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.
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.

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.

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.

Lettuce and other salad leaves.

Perhaps some herbs?

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?

Cheers

Dave R

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



Congratulations.


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

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.

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.

Lettuce and other salad leaves.

Perhaps some herbs?

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?



Beans - runner, french, climbing, dwarf... borlotti...
Tomatoes



Cheers

Dave R

On 2010-05-12, wafflycat wrote:

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?

Beans - runner, french, climbing, dwarf... borlotti...
Tomatoes

Some of the hardier chilli varieties - Apache springs to mind - might be
worth a try.

Jim
--
Twitter:@GreyAreaUK
"[The MP4-12C] will be fitted with all manner of pointlessly shiny
buttons that light up and a switch that says 'sport mode' that isn't
connected to anything." The Daily Mash.

On 12/05/2010 13:11, 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.
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.

Keep an eye out for any nasty invasive perrenial weeds like groundelder
or horsetails and hit it with glyphosate. Your neighbours will tell you
what to look out for.

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.

That shouldn't matter.

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.

Even if they don't do particularly well you can still try some and/or
grow spring salad onions. If they are in the sun and not waterlogged
they usually do OK unless there is white rot around.

Pigeons go after brassicas.
Carrots probably need to be grown under fleece.

Peas and beans are resilient, pretty flowers and you can't plant them
out until all risk of frost is gone. You can still get a decent crop
planting seeds out now. And they add nitrogen to the soil.

Courgettes are easy and 3 or 4 plants is enough.

Carrots are tricky in rough ground. Brassicas can stand an amazing
amount of abuse. Purple sprouting broccoli is easy and fun, as are some
of the funny shaped cauliflower cousins.

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.

Worth going round any local little school/church fund raising events to
get a few seedling plants at low cost. First year round I'd be tempted
to plant the things that you can get hold of for low cost.

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.

I'd leave the fruit tree until the right time of year and buy something
bare rooted from a nursery.

Lettuce and other salad leaves.

Perhaps some herbs?

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?

Anything you are not using plant with spuds to break up the ground.

Longer term I'd grow rhubarb and soft fruit - again you will need to net
them or share most of them with the birds! If you have acid soil then
blueberries are worthwhile. I grow mine in pots.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Now the big question - what to put in?

Still plenty of time to do courgettes and beans.
And beans will help condition your soil for next year's brassicas.

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.

If other plots have them, you're probably ok, but you may want to check
you're allowed to plant fruit trees. On ours you're not meant to, but it
doesn't really stop some people. :-/ There is a lot of tutting happens.

On 12/05/2010 13:11, 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.

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.

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.

Worth making a low cage to keep the pigeons off brassicas.
eg
http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/H...ct/GDN-195.htm
(bit of a cost shock but easy to put up for many years)
then getting in packs of various broccoli etc plants and seeing what
does well.

I am trying a 2ft barrier for carrots - but the ones I have sown so far
are disinclined to emerge - too cold ?

Best wishes

Paul


--
CTC Right to Ride Rep. for Richmond upon Thames

"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

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

jealous

how long did you wait?

--
Mike Buckley
RD350LC2
XJ900S

On 12/05/2010 14:41, Mike Buckley wrote:

how long did you wait?


On 12/05/2010 13:11, David WE Roberts wrote:

I have been on the list for about a year.

"David WE Roberts" wrote in message
...
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.
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.

Found this on the Internet:-

quote

Plot Sizes



Plot sizes are measured in rods, an old Anglo-Saxon unit so-called because
it was the length of the rod used to control a team of oxen. A rod is 5.5
yards (5.03 metres).



There are 4 rods in a chain, that is 22 yards (20.12 metres).



There are 10 chains in a furlong and 8 furlongs in a mile. So a mile is 80 x
22 = 1760 yards (1609.3 metres).



An acre is the area of land that could be ploughed in a day, being a furrow
long (furlong) and a chain wide, or 160 square rods, which is 4840 sq yards
(4048 sq metres). A hectare is 10,000 sq metres so an acre is 0.4 of a
hectare.



Plots sizes are usually 5 rods or 10 rods. A 10 rod allotment is actually 10
square rods in area, that is 10 x 5.5 x 5.5 = 302.5 sq yards (253 sq
metres).



In metric units, a 10 rod allotment is one fortieth of a hecta in
imperial units it is one sixteenth of an acre.

unquote/


Bill

On 12 May, 14:11, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:

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.

In that case, come autumn there'll probably be a lot of people
desperately giving fruit away, so wait and see what you _don't_ get
offered.

Chris

Can any of the allotmenteers tell you if the neglected plot was very grassy? If so, you might have wireworm problems with spuds for the first 2-3 years (sorry).

As for other plants, the Gardening Direct website has a good search tool from its veggie plants tab. You can choose the time of year to plant/sow and see what it comes up with - obviously they only show what they sell but it's a very quick guide to what's possible.

Happy harvesting.