Author Topic: Somerset allotmenteers (Read 5174 times)

Driftwood · « **on:** January 13, 2006, 14:48:37 »

Hi everyone
I got my first allotment plot recently and wondered if there were any people locally who could share any of their wisdom.
Also, without wishing to seem ageist, if there are any younger plotholders out there please get in touch. It's wonderful that there are plenty of retired people at my local site who are happy to share their experience (and I truly am grateful for that) but I would like to chat to some people in my own generation as well (30's) and hear their experiences.

I managed to plant a few things last year but am really struggling with finding the time to get out to my plot, due to work, animals, DIY, etc and many of the local plotholders seem to have so much more time.

Hoping to try and plant butternut squash, sweetcorn, garlic, shallots, not sure what else...
Space is limited and don't really eat potatoes (is that a crime in allotment circles).
Any advice gratefully received or just happy to chat....

many thanks
;D

Svea · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2006, 14:57:15 »

not somerset, but in your 30s ategory.
chat away, what do you want to know?

second year on my plot starting in february. had a great season - so chuffed we grew lots of veg - even some i hadnt tried before. (this reminds me, i have my scorzonera to dig up and eat still!) i have a small plot so space is always a premium.
after reading joy larkcom last year, my head was buzzing with successional planting and sowing - but during the year, things fell into place :) have a better idea this year what's happeneing

i am most chuffed with the fact i can now identify seedlings by their baby leaves and/or first true leaves.

my soil is clay which was quite hard - even though been looked after prior to me taking over - and which has proved quite wonderful in our dry warm summer conditions.

anyways, any specifics you want to chat about.....?

Driftwood · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2006, 15:31:22 »

Hi Svea
Thanks for your reply. I feel as though I should be doing more on my plot, I managed to start digging it over recently but not been down for over a month.

I'm also struggling to know what to grow with the space I have and how to try and ensure produce throughout most of the year. I've got five beds that are about 8 by 4ft.

Would like to grow onions, shallots and garlic but I don't want to take up three beds with just these.

I managed to grow mini squash last summer which did really well but had little taste.

There seem to be so many things I'd like to grow but it all seems a bit overwhelming, knowing what to plant when, when it can be harvested etc.

What sorts of things do I need to be doing at the moment?
???

Svea · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2006, 16:03:15 »

planning

well, that, and preparing beds, dig them over/manure in when you can
mostly, dont worry right now.

check out this link:

walworth allotments
i started a photographic record of my first few months, but sadly didnt get to add more after june as our digicam died :(

you can see my plot is not very big either (but it's round the corner from my flat ;))

i have 6 beds of about 4ft by 10ft, and a long L-shaped one running along the fence and the wall.
along the fence i put fruit bushes and perennial herbs as well as other herbs. i had tomatoes and cucs against the wall last summer (for the heat) and the 6 beds were divided into three rotation groups.

i made an excel sheet/drawing which detailed where i planted/had planned to plant various veg

i have put onions and leeks in this autumn, hoping they will be able to be lifted (onions and garlic i mean) by mid june so i can use the bed for squashes afterwards. (i am growing red onions as they seem a bit more pricey to buy. i probably overdid the garlic this year though.....shallots and red onions i would go for, just use half a bad for these...)

we'll see how it's panning out.

Ceratonia · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2006, 16:13:55 »

I think there's quite a few people in their thirties on here. ;)

The HRDA (or whatever they're called now) have a monthly list of jobs which might be useful to you

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/todo_now/veg_gard_now.php

Svea · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2006, 16:30:12 »

as for varieties - buttercup suqash (not -nut) are delicious - though you only get about 2 or 3 squashes per plant.i also grew vegetable spaghetti squash and a baby bear pumpkin (big disappointment). this year, will try and grow onion squash/uri kuri (or whatever it's called...)

i had two cucumber plants - one planted out end of may, another was started then and planted out july. this worked well for succession. i forgot a couple of times to sow new things - radishes, lettuces and so on, so sometimes i had gluts and sometimes there wasnt any salad things to be eaten....

i also grew five tomato plants each of a plum tomato type (for cooking) and a salad type for eating.

i grew sprouts because i was interested in seeing how they get on - but will nt bother again next year. they did well but are so infested with whitefly that the sprouts are quite inedible unless i eat them with protein additives :? and they take an enourmous amount of space for not that much yield.
of the brassicas, i did love the broccolli - well worth growing yourself, as well as the red cabbage. my white cabbage was ready way too early (will plant later this year) and i had to make sauerkraut from it as i didnt fancy eating any in july! haha ;D

Driftwood · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2006, 16:42:06 »

I had heartburn from all the radish I ate last year !

Need to stagger my planting this year, live and learn...

sueparkin · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2006, 16:57:26 »

If you are worried about giving too much space to onions etc. you could try mixing them with something else. I have had success with shallots and lettuce in a chess board kind of pattern and when my strawberry bed was new and there was lots of space between the plants, I filled the gaps with leeks. It's my allotment and I kind of like making patterns with my crops. Having said that, I did try the American Indian three sisters thing with sweetcorn, climbing beans and pumpkins and ended up with a horrible mess that was really hard to harvest anything from !

Driftwood · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2006, 19:15:14 »

Somebody suggested planting butternut squash in amongst the sweetcorn to save on space.

Was a bit worried about planting things too close together and not having enough moisture, nutrients or breathing space...

Would crowd out the marestail though !

iain · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2006, 11:09:49 »

hi driftwood, I'm in somerset and in my thirties
I have only got my allotment in December last year, so maybe we could help each other.
I am in the same boat as you I seem to be the youngest there, but like you lot they are helpfull, but it is nice to know that a lot more people of our age now have allotments :)
Iain

anneski · « **Reply #10 on:** June 03, 2006, 18:31:50 »

I'm in Somerset, allotment is in Yeovil, but I'm in my 40's so an old crock! ;D I have problems timewise too, and haven't been to mine for a week now, but am trying to get up there tomorrow. I only got mine last year too, so it's all new to me, but great fun!

Artisan · « **Reply #11 on:** September 29, 2006, 10:03:33 »

Hi, I'm a complete newbie, to this site, and also to allotments, so new that I haven't even got one yet!! I am on the waiting list for a plot in Weston-Super-Mare, but have the feeling that by the time I get one, I may be retired anyway!!

Plum · « **Reply #12 on:** September 29, 2006, 15:50:57 »

I am on the waiting list for an allotment in Weston-Super-Mare

saddad · « **Reply #13 on:** September 29, 2006, 17:56:00 »

I think at 45 I'm an old crock as well....
Traditionally sweetcorn was grown with climbing french beans and squash, the three sisters...
:)

cheddarpaul · « **Reply #14 on:** September 29, 2006, 18:14:30 »

HI - I am in Somerset (how could you guess???) - and have a lottie for just over a year. The first year I grew some cabbages, runners, etc. This year I've grown a bit more. Next year I am planning on more still.

If there are enough of us about locally, why dont we arrange a meet and share ideas/seeds/woes?

P

Stan0406 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 29, 2006, 19:09:58 »

Fit criteria... in 30's, north somerset (portishead), BUT new to this game. All other allotmenteers have been very helpful, and no question appears to be a problem. I am very much muddling my way through, and I to am in a quandary about what to plant, and where to plant, and when.... but loving it. Welcome to a lovely site.

Artisan · « **Reply #16 on:** September 29, 2006, 22:05:48 »

Quote from: Plum on September 29, 2006, 15:50:57

I am on the waiting list for an allotment in Weston-Super-Mare

I have been told that the waiting list is approximately 6 months for a Weston plot, depending on where you want one, apparently Locking is the biggest site, with the shortest list.

missy · « **Reply #17 on:** October 12, 2006, 01:47:05 »

hello, i'm in the Glastonbury area and am just outside your age (40ish) but very young at heart and lively. I'm part of a community allotment (3 plots) which is worked by a number of people together.
I think getting together may be nice. In Glasto we have a gardening group that does swap events seeds, produce, tool, books etc anything gardening.

from missy

Plum · « **Reply #18 on:** December 13, 2006, 16:16:47 »

I f you live in Weston you have probably moved up the list. Those of us who thought we lived in Weston but now find we live in an ajoining parish now find ourselves dropped. 6 months of moving up the list and now dropped. Didn't know I lived in the parish of the little village up the road. Postal address says Weston

LauraB · « **Reply #19 on:** December 14, 2006, 21:22:14 »

I'm in my twenties, and lived in Weston-Super-Mare for a few years if that counts 8)

I've had my lottie for a week or two now and am just planning at the moment (with this rain, what else is there to do?)

I've bought a couple of books and have even been given an organic allotments book by my secret santa this year (must be boring people more than I realised!). They have been really really useful!

News:

Author Topic: Somerset allotmenteers (Read 5174 times)