Topic: Newbie getting keen ...

[pippy]

Just plicked up courage to say hello :) - I've been reading the site for tips since gertting my Allotment last year!  I got it on April, and with the 2 year old only 1 morning a week in pre school I only managed to cultivate about half of it.

This year he is 3 and pre school every morning so watch out - I have two thirds dug and ready!

Hello and thanks for the tips everyone! :) :)

[saddad]

Good to see you at last, Glad we were some help.. Welcome to the Site!
 ;D

[bluehousehill]

Hi I am new as well and I ve had good tips too. Good to hear from you and hopefully get some good tips from you as well.

[manicscousers]

hiya, pippy, nice to meet you..glad you de-cloaked..happy planting  ;D

[dtw]

Welcome to the board.

Give your lad a little patch of his own to grow sunflowers or anything else that's interesting.

[pippy]

Ahh well ... his brother is 5 and he had a bed of his own last year.  He grew lettuces,peas,cabbages and a 12lb pumpkin on it!  The little one only managed to trample the seedlings and play in the water butts last year ( >:() but I have hopes he'll improve!  He did manage quite well at sorting the potatoes by size as we dug them out tho!

This year the 5 year old is ambitious - he wants carrots, broad beans, peas, Strawberries, a pumpkin AND potatoes.  I think I will have to enlarge his patch!

So far I'm holding off putting anything in but I'm wondering how long you can leave chitting spuds before they HAVE to go in? ??

[Tee Gee]

So far I'm holding off putting anything in but I'm wondering how long you can leave chitting spuds before they HAVE to go in? ??

Give him one to grow in a bucket and this may curb his impatience!

[Old bird]

Hi Pippy

I don't think there is a time for chitting seeds and then putting them in.

You can, if you have some in a cupboard, put them in with little chitty bits of hardly any at all - the ones that get forgotten in the soil manage perfectly well - blow them!

I don't think much will kill potatoes!

Good luck this year with the children as well!

Old Bird

 ;D

[Tee Gee]

I'm wondering how long you can leave chitting spuds before they HAVE to go in? ??

I don't think there is a specific answer to this question,therefor one could say;
 
anytime from when you purchase them until a suitable planting out time.

I would say six weeks is a fair period.

To explain; chitting is not absolutely necessary but it is a good way to get a head start.

It should also be said that some varieties chit more easily than others so again this makes for difficulty in answering the question.

That means to take it to an extreme; you could plant them on the day you buy them and they would grow.( Providing conditions allow)


Have a look in here; http://tinyurl.com/3d4hwb

[star]

Welcome aboard ;D ;D ;D

[pippy]

Thanks for that folks.  Its just I have been chitting them for about 4 weeks now and they look good to go.  I reckon I'll be aiming to put them in over Easter if the weather picks up a bit.  Hopefully they'll hold on!

The potato in a bucket is a good idea too - I'll get son no. 1 onto it at the weekend.  He's busy laying out selections of old clothes on the floor all over the place at the moment for "scare crows"!!  Easter activities sussed!!

Thanks and Hi to everyone.

[hoonteo]

Potatoes never die.

[dtw]

LOL @ scarecrows, the neighbours on my allotment have CDs and
bottles on sticks. The noise is really irritating.

I think I shall make one too.

[Lauren S]

Hi Pippy and welcome from me too.
Looking forward to seeing pics of the Scarecrows.

Good luck with your lottie

Lauren  :)

[cornykev]

Hi Pip and wecome to the madhouse, I got clothes ready for a scarecrow how exactly are you making it.    ???     ;D ;D ;D

[Angelah]

Another newbie with small children here too!!! We're also thinking of making scarecrows, so any pointers would be fab!!! Would child size ones work? Have loads of youngests clothes to get rid of!!