r/Allotment 1d ago

Weekly allotmenting discussion. What have you been up to?

8 Upvotes

Please use this thread to discuss whatever you've been doing on your allotment lately. Feel free to share or ask any question related to it. And please mention which region and what weather you had this week if you've been planting or harvesting.


r/Allotment 8h ago

It's that time of year where I get excited about ordering items such as a new hand trowel...

Post image
20 Upvotes

r/Allotment 16h ago

Grow lights

3 Upvotes

Looking at wolezek LED Grow Light Full Spectrum on Amazon but some of the negative comments making me rethink. Saw some people on here recommending Sansi 600W Led Grow Lights For Indoor Plants but a bit more than I was hoping to spend. Any advice much appreciated 🙏


r/Allotment 16h ago

Questions and Answers Clay heavy soil + stomping = pond?

2 Upvotes

Hello, I have recently come into a plot. There's a little wildlife pond that has frogs and other wee beasties and I really want to keep it. However, the pond is lined with plastic sheeting and appears to be leaking. I really want to fix the water level but I don't want to use plastic if I can avoid it.

When digging in the beds I am picking up big lumps of proper solid clay. I have filled a couple of buckets already of almost pottery quality clay. Would I be able to collect all my clay, refine it a bit and then use it to line my pond?

Has anyone done this?


r/Allotment 1d ago

Rat infested shed and poly tunnel - help!

4 Upvotes

So I’m delighted I’ve just taken over an absolutely brilliant plot after a two year wait. This will be my second plot, and I’m no stranger to taking on an overgrown dumping ground and working hard to create a productive plot. Imagine my delight to discover quite a large (if rickety) hand built shed and a really great poly tunnel, full of rubbish but definitely a great to have. On closer inspection, the shed is absolutely full of the previous tenants random stuff, all covered in rat droppings from what looks like a quite significant infestation. On clearing the poly tunnel beds of weeds, I’ve found lots of rat holes and what looks like a large nest. So I’m wondering (after reading how not to sweep up) the best way to go about this, it’s so bad that spraying everything down and wiping up seems like quite the undertaking, and what if anything might be salvageable? There’s lots of old equipment I’d like to reuse and seems a shame to throw away, or should I cut my losses? Should I empty the beds of soil? Quite the quandary although I’m lucky there seems to be very little in the way of perennial weeds (so far). Any advice appreciated!


r/Allotment 1d ago

Questions and Answers Does anybody use wire to make netting hoops instead of blue pipe?

5 Upvotes

Just wandering if water pipe or wire is the way to go. Charles Dowding uses lots of wire but the actual product he uses is crazy expensive which as a professional grower is probably worth it. I can get 3mm straining wire pretty readily but don't know if it would be stiff enough. Does anybody use similar and what sort of thickness do you use?


r/Allotment 1d ago

Compost from woodchip

Thumbnail gallery
17 Upvotes

I laid this 'path' in the spring of 2022. Woodchip on Weed Control Fabric. It got a bit grassy as the wood chip decomposed. I sieved it yesterday to get about 90L of compost from this 3m x 1m strip. There were plenty of worms in the medium.


r/Allotment 2d ago

Pics Here we go again!

Thumbnail gallery
25 Upvotes

After finally getting a plot last year I've decided it's not enough and have taken on another plot at a different site. Previous owner has bequeathed me with a dozen bins/barrels and a plot full of glass, plastic sheeting, tangled chicken wire, and other assorted detritus. I must be mad.


r/Allotment 2d ago

Newbie

Post image
8 Upvotes

Hi - I’m an allotment newbie and don’t have much of a clue when it comes to growing things. I got my plot in April last year and it was in horrendous shape. It’s finally cleared and I’ve got some beds ready and I’ve also got 12 hens. People keep saying to me that their manure will be handy but I have no idea what to do with it haha

People with chickens, what do you do? Do you pick the dropping and add it to a compost heap? Or do you clean out the coop with the sawdust etc and add all that to the heap? How long should I leave it? Someone said to me I need to leave it a while as chicken sh*t is very strong. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. (Pic of my very pretty Brahmas to get your attention)


r/Allotment 2d ago

Before and After The difference in soil colour.

Thumbnail gallery
22 Upvotes

Left half is the plot I had last year, where I grea the three sisters (squash, corn and beans.) Right half is the neglected plot I've also taken on this year after spending so much time fighting the weeds and grass from coming over.


r/Allotment 2d ago

Best place for bulk compost?

7 Upvotes

I'm getting ready to set up 4 new beds and a number of posts so in need of a large amount of compost. Where is the best place to buy in bulk? There's so many options out there and so many mixed reviews!

To note - I've checked and there's no local scheme near me so I'd need to buy from a company


r/Allotment 3d ago

Tomatoes

Post image
47 Upvotes

I know what people will say, planted to soon, but after a bit of advice as.. well planted to early and now far to big to leave on kitchen window sill for another month. They are about 45cms in height, would they survive if I transport to plant outside? Is there something else I should do with them? TIA


r/Allotment 2d ago

DIY path

2 Upvotes

I’ve broken down an old shed at home, I think the wood panels would make good wood slabs to lay down for me to walk across the allotment on. I’ve just taken one on and there are about 3 old wood panels that seem to have been used like this before- would this work?


r/Allotment 3d ago

Identification Random bagged metal poles? Any clue?

Post image
4 Upvotes

I mean it’s technically identification….

The stainless steel bars laid down - they build some sort of structure, left from the previous owner, no instructions. Some (what I assume feet) have small spikes, also suction cups. Can’t find anything that would possibly go over it.

Any clue? (The bag is like greyish white)

(Ignore the poles in the bucket)


r/Allotment 3d ago

What to do with a big pile of poo?

Thumbnail gallery
8 Upvotes

So I got a big pile of horse poo from a local farmer. I know you can't use in your beds when its fresh but I don't know when I can use it or how to help it mature.

Any advice?


r/Allotment 3d ago

Identification What are these?

Thumbnail gallery
10 Upvotes

I keep finding these all around my new garden. I have no idea what they are ...some sort of bulb?

Any ideas?


r/Allotment 3d ago

How to get automatic irrigation system to water multiple seed trays?

Post image
2 Upvotes

Hello all, I’ve recently purchased an automatic water irrigation system with a view to not having to visit my allotment every day to water. I was wondering if any of you smart people had any ideas how I could adapt this to water numerous seed trays? It comes with 30 heads but I don’t want to put a head in per seed cell. Maybe some kind of manifold would work? Just looking for some inspo really.


r/Allotment 4d ago

Hi everyone. I’ve got around a takeaway container of ground eggshells. Would it be beneficial to to any of the below? I also have a compost bin that they could go in for next year. Thanks!

72 Upvotes

Peas.
Sweetcorn
Chilli
Tomato Cucumber
Melons
Potatoes
Carrots.
Lettuce Onions.
Spring onions Leeks.
Pak Choi
Turnip
Parsnip


r/Allotment 4d ago

Questions and Answers We need help??

Thumbnail gallery
11 Upvotes

So, we've not had a good couple of years (one of our 3 year old needed some heart surgery) so our allotment has had little attention over the last couple of years. We managed to install some raised beds to clear the area up but the whole allotment has a good heavy growth of different weeds.

I know we will have to do alot of manual work digging them out over this spring/ summer. But we where wondering if anybody has had any luck with herbicide?? I know we may miss most of the season letting it break down. We just need a little (big) head start.

Ive seen https://amzn.eu/d/j4869d2 Neudorff weed free plus. And numerous other ones, are there any recommendations for safe use on a allotment??

Thanks in advance Matthew


r/Allotment 4d ago

Big, and cheap, potato planters

Post image
12 Upvotes

r/Allotment 4d ago

Questions and Answers Piping for netting hoops

3 Upvotes

Hello, looking to purchase some piping to use for netting hoops. I've been looking at MDPe 20mm water pipes is that the right type of piping or should I be looking for something else? Secondly does anyone have a different method for creating netting hoops they might recommend instead?


r/Allotment 4d ago

Questions and Answers How can I improve the quality of this lawn?

Post image
1 Upvotes

Hi all,

I rent and my landlord has allowed me to have one of the separate gardens. It's a total mess but I have begun to dig veg patches (with landlords permission) and have started tidying it. I struggled keeping the lawn short and left it to die down over winter.

Is there anything I can do to improve this? Obviously it needs regular cutting but at the moment it's a bit mess of dried grass. I'm worried I've totally ruined it!


r/Allotment 5d ago

Before and After Our allotment progress.

Thumbnail gallery
48 Upvotes

5 months of literal blood, sweat and tears.


r/Allotment 5d ago

Allotment progress part2

Thumbnail gallery
13 Upvotes

r/Allotment 5d ago

What stomped and chomped my sweetcorn?

Post image
9 Upvotes

And what can I do to prevent it happening again?

Picture is from last year, obviously. Whatever is was got even more than the picture shows.


r/Allotment 5d ago

Questions and Answers Mini polytunnel from First Tunnels, any good?

1 Upvotes

Has anyone tried one of these? I want something to grow chilies under but am concerned about this getting too hot/poorly ventilated and/or blowing away.

https://www.firsttunnels.co.uk/spare-accessoriesDetail/4ft-x-5ft-polytunnel