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Getting Started on Vegetable Gardening & Allotmenting
This page is dedicated to all the things we feel you should consider looking into or doing if you are intending on starting up an allotment or turning a bit of your home space into a vegetable plot, which have come about through our own experience in doing so.
The most important piece of advice we could give and which should be remembered throughout the reading of this page is, once your up and running, only do what you can, when you can and enjoy it. We say this because allotmenting/veg gardening can become a serious, expensive and time consuming business, however the very essence of working an allotment or a patch at your home is maximum output for mimimum effort/expense and to be an escape from everyday life. So, set realstic targets, never wear yourself out or do more than you should and always take time at the end of the day to stand or sit back and admire youre work. 
| Allotmenting: 1. Getting a Plot. Before you begin to make enquiries a good idea is to consider youre resources such as time and budget so that you have a clear idea of what can be achieved. Then make contact with your local Borough/ District Council to discuss available plots/prices/requirements and waiting lists with an Allotment Officer. Try and get out to have a look at your possible Plot/Allotment site to see the environment and its state so you can assess its suitability. Always discuss vandalism and safety issues with your Allotment Officer and if possible other plot holders to get a relevant idea of the possibility of this on your site and things to avoid to minimise risks. Finally, if youre happy and ready, make arrangements with your Allotment Officer to sign any contracts necessary/pay fess and pick up your keys, then essentially, youre off!!!!! 3. Do Your Homework. Firstly decide what you want to grow on your plot, start with you favourite veg. Read up on propgation/planting/companion planting of these varieties and decide where you want to put them in your available space. The internet can also be a marvellous tool for this purpose and can provide you advice on almost any allotment related topic you can think of. Consult books with regards to dealing with difficult soil types such as clay or acid soils should you encounter them. Buy seeds of your varieties and plan future rotational schemes to prevent the buildup of pests and diseases. Remember your flowers to help attract insects and aid pollination of your crops. If you work with nature as much as possible (such as putting up bird boxes/provide hedgehog habbitats and providing shelter for insects etc over the winter) you will also reap the reward of attracting beneficial species to your plot which in turn may help control the spread of problematic pests. Carefully plan and consider the placing of overwintering crops such as brussels and broccoli's to prevent them getting in the way of autumn/spring soil preparations.  6. Winter Work. Winter is the time when preparation for the next season is done and so can sometimes be busier than even the sumer! Jobs which should be completed in this season are: - Cultivate/Turn the soil and possibly cover to suppress any further growth of weeds and keep the soil warm and free from waterlogging over the colder months. - Repair/tidy and reorganise structures and make additions and enhancements to your plot to aid efficiency and productivity over the next year. - I would strongly advocate the rotation of your plot during this time. After you have added Manure or Lime to the soil during this process, the next seasons planting scheme must be planned for in order to ensure plants are in suitable soils for thier individual PH tolerances. I would do this now rather than having to arrange this during the busy spring months. - Replenish seeds and resources for feeding and watering plants in the summer, store these apropriately so they are in perfect condition for later use. - Take stock of lessons learned and varieties which faired well in your soil. 8. General Issues. Take plenty to drink with you to prevent dehydration. Keep any grass cut to prevent rabbits and other pests being able to use ift for shelter on route to decimating your crops. It can be useful to keep a small amount of old clothes or a pair of overalls specifically for allotment use. Recycle or re-use as much as you can. Be vigilant for vandalism, report it where necessary and always care for your own safety, vegetables can be re-grown. Share information between plot holders. Keep seeds organised and your current plan with them to prevent sowing mistakes. Look out for your wildlife on the plot such as Kestrels and Stoats which can help to reduce the numbers of unwanted herbivores. 
Home Vegetable Gardening: All the above points apply to home gardening, but there are also a few specific areas we feel its worth thinking about. 1. Sort out your space. If you have decided to garden at home there is a good chance you will be working with significantly less space than if you took on an allotment or external vegetable plot. In these circumstances how you use your space is key and should be considered carefully. - Ensure to measure the area you have available accurately to find out the true dimensions and square meterage, youll quickly find your "by eye" estimates well off the mark. - It may be worth making a small scale sketch of your area to find out how much room you have to play with and how any plans on how youre intending on using the space are going to fit. Youll also find youll be able to visualise it better. - Find out the orientation of your plot using a compass and begin to encorporate your beds and designs in line with it according to how the light falls and any permanent structures such as walls or fences. - Observe your area at different times of the day to see the moisture and warmth habbits, as well as the presence of any animal or bird residents which may need consideration or cause problems in growing your crops. 3. Decide on your crops. Here you should think about the types of veg you would like to see on your patch. Consider the ammount of space each variety will take up, and if they are going to be permanent features or not (for example fruit bushes) which could limit your space and the possibility of growing greater volumes of food. Ideal crops for container gardening are quick setting and maturing crops such as radishes, carrots and salad leaves, however crops such as potatoes and squashes can be accomodated and sucessful in larger pots.  5. Difficult Ground. Should you go for the "stick it in the ground" option and find yourself strugling with a difficult patch of ground there are ways and means which can quiclky and easily turn even the most rugged areas into productive patches. Remember you dont always have to dig down!. Should you have a camber or slope to your land the use of sleepers to terrace or just adding mounds of compost or organic matter can quickly level a space ready for planting. Covering is also another option, find some thick material (tarpaulin is ideal) or plastic and cover the difficult areas, remembering to weight it down. You can still make use fo the space by cutting holes in the fabric and planting beneath, the covering remains in place to supress weeds and you will still have some produce to call your own. Then after time (normally a period of years) the unwanted weeds and roots stifled by the covering will die, making the land easily workable. Weedkillers can seem like the quick and easy solution to problems with troublesome ground and can definately help the gardener to achieve a more orderly and workable state in the garden or veg patch. However please remember how much damage such chemicals can do, not just to your soil, but animals, birds, insects and even your future crops. Please think carefuly and sensitively before deciding to put this option into practice and we would always reccomend people garden as organically and harmoniously as possible. Stones will be a problem on most sites and from our experience , its a war that can never be won. However by resolving yourself to remove even a barrowful of stones each year will gradually improve the texture of your soil. If your soil is particularly clay-ey or unworkable, building on top of it may be the only sensible option. Instead of planting directly into it, create a mound/layer of compost or other organic matter and put your seedling straight in, itll give them a flying start and require no back breaking work. The at the end of the year as the soil beneath has begun to absorb some ofthe compost and the compost itself begins to break down, the two can be incorporated and this will quickly improve the loam and workability. Done over years you will end up with something resembling a normal soil texture. | 2. Regeneration and Preparation. The inital job which should be the primary concern when you get your plot should be to prepare it for cultivation. This will consist of : - - Clearing any rubbish - Remove turf if necesary and then dig or rotorvate the soil (do as much or as little of this as you feel necessary, remember you can always build up the area you cultivate gradually). - Remove as many weed roots as possible.
- Make repairs to any structures to prepare them for use. - Mark out seed beds and paths. - Purchase or renovate tools and buy plenty of watering cans. - Test soil acidity and if necessary treat with Manure or Lime (You can buy kits for this or local knowledge of your fellow plot holders will be just as valuable).  4. Maintenance. From here on out it is really a question of maintaining your plot to keep it producing. Once you have sown your seed and it has germinated you should consider methods of preserving and conserving water (such as Mulches and Water Butts). Also weed supression to stop unwanrted plants from stifling the growth of your crops such as using permiable fabrics and regular hoeing should be planned. Pest control will also be an issue, we have already discussed the encouragement of beneficial insects etc but there are also organic detterents such as Rhubarb Water and bird scarers made out of old CD's and foil cake tins which can be used for this purpose. You must also feed your crops, this can be done by the use of well rotted manure, the plant Comfrey can be quickly turned into an organic (but very stinky) liquid feed. Chicken Manure, ash from bonfires and stoves as well as compost can all be used to enrich the soil and help your plants reach for the skies. 5. Harvesting and storing. When your crops are fully grown and you have harvested them you will really be able to appreciate the rewards of growing veg yourself. The taste of most things is completely unrecognisable from industrially cultivated varieties and youll know exactly what chemichals (if any) and foods have been used to grow them. However longevity of these crops can be a problem and so appropriate measures such as pickling, freezing and clamping can be employed to keep them fresher for longer. There are lots of good books on the market about keeping and preserving fruit and veg which apart from being an interesting read may help you to keep yourself in tasty produce right through into spring the next season.  7. Safety. Here are a few tips for equipment/precautions which should always be taken to ensure your safety while on your plot. Ensure your Allotment/Shed is equipped with a first aid kit and any necessary allergy remedies. We always keep a mobile phone on our person in case of acident or the need to summon urgent assistance. Ensure this is kept in an secure pocket or attached to you in some way that it cannot fall off or be lost. Do not take any valuables with you. Do not keep valuables/expensive tools on your allotment or in your shed no matter how well secured this may be. For this reason it can bea very good idea to salvage and repair second hand tools which can often be cheaply picked up from recylcing centres and tips. For safety it is often a good idea to visit your plot with friends and family or to at least have someone you know aware of where you are. Always take extreme care around machinery and sharp tools. If children are to accompany you they must be kept a careful eye on, especially on less well tended sites which could harbour hidden dangers. Respect the property of the site and of other plot holders as you would you own as well as carefully maintain boundaries for the benefit of all members. 
2. Containers, raised beds or in the ground? Depending on the soil type, your space and gardening preferences, one or a combination of all three of these options could be suitable to employ in your home plot. As allotmenters, we do rather advocate the "shove it straight into the ground - its where it belongs kind of view" but this is certainly not suitable in all circumstances. Should you wish to operate a "no digging" veg plot it would probably be best to plumb for the raised bed option. Sleepers and scrap wood can often be easily picked up to start you off and some places are even selling DIY raised bed packs designed for quick and easy assembly. Fill these with compost or other organic matter and bang your plants straight in, no fuss. Then every year give it a light fork and a compress, then more compost! Containers are often ideal for smaller gardens and even balconies and you can make use of pretty much anything for the purpose of housing your veg, from old water butts to oil cans. Make some holes in the bottom of your container, add some drainage material and then fill with compost. Sow or plant out your veg and hey presto! Or you could go for the old fashioned way and turn whatever bare soil you have in your space into beds. Any bare patches can be briefly dug over, obvious weeds removed, quickly raked and then youre pretty much ready for sowing. Simply tread down the areas you want to walk on as you go along to make your paths and it should naturally form boundaries to your seed beds. Do however be prepared for sinificant weeding once the wather warms up. 4. Watering and General Maintenence. Please remember that crops in containers and even raised beds lose water far more than those in the ground, so the need for significant and regular watering will be all the greater. - Layers of newspaper and straw at the bottom of raised beds or plant pots can often help them conserve water. - A man made alternative can also be to use water absorbing crystals mixed in with your compost, however (as you can see above) there are cheaper, more accesible, organic alternatives which are just as effective. - Mulches also help to prevent water evaporation. Barkchip, compost, leafmould and even stones are a good form of pleasant looking top dressing to help prevent moisture loss. - Many plants will require feeding, especially those grown in containers, The use of tomato foods, potash (from your brazier or barbeque) and slow release fertilisers such as organic chicken manure pellets are good to keep your plants healthy, flourishing and producing throughout the year. - Slimline and even sometimes sponsored water butts can be obtained to assist the home gardener in preserving water and can easily be attached via a small kit to a guttering downpipe. These can be kept free from bugs and disease by the regular addition of a handful of garden Lime (as below). - Always remember to be responsible in the disposal of your garden waste and in your general day to day activities in order to cater for your neighbours and local wildlife. |
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