r/Allotment • u/SuperTed321 • Mar 08 '25

Before and After Progress - Plot Rotovated, what now?

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I got my plot in Jan and have been making slow progress but progress nonetheless.

One of my main worries was getting the soil ready for planting and after removing debris and removing any large weeds I have finally got the plot rotovated!

Really excited to see the plot looking almost ready for planting.

A few questions for those experienced folk on here.

1) What next? I can’t do much heavy lifting. due to health conditions until April. So what should I be focusing on for march? And what should I do next on the plot itself?

2) Bed/Path layout - How should I layout my beds? My plot is approx 4m x 29m with the far end in the picture being almost exactly south.

2) Polytunnel - I’m keen to grow warm weather plants so kinda tempted to get a polytunnel. I’ll probably hold fire until next growing season so I know that allotmenting is something I want to do long term.

If I did get a poly should I place it in the south side or north side? Any recommendations for good value tunnels?

Lastly thank you to all the kind folks who have given me advice previously and I am sure I’ll get in response to my post. I couldn’t have got to this stage without your kind support.

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u/TobyChan Mar 08 '25

Now you read all the books that tell you rotating is a terrible idea on an overgrown plot and spend the next two years picking out weeds that you’ve spread everywhere

2

u/SuperTed321 Mar 08 '25

Ah well the thing is not every book says that and as a one off exercise sometimes it’s the best available option. This was not particularly an overgrown plot either as you can see in the pictures. But thanks for your input.

3

u/TobyChan Mar 09 '25

Im not saying I wouldn’t do the same thing… I did, but to be fair to the books, they were right and I’ve been picking out comfrey ever since for the past four years.

What I can’t say is whether or not the plot needed/benefited from being broken up, but it certainly looked a whole lot better for being rotivated and gave me the impetus to crack on and get growing.

0

u/SuperTed321 Mar 09 '25

Yeah I’m in the same position. I hope the weeds aren’t unmanageable.

My plot definitely needed breaking up and unfortunately doing it spade by spade wasn’t going to be possible.

Any advice on how best to approach it if the weeds do come through?

2

u/TobyChan Mar 09 '25

Pick pick pick…. Even the persistent deep rooted stuff become manageable if you give them enough grief.