After waiting almost 12 months we finally got an allotment this month.
The plot is 15 meters by 8 meters. It had previously been worked but had laid “unworked” for a while. It was over grown but fortunately the allotment society arranges for Community Payback “employees” to come and clear the plots! Now that was a bonus I can tell you.
Attached are photo’s from the day we took over the plot.
During the first week, I spent a couple of hours building a composter. I was lucky enough to plan the top end of the site to allow space for the composter, a green house, which we are getting soon from a friend and a shed for the storage of equipment. Taking notes of how other had built theirs and where they had positioned them, Ii came up with this first effort.
Today was the second time we have spent some time at the allotment. I marked out the boundaries and we started to clear some of the remaining weeds.
I also sorted the composter out and levelled the ground it stands on.
28.07.2012
Spent a few hours at the allotment today. Not been for a couple of week so the weeds had tried to invade again.
Whilst there the weather tried its best to dampen spirits by lashing down twice. I really need a shed and quickly!!
So today I started the boundary at the bottom of the allotment patch and weeded the re-grown buggers and started on the weeds that hadn’t been attempted.
So at the end of nearly 4 hours toil, there is now a patch approximately 15 meters long by 3 meters wide that has been turned and weeded.
The next visit will now be week nights to continue with the boundary marking and weeding.
The plan then is to mark the growing beds and paths and plan the planting regime.
Here are today’s photos.
04.08.12
Wow what a day. got quite a lot done today. Shame we still have a pile of others rubbish at the top of our plot but we have put some in the composter and I have got rid of all of the non composter rubbish!!
The plan today was to clear the final weeds from the first half of the plot, thereby giving 15m x 4m of workablw ground. Then I laid a path of weed protective material from the bottom to the top of the plot.
The next job was to stake more of the pallets as the boundary fence to the plot. Managed to get 3 pallets staked and secured. The plot is coming together nicely!
One of the water butts is in situ now and will start to collect the precious thirst quencher when we get some rain!!!!
The last thing I did today was to plan 2 of the raised beds coing off the boundary towards the middle of the plot. You will see from the photo’s that it is all coming together.
The plan now is to finish the boundary pallets and prepare more of the plots off the boundary toward the middle of the plot.
05.08.2012
Spent a couple of hours at the allotment today. We had had a visitor or two over night that had left their foot prints on the matting I had put down.!!
Planted another boundary pallet and marked 2 more beds.
Had two thunder storms fighting one and other whilst I was there. Saw some of the lightening.
When the rain started, I went and sat in the book of the estate car and chilled for a bit.
Really enjoying my time down there. So much achieved so far and only half of the plot has been touched. the other half is a weed patch!!!
11.8.2012
Spent the afternoon at the allotment on the 11th.
The plan was to weed some more of the plot, add more to the boundary to protect the plot and start to build the centre raised bed.
Actually cleared approximately 5 sqare meters of the centre bed and laid the initial boards.
Was a lovely day too so enjoyed my time there even more.
26.08.2012
Spent this afternoon at the weed patch, er allotment!!
Covered the half of the plot that has not yet been touched. This will kill off the weeds and allow easier removal in time.
I also continued the border fencing slightly.
The weeding of the central bed is a work in progress but I am thinking that maybe the bed is too wide. I am considering my options.
Whilst there a fellow allotmenteer gave me some seeds which were duly sown in the first bed to be readied. There are now spring onions, little gem lettuce and beetroot seeds sown. Quite exciting.
Anyhow, here are today’s photo’s including the bruised thumb I gained whilst not concentrating!!!
28.08.2012
Ordered a shed for the allotment on Monday, 6 ft wide by 4 ft deep!! Rejigging the plans now and having to level the area that it will stand on.
Having to build a second composter as well to cater for all the weeds and rubbish that we need to compost down.
After the heavy rain of the last few days the soil is sodden but the weeds are coming out easier!!
Going to start to cover the walkways this week as well in an effort to keep the weeds at bay.
No pictures today but more to follow as I hope to have the shed in situ by Saturday!!
30.08.2012
Well the second composter is almost complete. Just needs lining and then I can start to fill it, making space for the shed.
This composter is at the bottom of the plot and also serves as part of the boundary, thus protecting the plot.
1.09.2012
Went to the allotment around 1800 tonight for a couple of hours.
The plan was to prepare the space for the green house (still to dis-assemlbe and move to the plot) and the shed (bought but needs collecting).
Firstly, i lined the new composter so that it can start to be filled.
I then found a huge pile of wood chippings and, having spoken to a fellow allotementeer, started barrowing it to the plot for the walk ways. Covered some of the walk ways and between beds. It makes the plot look so much better already
The pile of compost and soil that had collected at the corner of the plot was then spread out to try and level the area for the greenhouse and shed.
I guess this may be a waste of compost but the area needs to be level so that the blocks can go down and be level as the bases.
Anyway, here’s the photo’s….
8.09.2012 – 12.09.2012
Since lunchtime on Saturday I have been constructing a store at the allotment. Its not a shed as it has double doors and no window!
Althought flat packed, it wasnt easy to assemble with a 6 year old for help!
Anyway, with other help, eventually, the store was constructed and creocoted (mostly) on the Saturday.
Sunday saw me finish the creocoting and secure the doors with a rather meaty lock and clasp. I also finished securing the roof felt and giving the tools to be kept in the store their own hanging place!!
Tonight, after the heaving rain for the last two days I ventured down to see if the store was still in one piece. Fortunately it was and it appeared to be fairly water tight!!
I added a weather strip to the doors and creocoted it, as well as some of the internal panel joints.
I now have a place to store my tools, shelter from the weather and contemplate life in general….
15.09.2012
What a day! Another 7 1/2 hour shift at the allotment.
The plans today were:
1. Build a shelf in the store
2. Create 1 small bed and 1 large bed.
3. Weed the existing beds and wood chip the walkways.
4. Wood chip the area infront of the store.
The shelf is only made from ply wood but will suffice for now. Using it to keep stuff of the floor really but another shelf is planned to help when potting seedlings on.
The area in front of the store is uneven and needed levelling and then covering with weed control fabric and wood chippings. This now allow a nice even area that is relatively clean of mud before entering the store.
The creation of the small bed was easy and the weeding inbetween was hardly worth it but the paths between are now freshlty wood chipped.
The bigger bed was slighly more time consuming as the ground had become compacted and was uneven.
The bed was constructed and then the weeding and turning began.
There weren’t many weeds but the ground was tough. I turning it all with the big fork and then weeded and broke up the soil with the smaller version.
I tried as best as I could to level the ground oud out but this will take time.
Anyway, a very productive day at the plot, very pleased with the progress so far…..
22.09.2012
Spent another afternoon at the allotment, again with plenty of plans in my head.
I acheived some but not all.
I found a note through the stoore day from a plot neighbour offering me some manure. An offer to good to pass up.
I barrowed 4 – 5 loads on to weeded and prepared beds and will leave it to rot down before digging in.
I also weeded and re-barked some of the path ways between the smaller beds.
I prepared another larger bed to run down the middle of the plot. The larger beds will be used for squash’s, potatoes etc.
I made the store more secure with the addition of an internal door bolt.
I also started to pallet fence by the store so that at some point I can put a gate into the plot in the boundary fence.
29.09.2012
Spent a few hours at the plot today.
Planned to shift manure onto 2 small beds and 1 big bed. Acheived that with 10 barrow fulls moved.
The next plan was to build a secong composter which will have the compost from the top composter transfered to. This will give more space at the top of the plot for the green house and a herb / flower bed.
I also barrowed manure into the comoster to the right to aid the composting process and to save some!!
Next will be creating some more beds and preparing the ground for the green house.
06.10.2012
Wow what a day. & hours at the plot in beautiful sunshine!!
Mind when I first got there, after nights rain, it was rather squishy!!!
I first started by preparing a path between the bottom and soon to be middle big beds that run through the centre of the plot.
A bit of weed control fabric covered in wood chippings did the job nicely.
As you can see, I had also weeded half of the next big bed. That was the relatively easy half!!
So I c arried on with the other half which took forever due to the compacted soil and the weeds being more of a challenge!! But I got it all done and even leveled the bed edging!
The path way needed some attention so it got another covering of chippings, bringing them level with the end of the bed.
I replenished my stock of chippings and then started to barrow the rest of the manure down onto the new bed.
6 barrow fulls later, the bed was covered.
So, thats all the manure gone now and all the beds covered.
The next visit will include more weeding and preparing the area to the greenhouse.
I am getting a 10ft x 6 ft greenhouse. I will be flagging the area where it will reside and ensuring it is weed free.
13.10.2012
Another 5 hours at the plot today. The plan was to prep the area for the greenhouse butthere was a delivery that could not be ignored.
As I was “planting” 2 further pallets for the border fence next the the communial path, having weeded the area and turned the soil, a delivery arrived.
A wagon load of “greens” – chipped conifer tree!!
My neighbour on the plot had arranged it and offered some of the delivery to me.
I helped them transfer it from the road onto his plot and then onto mine.
I first had to line the second composter with an over size bin bag and then filled the composter with the chipped tree. All of this, I am advised, with rot down.
So I now have 1 composter full of manure, greens and weeds rotting nicely and a 2nd composter with greens in, awaiting another delivery the weekend coming.
The pallet fencing is coming along nicely. The plan to to go as far as the shed with an entrance near the composters and one by the shed.
Really enjoying the hard work as the results of every days work there are proving that the plot will be ready to start planting in the spring. Cant wait……
20.10.2012
WOW!! What a day. Today I added to more pallets to the path fence. This time they look nice and striaght….ish.
I had bought some over wintering onions on Friday but, as all the beds were covered in manure, had to build, weed and turn a new bed to accomodate the bulbs. Once turned and weeded I added some compost from home and planted 36 onion bulds.
I then turned the manure in the two smaller beds to help it rot down nicely.
All of that took a few hours and lots of coffee but what a great day.
21.10.2012
Two days on the spin this weekend!! Had to try and plant the rest of the onion bulbs which meant creating another bed!!
Decided where the bed was going and turned the soil in readiness to weed. It was pretty wet so decied to put andother pallet in the path fence. 5 in now and it will only need one more.
I then continued to weed and turn the new bed but alas it was still to wet to plant any bulb so i bought them home with some pots and will star them in pots at home.
i then tunred the manure in the two big beds and re-barked some paths. I also barked the areas in front on the two composters as they will become paths when the new beds are started on the until now covered area.
Have the area where the greenhouse is going to weed and level next. then I’ve just got dismantle it, transport it to the plot and assemble it again.
Ogh also found out the plot number from the council – Plot 7B.
05.01.2013
Been ages since I’ve been to the plot. I was worried after all the rain we have had bu surprisingly it is not water logged.
I didn’t do anything as I didn’t have the time but I took some photo’s of the winter onions that are growing and various snaps of the plot.
Got to go back next week….missed the place….
02.02.2013
Spent a goods 5 hours at the plot today. The plan was to turn the one bed prepared without manure and the 4 beds covered with manure.
The ground was wet but not as bad as some plots, as you can see from the photo’s.
My over wintering onions are coming on and I also have some growing in pots at home. they will be transferred once the frosts have gone.
More chippings were delivered to the site as well so I got a few barrow full for the paths etc.
Some photo’s are of other plots, some suffering from water logging and some that are to aspire to.
Really looking forward to creating more beds now and planning the first crop planting just as soon as possible.
As always, any comments, feedback or advise is greatly appreciated.
16/17.02.2013
Spent most of the weekend at the plot.
Completely weeded the final big bed and turned the soil / manure in the other beds.
We planted some onions and decided what was going to be planted in the other beds.
I then started to turned and weed the area where the greenhouse will be situated.
The final part of my weekend was taken up by walking around the site and seeing what was happening on the other plots.
here are some photo’s of the bed and site inhabitants.
21.02.2013
Spent an hour at the plot last night just tidying up the wood that I’d delivered during the day.
I then re-chipped most of the paths.
Tomorrow I have a delivery of manure arriving…..going to be a long day…..
23.02.2013
Wow what a day.
Got to plot at 0930 hours as a load of manure was being delivered at 1030.
So, first job was to re-chip some more of the paths. With that done i cleared out the shed and creocoted the floor in readiness for another sheet of ship board to go in and strengthen the base.
Just as I finished, the manure arrived. What a load!!!
Now came the job of barrowing it to the plot, approx 100 meters away! Fortunately I had gone halves with the guy in Plot 7A so I only have to move half!!!!
Firstly I covered the beds with no manure already on them – this was 10 barrow loads!
Then i had to fill the two composters at the entrance to the plot and some tubs and potato bags.
7 Hours later, an aching back and 2 flasks of coffee, I realised the rugby, England v France, was on TV in 30 minutes and I still had the shed floor to do. Added the second chip board, screwed it down and re-loaded the shed.
So the plot now looks like this:
And that’s only half of it!
The chap on plot 7A also gave me 6 spring cabbages to plant. We have an agreement as I can get lengths of wood from work (used for me bed borders) so he gives me plants or advice etc. Nice bloke.
That was a hard but most enjoyable day, even if it did snow during a large portion of it.
53.452967
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Plot 7 - Allotment Update 