Transformation of an overgrown allotment plot

I already have 1 1/2 allotment plots but have been on the waiting list for a while now for another plot as I was running out of space on the allotment(s) I already have. On 10th of April an email arrived from the council to offer me a new plot and after I had a look at the allotment on the 11th of April I accepted the offer. The plot was mainly covered in grass, but had 2 fruit trees (pear and plum), a large sound shed with 2 climbing plants (honeysuckle and passion flower) and the best: a decent-sized pond full of frogs and tadpoles.

After getting the ok from the council I started digging the next day. I realised that it would be best to mainly lift off the top layer of soil with all the grass and weeds in it and pile it all up in two large and 2 small heaps which I covered later with weed-membrane. The grass and weeds will all rot down in a year and give me lovely top soil which I can spread on the beds again. I did this with my other allotments which were in a really bad state when I took them over and it worked a treat. You can get rid of most of the couch grass this way and a lot of the bindweed. Lifting of the top layer of soil also removes many weed seeds which would otherwise germinate again.

So this is what I did in the last 1 1 /2 weeks, working full days on weekends and 1 hour on weekday mornings. On last Saturday I lifted the last bit of grass, put it on the pile, and felt a big relief. The heavy work was done and the allotment looked tidy and under control (and I was ready to collapse). Hurray!

The new bird box at the side of the shed

I have now planted a few things such as 3 currant bushes, a damson tree and some flowers. I decided to replace the pond liner later this year once the tadpoles have left the pond as there is some leak at the side. If I fill the pond up with water it always goes back down to the level it was before. When I replace the liner I will dig out the pond slightly deeper and create some planting shelves around the side as well for planting pond plants. I have also attached a bird box to the shed.

Below you can see photos I took during the transformation of the new allotment.

The allotment on 12th April, the day I took it on:

View from the front

View from the back

The rhubarb patch and the 2 fruit trees

The pond

The shed, just needs a lick of paint.

The allotment on 13th of April:

The area around the pond is dug

The first flowers are planted around the pond

The allotment on 14th of April:

The "weed heaps" by the pond are covered

Nearly reached the middle of the plot now

View from the front

 

The allotment on the 15th of April:

The compost area is finished

More progress at the back of the allotment

The allotment on 16th of April

The space on the right will later be planted as a bog garden

Nearly finished the right half of the allotment

The new damson tree

The allotment on 20th April

Started digging the other half of the allotment

The allotment on 22nd April: Finished!

View from the front with pond and shed

Later this year I will buy a small bench for the front of the shed

The new pond even has some water lilies

Tadpoles in the pond

View from the middle of the allotment towards the front

The first flowers are opening (this is a Geum sp. grown from seed)

View from the back, still have to cover the large "weed heap" on the left

One of the large "weed heaps" is already covered

Already planted some flowers in this area

Currant bushes are in as well

I am now away for the next few weeks on fieldwork but will keep you updated about further progress on the new allotment. My plans for this year are:

1. Plant more annual flowers (later followed by perennial flowers)
2. Paint the shed
3. Keep on top of weeds
4. Change the pond liner
5. Plant a wildlife meadow
6. Sow a prairie meadow
7. Make a bog garden (next to the pond)

More pictures from my old allotment will follow soon as well as there is so much happening there at the moment with new flowers opening nearly daily and wildlife awakening.

Primroses and butterflies: My wildlife allotment in early spring

It was a long and cold winter with lots of snow at times, but spring has finally arrived here and life is stirring on the allotment. Primroses are in full flower and the tulips have started now as well. I have planted quite a lot of wild tulips as I like them so much. They look daintier than the large dutch tulips, are not fuzzy and come back every year. They only ask for well-drained soil and sunshine. Among others I have planted Tulipa sylvestris, T. tarda, T. turkestanica, T, saxatilis and T. praestans, all are good for pollinators.
In the raspberry bed I have left some lesser celandine plants to spread, they are so pretty with their small yellow flowers and will disappear soon underground again. They attract quite a lot of pollinators such as butterflies, bees and hoverflies. Also flowering now is pulmonaria, attracting hairy-footed flower bees and fluffy-looking bee flies.

Below are some pictures from my allotment I took on one of the rare sunny days at the beginning of April. You can also watch my new allotment video here.

Daffodils growing at the side of the shed

My little pond

Marsh marigold is flowering, adding a splash of colour

Little mining bee (Andrena bicolour) visiting one of the marsh marigold flowers

Pasque flowers are opening their pretty flowers

Drone fly (Eristalis sp.) sipping nectar from a marsh marigold flower

One of the many tulips growing on my allotment, coming back every year

Pretty Tulipa tarda, the flowers are only opening in sunshine

Tulipa sylvestris growing under the red currant bushes

Tulipa sylvestris flower

 
Below you can see a bee fly visiting some pulmonaria flowers. It is quite interesting that the flowers of pulmonaria change colour from pink to purple, pink flowers are fresh and full of nectar, purple flowers are older and nearly empty. Bees and other pollinators learn quickly that only the pink flowers give enough nectar so after a while will only visit those.

Pretty Anemone blanda flowers, I have plants with dark blue flowers as well

Small tortoiseshell drinking nectar from lesser celandine flowers

The allotment, still quite bare but with lots of plants starting to grow now

A 7-spot ladybird enjoying some rare sunshine

The strange-looking flowers of Euphorbia myrsinites

The allotment seen from the back

I have some great news as well. I got offered another plot! I wanted a bit more space to create a few more habitats such as a prairie meadow and bog area and I also want to grow more fruit such as currants and a damson tree, and perennial vegetables such as asparagus and artichokes. The new plot has a pond already with lots of frogs, 2 fruit trees, a nice shed with a climbing plant on one site and only needs digging over now to get it into an acceptable state. In my next blog post I will show you some pictures of the new plot.