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How to start your own allotment or vegetable garden.

Perhaps surprisingly, the global economic climate is not the only reason for the recent increase in our collective desire to start growing our own fruit or vegetables. Allotments (small private gardens) are also seen as great ways to escape and increasingly digital world, and an excellent to regain a connection with the natural order of the earth. Consequently, they are often cited to have a very positive impact on an individual's well-being, and an excellent means to a healthier lifestyle. What follow are some key points to help you start an allotment?

Plot
The first thing to consider when starting an allotment is plot, i.e. where it is, and how big it is. For those of us who live in towns there will often be land owned by the council or private owners that will be separated into allotment plots. Think about how close you want to be to your home and how accessible each option is, as well as security water sources. But more importantly, ask yourself what exactly you want to grow and ensure that there is enough space for your needs, i.e. root veg such as potatoes will need more room than climbers such as tomatoes and beans.

Weeds
If you are lucky then your plot may not have any weeds. However, if it is a plot that has not been cared for recently, then it is likely you will have to deal with some of the usual suspects such as grasses, nettles, brambles, and some other of the nastier culprits as bindweed, ground elder and thistles. Subsequently, how you deal with your weeds will depend on what you have. If you decide to dig over you plot, do so in sections and cover what you have dug until you are ready to plant there. If there are relatively few visible weeds, hand-weed over the plot before digging.

Garden Tools
It shouldn't take long after you start before you ask yourself what garden tools you need. If you have a particular bad soil or weed situation you may need the aid of a Rotavator (a motorized push-along tiller) or a Strimmer. If you are lucky you may be able to borrow garden tools from neighbouring gardeners, or there might even be a communal shed/store. If not you will no doubt be able to rent what you need from somewhere in the area, but if you are planning on continuing over a big plot or a long period of time it might be necessary to invest in tools of your own.

Planning
The last thing you need to consider before planting is how you will use your plot space. Traditionally allotments are simply organised into beds which are four or five feet wide with paths on either side to allow access. Of course this will depend on what you want to grow, but to make better use of space, some gardeners like to edge narrower beds with wood, leaving enough path space to kneel and typically a well-defined two row bed that can be easy to tend to from either side. After it has been used, cover over the winter and use again the following year if you wish - but always consider rotating crops to keep the soil in the best shape in the long term.