"David WE Roberts" wrote
Just received a call from a nice lady in the local council to tell me I
have a choice of two allotments.

They are '5 rod' allotments (also known locally as half plots) but I
haven't worked out the square footage yet.

5 Rods means 5 sq rods = 5 x 5.5yds x 5.5yds = 151.25 sq yds or about 125 sq
metres or 1361.25 sq ft.
Big enough for a first plot to get you used the work involved.

The council are currently splitting full plots down when they come
available to cut down the waiting list.
I have been on the list for about a year.

The plot I have chosen was reportedly neglected, and the council have come
in and rotovated it so at least I should have an easier start than some.


Lucky you, must have a good Council there. However, have they just rotovated
in the weeds including perennial weeds? What type of soil is it? Have you
checked the pH?

Now the big question - what to put in?

I haven't prepared for this by growing stuff from seed and I assume that
the plot has not been fed recently.


If it hasn't been used recently (laid fallow) it will be fine especially if
it's clayish soil which hangs on to nutrients.

I have already been given some seed potatoes (within 5 minutes of arriving
to look at the plot) which should allow me to get part of the plot planted
up and easily controlled.
The question is what to do with the rest.
Onions allegedly don't do well.
Pigeons go after brassicas.
Carrots probably need to be grown under fleece.

Thoughts so far:

Buy some tomato plants and wait until the weather improves.
Courgettes.
Outdoor cucmbers if I can find them - so far I've only seen indoor ones.
Beetroot does well so perpetual spinach.

A fruit tree - have to be pot grown this time of year. A good number of
plots have fruit trees already, mainly apples by the look of them.


Fruit trees & bushes take up a lot of room, are you sure you want that on a
half plot?

Lettuce and other salad leaves.

Perhaps some herbs?

Get some large pots and plant your herbs in those, that way you can provide
the free draining soil they like and stop them running all over the plot.


O.K. - what have I forgotten and what won't be happy going in this time of
year or won't be happy without specific preparation the previous autumn?


All your winter greens need to be planted now from seed, Sprouts, Winter
Tundra cabbages, Savoys, Kale, Broccoli and spring Cauliflowers (Walcheren
Winter ...) .
Also Swedes, and you can put in Peas, Runner & French Beans, Turnips,
Beetroot, Radish, Kohl Rabi, Florence Fennel, Parsnips & Carrots.
Do watch for Flea Beatle on all brassicas though, they can destroy a row of
seedlings overnight which is why we grow all those at home in modules and
plant out when big enough to cope.

Good luck. You need that too. :-)

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK