Allotment Stuff > The Basics
Alloment by accident
Cinnamon:
Hiyas,
Originally I wanted to keep bees, and my housemates objected to a hive in the garden, so, I looked for an allotment and got lucky locally. I definitly have a lot of space now, with 7x27 metres -- but I'm a little awed at what to do with it, and I only know how to mow the lawn.
So, my main problems are two-fold: growing a trellis around my apiary area to make the bees fly at a decent height (about 2 metres) and what to do with the rest of the 'field' :)
The 'flowerwall' needs to be 11 metres long in total, eg, sides of 3
metres and a width of 5 meters along -- one side already has a fence. I also need to grow something on the ground to stop the nettles etc moving in, but it has to put up with sometimes getting stepped on.
Has anyone here made anything like that?
Also, after partitioning off 7x5 metres like that, I still have 22x7
metres to deal with.
This looks like a lot to me (eek), so, I'm wondering if I could build
my veggie garden slowly, and only start with 11x7 metres of veggie
patch and grow something in the half that can be rotivated in next
year to make a nice veggie patch.
If you've any advice for me, I'd be grateful,
Cinnamon, newbiegardener by accident
Muddy_Boots:
Cinammon, you sound as if you are starting off in exactly same way I did! Had done an awful lot of reading before I had courage to start. Never looked back.
Certainly, would agree with most on this site in saying tackle a little at a time and plant up, then while you get on with the next bit of clearing and digging you can see fruit of earlier labours! If you keep bees do try to get hold of some phacelia seed and plant at bottom of trellis, bees love it and will stray to your veggies, also lovely blue!
The gardner and various others on this site will give you much better advice but, if you go onto gardners profile, you will get access to his website which is extremely good for all kinds of things, definitely worth visiting!
Good luck and keep us informed of progress!
Kate
Dunc_n_Tricia:
I was looking for something to sow around my compost heap, to keep the weeds down. It too will need to stand the occasional walkin on.
I have decided to try Chamomile (anthemis nobilis) which is used to make chamomile lawns. I also want to attract plenty of bees to pollonate everything, and they find herbs irresistable.
:-* Tricia
gavin:
Great - more beekeepers!
I wanted to start last year, but vandalism stopped that; so I'm looking forward to starting this year. I'll be back to pick your brains!!!!!
Did you have any problems getting agreement to put hives on your allotment?
On starting slowly on the rest of your plot - yes, I'd go with your idea. Take it slowly; better to get manageable bits well cleared and working well, than to have a huge weed-infested plot not working well!
Good luck - Gavin
PS Are there any other beekeepers amongst us?
Mrs Ava:
Bees and me don't mix >:(. When we had the 'family' plot a lady decided to keep bees on the next plot to me. This started fine, altho I have always been rather wary of bees and wasps, for obvious reasons. Figured, if I leave them alone, they will leave me alone. However, I used to have to walk past the 2 hives to get to the gate, and the manure pile. Picture the scene, a hot beautiful sunny day in Surrey, me in shorts and t-shirt working the soil with my mum, when suddenly...bzzzzzzz in my ear. I brush it away, then bbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz in my ear and hair and before I know it I had bees in my hair and my face! ooooeeerrrrr missus was I scared or what! Mum and another dashing Italian chap came to my rescue, the old waving arms trick certainly encouraged more bees. And my mum and the Italian chap spoke to the lady and she took her hives away! She did it very quickly, and we honestly didn't cause a fuss.
There you go, nope I am not a bee keeper, and I love the bees to do their stuff with my flowers, and I adore honey, just would hate to be anywhere near a hive again!
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