My Plot (30ft x 10ft)

[Vegiman391]

Hi all,
Wow after leaning on the allotment committee , i finally be came a  allotment holder, so beware i will always be hear asking questions after questions, he he ,

I will upload a pic of the lot, been there today , first time i have seen it in daylight. found some onions in land and spuds to, may lift them and see what they are like.

The Plot is 30ft x 10ft sq . so ppl what can I do with it, The soil is mainly clay base so was thinking raised beds might be the best bet.

With prob sow veg that i can use, was looking at the square foot veg system.

Anyone out there done the square foot growing system. and what can i grow size wise in each square .
Thanks All

[Vegiman391]

[Spireite]

good luck with the lottie, lots of advice to be had on here.

[bluecar]

Welcome Veggieman.

Best of luck with the new plot. You may get more replies in  the basics section. I'll alert the moderators to see whether it can be moved.

Regards

Bluecar

[pumkinlover]

  Done
Welcome to the forum!

[manicscousers]

Hiya, vegiman, welcome to a4a 
Decent size plot you have 

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's a nice size; manageable while being big enough to grow a fair bit.

[cornykev]

Welcome to the madhouse Vegiman, I'd dig them spuds and onions up sharpish before the cold snap hits, they may be edible.   

[Vegiman391]

Hi All
Spent the day clearing the plot, and finding whats hidden under the ruff stuff

[Jeannine]

Grow things up. like beans , peas and some of the squash, save your ground space for other things. I have tried the square foot plan and I didn't like it. You can grow mini varieties of many veg unless you need huge cabbages etc. Make one small area(or get a big tub) and grow salad greens that you harvest at 4 inches tall, as lomg as you keep planting bits you will have lots.

Good Luck

XX Jeannine

[Digeroo]

Welcome to A4A.  Congralutions on getting your plot.  My big piece of advice is weed control.  Little and often.  I find I sow too close and then realise there is not enough space to get the hoe between the plants.. 

I have found square foot is rather fiddly though great if you have small space, suggest square metre/yard instead.   Some can be subdivided if necessary.   With a path you will still have nearly 30 squares to think about.   

I would start by deciding which veg you like to eat then think about crop rotation.

I suggest that you prepare small areas and gradually get them growing.   I started on my allotment in March 2009.  My first sowings/plantings were onion sets and broad beans and then parsnips.  I then cheated with one of those living salad packs and parsley a pot from tesco which I divided up and covered with bottle cloches.   It was nice to see something green growing instantly.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/schools_organic_network/leaflets/SquareFootGardening.pdf

[chriscross1966]

I'd have thought that 30x10 is almost too big to do square foot on unless it was outside your back door... you'll get 6 off 4 foot by 10 foot beds out of that, I'd suggest that might be the better way to do it, divide them up into rotation types but remember to catch crop and I'd thoroughly recommend starting stuff off in modules as you'll never need masses of any sort of plant and you won't have the row length to absorb patchy germination losses as easily as some bigger plot holders...
Beware big things that eat space for a long time, aren't easy to grow  and only give a single crop, cauliflowers and celery I'm looking at you, whereas things that seem similar but crop over a long period like brussels aren't such a bad idea,

My general rules are: stuff I like that is expensive (fruit especially, but I have a lot more sapce to play with so you might want to look at a strawberry planter, but not bother with standard gooseberries), straight-up unobtaniums (heritage varieties of tomatoes, beans and potatoes), easy things I'll always use up (potatoes, green beans, peas, sweetcorn, carrots, parsnips, beetroot) ... also look out for smaller varieties, there's a mini white cabbage called Minicole that's absolutely lovely and one head is two meals worth for me... that said dwarf beans are opintless if you can grow a stand of climbers at your northern boundary where they won't shade the rest of the plot, a dozen Cobra's will fill your freezer adn have you eating beants several times a week in season...

[ipt8]

Have raised beds, they need not have wooden sides but can be in effect mounds made by shovelling soil from what is to be your permanent path system.  4 feet wide beds so you can reach to the middle from either side and NEVER walk on them. Get all the manure you can and allow it to rot down before using.If its clay you need to add as much fibre as you can in the form of manure and mulches.
I have found Charles Dowdings no dig system excellant, after my first years dig I have not needed to dig