Allotment: Woo Hoooo!!! :) :) :)

[Kiwififer]

No advice but congratulations on getting one. I have around 5 year’s minimum to get one.

Not jealous at all!

[GillyBee]

Lucky you. I gave mine up when we moved house & finally had a small jungle to sort out. It was the right decision for us but I do still miss it.

I experimented a lot and learned a lot. Covering everything with straw kept the weeds down, looked lovely and was a "no dig" solution but seemed to encourage slugs and resulted in my potatoes to be the only ones got by a frost one May.

If you don't want to spend your life digging, check out the Charles Dowding website on no dig methods.

Keep an eye on your neighbours as allotmenteers are a varied bunch. Most of mine were great but I had one drunken sot to contend with. Just before I gave up, he cut my large rosemary bush back to a stump and told me proudly he had pruned it as it was overlapping the path slightly and had put some cuttings in. (i.e. A few dead branches stuck in the ground) If I was nastier I would have decked him but the incident contributed to the decision to quit as I was not happy working there as a lone female.

[jennyjj01]

Taking in the tips. Thanks folks. Keep them coming. It's daunting.

Advice to get a rotavator, manure, compost, straw, slabs.... All good. I know it's a long term project, but I want max food from it ASAP. Food we can use: Not just courgettes.

But Don't forget how tight .... Frugal I am. Equipment to be begged, borrowed or maybe hired. I've cancelled my gym membership Time to start blagging, cardboard, wheelbarrow, more palets, muck and more muck.

How can I tell family that I want reindeer poo for Christmas?

I think I'll name it 'Frugal Farm'

Definitely following Charles Dowding. I'm already watching out for cardboard
I'm hopeful that the site will, at least, feature some decent soil. I'll try the tip of pleading for a rent free period over winter. I'll also try to cultivate favours with the neighbouring plots. No idea whether there's even water on-site, yet.

Very initial thinking will be to cultivate progressively, not necessarily going nuts filling the site. Do half or less to show willing, while a tarp or something over the rest. Time for a plan spreadsheet.

[izzy_mack]

congratulations, so exciting for you. Take to hovering over your rubbish and think "what can I use that for" before chucking it. yoghurt pots, marg tubs, cut down plastic bottles can be used as seed/flower pots. lots of rubbish can repurposed.

[Yorkshire Andy]

My rotorvator Hale's from the 1970's it's old archeic but there's fan boys who can point you towards any parts you need this chap helped me when I busy the internal drive chain

It's simple it's rough as hell so no one will want to pinch it

[GillyBee]

We couldnt afford a rotovator but found that an Azada - aka Chillington Hoe was good for doing the heavier digging before I discovered the joys of no-dig. Also good for exercise - maybe that I why I like the no dig

This video is a something of a sales pitch but if youhave no idea what an azada/chillington hoe is it will enlighten you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeKKaw5Lc6c&t=213s

[Medusa]

Congratulations, how exciting, what a lovely Christmas surprise!

[jennyjj01]

Ah!......
Looking at the website, it looks likely I'm probably getting just a quarter plot 75 sq metres?
Phew! thank goodness for that! I couldn't imagine using 300 sq m.

It seems there are a few vacancies. I might get a choice of plot.

If it is 75 sq m thats still quite a handful. Bigger than my back garden. That'll be perfect! Viewing hopefully this week. Tenancies start January. So I wonder if I get to start weeding now as a freebie?

There are lots of rules. Work must commence within 7 days!

Minimum Cultivation must take place, or we get evicted: I think they mean in the growing season from Feb-Nov?
10% by the end of 4 weeks
25% by the end of 8 weeks
50% by the end of 12 weeks

So...... Got to knuckle down when we get it.

[jennyjj01]

congratulations, so exciting for you. Take to hovering over your rubbish and think "what can I use that for" before chucking it. yoghurt pots, marg tubs, cut down plastic bottles can be used as seed/flower pots. lots of rubbish can repurposed.

I've done that all year. A dab hand at yoghurt pot hydroponics and loo roll seed pots. Flash speedmop window cloches. You name it. I hoard it.

This week, I've been scooping up leaves in the street for composting. Got about a cubic metre in a big bag
And palets. LOL. No building site is safe.

We couldnt afford a rotovator but found that an Azada - aka Chillington Hoe was good for doing the heavier digging before I discovered the joys of no-dig. Also good for exercise - maybe that I why I like the no dig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeKKaw5Lc6c&t=213s

I've just a few odd gardening tools, including something a bit like that: a long handled 3 finger 'claw' thingy.
We have a weird QVC spade with a point and one serrated edge and a ropey old fork and a rake. Oh. and a mattock for if the ground is too hard. They'll do for a start.

I'm literally buzzing with excitement. LOL. It's like inheriting a farm. I know where the site is and will have a nosey tomorrow.
Pathetic isn't it?

[izzy_mack]

Sounds like you.ve got things sussed.

I'm literally buzzing with excitement. LOL. It's like inheriting a farm. I know where the site is and will have a nosey tomorrow.
Pathetic isn't it?

thats very restrained of you. I'd have been there with a torch in the dark