Author Topic: My allotments!  (Read 3852 times)

Tee Gee

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My allotments!
« on: July 20, 2016, 14:06:33 »
Usually I put up some photos of my allotments at this time of the year but not this year as I have more or less lost interest in them!

Recently I have only been visiting them for around three hours a week and that is just to water the stuff that is in the greenhouses.

I am disgusted with the appearance of them simply because;

a) I have lost interest.
b) the slugs have eaten more than I have.
c) I have had crop failures with many of my crops e.g.

I planted 60 Onion setts only around half have grown,I planted around the same number of red onions, only one has survived.

I planted 25 shallots only one has survived.

I planted around 25 Potato onions and only one has survived and even here they are only the size of a grape!

Yesterday I cut the tops off my potatoes as I could not tell if they were showing natural die back, blight or Badger damage.
It could be all three I just don't care any more.

As I mentioned earlier in the year I am more or less resigned to giving up one of my plots the second I am still considering!

If I do keep one on I will completely transform it, I made a bit of a start on this idea when I planted out this year.

Yesterday I secured some strawberry runners with the view to making a completely new bed as my current plants are getting on a bit (a bit like me!) so I am going to start from scratch.

I could go on and on about my disasters for example I sowed around 350 peas(a packet) and only 5 came up.

I sowed another packet gladly I can say a lot more of these came as the pigeons have discovered.

Sow on that note and because I am discussing peas I think I could put it mildly and say " I am downright peeed off!!"

At least I have my garden at home to fall back on as you can see here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tee_gee/sets/72157670585356031

You can view the pictures as still or slide show the choice is yours!

On a brighter note I am going to Tatton Park Show on Friday and this is always the highlight of my gardening year so fingers crossed I hope the storms will have blown over by then!

ps. sorry for the moan but it is just how I feel at the moment!  ...Tg

BarriedaleNick

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2016, 15:31:43 »
I think a lot of us are feeling the same but I am still trying to be optimistic - despite blight on the toms, terrible onions, potatoes looking like it is October and many other failures.  I did have a huge Broad Bean crop, some decent peas (although two rows magically disappeared in a way Paul Daniels would have been proud of), early toms producing in the little poly and some decent rocket, basil, parsley and lettuce..

I try to console myself that we are all pretty much in the same boat - even some of the really good ol boys on my site are fed up with the conditions and failures and I expect that we will have to be a little lenient with the non cultivation rules this year.  I do pity the people who took on plots this year though!

The old adage "there is always next year" is more appropriate than ever..
Moved to Portugal - ain't going back!

Obelixx

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2016, 15:39:59 »
That's a very sad tale but it has been such a bad year really.   Nearly all the salads and brassicas I have planted this year have become slug fodder.  The fennel and beetroot is just sitting there not doing anything and the squashes aren't moving either - too wet, too cold, more wet and cold and howling gales all through June and July and now 2 days of 34C to make everything even happier.   Poor crop on the blackcurrants this year too and the pheasants have scoffed my blueberries.   Slugs have had most of the strawberries and the raspberries just taste so watery.

On the up side, the rhubarb has been fab, the redcurrants did OK and the damson tree managed to bloom and get pollinated without any frosts so we will have some damsons.    Might get some decent tayberries later on too.

I know you are also rather fed up with some of the people at you lottie site TeeGee so maybe it is time to give up one plot and concentrate on making the other as productive as possible but with lower maintenance needs.

Don't despair.  Some years are like that.  I remember thinking while we enjoyed a ludicrously balmy december and January that we would pay for it later and we have.
Obxx - Vendée France

caroline7758

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2016, 18:44:39 »
Feeling much the same, TeeGee. I haven't planted as much as usual this year and I'm glad because what I did plant has done so badly- strawberries eaten by slugs and ants, courgettes and broccoli stripped by slugs, poor broad beans, poor germination of a lot of seeds. The green beans that have survived the slugs are doing ok now and I'm getting a few more courgettes, but my best crops are nasturtiums and bindweed! Just waiting for the autumn raspberries- fingers crossed!

johhnyco15

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2016, 19:00:27 »
my friend let it go try  with one this season coming if your mojo still aint there  tehn give the other up no point in making it a bind so my advice for what its worth is let them go and find something to renergise  your spirit in your home garden a let it bring a smile back on your face  i know in time i will end up doing the same as you life is too short to do things your heart is not  what ever you do  good luck
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

squeezyjohn

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2016, 00:02:09 »
Oh Tee Gee ... I know exactly what you feel like ... it's been a truly awful year for most things.  My giant showing onions are smaller than my normal ones would be in a normal year.  My purple sprouting has been slugged before it even got a chance to get in the ground.  My tomatoes got blight before they even tried to make a tomato!

But it was ever thus.  Good years and bad years.  You've got to take the rough with the smooth - and to be fair this is the first year I've ever grown broad beans without a single blackfly being spotted.  Peas and mange-tout have been amazing and productive since the end of May.  I think if I can avoid blight problems then the large amount of rain we've had might give a bumper crop of main crop potatoes.  It's not all doom and gloom.  And there's always next year!

Deb P

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2016, 09:46:24 »
I had a season the other year when I felt like you, basically lost my allotment mojo! I ended up giving up our second plot leaving me with one plot which I could concentrate my efforts on, and this year am more enthused again and are keeping on top of things.

Crops have had mixed results as everyone else has, successes have been sweet peas, banana shallots, strawberries, beans, chard so far. I've had problems with Saxon potatoes, completely failed to grow; Brassicas, broccoli grew well but all matured overnight and a lot went over before I had a chance to harvest it! Cauliflower plants were slow to grow and despite mesh have been riddled with presumably diamond moth caterpillars, never had that problem before. Still, New challenges eh! It would become boring if every season was the same......wouldn't it?
If it's not pouring with rain, I'm either in the garden or at the lottie! Probably still there in the rain as well TBH....🥴

http://www.littleoverlaneallotments.org.uk

galina

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2016, 16:16:49 »
Tee Gee, just a thought and I don't want to make this sound heavy or too personal.  But you have been very open and I had two thoughts. 

Firstly, thank you for talking about it.  I am still reeling from the shock of goodlife leaving without a word - it is like she became disenchanted with gardening and with us at the same time.

Secondly,  are you feeling like you do because something else has attracted your interest or now commands your time and attention?  It is perfectly ok to change hobby, even if you have been and are the very best in gardening.  But you know what they say about older people who retire and then have nothing else to fill their day.  Maybe it has not so much to do with a pretty rubbish gardening season animal damage and allotment community changing, but with other issues on top of it. 

If there are any other reasons, you will know, likewise if there are any other hobbies or tasks that need your attention.  You mentioned that you don't feel as fit as you did, although judging by your home garden and allotments, you must be twice as fit as most of us!

Maybe just seeing it as a job (to provide the family with food) might help.   As you don't need as much as you can produce, you can cut down on the land.

Maybe become a little bit of a seedaholic?  Try new to you vegetables and varieties alongside the tried and tested.  Compared to other hobby costs, seeds are pretty inexpensive and trying out something new and observing how it succeeds, might just help to get the 'magic' back.

And before I forget.  I hope you know how much you are valued and appreciated here and also your Almanac.  It goes without saying, but perhaps it is high time that we actually did tell you  :wave:

Tee Gee

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2016, 14:25:20 »
Hi Guys & Gals

Thanks for your comments they have cheered me up in a rather masochistic sort of way that is: it is somewhat comforting to know that others are having similar problems not that I would want this to happen to anyone.

I got a little more consolation at the NVS stall at the Tatton Park show (Pictures to follow in a few days time) Their stall was beautiful but the thing is;  apparently the fruit & veg exhibited had all been bought in from specialist growers.

So they too have had their problems so it gives one a bit of heart.

There was only one Allotment connected stall at the show and this was manned my a couple of woman and a man and I had a good old natter with them.

I just love chatting with like minded folk, but as I have mentioned before on our allotments people don't seem to want a chat and it is this I really miss on the plots.

When I first got an allotment every evening a few of us would sit on the bench seat in front of the communal shed and put the world to right! The banter was great with each of teasing the other.

For example if they had perhaps had a crop problem, or someone had found a new variety of something that grew well under the conditions found on our site, and of course any topical affairs of the day.

Sadly that is more or less all gone these days, and there are only about three or four of us that will always find a few minutes to have a natter.

So once again thanks for all your comforting comments and to you in particular Galina; your comments were particularly heart warming....thanks!

And just to show you what a little natter can do I went down to the plots this morning to water the contents of my greenhouses and took a few pictures so that you can judge for yourself the problems I am having.

So I have knocked up this little slide show for all of you to see and give a thought for the day;

that no matter how experienced you are you can stiil get problems!

Tg

http://s222.photobucket.com/user/tgalmanac/slideshow/23rd%20July%202016


johhnyco15

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2016, 22:49:54 »
im glad you got your mojo back lets hope it stays with you for seasons to  come well done you
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

pumkinlover

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Re: My allotments!
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2016, 08:58:11 »
Glad that you are feeling better Tee Gee.If you really want to see real failure I could take some photos of my allotment  :toothy10: (Except I'd be ashamed :glasses9:) Seriously most of use have ups and downs.  Your garden is an inspiration to me  :wave:

 

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