Essential Tasks When Tackling a New Allotment

British allotments are enjoying a renaissance. Out of favour for many years and lost in their tens of thousands to developers, many sites currently have long waiting lists. Producing your own food, especially when you follow organic growing principles, results in fresh, tasty produce untarnished by chemicals. The virtues of allotment gardening have been well publicised in the press and on television in recent years.

This article examines the principles involved in bringing a derelict plot of land into production anywhere, whether it is an allotment or not.

A Successful Allotment is the Result of Time and Effort

With all the hype the less glamorous, repetitive and often physically demanding jobs involved in the care of an allotment are often glossed over. All too often the hopes and aspirations of new plot holders end up in the compost bin of despair when rabbits eat the salad crops, cabbages become victims of root fly and weeds choke the life out of any remaining crops. To avoid such disappointment it is vital to take early and essential steps which will lead to a rewarding long-term future.

The Initial Clean up Operation

Most new plot holders are likely to encounter a considerable amount of rubbish left by the previous tenant including broken glass, rotten timber and assorted metal. This junk must all be collected and disposed of at a legally registered site. Any material which can be recycled like timber may be useful for making raised beds or compost bins. This practice is in the best allotment traditions and is economically and environmental preferable to purchasing new.

Most Plots Need Fencing

Rabbits are widespread, ravenous feeders and prolific breeders so therefore must be kept out. Corrugated tin sheets and wire rabbit netting are the two most popular fencing materials. It may be possible to repair an existing fence, but whether it’s repairing or a erecting a new fence it’s vital that it’s buried in the soil and is at least 90cm high to ensure that they can’t get under, over or through the defences.

Getting to Grips With Weeds

• Perennial weeds such as couch brass, dandelions and docks with their deep and persistent roots must be removed before crops are sown or planted.
• Never rotavate the soil at this stage, because every piece of root is chopped into several by the rotavator’s blades, so where there was one weed many more will be propagated.
• If the ground is needed for cropping in the near future there is no alternative to the laborious and painstaking task of root removal by thorough digging.
• Covering areas with heavy black polythene or old carpet excludes light without which the weeds will eventually die. Some will succumb within a year, but more persistent ones like couch grass can take up to three.

Initial Hard Graft Makes Tending the Plot Easier In Future

Once the initial hard work of clearing the plot, erecting fencing and eliminating tenacious perennial weeds is complete, regular weeding and maintenance will mean that tending the plot is a pleasure not a chore.