The premier gardening information source
      
       GARDENACTION ALLOTMENT
      
         
              
              Everyone uses an allotment in their own different way 
        but when designing an allotment there are some key steps which are 
        common to all good allotment designs. It may take a year or so to 
        completely clear and dig an overgrown allotment but if you have a good 
        design in your mind at the outset you will save time and effort.
             The first step is to list all the plants, vegetables, 
        fruit, herbs and features you will want on the allotment. The list can 
        be changed in subsequent years but it will at least indicate the 
        approximate sizes for each type of plant. You also need to classify them 
        in groups (fixed or requiring rotation). As an example, our list for the 
        GardenAction new allotment is shown below. This lists below show our 
        chosen plants, yours may well be quite different. The important point is 
        to categorize them as we show below: 
              FIXED PLANTS
              
               ROTATION 
              Hard Fruit
              Soft Fruit
              Plants/Shrubs
              Herbs
              Tomatoes
             
              Apples
              Raspberries
              Potentillas
              Basil
              Radish (sh)
             
              Pears
              Gooseberries
              Sweet Peas
              Oregano
              Beetroot
             
              Plums
              Blackcurrants
              Clematis
              Rosemary
              Lettuce (sh)
             
               
              Red Currants
               
              Mint
              French Beans
             
               
              Blackberries
               
              Thyme
              Runner Beans
             
               
              Strawberries
               
              Chives
              Onions
             
               
              Rhubarb
               
              Parsley
              Spring Onions
             
               
               
               
               
              Garlic
             
               
               
               
               
              Broccoli 
             
               
               
               
               
              Cauliflower
             
               
               
               
               
              Peas
             
              Features
               
               
               
              Carrots
             
              Patio Area
               
               
               
              Leeks
             
              Compost Area
               
               
               
              Swede (sh)
             
              Shed
               
               
               
              Potatoes
             The next step is to note the sun preferences of each of 
        the above. Most of the of the plants on an allotment prefer a full sun 
        position so we have marked only those that prefer a semi-shade position 
        (sh).How To Design an Allotment
        
              VEGETABLES
        
Name:  Shirley 
E-mail:  Shirley Catalina@ hotmail. com 
Date posted:  May 29, 2011 - 06:26 am 
Message:  Hi. I moved house in January and also was lucky to get an allotment, where I worked hard to clear the ground and fertilise ready for planting. I have a variety of plants already in that have taken, so that the plot is looking quite productive but, I must admit that I am not far off being a novice. Therefore, any advice that anyone will share with me would be very much appreciated as I have always enjoyed plants from a very early age. I am chuffed with my allotment and look forward to reaping the rewards.