Just got new allotment

[gundeep]

Hi

I have just offerred a new allotment in patchway, Bristol.  It is covered with grass at the moment and no vegetables were grown there in past.
The grass is cut by the council.

can you advise me

1. What is the best way of making grass plot into vegetable plot
2. How to plan the plot for different vegetables.
3. What vegetables and soft fruit can  I grow, say if the plot is ready by end of July.

regards
-Gundeep

[milkman]

Hallo and welcome to the site - have a look at John's information section in the menu above - there's a wonderful section on clearing a new plot and month by month guide which will be a good starting point.

[fatbelly]

I got my Lottie in May and it was /  is full of Couch Grass, Dock and Mares Tail.

I did part of the plot with Roundup, which worked to a degree but the weeds are coming back and the other part I am digging the weeds out by hand. The digging out by hand method has been far far more successful and soooo much cheaper.

Its late now to be putting stuff in for this season so why don't you start getting the soil ready for next year and dig out all the grass and weeds by hand. Next year you will be so glad that you did.

[Motivator]

Agree with the other guys. Mark out your beds with string and stakes.
Cut the turf and stack them in the corner upside down . Within a year
nice compost . You should be able to get winter stuff in eg . Cabbage, kale, etc .
                       Good luck.

[Aidy]

unless you are very fit or your plot is small I dont think you would clear the ground before the end of July. John does give some very good advice on clearing and preparing the plot, its also worthwhile searching the forum, myself i would put all the effort into painstakingly clearing it, once you have got every last peice of root up and disposed of, leave it for a week or two and you be amazed at the amount of weed that pops up, dig this in, check the soils Ph and perhaps put some feed on, maybe chicken manure pellets and again leave for a week or two, you can plant some winter/spring greens towards the end of August, but the hard work done by clearing it will pay off next season, dont do half a job you will pay next year.

[Aunt Sally]

If your planning to skim the turf off by hand and stack it get one of these:

http://www.get-digging.co.uk/tools.htm

so much easier on the back and quicker too !

We have a huge turf heap covered with black polythene in the corner of our plot now