Hopefully, if you are renting your allotment space, then you will receive one with a good amount of sun. If the plot is unkempt then do a double dig – that’s two lengths of your spade into the ground. If it’s too much for you, think about buying a rotavator. You can hire them but after two hiring sessions, it’s probably cheaper to get your own. 7. Add Some Fertiliser

Monthly jobs – The National Allotment Society – National Monthly jobs – The National Allotment Society – National

Bear in mind that wildlife that will take up residence in the long grass and overgrown greenery. This includes hedgehogs, frogs, grass snakes, toads and so many others, so don’t just hit it with a strimmer because they cause horrific injuries. Poke about in the grass before you begin, make noise and go slowly – give the wildlife a chance to escape. I’ve listed the groups below because although beans and peas are different plants, they are in the same grouping and use the same nutrients. You will need a list of veg, fruit, herbs and flowers as well as knowing how long they are in the ground for. Ideally your new allotment will be in a sunny position but this, inevitably, is not always the case. If you have been given a plot which is partly or totally in shade, choosing fruit and vegetables that tolerant these conditions is essential. Fruit in shade

In reality, this is pretty unlikely – you’re likely to find an unkempt plot that’s overgrown and requiring a lot of TLC. People often abandon their allotment plot before officially giving it up, so it may be a while since it’s had much attention.

Allotment Design Ideas for Beginners | Allotment Planning 10 Allotment Design Ideas for Beginners | Allotment Planning

Many allotments don’t supply water, but allotment holders get around this by installing a water butt. Allotment design is all about making sure you focus on a few essentials so that your garden has the best opportunity to thrive. With the basics in place, you can be a little more flexible with what you add to your allotment layout. Whether you’re growing in allotments, gardens or raised beds, here’s the practical know-how you need from our experts to help you grow your tastiest fruit and vegetables ever. Getting started on your allotment With the basics in place, your allotment will be in good shape, and you can start thinking about the specific plants, fruit and vegetables you'll be planting in your new allotment. We always recommend drawing up a plan of your new allotment layout and planning out plants before you start digging.Some perennials can have significant life spans like shrubs and trees . At the same time, others will need replacing every few years. Perennials are hardier and tend to survive better in a hostile environment. Trees, shrubs and other woody plants such as brambles are best cut down and dug out; woody waste can be shredded andcomposted

Plan | Fruit, Vegetables, Herbs | Allotment Book Create A Growing Plan | Fruit, Vegetables, Herbs | Allotment Book

Root veggies like carrot and potatoes don’t use up much of anything. Beans and peas need a lot of phosphoru s but they replenish nitrogen, so follow peas and beans with leafy or fruiting crops to take advantage of the nitrogen, and keep rotating. As you harvest and empty the beds it time to dig them over and let the winter rain and frosts kill off any infections – unless you like the no dig method of course! WinterIf you're working with a larger plot, you can certainly add in an extra pathway and more raised beds . It’s possible that you will be assigned an allotment that is not the closest allotment to you. This can be a bit surprising sometimes. Think about how far you are willing to travel for an allotment.

How to plan an allotment – The National Allotment Society

To make sure you know exactly what to do, step by step, we’ve put together this ultimate beginners guide to starting an allotment. If your allotment becomes overrun, weed control can become more complicated. You can use chemical weed killers, but they may also affect your plants . When clear of weeds the soil can be broken up and ideally add organic matter by digging or rotovating, or while building raised bedsThe size of your allotment will naturally determine what you can and cannot plant and how much of each you can plant, or at least it will determine the bread of plant. For example, if you have a large allotment you may get away with a small apple tree or two, if you have a tiny plot you may have to decide if apples are worth it or if you want to invest in some cordons. The size of the allotment may also determine your planting style. There are several to choose from or you can use a combination of styles. What you want to grow is an importance part of your design. This was a hard one for me who goes more for design than straight rows (still fighting with it now!). I know one person who grows nothing but specialist primroses, others who have everything. I took all the information about the allotment from all the other people there, what I could see thrived there, what people had done to cause them trouble and also what I wanted to grow let my brain play with it then came up with a design – several actually. When it comes to planting your crops, take into account the companion planting tips we discussed above. Additional Allotment Planning Considerations Don’t stress if your seeds don’t grow, get devoured by aphids, or a drought kills everything off. Keep at it. Growing veg is not an exact art and even the most experienced of gardeners get caught out by the weather and an influx of pests. Most importantly, having an allotment is a very enjoyable hobby.