Hello from Yeovil

[anneski]

Hello everyone.

I'm just looking at taking on an allotment in Yeovil, Somerset, and wonder if anybody else is in that area? I've never had an allotment before, but in the past couple of years have grown a few veg in my garden and have got the taste for more. 

There will be a few problems, as I'm rather large and so am going to find the physical side a problem some days - and I guess it's pretty much all physical! - but I can start off slowly and see where we go.

If anyone can point me in the direction of any good basic books on growing veg (and maybe fruit) then I'd be grateful, also any threads about labour saving types of gardening, sources of cheap stuff, etc etc - I'm sure you all know what I'll need more than I do! 

BTW, name's Anne, am in my 40's, with (apart from gardening) my main interests being dogs, F1 motorsport and Ford Capris (sad, I know!), food, the paranormal and photography.

Look forward to meeting you all, as it were, and getting my first allotment!

[wardy]

Hello and welcome    Glad to hear you have a lotty and I expect like the rest of us you'll become obsessed with it and want to spend all your time there.  I've not been to mine since Sunday so I'm expecting to find frazzled veg by the time I manage to get there.  Should spend less time on here but IT IS THE FIRST time I've been on all week.  Honest    Glad to hear you like Capri's.  I had one and loved it - it was sooooo comfy.  Everyone here will tell you to take your time with your plot, plant something straight off so you don't get bored.  After all it's supposed to be a pleasure and a relaxation.  Do things in short bursts so your back doesn't get too strained    If your lotty is overgrown do a search on here for Heidi's allotment and that will inspire you as I don't think anyone's was as bad as hers.  Post a pic of your plot so we can have a look as we are very nosey     Oh, nearly forgot to mention but there is a set of DVD's out called The Allotment and there are some plots and plotters from Yeovil featured on it 

[lorna]

Hi Anneski and a big welcome. I do not have an allotment but love my garden and grow things like runner beans and toms. Rest of garden is made up of hanging baskets tubs etc. I am a 70year old novice but believe me you can ask any question you like and there will be someone to answer you on these forums. I hope to grow a few more veg next year although I am on my own I have four kids who will gladly take any spares I have only been on these forums for a few months but they are such a great crowd.... friendly and helpful that I sometimes spend too much time on here and forget the housework OH DEAR. ( I hate housework) Good luck and happy times on your allotment. Lorna.

[anneski]

Thanks for the welcome     I've had many Capris, and am now sadly down to one - but it's a good one! 2.8i Special, in great condition. The only thing is, I live in a little village and to get to the allotment that I'm thinking of choosing is going to mean a drive, and I'm never going to be able to get a wheelbarrow or even many tools in the Capri so I'm seriously going to have to think about buying a very cheap van or small hatchback I think!


I went and looked at the lotty this morning, and think it'll be ideal; there are several in Yeovil to choose from, but this one has parking right in the middle and is in a nice area overlooked by nice houses. It's fairly empty, but the plots that are there are taken are either extremely well tended and have lots on them (so no vandals or thieves, hopefully!) or are just being started, so presumably it's up and coming?

The plot I'm having is the smallest at about 30' square in old money, and is right in front of the car parking area and next to the tap, so no need for a very long hose and easy to get manure etc to.
It's £7 yearly. It's been rotavated recently and seems easy soil to work with. (What do I know? <G> )

It's on a slight slope up away from me, and up further above it and all to the right are a dozen or so empty plots, so I guess if I want to expand I could, quite easily.

I will take pics when I've got it (going in Monday) and will certainly get things planted now. Didn't realise there'd been Yeovil peeps on The Allotment, I will most certainly order that! Thanks

And I'm glad I can ask questions without fear of being laughed at - that's always a worry when they're really novicey type questions! As to the housework....pah, I need a Harry Potter house elf

[wardy]

It sounds perfect  Next to the tap you lucky thing    You might not be allowed to use a hosepipe though - most lotties don't allow it so you have to lug about with watering cans.  Still if you get a shed you can get yourself a water butt and harvest water.  I find it's the most useful tool on the plot  see pic 

The dog, on the other hand, is no use whatsoever 

[lorna]

Wardy That poor dog will get an inferiority complex  (bit like me with my spelling?) When I say things about Elsa my son_in_law covers her ears and says "Don't listen to her!!!!"

[wardy]

You're right of course Lorna    I take it all back.  My little dog has been very useful on my plot as there was a large soil hump full of holes and shredded plastic which I investigated and chickened out as I thought there might be rats there.  I woke the dog up (prodded him with a stick) and told him to "get em Russ" whereupon he began to dig furiously until there was no mound left.  If there were any rats there he would have despatched them smartish    So I apologise Russ you are a clever little doggy indeed 

[anneski]

Ahh, he's a very handsome little chap! That shed is rather smart too!

Well, my Eddie has enjoyed grazing on all my outdoor cucumbers till I only have stumps left - how can he do that, they're bristly??? He also likes to dig when I'm weeding, so I sometimes end up replanting stuff his enthusiasm has unearthed.    I don't stop him though, I don't have the heart. He's a very elderly whippet, who this time last year was picked up almost starved to death up in Durham, so I'm just glad to see him enjoying his twilight years.

Willow, a whippet cross greyhound, is purely ornamental in the garden and likes to sunbathe. Even in this hot weather, so I have to make her take cover sometimes, she's a madam! 

As to my allotment, I went in to get the small plot, thinkining that would be wise and sensible, and came out with two..... not sure how that happened, lol!

I've also grabbed what I hope is a bargain from eBay, 250 mixed veggie plants (sprouting broccoli, kale, caulis, sprouts, cabbages etc of 16 different varieties) to get in immediately so most of the plots are covered. The chap's got good feedback for his veg plants, and it gives me something to look at, hopefully to keep the weeds down etc while I can them take my time and plan the lotty out properly for next year.

That's the theory anyway, lol!

[wardy]

250 plants    You'll be busy planting and the dog will be following behind you grazing    Good luck with them and I hope you'll be rewarded with loads of lovely veg.  Then you can start worrying about what you're going to do with it all 

Just to keep you enthused - here's a pic of yesterday's tea ...

[plot51A]

Hi there anneski!
Talking of cars..well, you were earlier, we got our lottie last year and a month later changed our Honda Civic (useless boot) for a Toyota Yaris Verso - tin box on wheels said my OH -  the back seats fold down completely flat and its great for carrying all the gear (our plot is 3 miles away) Luckily now have a large lock-up box on the plot to store my gear and can cycle - when I haven't got seedlings ,plants and assorted other things to carry. (You definitely go dottie when you get a lottie!)
Good luck with all your plants and the lotties in general.

[anneski]

Thanks  I certainly couldn't contemplate getting rid of my Capri though! A van of some sort, maybe an old Maestro, as well would be good, but I doubt I can afford to tax and mot 2 cars.    I think I'm going to have to get a small shed as soon as possible, so I can leave things there.

I planted all my 250 brassicas, which were actually more like 280, and am raaaather tired! My hose broke too, so I ended up watering with a can for the last 50. At least the tap is close to the plot, so it could be a lot worse.

[wardy]

So you like cabbage then 

[anneski]

I do indeed, just as well!     Your tea looked scrummy the other day too, thanks for the piccy to drool over! 

Mum and I had home grown French beans and courgettes with our lunch of new potatoes and baked haddock today, and I felt quite good about that! 

[wardy]

French beans for tea today here oh and yet more flaming courgettes.  I gave one of my B & B guests some to take home with him this morning.  No, I didn't inflict them on him he really wanted em 

[anneski]

I'm thoroughly loving all my courgettes - I've never had home grown ones before, and that they had taste was a revelation!

Anyway, here's my lottie before I planted...
from the front



and the back...




And a view down across the site from the very top allotment, which is Wilf's. He has the top three, all full length - he must spend hours there! 



As you can see mine are two, and only small at that, but I think they'll be big enough for me to cope with. The large grassy area is there because of the huge badger setts along the back. No-one has had any problems from them though so hopefully that'll continue.
I can also site my shed on the grass rather than the lottie if I want, so that'd be good.

[wardy]

Looks great.  Do they give you a shed ?   

[anneski]

No, you have to get your own shed, sadly. Wish they did! I shall have to save up and get one though as I need somewhere to keep tools - I can't keep putting rakes and the like in the capri, I'm scared I'll damage the interior! 


Here's the view of the bottom part tidied and planted with those 250 odd cabbagey things....

[wardy]

My car is like an extension of the shed and it doubles up as a dog kennel   

Your allotment all looks in ship shape shape    You really must like cabbage 

I planted my cabbages with pot marigolds and they look very good together.  That's just cos I get fed up looking at just cabbages.  Not that I've got many - only about a dozen

Did your mixed veg plants off ebay all turn out to be cabbages or did you get the kale and sprouts etc ?

[lorna]

Anneski. It certainly looks as if you have been working hard in the short time you have had the lottie. Well done. Enjoy but don't work too hard Lorna.

[Svea]

anne, sow some dill in between, about 1m apart in all directions - if you see what i mean. it will keep the cabbage white butterfly at bay nicely - they dont like it at all.
they have even resorted to laying their eggs and hatching on my nasturtiums - which i assume must be a poor second. it's just as well, i can find them and squash them there before they even get a look-in with my brassicas.

svea