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Ideas for new allotment.

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Don Kidick (U13987773) on Monday, 21st November 2011

  Good morning everyone.
  
  I have finally got an allotment, after 3 years on the waiting list (I know this isn’t as long as some have to wait (I was lucky, they revamped the list about 18 months ago and I shot right up to near the top), but it was still an agonising wait).
  
  Anyway to get to the point I have been growing Veg at home for a couple of years, but space and circumstances have dictated what and where I grow.
  
  With the new allotment it is a bit of a blank canvas, I will be starting to work on it on Saturday and am at a bit of a loss as to what to do and when to do it.
  
  I will be putting a path, a couple of greenhouses and a shed in, what is the best way to plan as to where to put them?
  
  Also which are best raised beds or level? And what should separate them?
  
  In short what is the best way to go about starting from scratch and being ready for spring?
  
  Any help or advice would be thankfully received.
  
  Cheers. Don.
  

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Monday, 21st November 2011

  Hi Don,
  
  Glad to hear you have become an allotmenteer, I have been one now for in excess of thirty years and I am still learnig, so thats one thing you have in front of you.
  
  There is lots I could suggest but I feel its what you want that counts most,
  
  So the only adice I would give is;
  
  The effort from an allotment is only equal to the effort put in to it.
  
  I have written the following information on 'allotments' and supplied a few pictures to boot to show people how I go about things.
  
  
  The information is here;
  
  
  
  Scroll over the text for links and these coupled with the related links should give you a fair insight as to what is ahead of you.
  
  I have also dabbled with a couple of books on the subject (see 'Bookshop') on the toolbar..
  
  So let me wish you the best of luck with your new venture....Tg

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Monday, 21st November 2011

  Good luck with your allotment Don,
  
  I'm not going to be alot of help as I'm still growing in the back garden where I'm more than happy to remain. Three raised beds, several fruit bushes and a GH are quite enough for me but have lived next door to an allotment for over 20 years. Got on well with the allotmenteers and probably fed their bored children on far more occassions than I care to mention with burgers and buns when bar-be-que-ing. Listened to many a woeful tale and many successes.
  
  I've deemed lots of good advise from both old and new allotmenteers. TG's advise I've found very good and alot of other posters both new and old.
  
  Depends how keen you are, with already a couple of years under your belt, you must be fairly keen to grow your own and being a member of these boards for a while know some stuff about preparation of soil, crop rotation, compost, raised beds etc...
  
  How big is the plot? whats it like now? what do you think needs doing to it?
  what are your plans?

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Don Kidick (U13987773) on Tuesday, 22nd November 2011

  Thanks for your replies and encouragement.
  
  There is quite a lot to consider when taking on a new allotment (more than I first realised) and the hardest part seems to be deciding where to start.
  
  The plot is about 20 foot by 100 (this is a guesstimate), there is already a small (6 x 4) shed on site and I am looking at erecting two 8 x 6 greenhouses but putting them together to make one 16 x 6 (if you know what I mean). I am then planning on making as many raised beds as space will permit, which will hopefully allow for different soil types (although I am no expert on soil and will be looking for help advice and tips when the time comes. eventually I will be looking at getting a polytunnel eventually, but I suspect that will be quite a bit further down the line..
  
  Can anyone see any problems I may encounter with this?
  
  Also I will be growing the usual, spuds, cabbage, cauliflower etc but I also want to try new more unusual things so any suggestions in this are would be appreciated.
  
  Cheers. Don.
  

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by horththit (U13862695) on Tuesday, 22nd November 2011

  Hi
  Congrats on the allotment. One thing I would point out is: when laying a path between beds, make sure that when you kneel down there is enough space to stretch your legs out, otherwise it can be a nightmare. We made that mistake and had to redo the whole thing! Raised beds 4ft wide are easily managed, and you don't have to stand in them , compacting the soil, to weed and turn. Good luck.

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by Don Kidick (U13987773) on Tuesday, 22nd November 2011

  Hi
  Congrats on the allotment. One thing I would point out is: when laying a path between beds, make sure that when you kneel down there is enough space to stretch your legs out, otherwise it can be a nightmare. We made that mistake and had to redo the whole thing! Raised beds 4ft wide are easily managed, and you don't have to stand in them , compacting the soil, to weed and turn. Good luck.  Thanks horththit, I’ll remember that.
  
  It’s those little hints and tips that really help and make life easier in the long run. Once everything is established I can start playing around with new ideas, but what I don’t want is to be moving paths, beds and bases etc around after I realise they are in the wrong place or encounter problems like you mention.
  
  
  Cheers. Don.
  

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Tuesday, 22nd November 2011

  Just to add to horththit's advice on path and bed widths;
  
  I don't know how tall you are but the following method suits all heights.
  
  Kneel down at the edge of a bed and mark the spot where your toes are, this gives the width of the footpath ( you can add a few inches more if you think you need it!)
  
  Regarding the bed width;
  
  From a kneeling position lean forward and extend your arm as if pulling a weed without over stretching, make a mark and measure how far this is from the edge of the bed, then double it and the resulting measurement is the width of your bed.
  
  That is you can comfortably reach the centre of the bed from either side of it!
  
  Another method to consider is this;
  
  I find 5ft to 51/2 ft the ideal width as this fits in with plant centres when planting out.
  
  For example;
  
  I usually plant 4 brassicas to this width thus;
  
  _x_x_x_x_
  
  i.e roughly 15" apart
  
  I get five potatoe tubers across the width thus;
  
  _x_x_x_x_x_
  
  i.e roughly 12" apart
  
  Or 7 onions / shallots;
  
  _x_x_x_x_x_x_x_
  
  i.e roughly 8"" apart
  
  I hope that helps you and any others that are looking in!....Tg

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Joe_the_Gardener (U3478064) on Tuesday, 22nd November 2011

  Good luck with the allotment, Hampton. Don't forget to leave space for three good-sized compost bins.
  
  Joe

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Tuesday, 22nd November 2011

  Agree with the width of your beds mine are 4ft wide and it's so easy to plant out.
  
  Considering the width of the plot you might opt for a main path going through the centre with beds either side and paths running down the sides of the raised beds.
  
  The main path down the centre should be slightly wider than your side paths to allow a wheel barrow to be pushed down it, always useful when putting compost on the beds. Barrow can be filled at side of plot with compost and pushed down to the bed you want to throw it on.

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 9.

  Posted by Don Kidick (U13987773) on Wednesday, 23rd November 2011

  Thanks once again for all your replies.
  
  I have a few ideas now and will heed your advice when I am planning the layout.
  
  I have also been reading the gardening blogs on some websites, one in particular took my interest it was about designing a berry patch and although it has inspired me to include a berry patch somewhere either on my allotment or in my garden it wasn’t very informative, so I have a few questions that I hope the very informative members of this board can answer.
  
  Has anyone got a berry patch? What sort of berries is best for the local (North West England) climate?
  Anyone grow any unusual varieties?
  Who/where are the best suppliers?
  Any advice on design, layout, optimum planting i.e. under planting companion planting etc?
  What is the best way of protecting them from birds?
  Do different plants require different soil types? If so what is the best way to overcome this when planting in the same area (patch)?
  
  So many questions, and I am sure that when I get to know my fellow allotmenteers I will have an endless supply of advice, but any help I can get for now would be gratefully appreciated.
  
  
  Cheers. Don.
  
  

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• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Wednesday, 23rd November 2011

  If you google 'my allotment in liverpool' . You'll find a well organised plot with raised beds and a mix of fruit/berry bushes being grown at the sides of the plot. There's even a little orchard.
  
  If you follow the links at the side of the site it takes you to a video on you tube of the plot in August 2008.
  

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