Allotments, where to start ?

Food, Nutrition and Agriculture
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korolev
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Allotments, where to start ?

Post by korolev »

I found out yesterday that there's the possibility of getting an allotment near me. With my pending early retirement (and resultant reduction in income) I might take it on and grow myself some fruit and veg.
The upside is that my late mum had one for years and could grow anything. The downside is that I never really listened to her when she told me about it, being far more interested in music and football.

So, how easy is it to get started and get growing ? I'd likely be getting it in the late summer so presume it's preparation through the winter and start planting in the spring ?

Any advice appreciated
featherstick
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Re: Allotments, where to start ?

Post by featherstick »

Get yourself a copy of John Harrison's Veg Growing Month by Month (adapt for location though) and Hessayon's Veg Expert - there are loads of good books about and I have many of them but these two are the best.

Talk to your lottie neighbours about what does well and doesn't. Some will be stand-offish as they see plenty of newbies come and go, but work on the friendly ones.

Find out what type of soil you've got as this makes a huge difference.

And grow what you eat. I've met many ppl who say "oh yeah, this grows really well for me so I put it in every year but we don't really like it...."

Not sure you'll save much money though, but it's a nice hobby.
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Decaff
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Re: Allotments, where to start ?

Post by Decaff »

Also on utube look at Simplify gardening, fantastic channel to watch and really good information.
Behind every great man is an even greater woman. She carried you, raised you and made you who you are.
cbp125
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Re: Allotments, where to start ?

Post by cbp125 »

Decide what style of gardening you prefer, some people prefer no dig methods Charles Dowding on youtube covers this well. Some people prefer raised beds, others prefer WW2 style dig for victory gardens (my style all muck and wellies .
Just remember that they all work well and there is no wrong choice. There are lots you can plant in late summer, oriental greens, broad beans, christmas pots etc, or just take your time prepairing the beds.
I'd recommend doing an hour or two a day, not 8hrs at the weekend.... think tortoise and hare nevermind the backache
It is not cheap tho, seeds, tools, compost etc all add up to quite an investment. But as recently proved food can become very scarce very quickly.
Go for it, you should enjoy it and the food tastes fab
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peejay
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Re: Allotments, where to start ?

Post by peejay »

I'd second Charles Dowding he has TONS of videos available on YouTube - sounds like you have time to evaluate the various methods available.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6s ... h7q0O2WJBg
RedTjern
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Re: Allotments, where to start ?

Post by RedTjern »

featherstick wrote: Wed May 01, 2019 12:03 pm Get yourself a copy of John Harrison's Veg Growing Month by Month (adapt for location though) and Hessayon's Veg Expert - there are loads of good books about and I have many of them but these two are the best.

Talk to your lottie neighbours about what does well and doesn't. Some will be stand-offish as they see plenty of newbies come and go, but work on the friendly ones.

Find out what type of soil you've got as this makes a huge difference.

And grow what you eat. I've met many ppl who say "oh yeah, this grows really well for me so I put it in every year but we don't really like it...."

Not sure you'll save much money though, but it's a nice hobby.
Thanks for the book recommend! I’ve ordered a copy.

I’d probably echo the need to ensure you grow stuff you will actually want to eat. I spent a long time growing things that looked nice but weren’t useful.

I’d also agree that you should ask some of the long timers about your patch and maybe it’s recent history. Pre existing Diseases could destroy your hard work (I had a whole crop of tomatoes destroyed by blight). There are solutions but it’s worth asking.

I’d also say it’s definitely worth it. We save quite a bit of money in the summer months through just through lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers etc.

Hope it goes well
featherstick
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Re: Allotments, where to start ?

Post by featherstick »

peejay wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2020 5:37 pm I'd second Charles Dowding he has TONS of videos available on YouTube - sounds like you have time to evaluate the various methods available.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6s ... h7q0O2WJBg

I've started transitioning to no-dig, have nearly all the plot down to it now, the labour and water savings and crop quality are remarkable.
featherstick
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Re: Allotments, where to start ?

Post by featherstick »

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ukpreppergrrl
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Re: Allotments, where to start ?

Post by ukpreppergrrl »

featherstick wrote: Wed May 01, 2019 12:03 pm And grow what you eat. I've met many ppl who say "oh yeah, this grows really well for me so I put it in every year but we don't really like it...."
+1 for this! For years I've grown stuff (like chillies) which grow really easily and are very productive in my garden, because then I feel like I've achieved something. I've grown food. I am an urban homesteader! :D Problem is...I'm not a chilli eater! Maybe two a year. The rest either rot or, if the timing is good, get given to friends who do like chillies. But mostly they rot. And then turn up next year as volunteers! My Dad always grew runner beans, but none of us liked them, and he would complain of his Dad growing runner beans and having to eat loads and loads of horrid runner beans as a boy, and yet, he grew them as an adult because he knew how to grow them, and they grew well. It's easy to fall into this trap. Hence this year I've made a conscious effort only to grow things I know I eat. I'm hoping to perfect...ok...learn a lot more about how to grow these very few veggies well. Doesn't mean I've not played with varieties and gone mad with seed ordering (orange Turkish aubergines anyone?), but I have made myself promise that this year everything I grow, I will eat!
Blog: http://ukpreppergrrl.wordpress.com
التَكْرَارُ يُعَلِّمُ الحِمارَ "Repetition teaches the donkey" Arabic proverb
"A year from now you may wish you had started today" Karen Lamb
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ukpreppergrrl
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Re: Allotments, where to start ?

Post by ukpreppergrrl »

cbp125 wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2020 12:59 pm Decide what style of gardening you prefer, some people prefer no dig methods Charles Dowding on youtube covers this well.
peejay wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2020 5:37 pm I'd second Charles Dowding he has TONS of videos available on YouTube - sounds like you have time to evaluate the various methods available.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6s ... h7q0O2WJBg
Can I thank you for recommending Charles Dowding! :D I am in love with this man! So easy to listen to. And an absolute wealth of bite sized information. And he makes it all seem so easy and obvious. I've learned so much from him - for me mainly: the reason why I struggle so much with so many vegetables is timing! I am sowing and planting at the wrong time. I've bought his Diary book so I can completely rewrite my gardening schedule!

Thank you so much!
Blog: http://ukpreppergrrl.wordpress.com
التَكْرَارُ يُعَلِّمُ الحِمارَ "Repetition teaches the donkey" Arabic proverb
"A year from now you may wish you had started today" Karen Lamb