How to plan your first allotment

Well, after a two year wait I finally received the news I had been waiting for. I had my own allotment! This was not a sudden move but after such a long wait I was surprised to get the call. Now I needed to think seriously about how to plan my first allotment.

It’s not as if I hadn’t done the prep. Growing vegetables, allotment style, in my own back garden and watching as many experienced allotmenteers on Youtube as I could possibly manage. I felt I was as ready as I ever could be to take on the challenge of my new ground. Even so, the prospect was quite daunting and the first thing I did was to go up with a notepad and just look. I spent some time sitting, standing, staring taking it all in. I felt that was an important first step to give me time to develop my initial steps.

What is an allotment?

An allotment is a piece of land which an individual can rent to grow food plants for non-commercial use. A kitchen garden away from their own house, often called community gardens in other countries. In the UK allotment plots are often owned by the local council or a local allotment association run by committee. Often rents are fairly cheap, anything from £20 to £200 a year. However, with the recent price rises these costs have gone up considerably in some areas.

What was my new plot like?

Needed work is the simple answer to this. The ground was covered in weeds and, due to the neglect, other plot holders had dumped rubbish on it over time. All this and a whole section which had poor drainage. A couple of days rain helped me to see I needed to rethink how I would deal with that section of the plot. None of this put me off and I was just grateful to finally have my own allotment.

First steps when planning your first allotment.

The first step when planning your first allotment is to visit your allocated plot and have a good look. Think about:

• How large is the plot? Measure it to make sure you know where the boundaries are and how large it is. Then you can make a clear map to plan out where you would like everything to go. Mark out the beds, paths, compost bins and any buildings.
• How much clearing needs to be done? Allotments range from recently being vacated and left in a decent state to a huge amount of neglect, rubbish and weeds. Make sure you clear all of this before you begin. A clear slate is a great way to see the whole plot clearly Be realistic. If your plot has been neglected it will take time, and a lot of work, to be able to begin planting. Be patient. You are in this for the long haul. Take into account how much time you have available; your resources and your own gardening experience.
• What do you want to grow? Base your plans on what you like to eat. When you start out, growing the food you know you will eat will help to keep you enthusiastic. There is nothing finer than gathering a harvest of your favourite food.
• Do you want to be organic? Your plot may not have been previously but you can move forward using organic methods. This is a choice you need to make early, particularly if you are fighting a large number of tricky weeds.
• Can you plant something? Unless you acquire your plot in the depths of winter there will probably be something you can plant in the ground. Whether that is early peas in spring or overwinter onions in autumn. Make sure you prepare the soil well and add in any appropriate fertilizer or soil improver.

Other things to consider.

• Find out if anything is provided by those who run the allotments. If there a water source and how close is it? Not all allotments have water but either way you will need to collect your own water as well.
• Does the body who run the allotments provide anything else. Some allotment associations provide a skip for rubbish a couple of times a year. Other things may include free manure, wood chips and large tools such as a rotavator. Remember to ask when you go to view your plot.
• What rules do you need to follow? There will be rules around things such as whether you can have a bonfire; whether you can have livestock or whether you can take your dog to the plot. Be clear on what the rules are so you don’t land in hot water early on.

For more information on allotments, how to plan your first allotment and how to maintain it, have a look a the Allotment Association website at thenas.org.uk. For general gardening tips and hints have a look at my blogs at Home – Sueps House