Author Topic: Update on plot and growing things QUICKLY! (Read 1991 times)

antipodes · « **on:** April 23, 2007, 15:01:03 »

those who read my previous plots know I have a nasty allotment association who don't agree with any of my methods. The suggestion some of you made here to cover my weeds with newspaper and cardboard is working a treat! The weeds are already yellow and floppy underneath and the earth is nice and moist. But this does not meet with the approval of my allotment supervisor who went barmy and told me to get all that off the allotment or get out. when I said it was a legit way of suppressing weeds for organic gardening he just said "well you will just have to dig them up, but I can't see you pulling this off myself" before goose stepping away.
So what I need now is to cover the allotment in as many veg as possible in a short time. yes, I agree this seems completely crazy to me too as it is only April, this is my first season and the plot had nothing at all on it when I started. Currently I have in and growing garlic, onions, fruit, potatoes, peas, lettuce, radishes (that are struggling). I have about 20 tomato plants waiting, some gherkins and melons too.
I have quite a lot of seeds hanging around, and some areas are sown but not yet growing. What can I do to make the plot look more established than it is? I am very depressed by all this, as I feel that I have worked hard even though I can't do as much as the other (retired) gardeners, and I am just learning. I don't have all the right material just yet and I don't really want to spend lots of money on planks and pavers etc when I am quite happy with my carpet paths while I am starting to get the ground dug over. Felt like asking if he had a mate on the waiting list that wanted my spot but managed to hold me tongue :-D I waited 3 years for this garden, I paid my fees and now I feel like my long-term project is being spoilt by a short-sighted person. I know that I am not a very organized gardener and it is not all perfectly aligned rows, but I like being in the fresh air and I am so looking forward to cooking and preserving all my veg.
Can anyone suggest some things that would cover the ground quickly? so it looks like my plot is cultivated? That way it might shut him up for a while.
There is an overall view of the garden here, including the disgraceful newspaper...
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q319/antipodes_photo/overall_view04_07.jpg

sarah · « **Reply #1 on:** April 23, 2007, 15:22:02 »

i think its absolutely outrageous that you should be bullied like this. your plot looks to me like any normal plot would after being taken on by a newbie (and i mean that in a nice way not a patronising way). it is supposed to be an enjoyable experience not a a competition to see who can keep the prettiest plot. your list of crops sound perfectly reasonable for anybody at this time of year. maybe they do things differently in france ( i havent really kept up with the other thread) but i really dont understand what they want you to do. if they only want retired people who can devote all their days to keeping everything weed free then they should have thought of that before giving youthe plot. please please dont allow yourself to be too disheartened by the way they are treating you. just do your best, try and enjoy the land; plod along at your own pace and do things the way you want to do them. if they are not happy then let them try and shift you. i assume you have a contract of some sort, does it say you cant use paper and carpet? does it say it has to be weed free? are there any other sites around your area? you may have to toughen up and tell them to leave you alone and mind there own business. sorry but i think it stinks. good luck. wish i could give you some better advice.

Eristic · « **Reply #2 on:** April 23, 2007, 15:23:17 »

Can you get hold of any horse manure or large quantities of compost? Your site does not look as if it has a serious weed problem and a quick but temporary fix could be to put lots more newspaper down then cover with the manure as a top dressing. This will make it look done and buy you some time. later, dig it all in, newspaper, weeds and manure.

Get some courgette, squash plants and dig them in about 1 metre apart over the area. Get a crop, get him off your back, get the ground into cultivation.

tilts · « **Reply #3 on:** April 23, 2007, 15:39:15 »

I, too, think that this is outrageous behaviour, your plot is obviously cared for or you wouldn't be in this situation. I would consider putting straw down as your mulch it is very inexpensive. Whatever, good luck and don't be bullied.

antipodes · « **Reply #4 on:** April 23, 2007, 15:53:29 »

That could be a good idea about the straw and newspaper. If I had a mower I would have mowed the bloody weeds!! I wanted to leave some areas free for some winter crops but it looks like now I will have to grow lots of summer stuff. I have no experience of winter crops and don't know how or when to plant them yet. I had planned on broccoli, sprouts, leeks, pumpkin, winter salad stuff and some late carrots and potatoes.
I do admit to not being the most organized gardener and I can only care for the plot on the weekend, but yes I do feel like I am being bullied and obviously the other plots are done by people for whom it must be the only leisure pursuit. I feel that as long as my weeds don't go on to other people's land, then I am not harming others with my way of doing it. I will look again at the contract and see if there is anything about the way the plots must look. The guy's arrogance really got on my tits, "you're not going to pull it off", what was he referring to? My veges are growing, just not in the pattern he wants them to?
There is a pony club not too far away, maybe I can see if they give away their dirty straw. Good suggestion for squash too, but I thought maybe it was a bit early. I have some pumpkin seeds in pots but only just did it, they haven't sprouted yet. I did plant two courgette plants, maybe they will spread quickly?
Any flowers or plants that grow quickly from seed? I have some nasturtiums and sunflowers planted but they are only just coming up - I sowed some other flower seeds (daisies and something called flax) but they haven't come up yet.
I wanted to set aside an area with a table and chairs so we can eat there in the summer, as we live in a flat and I have left an area uncultivated just for that. But now he has almost put me off that idea, who wants to spend a summer afternoon in that atmosphere?

Suzanne · « **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2007, 16:18:12 »

If you want to keep an area free for winter crops - then maybe you could sow some green manures into those areas. Having used it myself for this purpose I find it suppresses the weeds, makes an area look fairly mature, but is easily dug in to free it up for your overwintering crops.

I am not sure what you do about your allotment supervisor - perhaps ignore his obvious faults and be extra nice. I have often found that officious chaps don't know how to respond when you are nice to them - it throws them off their guard a bit and brings them round to your way of thinking :-\. Well most of the time.

antipodes · « **Reply #6 on:** April 23, 2007, 16:35:15 »

What green manure could I use in an area that might hold sprouts and cabbage? I have heard of the idea but obviously have not had a chance to test that out yet. I also thought of planting more spuds in those areas!! I may be getting carried away with potatoes though in that case.
I was trying to have a bit of a crop rotation plan in place: 1 for peas and beans, 1 for roots (beets, carrots, parsnips), one for spuds onions, garlic, and one for tomato, squash, peppers, gherkins. This is not really perfect as a few odd things have been stuck in here and there (lettuce, spinach). But I was trying to stick to it. Is it quite harmful if I don't manage to respect this and end up growing a few "odds and sods" about the place? I bought a few too many peas and beans and could quite easily grow more of those in other places.

sarah · « **Reply #7 on:** April 23, 2007, 17:28:58 »

i would stick to your guns, your logic is sound, you are best to keep rotation in mind so dont be panicked into planting stuff up just to satisfy the old fart. its fine to dot things like lettuces and the odd beans and bit of spinach around where there are available spaces you can be quite flexible as long as you keep rotating your basics (brassicas, alliums and potatoes).
dont panic, he's a bully and you must never give in to bullys. be polite but firm. if he has a problem and wants you off then cross that bridge when it comes. I'll come and bop him on the nose for you. ;D

manicscousers · « **Reply #8 on:** April 23, 2007, 17:43:28 »

phacelia's a lovely green manure, i think it takes 6 weeks from start to chopping in..it also goes with anything..if you leave a couple of plants they make wonderful flowers for bees..maybe just agree with everything the old f*rt says and do nowt..just carry on and SHOW HIM you can do it ;D

cornykev · « **Reply #9 on:** April 23, 2007, 17:51:48 »

Go and stamp on his garlic. >:( ;D ;D ;D

dawn34 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 23, 2007, 17:52:52 »

sounds like a nice man NOT if he came over and saw our allotments he die of heart failure, yours seems in very good condition compared to some of our allotment holders, our was a total mess, let him see ours...

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #11 on:** April 23, 2007, 18:22:42 »

We had someone like that on my site a while back, it was absolutely stifling. Fortunately they didn't have the power to kick people off, or I'd have been gone years ago. Does your guy? If he can't actually make the decision, or control the people who do, send him about his business and make a complaint.

Suzanne · « **Reply #12 on:** April 23, 2007, 21:35:59 »

Buckwheat is also a good green manure which doesn't mess around with your rotation. And as manic says so is phaecelia - I have grown both. The bees love phaecelia so good for pollination of squash and beans too.

Barnowl · « **Reply #13 on:** April 24, 2007, 09:39:57 »

Marigolds / Tagetes - fairly good weed suppressors and grow fast - add atouch more colour. We use them round the edges of our beds.

antipodes · « **Reply #14 on:** April 24, 2007, 10:07:16 »

Marigolds - hmm I have some seeds of that. I will try planting. Also have seeds of zinnias and - what are those little yellow and orange flowers that smell strongly? Like a small zinnia? anyway, I guess maybe flowers would be not a bad idea, I could pull them out to get the winter crops in without many regrets.
I think that if he wants to kick me out he will have to go through the association committee who I think are more reasonable. And by the time he complains, all my squash and tomatoes will be in. Doesn't help that we have had no rain!!!
Obviously there is a plot next to me that has been taken by a family and it is already in great shape, but they come down 5 and 6 of them, big blokes with shovels, and they go like billy-oh to get it all cleared. They might stop it, so I don't look so bad!!
Thank you for the ideas for green manure, 6 weeks sounds like a good time frame. I am trying to be polite, but he has already made comments to me before and now I was just exasperated. And he has the cheek to say "Well I have tried telling you nicely, but if you won't listen" ! He hassled another bloke on the lot too, last year, saying that he didn't grow enough and his plot was messy. So what? I don't look at what others are doing, and the neighbors (who maybe don't want to get involved either, and rightly so) said, well I still have lots of weeds too, and I really haven't looked at all at what you are doing... Guess it is because I am a girl and a foreigner? Dunno. It is kind of a clique, everyone else seems to know each other but they are all 30 years older than me :(
I will go to the garden centre and see what seeds I can get on Saturday.

manicscousers · « **Reply #15 on:** April 24, 2007, 10:52:51 »

just keep on, antipodes, they'll come around once they find out you're in it for the long haul, they've probably seen some people give up at the first weed coming up..good luck :)

silly billy · « **Reply #16 on:** April 24, 2007, 10:55:12 »

We had alot of trouble when we 1st got our plot but now we are left alone.Some allotment members seem to pick on the newer plot holders laying down the law to them.We were told no car tyres yet everybody else had them and various other things we weren't allowed but other more established plot holders had them.Whatever you do don't let them bring your spirits down just hang on in there and it will get better :) :).
I would grow more spuds,pumpkins and cougettes.Some associations aren't too keen on people growing lots of flowers.
Goodluck.

markyb23 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 24, 2007, 11:16:42 »

Hi there antipodes,
your plot looks pretty good to me. I've been going for about four years and my plots still not completely dug and weed free.
I'd get friendly with the pony club and put as much manure as possible onto and into the soil. This would improve the soil structure and make it a lot easier to dig in the future. Sunflowers sound great, they brighten up any plot.
Despite the threats, I'd just carry on as you are, doing the best that you can.
For next year I'd try and plant loads of spuds. In my experience, the combination of spuds, horse manure and, of course, all the digging involved, really does improve the soil and clear the weeds. And if you end up with a spud surplus you can share them with your neighbours. You never know, they might even give you some of their onions in return. :)

antipodes · « **Reply #18 on:** April 24, 2007, 12:38:23 »

Dunno about the flowers, some people on our plot devote quite a lot of space to ornamental stuff, whereas I want real veg! But a few flowers could be a good way to take up space.
I have some spuds left, I guess I could plant them in the spaces and dig them up early if I need more room.
Honestly, as if I would have gone to all the trouble of buying fruit if I wasn't intending to grow things for more than two weeks? Of course now, old f*rt has made his biggest mistake by getting my back up so I am determined to whip the lot into shape! But there is only so much ground that one can dig over in a morning's work. I am just mad that someone can think it is a better idea to let the weeds grow rampant instead of covering them!!! I mean, it is not even common sense! Why is a piece of cardboard worse than 3 square feet of sow thistle?
Thank you to everyone who wrote me encouraging comments, it has made me feel much better and given me lots of ideas for what I could do on the plot. Now I know about green manure so I know what to do in the off seasons too. People on this forum are so friendly and helpful, it is not full of stupid idiots making sarcastic comments, like some forums can be :D

emmy1978 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 24, 2007, 13:45:01 »

OMG!!! What a horrible man. I've said it before - I can't see anything wrong with your plot, onions in, looking good, bits and bobs everywhere and work in progress, can't see what else he wants from you.
Think you may be right about his mate wanting your plot!! This is an awful way to treat you, I can't believe your lottie assoc don't realise it's short term measures for the long term good of the plot and that you are being bullied like this. Like sarah says, you can't give in or get angry with people like this, polite but firm is the only way. Stand your ground and see if you can't get get an ally on the committee.
It's your bit of land to use as you see fit and they have to give you a season to prove yourself. Then another 10 so you can get it how you want it!
DON'T rush just to pander to him. They can't possibly justify throwing you off at the beginning of the season on the basis that you don't have a plot covered in crops in April.
Keep going girl! :)

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Author Topic: Update on plot and growing things QUICKLY! (Read 1991 times)