Topic: A4A voyeurism

[newchangeling]

Hi All!

I'm new around here, though I've been visiting the site for a few months now since I took over a much neglected allotment back in August.

I've been enjoying all your posts and comments but haven't joinined in as I didn't really feel I had much to contribute and was feeling shy!  I'm not usually such a shrinking violet (or wallflower?) and I was starting to feel a bit furtive, like a peeping Tom.  So I thought I'd stop all the voyeurism, bite the bullet and join in.  Besides, you all seem very welcoming to new folk.

I'm sure I shall have lots of questions once I've got stuff in the ground so I shall make the best possible use of the wealth of expertise that you all have.  Thanks in advance!

[Kerry]

hello and welcome-everyone is friendly here! tell us a bit about your plot and what you are planning on growing? :)

[Moggle]

Welcome  :D

Yes, be like me and ask lots of silly questions, but learn a load in the process.

I too would love to know what you plan on growing. I'm in the process of looking for a lottie.

[tim]

We grow anything - violets, wallflowers, you name it - on the allotments!!  Or on our balconies. = Tim

[newchangeling]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

My plot is in south Birmingham on a site where only about a quarter or so of the plots are currently cultivated - everything else is grass and tall weeds.  So far I've cut through what felt like a forest, have dug over the whole site removing weeds and roots (eventually with some help from a rotovator, my partner and my Dad!) and have sown some long lasting green manure over about two thirds of it.  The remaining third is where I'm intending to start the fun stuff until I feel I can manage to do more.

I've grown small amounts of veg before in my garden so I'm going to start with what I know - lots of courgettes (I particularly like round types), climbing beans, potatoes and sweetcorn.  I also want to try my hand at carrots and onions, purple sprouting broccoli.  I've tried different salad vegetables before but have never had much success saving them from slugs and snails.  I'm hoping that if I grow enough some might survive!

My Dad is donating his unwanted greenhouse so I also want to turn my hand to peppers, chillies and toms.  My favourite colour is purple and I keep spotting purple varieties of exciting edible things (beans, carrots, chillies - I don't like aubergines or red cabbage) so they will probably make an appearance.

The soil on the plot is weedy but seems pretty good apart from that.  Still, I'm not expecting huge harvests.  Better to keep the expectations reasonable and perhaps be surprised!

[Andy H]

 ;D welcome

I did do carrots on plot but forked and eaten, so do them in troughs at home in potting compo. They are great crunchy and excellent. about once a week I do a slug squish! :o

But they don`t get many in troughs raised off the ground.

Good luck with your plot, you have so many vacant! How many you gonna have??? ;)

We have 2 and on waiting list. first year and four freezers full of stuff, amazing.

[Roy Bham UK]

Hi newchangeling and welcome from another Southern Brummie ;) I am hopeing for a lottie in Wychbury Road on the Frankley Green Belt am I anywhere near you? ???

Roy ;D

[newchangeling]

Thanks for more welcoming messages!  It's great to get such a warm and positive response.

Andy - I'm trying to make sure I stick to only the one plot for now, but when I'm feeling energetic and enthusiastic (quite often if the weather's OK) I toy with the idea of building up and feeding the whole street!  There is one guy there, Ben, who has four.  He has a heart problem but has been told by has doctor that his condition has improved considerably since he's been doing so much allotmenting!  Proof positive (in case you needed it) that it's good for you.

Roy - I'm not brilliant with B'ham geography (only moved here three years ago and only passed my driving test in September so I really only know the bus routes between the places I work!) and I don't recognise the places you mention.  I'm on Warstock Lane in King's Heath, presumably that's not too far away from you??  There's another site closer to where I live where all the plots are full and look beautiful, very active membership and they have a show every year.  There's a 2 year waiting list so I figured that trekking another 5 mins down the road so I could start now wasn't too much of a hardship!