Do you hibernate?

[slugcatcher]

Being a first year allotmenteer.
What does everyone do in the winter, do you spend as much time at the plots or does everyone just hibernate, and leave the plots to take care of them selves until spring?

Ron

[maz]

Hi Ron. 

Weeeeeell to tell the truth I dont go to the lottie much in the rest of the year. Its really hubbys 'thing' .

I went one day this week, go so mucky and tired that I think it may be a while before I venture down there again. 

[waggi]

ron 
nice day today 
i wish i could hibernate but helen wont let me
i have a lot of work on the lottie this back end
paths,muck and well a lot
you 

[Svea]

i hibernate lack of sunlight does that to me.

oooh, you mean on the plot? dunno, i was gonna cut a slice off EJ and try and grow some crops under cloches, as well as get some muck on the unused beds and i guess leave them to it. weekends will be the only times available in the winter, and to be honest, i am a bit of a fair weather gardener

svea

[Robert_Brenchley]

Winter's more of a time for my other obsession, Roman coins.

[Doris_Pinks]

Winter means the house actually gets cleaned, and washing done and put away.....................tends to mount up over the spring/summer months!   Oh and of course that other obsession, seed catalogues, reading through and dreaming of what you can buy!

[waggi]

[

Winter's more of a time for my other obsession, Roman coins.

that sounds diffrent do you have many
i have a meatal detector not used it for many years though

[honeybee]

I relax on my chaise lounge sipping champagne and waiting for the good weather to return 

[Robert_Brenchley]

I spend more money on coins that I ought to, that's why it's known as 'the obsession'. Right now I've got about 300, mainly from the middle of the 3rd century to the middle of the 4th. Some of them are online at http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=10405

[return of the mac]

Just woke up from a nap actually

[bunnycat]

Wow, that's a fab collection Robert Or part of one, anyway

I'm more into Egyptian history than Roman, but ALL ancient history facinates me

[waggi]

well impressed with the pics
matt

[!mpetuous]

I do for about 24hours after a humilitating defeat

[Mrs Ava]

Nope, can harvest from my plot 365 days of the year!  Dragged the sproggles up there Christmas Eve to sort veggies out for various 'big' dinners!  I try to get up there at least 3 times a week, every week, but of course this varies with the weather and the kids movements, but I am the one up there in my thermals and raincoat, tidying, cleaning, weeding, harvesting, sorting the shed and generally having fun!  And if I am not on the plot, I am in the garden doing much the same thing.  Outdoor girl me! 

[kitty]

there there clanger!
read seed catalogues plot and plan......

[Marianne]

Not much done here in winter but watch my winter jasmin crawl up the fence.

Will look into winter stuff to germinate though /// 

[busy_lizzie]

My house does get more attention, but I have to confess that I do pine for my allotment in the winter.  I would love to be like the squirrels, hoard a few nuts away and sleep all through the dark icy weather.  I would come out briefly to enjoy Christmas and look at the seed catalogues then pop back into my nice warm nest until I could start sowing my seeds.

 I think last year we discussed those "light" bulbs that give off the special "day" light, -  I am still thinking about investing in one of those.  I have just joined a community singing grop so perhaps this winter I will just sing my way through all the dark days.  busy_lizzie

[slyfox-mal]

no such luck i spent about 40 hours per week up there last winter as i only got it in november and ill be there every day  this winter the joys of keeping chickens i guess  have to let em out in the morning and lock em up at night (i feel like a jailer  sometimes) or mr fox will have em

[Justy]

would like to go all year round - would be great to harvest all year.  What sort of things are you getting in deep winter EJ?

[Mrs Ava]

The regulars like cabbages, sprouts, kales, spinach and chard.  Then of course there are the roots, 'snips, carrots, beets and turnips.  I continue to sow salads right through into the autumn and if ncessary, can provide them with a little protection from cloches or fleece.  There are some french beans which you can sow in August time for picking into the autumn, and as they do not require insects to polinate, it doesn't matter if the bees have flown south for the winter!    The only things I do not have really are the very tender things such as spuds, altho I know you can and this year I am planning to grow some in tubs in the greenhouse for Christmas, squashes, corns, runners and peas I suppose.  I have herbs indoors so can pick parsley, basil, chives and oregano all year round.  When you look around, there are quite a few hardier varieties to have a go with. But, don't forget, I am in arid Essex where really heavy frost is a novelty.  I have tender plants in my garden, like cerinthes, which have been in flower since January!  My allotment is very sheltered and very well drained so waterlogging is never a problem, and I think soggy roots is more of a killer than cold roots!