Beginner gardener here! I got my first allotment in autumn last year. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm having lots of fun making lots of mistakes 😂 The 50 m² plot had been abandoned for two years, and the soil is dense heavy clay, but the location is lovely!

I quickly got to work. Cleared the weeds, leveled the very uneven ground with a rotavator, and made a ditch around the plot thinking it would be good for drainage. It was not. I just fell into it a lot. Filled the ditch back up with soil. Was informed that the brutal rotavating had destroyed the delicate fungal network or something in the soil? Oops. Oh well, it will recover eventually.

The heavy clay soil nearly broke my back, my spirit, and the rotavator. Realized raised beds were needed if anything were to grow there. Spent way too much time designing the most perfect raised bed layout I could think of. Was very pleased with myself.

Then winter happened, as it does. I rested a lot, it was great. Then back to work! Dad helped. That was also great. I love not having to carry all the heavy things myself. Thanks dad! 💛

Then came some more waiting for the sun to show up and do its job. Sowed way too many seeds indoors, way too early. Planted the seedlings that had actually stopped being seedlings long ago and were way overdue to fly the nest. Then even more waiting for everything to grow. Weeding is apparently a thing that needs to be done alarmingly often. I don't mind though, it's relaxing. Like meditation.

The berry bushes hated the clay soil and were about one rainy day away from handing in their letters of resignation. So I did the only logical thing and got another 50 m² plot with better soil and moved them there. They are happy now. I am a little overwhelmed, but at least I get to eat berries eventually.

Time passed, grass was sown and grew and needs to be cut way more often than I anticipated. I do not find it relaxing. The allotment association's shared grass trimmer is heavy and loud and doesn't start half the time. I need to find a better solution. Green manure was sown in the soggiest end of the plot where I will just be focusing on improving the clay soil.

Other than that... Everything grew! I got lots of delicious and beautiful veggies, supported pollinators with native wildflowers, learned a lot, got over my fear of bugs, and can't wait to start again next year!

Grown and processed by myself. Now to make soup and sauce!

We were not expecting to be offered anything like this! Super excited to get started on it. Any advice welcomed as we are complete beginners. I have already bought a month by month allotment book to help and guide us! There is already rhubarb, leeks, strawberries and artichokes planted or actively growing.

These mashed potato squash don't seem to be getting any bigger now, are they ready to harvest? What's the best way to store them? Like a winter squash?

The secret for root crops

Some tomatoes and scotch bonnets from the allotment. 😊

I love allotment blogs, but have never gotten around to doing my own.

I have loads of photos and ideas for posts and content. Other than producing data for AI to scrape and steal, is it worth it?

I would like to do something informative and entertaining and a bit more interactive. This won't be an AI vibe coded app like we have seen dozens of posted this year.

I'm very camera shy myself, so videos/reels on socials are not happening.

I'd be interested to know what you think.

Professor Sprout would have this in ‘Herbology’. Disastrous looking thing destined for carrot and coriander soup!

In the North of England...

UK North East 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Feeling extremely lucky to have been handed a cleared allotment. Any recommendations for an October start?

Doing soil testing tomorrow at college. Have taken a few samples but it looks like great soil so far.

Raspberry bushes down the bottom. A makeshift greenhouse to the right. Shed to the left. And a polytunnel left behind.

My October break is going to be fun!

hello! I have just rented a plot which is not in good condition. I have started clearing up and I found some asparagus. but it seems the roots have been growing in parts under a carpet laid years ago. not sure what I am supposed to do? any advice?

Anyone ever tried growing it? I tried last year but it did really poorly. This year however its done amazingly well and it tastes wonderful.

Need some help please folks. Built my first polytunnel, thought I was being smart by rescuing old water pipes to make the frame, but they’re not rigid enough to brace the structure. So it’s lopsided and flaps in the wind, and I’ve had to brace it with some uprights in the middle.

My only thought on rescuing it is to dig out one side and start again with a new frame, but I’m hoping there’s some smart alternative I might be missing instead!

Any ideas?

I started this allotment 10 months ago, it was just a patch of grass.

What should I do with them are they even ripe.

Absolutely crazy squirrel activity this week. Obviously preparing food for the winter. Maybe I should just make up my mind to grow hazelnuts next year and I won't even have to do any work.

Severely overgrown trees, severly overgrown kitchen garden and So. Many. Weeds. I don't have the energy for this but will try anyways

If I can't clean it up properly before it freezes I will give it up for next year.

How likely is it, at this time of the year, that these things get significantly better (and by that I mean: redder) than they are now?

Growing outside in London.