Allotment and stuff!!!

[tommy the cat]

Well it's been a while since I've posted, although I have men lurking!
So I've moved to a rented house due to me splitting up with the gf and part of the reason I moved to this house is there a reasonable sized virgin plot.
Now I've grown a few veggies in raised beds at the old house but never had this much room to play with!!

Now the plots full of brambles and goes to a bit of a point( the cone is on my septic tank cover) but its sw facing and ripe for me to plant.

Compost bins one for food scraps and the other I have about 10 bags of horse muck which is pretty fresh.... I've covered it with plastic and carpet in a hope I can speed up the process?!
Now I've really enjoyed British Reds post and have adopted some of his ideas which is great.
The raised beds wood

These planks were free and are 7 and 9" deep (2" thick) and about 15 ft ish long so I'm going to try to get 4 x 20ft by 4 ft beds and go from there. I think I will rip them down to 7" which will mean I get more boards out of them
I'm guessing 7" is still deep enough for a raised bed?

Still getting my way through the brambles!!

View of plot towards house .

Next door neighbours!

Not a horrible view?!
So not a perfect spot it's in shade at times cause of a couple of oak trees over the lane but the waiting lists round here for allotments are ridiculous and I can step out of the door and pick me veg!!!!
Comments criticisms welcome
Dave

 

[tommy the cat]

Men lurking brilliant!!

 

[Mesquite]

That looks like a great place to have Tommy, nice and rural

You've done great so far and I'm looking forward to seeing it progress so make sure you get loads of pics

 

[JAG009]

Good luck on your new endeavour ,keep us posted on how your doing ...................................... ps (although I have men lurking!) have you your own army

 

[British Red]

Looks great to me chap. 7" is fine. Some prefer 12" but I have 6" - you can always add a plank later as you build up the soil. 4 beds in the "standard" size is great - 400 square feet give or take. Thats a lot of turf to dig out with a spade......weedkiller and rotovate might be favourite. Get all the organic matter (manure, compost etc.) that you can and work it in - one of those bin full per bed would not be too much to start with.

Shout if you want some seeds from my own stock - they are yours for the asking

...btw Nice chimneys!

 

[tommy the cat]

Thanks guys . I've got a greenhouse to site as well which I took down from my aunties as you passed away.
Were not rural at all 100yards from a main road just down a lane but they won't be building in front not sure about the ploughed field at back.
Still considering chickens???
I've been unsure entirely what to do with it as I've never had so much room with nothing on it!!!
I've got a friend whose a tree surgeon so I'm going to lay carpets as paths (free) and put wood bark chips down.
I've got first earlies chitting so I need to crack on!!!

I've been a bit side tracked as I've been helping put this up + a bit of coppicing.

Andy showing us a bit of hewing...

Atb d

 

[Craig88]

looks a great place id love to have that garden. Youll have to keep us up to date once you get the raised beds down

 

[tommy the cat]

Just missed you post BR ,got to say I've loved your post on your gaff I've been following it for some time.
Just wondering can hoss muck be dug in and diluted with soil?
Just thinking mine isn't gonna rot in time. I've got a fair bit if 'spare soil' as the site has lumps and bumps all over it so hopefully will build the soil up over time.... Duke of Sutherland house I think Hugh but not too sure???? DofS usually had characteristic chimneys I believe
Dave

 

[British Red]

Dave, I wouldn't put unrotted horse muck in - it needs to rot. Mix it up with some straw, chipped bark, grass clippings and some compost starter and rot it back over the summer. Your soil may be fairly okay under the grass anyway....old "meadow" is usually quite good. The spare soil can be broken up and added on now.

Any turf you remove should be stacked grass to grass, earth to earth and rotted back - it'll make lovely stuff to add in.

 

[tommy the cat]

Hugh there no turf just loads of leaf litter and masses of blackberry roots, nettles and cleavers coming up. There were previously Ive been told trees on there... I'm guessing self set which were cleared due to previous occupants wanting a large garden.. However they didn't touch it in something like 10 years apart from it being strimmed ....

 

[British Red]

The leaf litter is good - the rest needs to be well rotted in the manure - or you will fight seeds forever!

 

[uncleboob]

I've got a friend whose a tree surgeon so I'm going to lay carpets as paths (free) and put wood bark chips down.

...don't use the rubber backed ones, 'cause as they rot they poison the soil- all that rubbery goodness goes into your veggies! Love the space you've got, should be fab

cheers

Joab

 

[BJJJ]

Nice empty canvass for you to put your mark on. Is that the jolly old Wrekin in the background ?

 

[tommy the cat]

Thanks great tips....hmnnnn just reading back thorough the post now Im back on the laptop (iphone too damn small).....seed you say Hugh??
Hmmnnn sounds great!!! Ive bought a bit of f1 stuff as Ive only had a couple of seasons at the old house pracice so wanted to keept hings pretty simple.
Ive not got alot to swap at the mo though Hugh my friend grows some lovely chiilis from an Italian seed could provide you with a few of those......
Let me get my hands a bit more dirty first.
D

 

[Outdoordude]

Get chickens or Ducks. They are great! Fresh eggs everyday is such a nice thing. But make sure the fox cant get 'em. Good works so farm. Loving the coppicing what are u making there.

 

[British Red]

Matter of interest Dave is that an alder trunk on the right?

 

[British Red]

Thanks great tips....hmnnnn just reading back thorough the post now Im back on the laptop (iphone too damn small).....seed you say Hugh??
Hmmnnn sounds great!!! Ive bought a bit of f1 stuff as Ive only had a couple of seasons at the old house pracice so wanted to keept hings pretty simple.
Ive not got alot to swap at the mo though Hugh my friend grows some lovely chiilis from an Italian seed could provide you with a few of those......
Let me get my hands a bit more dirty first.
D

No swaps needed. I've probably traded off most of my excess stuff - but I can certainly do some stunning parsnips, got some corking self supporting bush peas, some trail of tears beans (eat like green french beans or let them dry for mini red kidney beans), opium poppies, can find you some rarities too...Oca (which is a horrible price) and in a few weeks I may have one or two Yacon if thats your thing. If you were closer I could sort you out some fruit bushes too since I layer my own or raise from seed - but they would be murder to post.

Let me know when you want some and I'll put you together a care package mate. Kind people on here have sent me starts for several plants I couldn't find so it seems fair to "pay it forward"

 

[tommy the cat]

Hugh there no turf just loads of leaf litter and masses of blackberry roots, nettles and cleavers coming up. There were previously Ive been told trees on there... I'm guessing self set which were cleared due to previous occupants wanting a large garden.. However they didn't touch it in something like 10 years apart from it being strimmed ....

 

[falcon]

Looks great Dave...those brambles and nettle roots are going to need some forking...we could always do a Sunday morning work party session for some of your best bacon butties ! The coppice site looks terrific too...see what next weekend brings...

 

[British Red]

Nettles are a good sign though - they are a great indicator of fertile soil