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Yesterday I took on another allotment project. It’s a half plot with potential to take on the full plot and it’s right next door to a small nature reserve. All the people I’ve met have been very welcoming. It’s good to start something afresh. #GrowYourOwn #Allotment #NatureReserve #Biodiversity #Nature
Congratulations @Broadfork The sign about the other inhabitants looks very promising!
@feinschmeckergarten Thanks, yes the nature reserve is absolutely wonderful. I will certainly be getting involved and I only wish I’d known about it sooner.
There’s a lot of different habitats, a slow worm translocation project, dragonfly pond, owl boxes, hedgehog homes, loads of good things going on in there. Very educational.
My plot, literally next door to it will be shaded by it. There are lots of raspberries and blackberries, some currants.
Hope you get some work done, too @Broadfork
I would just spend hours watching and photographing the wildlife.
@feinschmeckergarten My camera work won’t be anywhere near as good but I hope to spend many, many hours in there.
Right now the priority is getting the back half done quickly so they agree to let the front half to me.
@Broadfork What about cardboard to suppress unwanted vegetation? Is that an option/possibility for you?
@feinschmeckergarten It is. I’ll cover some grassy areas with cardboard and I’ve some bark fines compost saved to go on top.
I’ll sow field beans and broad beans in the bed I’ve started on today with some leaf litter and chicken wire over the top.
There are so many raspberries over the entire plot I’ll just weed those for now and then enquire about taking on the front half of the plot.
I’ll set up some rainwater harvesting on the shed and probably some pallet compost bays in front of it.
@Broadfork It sounds like a good plan and I can't see a reason why they shouldn't give you the other half.
Taking the plot with the most work and steaming full ahead (in a structured way) is probably not something they see every day.
@feinschmeckergarten It should be fine but there is a waiting list.
I dropped some cardboard off in the shed today and met another plot holder who in conversation told me “no dig means no eat.” In 30 years he’s never seen no dig work apparently. “Not around here on this clay soil.”
He’d better keep watching. 
A soil assessment is on my to do list too.
The good thing with an overgrown plot is there’s no bare soil. I’ve found no mypex yet on this one either which is great news.
@Broadfork My market garden is on heavy clay. I brought in masses of compost though.
Will be exciting to see if the other plot holder really bases his opinion on observation or just prejudice - when you've set everything properly up.
I hope you are right, that there are no unpleasant surprises under the grass.
@feinschmeckergarten I’ll let the broadfork loose soon. That’ll tell me if there’s any mypex underneath.
I’ll also dig test pits around the plot to make sure there’s no clay compaction layer and do a soil texture test. I doubt the soil is much different from what’s on the other site. It’s not too far away.
I’ll give him the benefit of doubt. I’ll ask him about why the no diggers he came across failed. I may get some useful info. I’ve not known anyone who’s done no dig and gone back to digging.