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 19:38 - Apr 25 with 987 views
In the first year of starting no dig you have to lay cardboard down first before putting a layer of compost on top. This will kill most weeds but very persistent ones like couch grass or bind weed will need pulling out until they give up.
In the second and following years, you only lay down compost. No Dig worked a treat for me.
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 19:55 - Apr 25 with 927 views
Good luck with the venture. Get a couple of pallet collars ,some cardboard and compost to get you started.(make your own from now on with all the weeding and kitchen scraps) just stick stuff in the ground and it grows. I make my own compost and grow potatoes and all our veg. a wee poly tunnel/greenhouse for tomatoes is another good idea.
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 20:03 - Apr 25 with 913 views
As others have said if you can dig a couple of beds to get you started. If you can scrounge some scaffold planks these are good for sides of the beds. Loads of things you can grow but potatoes onions sweet corn beetroot butternut squad h all easy to grow and all home grown veg tastes 100% better than in the shops.I had an allotment for 9 years setting it up the hardest part dig plenty of compost manure in. The second year it gets easierโฆGood luck with itโฆ
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 20:12 - Apr 25 with 895 views
We used 9 x 6 timbers for raised beds, our shed was a Russian made potting shed which was just brilliant. We also had a greenhouse which was a godsend. I'm quite sure you know this but don't use used railway sleepers, they can contaminate the ground. A good way of killing most weeds Is polythene, you lay it down early and It has the advantage of warming up the soil too. You'll get crop failures which Is frustrating, we had rows of parsnips in one of the raised beds that were looking great, but when we pulled them they'd bolted and were bloody useless.
We had two half sized beer barrels that we grew organic blueberries In, they lasted for about 6 or 7 years before they were worn out, my Missus used to get a bowl full every morning for her breakfast.
There's no water like rainwater for watering edible crops.
My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic.
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 20:18 - Apr 25 with 879 views
The Allotment Thread ๐ on 20:12 - Apr 25 by ted_hendrix
We used 9 x 6 timbers for raised beds, our shed was a Russian made potting shed which was just brilliant. We also had a greenhouse which was a godsend. I'm quite sure you know this but don't use used railway sleepers, they can contaminate the ground. A good way of killing most weeds Is polythene, you lay it down early and It has the advantage of warming up the soil too. You'll get crop failures which Is frustrating, we had rows of parsnips in one of the raised beds that were looking great, but when we pulled them they'd bolted and were bloody useless.
We had two half sized beer barrels that we grew organic blueberries In, they lasted for about 6 or 7 years before they were worn out, my Missus used to get a bowl full every morning for her breakfast.
There's no water like rainwater for watering edible crops.
Spot on regarding the rain water, Ted. Itโs also the best for your houseplants.
Did I ever mention that I was in Minder?
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The Allotment Thread ๐ on 20:21 - Apr 25 with 870 views
The Allotment Thread ๐ on 17:25 - Apr 25 by GaryHaddock
Yeah, defo not involving roundup or any of that old shit, and I also want to *try* and do a no dig garden.
I havenโt got a lot of time, so I want to grow things that are low maintenance and only need collecting once a year.
Iโve not got a garden so this will eventually be a place to chill rather than a really productive allotment.
Would defo consider bees.
Itโs really shady so not sure I can produce a lot of fruit?
[Post edited 25 Apr 17:26]
I think raspberries and gooseberries would be okay in the middle of that plot. Really hope you try beekeeping. Plenty of good advice from others in this thread. Good luck and enjoy. Even just turning up, putting the kettle on (little gas burner in your shed) and having a cup of tea would be nice :)
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Well you really are starting from scratch, it's going to be plenty of graft, a good idea to get you started is to hire a rotavator, or even buy a small one ยฃ99 from Amazon, ยฃ69 from Screwfix, you don't need a big one and the bigger one is really hard to handle. 
