Topic: DISABLED ALLOTMENTING !!

[Hyacinth]

HIYA Faith ;D

Really pleased you found your way here!

My friend (83, veggie grower in her large gardener, osteoporosis, arthritis, etc.etc...) grows runners as cordons. They're v. obliging plants. Bush french beans are easy too and don't need staking. I can send you seeds of both if you want? Just PM me. They'll germinate ever so quickly and the bonus is...you'll be harvesting yours when mine have been eaten and I'll be dead jealous ;D ;D ;D

She made her raised beds with Linkaboards (you can Google for the site). Easy to do, and praps, even tho there's obviously the initial outlay, easy to assemble. She did hers by herself, with just the teeniest bit of help from me :)  No planks, etc. to be had, around...

All the best from someone who also can hardly manage a throwaway camera ;D

Lishka

[saddad]

We hope to have a plot adapted for wheel chair users soon, lots of raised beds and wider access paths any tips greatfully received!
 :)

[lorna]

Hi Faith. Just like to add my best wishes for your future allotmenteering (is there such a word). I am sure with your very positive attitude you will make all those doubters eat their words. and when they see how great your veg look and would like some MAKE THEM PAY FOR THEM!!!!! ;D
Good luck Lorna.

PS User name chocolate?? Watch out for Alishka and Mrs KP they have a thing about chocolate ::) ::) ::) ::)

[Kerry]

quote:

"My plot is in Leicestershire. You can bet money that nobody lives near me, thats the story of my life!!    :)"

I'm in leics  :) couple of others on here too.

[sarahr]

My plot is in Leicestershire. You can bet money that nobody lives near me, thats the story of my life!!    :)

My plot is in Leicester. There are few others that have plots in leicester & leicestershire around on this site.

You might want to look at getting load of manure delivered to build up the height of your beds. I found a guy on ebay who is in Thurnby of all places willing to deliver a tonne of manure to Leicestershire and other parts of the east midlands. I didn't buy it at the time but he's bound to have plenty left.

[Chocolate]

Hi Everyone !!
Sorry I've not answered anyone earlier, the computer wouldn't let me start it, not good at these things only started to learn 'puters at Christmas!! Anyway sons fixed it now, I hope. :)
I just want to thank every body that has emailed me and put messages on the board I know I'm stupid but people caring makes me well up. Yesterday folk had convinced me that I 'd never do it, now I know I will.  :'(  I will answer all the emails as soon as poss, I'm like a big girl I love getting letters. :)
Hoping to go up the allotment on Friday to see if my friend has done a bit up there, he went with me on Sunday and you know what folk are like, they know that I 'm taking over the allotment but pointedly spoke to Mick and not to me, a bit of the does she take sugar brigade.  ??? I'll prove them see if I dint.     :D
Speak to you soon
Faith

[markyb23]

Hi Faith,
             Best of luck with your allotment.I don't have a physical disability myself,but, one thing that I find useful when working at ground level, such as when I'm sowing seeds or planting seedlings or potatoes etc, is a large peice of  upholstery foam (such as the main cushion that you sit on, on a sofa).I use one of these, inside a plastic bag, and I find that I can just 'flop down' on it in comfort.
  Also,I find the Wolf tools very good.They have different attachments so that you can alter the length of the various tools.
  I realise It's not much, but I hope It helps.
      All The Best-Mark. :)

[supersprout]

pointedly spoke to Mick and not to me, a bit of the does she take sugar brigade

arg ... I'm sure you'll rise above it choccy ;)
looking forward to more stories (and pictures!) soon :)

[SteveJ]

Hi Faith,
Being a fairly new allotmenteer myself, I dont have any words of wisdom for you (will leave that to the proper experts to be found patrolling these boards).

But just wanted to wish you luck. 

Getting the lottie was the best thing I ever did, apart from marrying the wife and having the kids of course.....

[Hyacinth]

To get you started, Chocs, runner bean seeds - Painted Lady & White Emergo in the post today, along with some dwarf french beans - a purple, a green, and a yellow......that'll brighten your lottie up ;D  Suggest you start them off in pots at home (peat pots, perhaps or make yr own out of newspaper? - sure someone will tell you how! Easy, then, to plant the whole shebang) - think of soaking  them in hot water overnight first to give them a kick start.

All the best! Lishka

[Chocolate]

Thanks Lisha
I bet they will arrive in the morning  ;D I love presents thank you muchly  ;) ;)
I'll do just as you say. I wanted to go up the 'lottie this pm but had a call from the bank, you know one of those can you come in and talk to us about your overdraft  ??? I can see why I didn't end up working in one I would be whispering in folks ears, heres a hundred don't tell anyone !!!! Good thing I went into the other end of the workforce, welfare is so much more my scene.  :)
Anyway explained to the bank I was paying their wages with my charges and they agreed to forget it !!
So I'm going out soon to do a bit on my front garden then I shall go up the 'lottie tomorrow oh cant wait !!!   ;D
Faith

[Hyacinth]

You know...you're enthusiasm so shines through, you're a real tonic to read :)

Have a great weekend.

[Chocolate]

Thanks Lisha
But you've got to know its you lot are keeping me going, I felt really low last weekend, a bit like a spare part not needed any more, then you lot came along and have pulled me right back up again.  :)
See that job of work you do, you give folks so much joy every day of your life and don't forget it. I loved my job too, when you lose it, its like losing your identity. You are so blessed!!  ;)
Have a great weekend and kick ass girl   :D
Faith

[busy_lizzie]

I really wish I lived nearer to you Faith. I have got lots of cabbages, brussel sprouts and broccoli plants going spare which you could have had. However there is still time to sow some cabbage seeds and I have a spare packet of Greyhound cabbage seeds you are welcome to have.  Just PM me with your address if you want them.  I have had a great day today re-potting things and planting stuff out at my lottie - it give you such a feeling of well being. There is nothing more life enhancing that growing things, and the taste of your own home grown veggies is unbelievable in comparison to shop bought stuff.   :) busy_lizzie

[Chocolate]

Hi Lisha
Seeds have arrived  ;D I'm off to Wilkinsons to get some peat pots, this might sound daft but how many seeds would I put in each pot  ??? Also do I water from the top or stand the pot in water, sorry for being dumb :-[
Speak after I've been up the 'lootie yeah
Thanks Faith

[lorna]

Chocolate, have a nice day on your lottie. Don't try to do too much.
Lorna

[Hyacinth]

Hi Lisha
Seeds have arrived  ;D I'm off to Wilkinsons to get some peat pots, this might sound daft but how many seeds would I put in each pot  ??? Also do I water from the top or stand the pot in water, sorry for being dumb :-[
Speak after I've been up the 'lootie yeah
Thanks Faith

Instructions on watering will be on the pots, Faith. I put 2 seeds to a pot and thin to the strongest (actually, I'm lying! That's the standard procedure, but whoever can throw away a perfectly good little plant ???  So my 2nd usually gets saved - resulting in panic digging up more lawn as I run out of room)  ::)  My three lawns are more or less grassed paths between vegetable beds now ;D

[Chocolate]

Hi Lisha
Your garden sounds brill' a bit like a gardallottie or something  :D
I went to Wilkinsons but they had know peat pots, with me walking with two crutches I thought I've had enough of this. Why have their shops always got narrow aisles, if your not carefull your waltzing down the aisles with someones new rug stuck up your jacket ;D
Anyway back to what I was talking about, right so I got someting called tray inserts  ??? all it is, is 15 little pots an one tray, I meant to get some lolly stick things to label the things, but like I say my coat hood got caught in some chaps new apple tree branches and I was up and out of the door be for I had chance to gather my thoughts  :P
Then to the 'lottie, it was so sunny and Mick had been and strimmed it down,not sure whether he'd put weed killer on, he said he was, there was a pile of wood which he'd gathered. Knowing Mick hell have a bonny and set light to the really old shed, which he wants to pull down anyway ;D   Got talking to the chap at the back of mine at least he wasn't out and out, you cant do this so that made me happy :)
Just having a cuppa then taking my son to Asda as he doesn't have a car, then back on A4A for a while before just doing a teeny bit more on the front garden. Thats mostly those climbie things
See ya all soon
Faith

[machman5]

Hi Chocolate,

I have only just found your thread and just want to say...

 ;D 'Well done you!'  ;D

I don't have any disability to contend with like you but when I started on my Lottie, you would have thought I had one, being a woman! 

I had the unfortunate luck of getting a Lottie on a very competitive site where it was all men who had 'been here 40 odd years' !!!  >:(

Refered to as 'that Girlie', I was always been told 'you don't want to do it like that' or 'It's not easy this you know'. >:(

After 5 years, I have finally been accepted and even get compliments for keeping it up along with working and being a mum of 4! :D

So keep your pecker up and you will prove them all wrong, 'you go girl !!!' ;D  ;D

By the way, I do most of my work on my bum or my hands and knees.  I love nothing better than crawling along, pulling all the weeds out by hand, I use an ordinary hand fork to ease the weeds out and a trowel for planting.  My knees have grown their own kneepads now but when it's wet nad muddy, I have got some from Wilko's! 

All the best, Donna  ;D

[Chocolate]

What a lovely Sunday morning :D
As I said yesterday I did quite a bit in the garden ext !!! Didn't take yor advice Lorna and feel like I'v been steam rollered today :P
I think this is going to be like learning to walk again, bit at a time, never had much patience with my body when it wont do what I want it to do  ???
I'll just do a bit today, didnt get to finish my front garden so I'll just do that !! If I can stop myself ::)
Thanks for that Donna at least I know they are not picking on me just because I'm disabled. If anyone calls me girlie I shall have to clout him with my crutch ;D I didnt know Wilkco did knee pads are they very strong ? Wonder if I can stand another trip to the local one, I'm in and out in a jiff because its so small. Theres a big one in town wide aisles so that I can use my wheelchair but can you get any where to park, can you heck >:(
Only been in this bugalow for a year and Mick came last backend to do like a japenese garden with a water feature in it. Memory being as it is I'v only just remembered its there oh my word, anyway I'v put it on today and it looks so nice. :D
Anyway hope you all have a good day with loads of produce not weeds to bring back   ;D
See yah later
Faith