newbie alert!!??!!

[spudsmummy]

hi there
i have just got my 1/2 plot today, yeppie!
its has some areas covered and one bed that has stuff growing in it but nothing looks too healthy. it is not too over grown so thats a good thing, but there is a huge mound of soil and rubble covered in long grass at one end(not sure what to do about that).

i am after advice and tips of growning stuff and what i need to do first. i am in no rush to get lots of stuff planted, i have a 2 year old who will be coming with me once its cleared and safe for him. i have got some seeds but not many tools so i am hoping they will save untill next season.

can u tell i am a complete newbie yet  :D
hope to hear from some of u soon.
thanks

[spudsmummy]

[grannyjanny]

Hi Sm. Welcome to the boards & congratulations on your 1/2 plot. We got one just before xmas. Have fun.
Janet.

[Al37]

Hi spudsmummy,
congrats on getting your plot. Only had mine a matter of Weeks, Great feeling isn't it.
You are sure to get a warm welcome here  I know I did there are are plenty of knowledgeable and friendly folks on this forum so don't worry about asking anything.
The best advise I have been given is don't try to do it all at once and enjoy it as your doing it.
Al

[kt.]

Welcome to the site.  When sorting the soil and rubble, you could use the rubble to make some paths or hard standing maybe ;)

[lorna]

Welcome to A4A

[Lauren S]

Hello SM and welcome to A4A. Congrats on your new lottie. Great time of year too. You still have loads of time to do planning and collecting *Lottie Stuff* and of course all the shops are getting their new seed collections in.

Sign up for seed company newsletters and catalogues etc.

I know Thompson and Morgan do a half price seed sale in May and alot of A4A members take advantage of this (me included  ::))

If you plan to grow potatoes now is the time to order (online) or buy from a local store so you can get them chitting (encouraging sprouting) ready for planting.

Freecycle can become a good source of tools, wood and lottie bits and pieces.

The cheaper shops like Wilko, Poundland and Lidl etc are great places for getting things like string, netting, wire, nails, screws and odds and ends.

Start saving your supermarket meat and fruit plastic trays/punnets etc. Useful for seed sowing.

Good luck
Lauren  :)

P.S Oh I forgot the most important thing......Take loads of pics. It's great to look back and see your progress, it gives you a huge boost, especially when you think you aren't getting anywhere  :D
We love seeing pics here too  ;D

[saddad]

Welcome to the site Spudsmummy...  ;D

[Flunky]

welcome.

I got my plot about a year ago. I prepared about half mine to start with.

I looked at it like this. My first year. If it dont grow. Nothing lost but experience gained. Just go for it. Its very addictive.

The most expensive thing i paid for was chicken wire. All the rest i got from friends and family. With the odd purchase for essentials. Car boots would be a good place to start.

No such thing as failure. Bring on the spring. Yeah.   

[tonybloke]

Wotcha! ;)

[manicscousers]

brilliant news, spudsmummy,  ;D
don't worry about nothing looking healthy, nothing does at this time of year..you're just in time to get some beds ready to sow/plant into , exciting, isn't it..we made a paper plan so we didn't walk on the bed area, just the paths..you might find some gems, e.g, raspberries, strawberries etc in the undergrowth..have a look around, even rhubarb doesn't look good this time of year  ;D

[shirlton]

Hello spudsmum. welcome to the site and enjoy your little bit of heaven. You have started with a half plot which I think is a very good start for folks who are new to gardening. Sometimes a full plot can be difficult to get on top of and you can be disheartened. My advice to you would be to get yourself some straw bales and make an enclosure for the bab to play in safely, cos he won't want to be watching you the whole time. specially being TWO!!!!!. you can always mark the paths with it after and he will soon learn where he can walk and where he can't. My daughter did this with her 2 year old twins so I know that it works. Do hope I haven't gone on a bit. (Its me age)

[cornykev]

Shirl does babble on a bit  ;D anyway welcome Spuds and good luck, as KT said pile up the larger pieces of rubble they might come in handy and the mound of soil it may be a body buried, I did here of an old allotmenteer near Southampton asking to be buried on his plot when he passed away  :o  and beware of strange men from the IOW bearing seed gifts.  ;D ;D ;D

[shirlton]

wot a bl***y liberty ;D

[spudsmummy]

hi there
thanks for all saying hello

i went down to my plot today and had a better look around. i opened up the compost bin expecting it to have compost in it and to my gr8 suprise there was 3 spades, 3 forks and some hand tools. it the long grass was a rake. i spoke to the guy on a few plots away from me and he siad that they are mine now as they where on my plot, is this true?? he said that the people on the plot before me would have been give lots of notice that they where to leave the plot as u have to pay up in november.

i am going to take some photos and get them on here too.
thanks again

[Jeanbean]

Hello Spudsmummy
Welcome to the site and to a new venture. I also heard today that there is a 5 rod plot for me to look at this weekend. It is apparently a bit overgrown but not too bad. I will look out for your posting as we seem to both be starting at the same time. It will be interesting to see if we have the same problems and questions to ask. Good Luck and happy lottying

[star]

Hello and welcome from me too SM ;D ;D ;D ;D

[KathrynH]

Congratulations on your new plot. I've had mine for over 10 years now and I still get excited by growing my own things and eating what I've grown!

I'm sure that like the rest of us you'll have some great successes and other complete failures (and often you never know why but it's probably not your fault!) But keep at it and I'm sure you will have great fun, meet lots of new people, learn a lot and get some really good things to eat!!!!

[saddad]

Looking forward to the photos...  ;D

[spudsmummy]

ok i hope this works, lol
standing at back off plot, it goes just past the white water butt and between the white water but and the black compost bin opisite.


that the last plot holder left behind



the big mound for stuff to be moved

[spudsmummy]

sorry not gr8 photos but i can get the drift   ;D