Allotments are a great place to learn to grow your own fruit, vegetables and flowers. They’re also a good way to get some exercise, and help develop your green growing skills. They’re often popular with people who are new to gardening, and they’re often in short supply, so if you’re interested in getting your hands dirty, it might be worth applying for an allotment.

The first thing to do when taking over a plot is to clear it, preferably before it rains as this will help improve the soil’s condition and make it easier for you to work. This can be a big job, so it’s a good idea to take a friend along with you who can help and give you advice.

Once the ground has been cleared and raked up, it’s time to add some organic matter to the soil. This could be a mixture of garden compost, woodchip or leaves. This will help improve the soil’s structure and prevent weeds from growing in it. It can also be a good idea to cover the area with a non-permeable material to help retain the nutrients.

If the ground is muddy or covered with roots, it’s a good idea to cover the area with plastic sheeting or polythene. This will prevent weeds from germinating and keep the soil cool and dry during the winter.

It’s also a good idea to use mulching to stop weeds from spreading. Adding a layer of well-rotted manure, garden compost or straw to your beds and paths will keep the soil weed-free.

Another useful way to save money on your allotment is to build your own compost bin. You can easily do this yourself, using wooden pallets, nails, old carpet or tarpaulin and stones.

The main benefit of this system is that it allows you to store large quantities of compost for later use on your allotment, and it’s much cheaper than buying bags of compost from a shop. You can even add a few more pallets to the structure to create extra storage space.

A well is a useful addition to any allotment, and it can be a very good way of collecting water for your plants. It is usually used in conjunction with a drip system or an irrigation system, as this will ensure that your crops are getting the right amount of water each day, and the plants aren’t thirsty and wilting before they’re ready to be harvested.

Developing an allotment plot is a great way to become more involved with nature, and it is also known to have a positive effect on psychological health. This is a very common reason for people to join allotment clubs and is a reason that many communities choose to open their land up to allotment gardening.

As an added bonus, allotments can be a very productive way to spend your spare time, as they can provide you with a huge variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Having an allotment is a very rewarding experience and can be a fun and educational experience for your children too.