Your first season on a community plot

A new plot rarely needs a grand plan. It needs a few crops you want to eat, planted at the right time, in a space you can keep on top of.

Start by asking around

Before you dig, talk to your coordinator and the people on either side. They know where the frost settles, which beds dry out first and what has done well there. Read your plot agreement too, because many gardens have rules about tall plants, perennials, chemicals and how often a plot must be tended.

Clear only what you can plant

Bare soil dries out and grows weeds quickly. Clear and plant one section at a time, and cover the rest with mulch or cardboard until you're ready for it.

Choose a few reliable crops

• Pick crops you actually eat, because they are the ones you'll come back for.
• Add something fast, such as radish or lettuce, for an early win.
• Read the crop notes, and check the seed packet and your local growers for the right month to sow.
• Sow a little every few weeks instead of all at once, so you don't have forty lettuces in one week.

Plan for your visits

A plot you can reach twice a week can grow almost anything. A plot you reach once a week does better with mulch and tougher crops. Plan for the time you really have, and ask a neighbour to water when you go away.