I have heard from a family friend that their are 2 allotment spaces
that I might be able to have (have been on the list since last October)
one of them is next to her's and she has said I could share her shed :)
Also if I could get that one I would have help and support on tap :)

Fingers crossed :)
I'm actually getting very excited about it and if it happens soon I'll
have a chance of getting some crops in this year :)
Although apparently the plot needs a bit of clearing/digging

"Gardening_Convert" <colin.day [at] btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:1150715611.949166.228840 [at] y41g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...
>I have heard from a family friend that their are 2 allotment spaces
> that I might be able to have (have been on the list since last October)
> one of them is next to her's and she has said I could share her shed :)
> Also if I could get that one I would have help and support on tap :)
>
> Fingers crossed :)
> I'm actually getting very excited about it and if it happens soon I'll
> have a chance of getting some crops in this year :)
> Although apparently the plot needs a bit of clearing/digging

I may be wrong but in my experience, if the plot has been unused for any
length of time then you will be spending most of this year clearing weeds
and improving the soil for next year. You should also make sure that you
are close to a supply of water.

Good luck

"Gardening_Convert" <colin.day [at] btinternet.com> wrote
>I have heard from a family friend that their are 2 allotment spaces
> that I might be able to have (have been on the list since last
> October) one of them is next to her's and she has said I could share
> her shed :) Also if I could get that one I would have help and support
> on tap :)
>
> Fingers crossed :)
> I'm actually getting very excited about it and if it happens soon I'll
> have a chance of getting some crops in this year :)
> Although apparently the plot needs a bit of clearing/digging

Good news. Best of luck with it, and I hope you get the plot you'd
prefer. Shall look forward to hearing all about your exploits and
successes, even if it turns out to be mainly success with conquering
weeds to begin with. :)

--
Sue

Colin wrote ...
>I have heard from a family friend that their are 2 allotment spaces
> that I might be able to have (have been on the list since last October)
> one of them is next to her's and she has said I could share her shed :)
> Also if I could get that one I would have help and support on tap :)
>
> Fingers crossed :)
> I'm actually getting very excited about it and if it happens soon I'll
> have a chance of getting some crops in this year :)
> Although apparently the plot needs a bit of clearing/digging
>

Welcome to the world of the allotment, a very rewarding pastime even if it
is hard work (or perhaps because it is).
Don't rush into planting things, take your time and get your plot right
first, it will pay dividends in the end.
Clear off the rubbish and get rid of it down the Council dump.
Build a solid compost bin or two for all the weeds you will pull up later.
Check for perennial weeds (bindweed, couch, thistles etc) and deal with
those using weedkiller, it may take more than one application. This is most
important, failure to do this will cause constant problems/work.
Strim off the other "normal" weeds, rake up and compost.
Dig it all, have a bucket beside you and take out any big
stones/glass/plastic etc. taking care to look for perennial weed roots as
you go. You can make paths with the stones but the rest are best taken home
for the dustbin.
Rake it level as you dig so as not to keep treading on the soil.
Mark it into 4 sections for the 4 year rotation (or 5 for 5 year or 3 for 3
year) using solid wood or metal stakes.
(1. Spuds. 2. Cabbages etc. 3. Peas/beans. 4. Onions+ carrots and odds and
sods... is our rotation)

Now you can think about some plants for this season. :-)

Don't forget next season starts with the Garlic which goes in in Sept/Oct.

Get a good weed hoe, it will be your most used tool ( Wolf Garden, the
smaller push pull weeder)
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Gardening_Convert wrote:
> I have heard from a family friend that their are 2 allotment spaces
> that I might be able to have (have been on the list since last October)
> one of them is next to her's and she has said I could share her shed :)
> Also if I could get that one I would have help and support on tap :)
> Fingers crossed :)
> I'm actually getting very excited about it and if it happens soon I'll
> have a chance of getting some crops in this year :)
> Although apparently the plot needs a bit of clearing/digging

HOORAY!! Congrats :o)

Best advice I got when taking on my (very) overgrown plot last
year...just get a small area up and running and cover the rest with
black plastic. Then just clear more when you have the energy. Don't
forget tho...always work with your back to the grotty bit!! Best of
luck


--
Ang

Following up to Ang <Ang.29qswf [at] gardenbanter.co.uk> :

>...always work with your back to the grotty bit!!

LOL!
--
Tim C.

Gardening_Convert wrote:
> I have heard from a family friend that their are 2 allotment spaces
> that I might be able to have (have been on the list since last October)
> one of them is next to her's and she has said I could share her shed :)
> Also if I could get that one I would have help and support on tap :)
>
> Fingers crossed :)
> I'm actually getting very excited about it and if it happens soon I'll
> have a chance of getting some crops in this year :)
> Although apparently the plot needs a bit of clearing/digging

Not quite as close as I thought. Apparently I'm next on the list BUT

Some people have gone to that big allotment in the sky but they need to
wait until the families have decided what to do with the plots ( they
have paid up until Sep).
Also some people will need to give up soon due to ill health.
So still waiting but next in line :)

It's just a shame that you can only get a plot by dead man shoes or
someone being ill :(
would rather I got one through nicer circumstances !

Colin wrote ...
> Not quite as close as I thought. Apparently I'm next on the list BUT
>
> Some people have gone to that big allotment in the sky but they need to
> wait until the families have decided what to do with the plots ( they
> have paid up until Sep).
> Also some people will need to give up soon due to ill health.
> So still waiting but next in line :)
>
> It's just a shame that you can only get a plot by dead man shoes or
> someone being ill :(
> would rather I got one through nicer circumstances !
>
Lots of plots spare around here, only about half of our site is taken and at
the last site we ended up with 4 plot holders on a 9.6 acre site. Maybe
something to do with the price the Council charge, £80 pa for the normal 10
sq rods.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

"Gardening_Convert" <colin.day [at] btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:1150907521.477090.88040 [at] u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...
>
> Gardening_Convert wrote:
>> I have heard from a family friend that their are 2 allotment spaces
>> that I might be able to have (have been on the list since last October)
>> one of them is next to her's and she has said I could share her shed :)
>> Also if I could get that one I would have help and support on tap :)
>>
>> Fingers crossed :)
>> I'm actually getting very excited about it and if it happens soon I'll
>> have a chance of getting some crops in this year :)
>> Although apparently the plot needs a bit of clearing/digging
>
> Not quite as close as I thought. Apparently I'm next on the list BUT
>
> Some people have gone to that big allotment in the sky but they need to
> wait until the families have decided what to do with the plots ( they
> have paid up until Sep).
> Also some people will need to give up soon due to ill health.
> So still waiting but next in line :)
>
> It's just a shame that you can only get a plot by dead man shoes or
> someone being ill :(
> would rather I got one through nicer circumstances !
>
It's a sad fact of life that when you're waiting for an allotment, you may
be waiting for someone to die. And when you get it, others are waiting for
you to die. My advice is top make them wait as long as possible. :-))

Steve

Bob Hobden wrote:
> Lots of plots spare around here, only about half of our site is taken and=
at
> the last site we ended up with 4 plot holders on a 9.6 acre site. Maybe
> something to do with the price the Council charge, =A380 pa for the norma=
l 10
> sq rods.

We're full on ours. We've got a annual do coming up and my husband has
made a huge wooden sign to celebrate the society centenary. But 80
squids per year is abominable. We pay 17 pounds per year for a 10 rods
!!! Where is your lotty located? Buckingham Palace's grounds?!?!?

"La Puce"wrote ...

Bob Hobden wrote:
> Lots of plots spare around here, only about half of our site is taken and
> at
> the last site we ended up with 4 plot holders on a 9.6 acre site. Maybe
> something to do with the price the Council charge, £80 pa for the normal
> 10
> sq rods.

We're full on ours. We've got a annual do coming up and my husband has
made a huge wooden sign to celebrate the society centenary. But 80
squids per year is abominable. We pay 17 pounds per year for a 10 rods
!!! Where is your lotty located? Buckingham Palace's grounds?!?!?

No, almost at the M25 and M3 junction (Thorpe interchange) as you come off
the M3 north bound to go towards Heathrow. In the winter we can see the
vehicles on the slip road across the stream and field beyond, now the trees
hide them and us.
Amazing the number of vehicles with flat tyres that belt along the M25!

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Bob Hobden wrote:
> Colin wrote ...
> > Not quite as close as I thought. Apparently I'm next on the list BUT
> >
> > Some people have gone to that big allotment in the sky but they need to
> > wait until the families have decided what to do with the plots ( they
> > have paid up until Sep).
> > Also some people will need to give up soon due to ill health.
> > So still waiting but next in line :)
> >
> > It's just a shame that you can only get a plot by dead man shoes or
> > someone being ill :(
> > would rather I got one through nicer circumstances !
> >
> Lots of plots spare around here, only about half of our site is taken and=
at
> the last site we ended up with 4 plot holders on a 9.6 acre site. Maybe
> something to do with the price the Council charge, =A380 pa for the norma=
l 10
> sq rods.
>
> --
> Regards
> Bob Hobden
> 17mls W. of London.UK

The site I'm trying to get on is ancient common land run by a poors
charity and I think the costs are around =A328 per year.

>From what I'm told it's much better that the council run allotments we
have round here & some of the council ones charge around =A345 per year
(ones with water etc)