Topic: Calling all lurkers

[Grandma]

Welcome to all ex-lurkers  :) This is a great place to be - tons of lovely people, heaps of good advice and loads of laughs!

And for those who are still undecided about taking the plunge - it isn't even essential to have a lottie!  ;D ;D ;D There are quite a few in here who, like me, only have a garden and (maybe) a little veg patch and/or grow a bit of fruit. In the beginning, I thought I had 'gate-crashed'; I apologised and was ready to back out but was told I was welcome even if I only grew my 'crops' on my bathroom windowsill!

Be warned, though - A4A is highly addictive  ;)

[Jeannine]

Is it?

[Grandma]

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D @ Jeannine.  :-*

[ellkebe]

Does anyone reckon there's an A4A A group someone, rehabilitating past members back into society? ;D

[Garjan]

Hi all
I am a lurker for threequarters of a year, asked a few questions every now and then, but will introduce myself properly.

Started allotmenteering about 7 years ago. I shared with a friend and had a third of my present plot and no knowledge to speak of. Every year she gave up another third, so 5 years ago I was gardening a 150 m2 plot.
Over the years I got more experienced and my older neighbour is a great adviser. My crops were mostly okay, but some results were disappointing or downright failures.

Then last autumn I discovered A4A and I got so much more information about varieties, sowing times, companion planting etc. You really got me inspired again and my plot looks really good now. I started to label my sowings (I have been known to weed nicely germinated seedlings) and this year I even keep notes.

As for location: I'm in the centre of the Netherlands. Most of the times your weather (South England) will arrive at my place two or three days later. So I use A4A also to see if I need to protect my plants or when the rain will stop.
Being in the Netherlands, I do get envious about your bargains, swap the parcel and black buckets, though!

Thanks for all the great advice (and the really efficient search button, Dan!).
And yes, A4A is addictive.

[KeithR]

Can you be a closet lurker.

I joined some time ago but because of serious illness to my wife ( thankfully sorted and well on the road to recovery) I have not looked at the site for many months.
When I joned I found the posts invaluable and then asked what I thought were stupid but never the less important questions. I have always recieved good and humerous answers and was made to feel most welcome. I is a great site.

For Cuke I have an allotment on the Stanley in USL (plot B11) if you ever want to pop down for a chat please feel free.

KeithR

[milkybardave]

Hi all

Found the site last week & lurked for approximately one day, joined and asked my first "stupid" question, fantastic response and a warm welcome from everyone!  ;D

I'm a back garden grower ( still trying to talk the missus into a proper lottie), Only started this year though, so I think that when I wow her with fresh veg & salad from the garden, my job will be a lot easier!

I have two small (2m x 2m) raised beds at the end of the garden & am trying a little bit of everything this year.

Am hoping to be able to post some pics soon.

Dave

[emmy1978]

Hi to newbies, still feel like one myself. I say it all the time, but this is a great site.
 I've been and lurked on others when i first got my lottie, but have to say A4A is the most user-friendly and just pure friendly. So now I am monogamous!
You think you're asking a real stinker of a basic question, but everyone has been a beginner to gardening and someone always wants to help you out. Asking daft questions can save you a whole seasons disasters, the really daft thing is not to ask.
It is like a big gardening family, people here have so much knowledge to share about plants, livestock, bees and can make you pee yourself laughing.
Oh, and you get to see what Tim is having for his tea. Which is the real reason I log on!  ;D

[Geoff99]

And another one...

Hi there, we joined the site a few days ago after browsing for a couple of weeks. This is a brilliant site with loads of great ideas and advice. We started on our allotment last year at about this time, and had a load of produce over the summer and last winter.  No one warned us about how prolific a single courgette plant can be! I have finally rid the plot of most of the twitch now (or so I believe) so we can extend our planting this year. We had a great time last year starting from knowing very little and are looking forward to this year. All the best from Geoff and Sharon living in Derby UK.

[emmy1978]

Be warned, though - A4A is highly addictive  ;)

Is it?

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

Be warned!

[newbies]

Hi all,
I also spend a lot of time lurking, and reading everybody else's posts.  I log on when I eat my lunch at work, sometimes post a question, always get a really good response. 
I love this site, and it really is addictive, can't go a day without having a lurk.
I got my overgrown plot about September last year, and have worked steadily ever since.  A family emergency held me back a bit, but we are back on track now.  I have growing potatoes, toms, onion, raspberries, beetroot, peas and plums.  Not a lot at the moment, but next year will be better.

Did I say, I love the site???

Love to you allxx

[Trevor_D]

I'm glad I started this! Welcome all you ex-lurkers! You'll soon all be as hooked as the rest of us!

It is like a big gardening family, people here have so much knowledge to share about plants, livestock, bees and can make you pee yourself laughing.

Couldn't have put better, Emmy!

[sally_cinnamon]

I'm glad I started this!

Agreed - what a great way to encourage new peeps to sign up proper, fab thread TrevorD!

And welcome to all the newbies, as everyone has said, this site is v.friendly, and if you can't find the answer to your questions on here then, well, there IS no answer!

 ;D

[Leopoldo]

I'm delurking. I don't know if there are lots of other allotment sites out there: I found this one a couple of months ago, and have kept popping back. I must join, I thought, and now I have.

I got my 10 rod allotment in late winter, promptly fell quite ill, and have only got round to doing anything with it the past couple of weeks (I'm still recovering from bug nastiness). So, I've hacked out all the brambles that had taken over a quarter of it (unused plot for six years) and discovered gooseberry bushes (probably beyond salvation; we'll see) and a blackbird nest (four out of five still doing nicely and I've left bramble cover still up for them), cleared a skip load of crap from it (it's amazing what people dump on disused plots - I just wish there wasn't so much glass or UV brittle plastic) and probably will discover plenty more when I strim down the perennial weeds...

Next stages are to build a compost heap from pallets (I've found a ready source, but they don't fit in my car), cover half the plot to save on weeding (and I need to track down some material for this, otherwise I'll just keep strimming), then dig out 4 by 12 ft beds on the other half, one at a time, water composting the evil couch as I do so. Potatoes in first. Some beetroot, carrots, peas, beans, herbs by mid-May I hope. If I can get five beds done, hurrah. If I can't, well, the seed'll keep for next year.

I'm in Suffolk btw (will add) and a photo might be forthcoming sometime soon.

[Barnowl]

Next stages are to build a compost heap from pallets (I've found a ready source, but they don't fit in my car),

Hi Leopoldo, welcome!

Might I suggest investing in a roof rack - we started last year and have found mine invaluable.

[Trixiebelle]

Hello lurkers  ;D

I joined this site over a year ago but STILL consider myself as a 'newbie'!

But then again, I've had my allotment site for 4yrs and consider myself as a 'newbie' there as well  :)

Welcome  :)

[lorna]

Welcome Leopoldo, glad you have joined our happy site. We love to see pics so don't forget to keep your camera handy. Good luck
Lorna.

[New Plot]

Hi
I am a recently joined newbie and have thoroughly enjoyed reading all the posts.  All of the info is so helpful and gives me great ideas.  One day I might have photos I feel proud enough to post but at present my lottie is in its very early days. 

[manicscousers]

welcome all of you,
 new plot, don't worry if your lottie's a bit of a mess, we've all been there, our beautiful 8 year old organically run one was taken off us 2 years ago and we had to start all over, we'd love to see piccies so when you feel like it, put some on and give us all some hope  :)
leopoldo,welcome,  hope the bug bu**ers off  :)

[Jeannine]

Welcome from me too, hope you are soon over the nasties Xx Jeannine