Topic: Stupid Question time!!

[pinky]

 ???
Hello everyone,I have been reading your website with interest.We have just been and chosen our plot this weekend and like I've seen you say we are all very excited with wonderful ideas about growing all our own veg and the kids having a patch of their own -all very romantic but probably totally unrealistic!! We have no idea about what we can and can't do eg can you put a little fence up around your plot? Is it ok to use a rotivator to turn it over for the first time as at the moment its very bumpy and full of weeds? Can we put a shed up?? I know these are really silly questions but we have no idea? All we know is we are very excited and the kids can't wait to start growing their own stuff but are children welcome ??

Any help/advice greatly received!!
Pinky

[Mrs Ava]

Hiya Pinky, welcome and congratulations on your plot.  Regarding the fence and shed, I think you should speak to the site secretary, or council - the bod you rented your plot from as there might be certain do's and don'ts and can's and can'ts.  We have talked about rotovating our land many times, and I think it really comes down to what suits each person.  My advice would be, get rid of the weeds, things like couch grass, bind weed and nettles because if you have them and you rotovate them in, all you are doing is cutting their roots up and making a zillion weed cuttings which will all grow and make more and more and more weeds!  :o  As for the kids, I guess so long as they don't trample other peoples plots, and aren't a nuisance, then I should imagine they are welcome, after all, it is a great education.  And hey, they aren't stupid questions at all, you wanna read some of the things I ask!  ::)

[pinky]

Hello E.J

Many thanks for that,,,I am getting the key tomorrow so I will see if they can answer the fence question. As for the girls they would be under strict instructions so hopefully they wont disrupt anyone else.Like you say it is an education for them!! Take it you enjoy then?

[Mrs Ava]

Oh Pinky, I love it with a passion, I cannot begin to describe how happy and content I feel when pottering.  I love digging, weeding, sowing and growing, infact, my problem is when growing veggies, I don't like to pick them because they look sooooo good in the ground!  ;D  The kids love it also, we have 2, a 3 yearer and a fiver, and they never behave  :o, but they never stray, and the buzz I get out of watching them is second to none!  Take photos, we are a nosey lot and wanna see what you are up to.

[tim]

Good morning, Pinky - as Emma says, it's each to her own.

Do a search for rotovators and see what's been said so far. With me, it was a question of time available - I just had to use one, after the tractor had been through, and have done so for over 40 years! = Tim

[MissBaritone]

Encourage the kids on the allotment. I have 3 godsons 14, 12 and 8 . Along with their friend who is 11 they all come up to my allotment to help. The other allotment holders welcomed them. They've been invited on to several plots and have been given loads of seed and plants for their individual corners.

[Ceri]

Children are very welcome on my site - along one of the paths there is a large blackberry bush which is deemed 'the children's bush' and they all pick it over quite happily.  My son is nearly 4, loves the lottie for planting things, but spends the rest of his time (during the boring digging etc. bits) lying on the soil, getting a trowel and trying to bury himself with soil, using the trowel, when lying down.  Hysterical to see - as long as its not where I've just sown something.  Our site has wonderful security fencing all the way round, so he can safely scoot around the paths between the lotties letting me get on with stuff.

[Fingle....]

Sheds are normally cool as long as you take em down if you give it all up.
We have little concrete ones already there which is really useful with regards security.

We are goint ot put a placcy greenhouse thingy up...and i may well get an old shed just to potter in coz the concrete one is a bit to low for me and has no window.
It will end up looking like a village !!

I would dig beds rather than rotavate. dont have to do them ALL now. Its just nice to have defined paths that arent muddy and it makes rotation etc easier. Its also very good for weeding out roots and getting a feel for the soil IMHO

[gavin]

Welcome, Pinky - ain't no such thing as stupid questions, though; only stupid answers!

Things like fence and shed?  Depends on your allotment agreement - hope it was good news today.

Children - most people on our site bring in kids and grandchildren;  the other plot-holders tend to be a bit wary of any new bunch of kids - but we've had a a LOT of problems with vandalism.  Once they see the kids are fine and reasonably well-mannered - the problem is stopping the owners spoiling them!!!!!!!

Let the children have their own bit of plot?  You do the work - but they get the pride of showing their own potatoes, etc and sharing them around family and friends!

I'd dig rather than rotovate - better to have a smaller bit well-cleared and productive this year, than a large area where you're struggling against weeds.  For the rest, cover the rest with black plastic - or even just keep the weeds well cut so they don't set seed - and dig it clear slowly through the year, in between the kids' and the plants' demands :) :) :)

Good luck - Gavin

[pinky]

hello everyone...wow what can I say!! You have all been very helpful!! I went up and signed all the paperwork today and got my keys!! SO Excited!! They offered to rotivate it for us,but after reading your comments about digging up half and having defined areas i think thats what we will do otherwise we will just have a huge blanket of soil and maybe the inspiration will be lost!!
The situation about the fencing is still unclear as the lady didn't know and told me to read the agreement but it isn't specific it just says all fencing must be maintained but there is nothing there at the moment!! Further enquiries I think!
I have been told to grow pototoes as they are quite easy, anyone any recommendations as I have no idea!!

Again ,many thanks
Pinky

[Mrs Ava]

Grow only what you like to eat, sounds obvious, but peeps still grow things they don't like.  If it were me, I would want to get some fruit on the plot - for a start it is instant plantlife, and secondly, you should be able to pick some yumminess in the summer.  Congratulations on getting your plot....I wonder if the note in your agreement means maintaining the perimeter fence of the site rather than your plot.  Do other plots on your site have fences?  I had never heard of fenced plots before joining lotties 4 all.

[MissBaritone]

Most allotments in this area have the individual plots fenced in. My agreement says I must maintain fencing but again there isn't actually any fence across the front of my plot so I'm in discussions with the council about who is responsible for putting a fence there

[pinky]

Hi,just to update you, we have been up there all weekend with the girls digging like mad things, the girls made a mud hut with all the mud (kept them entertained for hours!) It was very windy and kept raining but it was great!! We have dug out three patches to start with and are both aching like mad!! What now though? Do we have to put fertilizer/compost on before planting?
As for the fencing, there doesn't appear to be any other allotments with fencing,but I am concerned about rabbits etc the plants...
thanks again for the advice. EJ we are hoping to plant some fruit next week!!

[gavin]

Good on you all!   A LOT more than I've done - weather, a real bad cold, and mother's day.

Did the last people leave a compost bin?  

Or even just a large heap - ours was about four feet high by ten feet long.  Not a compost heap as such - when we asked the other lads, they said that for years he'd just chucked all his weeds there.  I just skimmed the living weed layer off the top, and spread the inside as far as I could.  Seemed to be great stuff!

But I'd also been able to dig in a load of horse manure in the autumn - which you probably don't have access to?  Certainly not well-rotted enough (think chocolate muffin!)?

If not, then yes - a fertiliser.  My choice - probably blood fish and bone, but there's also manure pellets, growmore, and lots more.

Have you started a compost heap?  Never too early!

As for rabbits, if nobody else has fencing, you may not have a problem - we certainly don't with a resident fox.  Ask around the other people on the site?  There's bound to be a few up the next fine Sunday afternoon (I believe one's pencilled in for June, 2007 :) !)

Naa - the weather's got get better soon.  Good luck - Gavin

[Mrs Ava]

Yay for the fruit pinky.  Berry-cherry-fruit mad me and I have to be careful as I get carried away planting more and more fruit and running out of veggie planting room!  Sounds like you had a great time and things are moving on a pace.  Don't forget herbs, if you use them of course, they add instant life to the plot.  ;D

[kenkew]

Hi Pinky,
New plots mean lots of initial hard work, especially clearing out rubbish and ground preparation. Seeing as how you have a family, potatoes are a must. This is the start of the potato planting season. Check out info on here about buying, chtting and planting them.
If you have a greenhouse or space at home consider sowing a few veg's that your family likes.
Shallots should already be in but I'd try a couple of rows anyway. Check the stores for onion sets.
Spend time on here with the good search facility for lots more info.
Congrat's on making a start. If you can stand a plot in last weeks weather I guess you'll all survive.

[pinky]

Hello Again!!

Thanks for your replies! Lets hope you are right gavin and we get a better day very soon!! The girls all look very healthy but I think thats windburn as opposed to sunburn!! We have started compost but its only very small at the mo!! I will get some fertilizer though although I have tasked all my friends with trying to find me some manure!! (and a wheelbarrow and a shed!!) They are now calling us Barbara and Tom!!
We have been reading up on all the wonderful bugs and diseases veg can get..blimey its a wonder anyone gets any crops at all!! I know all about potato blight now!! We are trying to decide which potato to go for now ,how sad our bedtime reading is now!! Its all "Oh did you know this? Oh I never knew that!!"
We are going on the advice only plant what you eat, its very tempting to grow broad beans because i know I can (done thatone!) but noone likes them!! So we are going for potatoes as we all love them, salad, herbs (EJ!) and fruit....optimistic but hey..we will give it a go!!
We were really surprised at how welcoming everyone was this weekend,we came away with loads of leeks/brocolli and celery ! They said it was nice to see a family on the site!!
Anyway thanks again speak soon!!