First steps at Plot Number 5, my new allotment

This is the start of my second year at my local allotment site in Wood Green, Salisbury Road, and after one year sharing a plot and on the waiting list, at last the time has come and I have obtained A PLOT OF MY OWN! Here are some photos introducing Plot Number 5, and the first things I've done there so far - I've only had it for less than 2 weeks, one weekend. I've been going there every morning this week before work, as there's quite a lot of soil that should be sown and planted this month.

Where my work begins every morning

This section of a tree trunk comes from when the site was cleared by the council to be turned into allotments. They cut down the trees and left bits like this around to be used as seating, and I inherited this one with my plot. It is extremely useful, especially as I'm coming there in the mornings on the way to work and I need to change my shoes. I keep the wellies and some tools in the plastic box, so don't need to carry muddy boots into the office. I am working on the "paving" too, all those bits of brick and boards were left on the site so I can recycle the materials.

The plot is a long rectangle in shape, and I'm lucky enough that my neighbours on both sides have made wooden paths already (I have a direct root to my wellies without having to step on mud!). I have divided it into 4 "strips" with some more boards across the width of the plot, and one of the raised beds will go in each section. The whole space is about 3 times bigger than I had before, and I am very pleased to have noticed the soil is much better. I transplanted some things this morning and when I watered them the water drained almost immediately, it barely made a puddle. The soil is on the sticky side (clay), but drainage appears to be quite good - what a welcome surprise!

Having 4 distinct sections will allow me to do a crop rotation, like the allotment books recommend: carrots and root vegetables, potatoes, brassicas (green leafy stuff), and beans and peas. In the beds I will go more creative and plant all the things that I'm not sure which group the fall into, such as courgettes, flowers, and perennial crops (so they don't get in the way when I'm digging the plots).

New kids on the block

I plan to move the 4 raised bed frames from my old plot across the path but so far I've only had time to move 1, which what you see in this photo. I planted it with some stuff I had in the garden: at opposite ends, two perennials to give the bed some permanent structure (a rosemary and a lavender), and in the middle 3 lunarias (in front of my neighbour's greenhouse) and a sweet rocket plant. This bed is next to the tree trunk I use as a seat, so I want to plant it with lots of lovely smelling plants.

Before the digging begins

This is what the rest of the plot looks like at the moment, before I start digging and putting my beds in . The part missing from this photo is the first section from the top where I've put my first bed and started digging. Also missing is the very top of the plot, beyond the first bed, against the fence panels that run between the seat and the greenhouse, where I am going to transplant my raspberry and blackberry canes from the garden.

Propagation has begun this week

While I'm waiting to do finish all the digging and soil preparation I have started sowing seeds in trays into the plastic greenhouse, which I've also moved from my garden. The idea is that, with the extra warmth of the plastic cover, the seedlings will germinate more quickly, and come April when the soil is finally ready I will have some plants ready to transplant!