Everyone else does it better

[Borlotti]

Went to the allotment to pick something, and ended up with one strawberry, which I ate, from my allotment and nothing else.  Luckily I have clever, nice people on the allotment and ended up with broad beans and spinach from Manuel's allotment as he is away and his wife gave me loads and loads.  Then my other friend gave me rhubard and some runner bean plants that he had over so I went home happy, although looking at some of the plots was a bit envious, but perhaps I will have a load of produce later on.  Just off to see if I can get another strawberry, have netted mine but allotment next to me is unnetted and the birds don't eat theirs, the pigeons sit on my runner bean frame and eat my redcurrants.  Probably spend too much time at the allotment talking and not digging.  Oh well at least I get some exercise and make good friends, although I think I might get the worst allotment prize. 

[Duke Ellington]

Borlotti  I am sure your allotment looks lovely!!
 
Has A4A ever held a *WORST ALLOTMENT*  photo competition??

 

[Flighty]

Borlotti as long as you enjoy plotting and pottering that's all that really matters! 

[betula]

Think most of us have suffered from that syndrome B.

some have produce before the year has hardly started but I have never been a big fan of messing about to that degree.Hats off to them though.

[Squash64]

I spend lots of time talking too, that's one of the good things about having an allotment.    I could spend more time in my back garden at home but I'd never make any friends like that so I know which I prefer.

[Borlotti]

My blackcurrants bushes look good this year, but they were planted by the previous plot owner.  Hopefully I will have produce to share.  Rhubard crumble and cream tonight.  Must admit I do lie to OH and say I have grown it, but he always knows when I am lying, but did say the stuff I pick young, tastes better than some of the bigger stuff, if you know what I mean.  One carrot looked like a needle, think I will go to Morrisons for carrots.  My flowers are lovely though.  There is a course at Capel Manor on gardening so may look at that.  Pleased with my hanging basket.

[1066]

the longer I've had my allotment the longer the time I seem to spend chating! Great isn't it 

[grannyjanny]

We are working on our daughters allotment for her & OH said when it's all done we must still come here as I would hate to lose contact with these lovely people. They come over to us to chat as OH is double digging & always come & say cheerio before they go. Todays subjects covered football & weddings. It's very hard work but they make it a nice place to be.

[cornykev]

Come on Borlotti, get your finger out woman, too much tennis and gossiping on the lottie won't bring home the bacon. Did I tell you I've picked about 100 strawberrys so far.         

[Le-y]

 have the same problem there are some lovely plots on our site, mine looks like a green bomb went off LOL!

plus  i spend most of my time at the moment chasing chickens or toddlers around and righting fallen babies!

[Borlotti]

OK, Kev, you are so clever with strawberries, could you change your picture, it makes me feel so cold, and it is June, not winter.   

[macmac]

I think the whole point to having an allotment is to spend time with lovely folk.
The fruit and veg is just a bonus.

[Bill Door]

Funny but I felt like that today Borlotti.  I saw the produce that others had like carrot coming up and loads of lettuce.

The wife was with me and she said that we had had the allotment rent back from the rhubarb we had eaten and given the neighbours. The garlic, shallots and onions are close and will last from July through to March.  The gooseberries are full and nearly ripe.  The black currants are filling out and just need to colour up (more jam and pies). 

She didn't add that the potatoes are a bit of a failure as there are several blanks on the row.  My carrots, parsnips and turnips have nearly all gone awol.  The runner beans are not looking so good.   I have only recently transplanted the courgettes and pumpkins so i don't kniow how they will do.

Then I started to think that I hold down a full time job and leave home at 6.45am each morning and get home at 5.45pm (if I am lucky).  I have had the allotment for just over two years and each year it gets better.  I don't think i could buy the relaxation that i get from my plot.


So Borlotti there is more to llife than organic vegetables!!

Enjoy your gardening

Bill

[antipodes]

Yes I know how you feel! But this year I have really been lucky, 4 bushes full of gooseberries (netted, those b&*^%$d birds won't get them this time), rows of spuds, a brilliant patch of brown and red onions and echalotes and garlic, 3 rows of beans and raspberries in full bloom.
Sometimes it takes a long time to work out the timing, so you get a steady crop throught the year, which is why this year I have also made sure that I am sowing kale, winter onions and lettuce, cabbages and sprouts, so I have something to grow in autumn and early spring.
I am now in the third year and it has taken this long to really figure out how to grow the basic crops,, what time of the year and what varieties. I also work full time so I understand your constraints.
Just do what you can and feel satisfied when your various beds look great - there will always be at least one day per season when they are tidy and in full growth, even if it doesn't last!!
Enjoy.

[Squashfan]

Been getting loads of lovely strawberries from our plot so far this year, plus artichokes. Last year seemed to be a bit crap for us, and we wound up probably getting more veg from the plot we were helping to water while the plotholders were away than ours! I think this year will be better, fingers crossed! Some years it's like that.

I find that whenever anyone (usually passing by) asks about how much money we save growing our own veg, it takes me a while to stop laughing before I answer, NOTHING! But it's not just about the veg, luckily.   

[antipodes]

True, about not saving money, but it depends what you grow. If you grow unusual things, like raspberries, gooseberries, red onions, echalotes etc, you do save money because they are so expensive to buy commercially. Not much so for spuds or cabbages!!! But the advantage is that you know exactly where the veg had been from the minute the seed came out of the packet! And you put your effort into it, which I am convinced improves teh flavour no end! MMMMM that taste of sweat....

[cornykev]

Did I mention I've got strawberry's coming out of my ears.                

[Kingfisher]

Did I mention I've got strawberry's coming out of my ears.                

Me too its wonderful last year the ants and slug had more than me, am getting my own back now though Ha Ha

[GrannieAnnie]

Hang in there, Berlotti. My first garden was a disaster but learned I could grow bush beans and not strawberries. The next year I quit on strawberries; but the tomatoes were better and so were the beans.
Each year some things new worked well and some didn't.
40 years later I still have problems with cole crops but keep trying.

[Jeannine]

Borlotti, don't think of it as a contest, but more of a learning curve. Think back to other things.. cooking eg. or laundry. Anything really.

I could never figure out why my laundry was never as clean as that which my mother did, same everything , but never clean enough. I don't know what I did but somehow magically it all came together and now mine is fine. Same with cooking, it just kind of started to evolve.

Gardening is another one of those things, eventually all the bits and pieces start to connect and work together and Bingo, you have a plot like the guy next door. It is the heart that counts, you will get where you want to be if your heart is in it.

Give yourself more credit, you are getting lots from your lottie in terms of good fellowship and that is as good for th soul as cabbage is for the body!!

XX Jeannine