Author Topic: So what are you doing - right now! (Read 16864 times)

cate · « **on:** March 09, 2006, 19:31:27 »

Here I am, a newcomer to all this, staring at the vast expanse of barren soil and itching to get going. I have the early potatoes sprouting in the greenhouse but I don't know what else I am supposed to be doing with this allotment at this time.
I am scared that I will miss the boat and miss the chance to sow, plant or prune something.
If everyone lets me know what they are doing at the moment - allotment and veggie wise I mean - then I may be able to find out what I should be doing.

Curryandchips · « **Reply #1 on:** March 09, 2006, 20:15:53 »

One tiny piece of advice ...

Don't panic !

At the moment I am waiting to get onto the plot. I have done my planning of what needs to be planted when, so I know the earliest dates to start planting stuff now. Note I say earliest dates, most stuff will not suffer if planted a couple of weeks later, but by spreading it all out it is not a rush.

This weekend? Plant six asparagus plants that have been in pots in the greenhouse over the winter. Rake my onion bed ready for planting my sets. Prepare my potato trenches for my first earlies, which will be planted in about two weeks. Pot up my germinating broad bean seeds in the greenhouse, I do this purely so they dont get eaten by mice.

In general I am just preparing beds for sowing, so that when the ground is warmer, it just needs a quick rake and straight onto sowing.

Roy Bham UK · « **Reply #2 on:** March 09, 2006, 20:20:25 »

I’m no expert as I only acquired my lotty just over a year ago and never grew anything other than sub-tropical plants before.

My problem is that I only have our conservatory to sow seeds in and that is full of tender sub-tropical plants at the moment, so like last year I won’t be sowing any veggies until the risk of frost has passed.

I am looking at the end of this month at the earliest, I dare say a lot of peeps have sown stuff like tomatoes, great if you have a greenhouse or plenty of room indoors but I’ll bet at the end of the season they won’t be that much ahead of me in the growing stakes, so worry not, just read all about it or surf the A4A. ;)

moonbells · « **Reply #3 on:** March 09, 2006, 20:35:24 »

Nothing! Daffodils have opened here 27 days after they did last year. I set my sowing baseline by this - so won't sow stuff for a while yet. I shall put my spuds in the ground in April I think instead of the middle to late March.

I shall sit back and enjoy the show of my favourite season for a while :)

moonbells

amphibian · « **Reply #4 on:** March 09, 2006, 20:36:20 »

Still digging, a lot of ground to clear of couch, have the whole of next week to crack on.

flowerofshona · « **Reply #5 on:** March 09, 2006, 20:40:28 »

Welcome Cate :)
My top tip would be to get the Kitchen garden magazine as it gives you all the information on what to plant when and free seeds ect.

carloso · « **Reply #6 on:** March 09, 2006, 21:05:36 »

Hi Cate

well as ever removing the smaller weeds now so as they dont explode in the next coming weeks and places still to be cleared although this yr is hopefully going to be a lot better start than last yr

Theres a few things on the go now some peppers chillis squash and cougettes cucumbers all been kept at slightly under what they require but spme just managing to lift the soil up a bit
Few cabbage sprout and benas on the go
Strawberry plants almost ready to be thinned 9im not looking forward to that as theres about 100 of the devils )
Potatoes been chitted (didnt really have much choice as they made there own mind up in the box lol)

2nd poly tunnel under construction Just one end to plastic up and the roof to construct ow and one door,
Also all my drips for the plants have been ordered and barrels and alike to be delivered (barrels borrowed on a permanant basis they cost me some veg a bit later on !! good swap i think)

3rd poly tunnel well not really a tunnel unless your a small lepracorn (in waiting of St Patricks day of course) which my melons will be intended to go in

Othe than that not alot as all has been planned and the allotment marked out ready and theres hopefully not going to be a lot of room left

carl

mat · « **Reply #7 on:** March 09, 2006, 23:00:21 »

new allotment last October, so digging, digging and digging - all winter - only the potato beds left to dig/create ::) I got some spring onions in last weekend in a pot, a few early peas are sprouted in guttering ready to go down under cloches fairly soon. May try some early carrots and turnips under cloches this weekend if the soil has warmed up enough (I think it has and the cloche went on last weekend. A few things started at home on windowsills; summer cabbage & cauli (successional) and sweet peppers. May start some herb seeds start this weekend.

mat

Umm, update; just checked the weather forecast and they are forecasting light snow again this weekend, maybe the carrots will wait!!!

supersprout · « **Reply #8 on:** March 09, 2006, 23:11:53 »

Too early still to get sowing seriously here in Peterborough, I don't plan to put in any seeds until April - indoors or out - plenty of time for them to grow and catch up. If you have a lottie, keep an eye on what everyone else is doing (peer into their greenhouses if you can ;D) and if they are good growers, copy them. One Italian gent on my plots is nearly blind, but seems to get the timing of his sowing and planting eerily right - just before rain even - and his produce is superb. I'm watching him like a hawk this year.

Curryandchips · « **Reply #9 on:** March 09, 2006, 23:23:33 »

Hey supersprout, he doesnt drop his trousers and check the soil conditions by sitting down does he? Sorry, that appeared on another post somewhere, but you comments made me think of it!

busy_lizzie · « **Reply #10 on:** March 09, 2006, 23:57:56 »

What we are doing right now at our plot? The answer is, nothing! The weather is too uncertain and we are due more snow this weekend in the N.E., so we can't do any digging or anything else. At home we have planted some seeds, but there is still plenty of time. It isn't easy this time of year as, as soon as there is a hint of spring it is natural you want to get cracking. It is very difficult to go by any strict timetable as it all depends on where you are in the country and what your weather is like. Once the frost is over and the soil warms up a bit, then you can make a start. The best guide is to see what the majority of your other allotment neighbours are up to, as supersprout says.

Have you made all your plans as to what you are growing and where things are going to be put? Have you bought all of your seeds? It is a good time to start an allotment book too so you can keep track of all the things you do plant. Records are useful, especially for this time of year when you can look back and see when you planted things the previous season. You could be planting some seeds at the moment, but you have got lots of time yet. Our potatoes are chitting too, but we don't usually plant them out until the Easter weekend. Everyone has their own particular routine for when it is the right time, depending on where you are and what the weather is like.

We are still harvesting leeks and spinach from last year, and we planted our Japanese onions in November, our garlic in January and I have risked planting some shallots in February, but our plot has nothing else in it at the moment. So don't panic you still have plenty of time to do things. Good luck with it. :) busy_lizzie

Tulipa · « **Reply #11 on:** March 10, 2006, 08:07:02 »

Nothing really. I don't have a greenhouse or conservatory so haven't planted any seeds yet. My onion sets are the only thing I have done, last weekend, I am in the south and they are in a raised bed so warmer. Peas will be next but straight into the soil as I have nowhere I can do 'guttering'! It's early days yet and the ground is still quite cold. Potatoes are chitting but not ready to go in to their containers yet, probably end of the month.

I have some shrubs waiting to be planted and can't even get those in because the ground has been frozen for about 2 weeks solid. Might manage that tomorrow though between the showers.

OH is making me some more raised beds so will have more space this year which will be great when the weather warms up enough.

So don't rush Cate, you have plenty of time. Like other people have said things are later this year. Enjoy whatever you do. :)

stuffed · « **Reply #12 on:** March 10, 2006, 09:47:18 »

Waiting impatiently ;D ;D
I have garlic in and growing and fruit (rhubarb, blueberries in tubs and raspberry/tayberry canes) and some purple sprouting broccoli planted last year.
Need to sort out the strawberries but anytime in the next couple of weeks will do.
Will be planting jerusalem artichokes soon and the potatoes are chitting aprt from that I'm just sitting with itchy fingers making sure I've got all the seeds I want (plus a few extra ;) ::) :o ;D)

Tora · « **Reply #13 on:** March 10, 2006, 11:03:17 »

I'm a newcomer too and feeling exactly the same as you.
I can't go to the allotment often so I'm quite frustrated at the moment. :(
Only just started making a bed and feeling like I'm getting nowhere.
To cheer myself up I've been sowing some seeds... :D

Priscilla · « **Reply #14 on:** March 10, 2006, 12:14:41 »

I'm new to this game too - dying to get out there but the weather is dreadful in Yorkshire at the moment. I'm still preparing the ground whenever I can and will be finishing off my central paths next weekend if possible. Hope to get first spuds in under a cloche April 1st......... had to give in and sow tomato and chilli seeds in the conservatory this morning! :)

keef · « **Reply #15 on:** March 10, 2006, 12:31:37 »

Nothing - just waiting for the weather to warm up really.

Planted a row of broad beans and shallots about 3 weeks ago - before the last cold snap, no sign of them yet though :(

If it stays dry over the weekend i might go and potter about, maybe go over the next bit for planting with a drag, tidy up the edge's.

lancelotment · « **Reply #16 on:** March 10, 2006, 12:51:20 »

Nothing at the moment. Ever since the snow and frost went its rained. It's my OH's b'day today so I'll be taking on this weekends domestics while she puts her feet up. Its v cold and blowy today with almost constant rain (Cheshire) so I couldn't do much if I wasn't at work anyway. Lance

Donington Digger · « **Reply #17 on:** March 10, 2006, 13:44:11 »

In the midlands its much the same as everyone else. Tomatoes, peppers are in pots indoors and everything else will wait until the weather clears up. To a newcomer I would only say that the best bit of advice I had when I started 10 years ago, was to dig a bit and then plant a bit - that way you don't get disheartened. Most veg will grow even if they are sown late - you just may end up with slightly smaller plants!!

sweet-pea · « **Reply #18 on:** March 10, 2006, 15:10:02 »

Not a lot. Have got behind with digging on my plot because of a back injury in November, but have managed to persuade a group of friends to come and help me on Sunday so hopefully will catch up a little. Weather not looking great though.

I have my potatoes all sorted in shoeboxes at home to chit. Apart from that, trying to make sure I'm more organised this year than last. I was late planting almost everything last year because I hadn't got a plan!

But even thogh I've never been that organised, I've always had a crop of something to harvest :-) so don't panic, just enjoy the experience :-)

Travman · « **Reply #19 on:** March 10, 2006, 15:28:19 »

Moving a path from the side of the lottie to straight down the middle, A bit more digging and erecting another greenhouse this weekend weather permitting.
Only thing i have sprouting at the moment are the daffodills and of course the rhubarb.
So i would not say you have not missed the boat yet.
Be patient don't rush into planting yet even though you want to ;D

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Author Topic: So what are you doing - right now! (Read 16864 times)

amphibian