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General => News => Topic started by: johhnyco15 on November 07, 2016, 13:36:11

Title: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 07, 2016, 13:36:11
this sunday was walk around sunday and the management committee asked me if i would take the front haif of my half plot as the fellow has given up  ( he never really started only been there once in a year ) so i started today should have it around by xmas
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 07, 2016, 15:27:45
and the view from the other end
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: galina on November 07, 2016, 16:59:43
I spy rhubarb.  What are the other fruit bushes a bit further back?  :wave:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 07, 2016, 17:13:35
I spy rhubarb.  What are the other fruit bushes a bit further back?  :wave:
there is a lot of rhubarb the other fruit is a thornless blackberry a big sage a grape vine two cherry trees and a rosemary will prob  pot up the sage and rosemary move the blackberry to my fruit plot dig out all the rhubarb of which there is around 12 plants try to get rid of the couch then replant scalp the large bed and then dig out all the roots of couch bindweed etc  ill finish the edges by the weekend and have all the herbs potted up then its just an hour a day of digging the back half of the plot was the same when i took it on in may so i know what im up against lol
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on November 07, 2016, 17:19:20
Your a glutton for punishment Johnny but I am sure you will get on top of it.

There was a day I would tackle such task but thankfully thats long past now, so best of luck to you  I look forward to what you do with it in the years to come.

As the say make hay while the sun shines, I am afraid my hay has turned into silage now ! :clock:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 07, 2016, 17:29:43
Your a glutton for punishment Johnny but I am sure you will get on top of it.

There was a day I would tackle such task but thankfully thats long past now, so best of luck to you  I look forward to what you do with it in the years to come.

As the say make hay while the sun shines, I am afraid my hay has turned into silage now ! :clock:
im sure there plenty of spark left in you tg ive nearly completed one edge will finish that tomorrow and have cut back the grape vine and restrung the supports  so cant wait to get there in the morning to start ill post pics along the way fingers crossed for a longer dry spell so i can get a march on thanks for the morale support my friend 
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: tricia on November 07, 2016, 17:49:16
That latest picture is so pretty - shame it has to go :tongue3:.

Tricia  :wave:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 08, 2016, 15:26:29
a little slow going today started the dig today however pics dont show much improvement
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on November 08, 2016, 16:02:59
Roughly what is the size of this new plot Johnny?
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 08, 2016, 17:09:11
Roughly what is the size of this new plot Johnny?
18 ft wide around 80ft long and full of weeds
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on November 08, 2016, 17:17:18
Quote
full of weeds

As they say up here

You don't get out for nout!

Plus; To get effort out you have to put effort in!

But I guess it will be worth it in the end, and you do have around 5-6 month to get it ready.

So take it steady.....Rome wasn't built in a day!
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 08, 2016, 18:47:03
Quote
full of weeds

As they say up here

You don't get out for nout!

Plus; To get effort out you have to put effort in!

But I guess it will be worth it in the end, and you do have around 5-6 month to get it ready.

So take it steady.....Rome wasn't built in a day!
indeed tg i spend 2hrs on the new plot and the rest of the day on the rest today i put grease bands on my fruit trees  rain is forecast for tomorrow so wont get much done plan to grubb all my tomato plants on thurs however two hours a day should have it done by xmas but as you say ive a few months after that  it was one of the reasons i took it on as i knew i had plenty of time to get it organized before spring and its next to the water pump so another plus slow and steady is the order of the day id rather dig it well once and take out 99% of the roots than quick and have to re dig in spring
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 11, 2016, 13:08:29
here we are 4 days into the new plot lost one day to rain and looks like tomorrow will be another washout and what with the poppy parade on sunday dont think ill be back to the plot until monday weather permitting hoped to have had more to show you but its been slow going anyway here is this weeks pic
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: galina on November 11, 2016, 15:26:51
That's good progress.  When you get frost that should help to crumble the soil more finely.  And it isn't a race.  When it is so cold and windy, slow and steady is much better.  Maybe I'm showing my age here, but I find I put my back out far more easily in the cold.  :wave:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 11, 2016, 16:38:48
That's good progress.  When you get frost that should help to crumble the soil more finely.  And it isn't a race.  When it is so cold and windy, slow and steady is much better.  Maybe I'm showing my age here, but I find I put my back out far more easily in the cold.  :wave:
indeed galina i only use a border spade that's why it takes so long i try to warm up with a less stressful task before it start to dig like hoeing just to get my muscles supple  and my soil is so sandy the first rain on it it will crust up then the wolf soil miller comes into play I'm sure your age has nothing to do with your back you just a lot wiser and know your limits something the younger amongst us have yet to learn
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on November 11, 2016, 17:38:42
Quote
i only use a border spade that's why it takes so long

EEE lad get yer sen a decent spade  :thumbsup:

Quote
i try to warm up with a less stressful task  to get my muscles supple

I can just see you doing your Charles Atlas bit. :blob10:

 
Quote
my soil is so sandy the wolf soil miller comes into play.

Why don't you get the kids off the beach to help you out with their buckets and spades?:3some:

Quote
I'm sure your age has nothing to do with your back you just a lot wiser and know your limits something the younger amongst us have yet to learn.

Now I wonder if I come into the category?  :dontknow:


 Glad to see you are having fun just like I am now, now that I have finished for the season  :icon_cheers: :toothy10:


 BTW you may have noticed  I am enjoying your progress reports  :thumbsup: ...Tg

Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 11, 2016, 18:04:07
Quote
i only use a border spade that's why it takes so long

EEE lad get yer sen a decent spade  :thumbsup:

Quote
i try to warm up with a less stressful task  to get my muscles supple

I can just see you doing your Charles Atlas bit. :blob10:

 
Quote
my soil is so sandy the wolf soil miller comes into play.

Why don't you get the kids off the beach to help you out with their buckets and spades?:3some:

Quote
I'm sure your age has nothing to do with your back you just a lot wiser and know your limits something the younger amongst us have yet to learn.

Now I wonder if I come into the category?  :dontknow:


 Glad to see you are having fun just like I am now, now that I have finished for the season  :icon_cheers: :toothy10:


 BTW you may have noticed  I am enjoying your progress reports  :thumbsup: ...Tg


why thanks tg was thinking of starting a ti chi class on the headland every morning like they do in china to get warmed up but the old folks said the didn't like foreign  food  and as for the spade as we say down in the smoke my roof rack aint wot it used to be so ive got the same spade as my skin and blister  :drunken_smilie: :sunny: :sunny:  :drunken_smilie:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 12, 2016, 11:40:48
rain stopped play today still managed to get two hours of digging this morning  think I'm a little in front now of where i expected to be however will soon be hitting around 15ft of solid couch grass which will slow me down a bit then its just the large rhubarb bed left  again ill scalp it then put 4 inches of bark over the top  i was going to dig out all the crowns try to dig out the couch roots then replant may do this next year  as the bark should weaken the couch                                                                                                                                                          the soil is very light so after i finish digging ill improve it with 2" of leafmould then 2" of well rotted manure then get the mantis on it in spring think ill put my runners and squashes in there this year as its next to the pump however this may change       tg i could never fit you into a category   it was be too vast  :glasses9: :glasses9:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on November 12, 2016, 13:06:37
Quote
tg i could never fit you into a category   it was be too vast

I was referring to my 'age' i.e. me being the aged and you being the youngster.  :angel11:

My next question is;

Based on what you have told us about the amounts you have grown this season, what are you going to do with all that extra produce from your new plot and a half?  :icon_scratch:


I know we have come out of Europe so are you going to get on your bike and take your surplus to Europe to feed all those immigrants that are boating/swimming across the Med?  :wav:

Why is it that an image of an "Onion Johnny" keeps entering my head ?  :sunny:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 12, 2016, 13:45:56
Quote
tg i could never fit you into a category   it was be too vast

I was referring to my 'age' i.e. me being the aged and you being the youngster.  :angel11:

My next question is;

Based on what you have told us about the amounts you have grown this season, what are you going to do with all that extra produce from your new plot and a half?  :icon_scratch:


I know we have come out of Europe so are you going to get on your bike and take your surplus to Europe to feed all those immigrants that are boating/swimming across the Med?  :wav:

Why is it that an image of an "Onion Johnny" keeps entering my head ?  :sunny:
your making me cry now                            with all the white rot on our site i deffo wont be johnny onion now as for your age tg you may be advanced but your wit is as sharp as ever and as for produce I'm not sure thinking of spacing it all out a bit more I'm a bit of ill just fit another row in there kind of guy so I'm going to TRY to give them all a little more room most of my excess produce i donate to a special needs school my wife works at and in return i get all the autumn leaves normally around 50 sacks full  so that's about it oh btw I'm trying Mr fothergills Guinness record runner beans this year will let you know how they go i reselected my benchmaster this year so ill put them up against each other  :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on November 12, 2016, 16:18:11
Quote
your making me cry now                            with all the white rot on our site i deffo wont be johnny onion

Nice One! :crybaby2: :thumbsup:

Quote
now as for your age tg you may be advanced but your wit is as sharp as ever

Sadly it is  the only thing that is fast now. :crybaby2:


Quote
and as for produce I'm not sure thinking of spacing it all out a bit more I'm a bit of ill just fit another row in there kind of guy so I'm going to TRY to give them all a little more room

I tend to work on 15" apart both ways (plants & rows) for most things.

I find it works well with my bed widths which are around 5ft wide.( If you are into metric measurements this converts to around 40cms apart and 1.5m wide)

Plus it allows me to get my rake between the rows to clear the rubbish created after I have hoed.

The reason I work across the bed rather than along the bed is simply because this method  releases  growing areas much quicker for catch cropping after harvesting a previous crop.

Examples:

Brassicas:  7 to 8" in from edge x 15" x 15" x 15" x 7 to 8" (4 plants across)

Potatoes: 5 to 6"in from edge x 10" x 10" x 10" x  10" x 5 to 6" (5 tubers across)

I give these a bit more space between rows to allow for earthing up.

Onions, Leeks, Garlic or similar  4 to 5"in from edge x 7½" x 7½" x 7½" x  7½" x 7½" x 7½" x7½" x 4 to 5"  (8 plants across)

When insitu seed sowing again I keep the rows 15" apart

Working with beds this width means I do not have to walk on the beds again after planting, meaning I can get away with these distances apart!

Plus I can reach the middle of the bed from either side of the bed if I am kneeling to plant out, thin out,or do a bit of hand weeding. :tshirt:

Quote
most of my excess produce i donate to a special needs school my wife works at and in return i get all the autumn leaves normally around 50 sacks full  so that's about it 

So I guess you give the leaf mould to the plants that require special needs....nice one! :thumbsup:

Quote
oh btw I'm trying Mr fothergills Guinness record runner beans this year will let you know how they go i reselected my benchmaster this year so ill put them up against each other  :coffee2: :coffee2: :coffee2:

I don't grow runner beans any more I prefer climbing French beans in particular Cobra.

I usually grow two successional crops of these in my greenhouses which keeps me in fresh beans for a few months during the growing season. Any excess is frozen and used out of season.

In your part of the world I guess they would give a good account of themselves outdoors.

Once you have eaten these then you might go like me and give up Runner beans. :walk:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 13, 2016, 12:51:06
i do grow them along with hunter a flat french bean which is the tastiest of them all   also pea bean and bollotti  for stews and soups cobra i use for warm bean salad with a blue cheese dressing
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 15, 2016, 18:39:41
digging digging and digging today couch roots by the black bag loads 12 so far this part of the plot has not been dug for around 5 years done a bit on the other two today also
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 22, 2016, 16:17:15
a little break in the weather today however got a bit of manflu so didnt do much today nearly all done now week 3 now lost 5 days due to rain and birthday celebrations should be finished by the end of the week
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on November 22, 2016, 17:31:15
Quote
should be finished by the end of the week

Now you have another reason to buy some cup cakes.    :icon_cheers:


Its looking good....what is that object front right?
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 22, 2016, 19:10:51
Quote
should be finished by the end of the week

Now you have another reason to buy some cup cakes.    :icon_cheers:


Its looking good....what is that object front right?
its a concrete hedgehog in a bed i found it in the weeds there is also an owl with no base they have both seen better days not really my scene but ill aint got the heart to get rid
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: galina on November 23, 2016, 07:46:02
I remember a little while ago we had a thread on allotment 'finds'.  A concrete hedgehog is definitely benign and might even attract the real ones or perhaps frighten your slugs! 

Fab progress Johhny, when you got the bit between your teeth, you don't hang around.  This is impressive.  Do you get these neat edges by eye?  Can't see any rope.  :wave:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 23, 2016, 13:50:23
galina i do use a string line my eyes arent that  good anymore lol  think i might call the hedgehog hetty
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: pumkinlover on November 24, 2016, 08:36:36
It looks really great now  :toothy10:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 24, 2016, 19:31:38
got a new plot number for my birthday it came today  how can i say it was quite a talking point at coffee lol
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 29, 2016, 19:08:57
as my new plot has not been cultivated in the last 5 years  i thought id bite the bullet and put some onions and garlic in to test the water for white rot its rife on our site  some plots however have managed to stay rot free ive my fingers and everything else that i could  possible cross that my new plot is one such oasis in a desert of doom
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on November 30, 2016, 13:09:25
it was first frost of the year time today here on the sunshine coast
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: galina on November 30, 2016, 13:28:47
it was first frost of the year time today here on the sunshine coast

We have had several already, last night -4.2C   c o l d  and it is only November :wave:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on December 15, 2016, 13:08:13
put my bean trenches in my new plot today next week will manure the plot fill the trenches  then apply leaf mould over the top
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on December 15, 2016, 18:41:39
One query?

I presume you plant into the planters so how do the roots get into the manure?

Or are these " watering troughs" and you plant either side of them and they act as reservoirs?
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: galina on December 15, 2016, 18:55:27
Thanks TeeGee for asking.  I wondered too but didn't want to appear stupid in case it was obvious  :BangHead:  and I was the only one who didn't 'get it'.   :sunny:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on December 15, 2016, 19:58:39
i use them for reservoirs and  fill the trenches with various green waste along with the manure or soil is so light it needs all the help it can get the troughs sit on cardboard with the sides drilled so the water and liquid feed waters the bean roots rather than just the top 1" or so  i find it really helps and as its a new plot and not been manured in the last 5 years that i know of it all helps the structure of the soil  and galina you can always ask me anything its the different methods that make this site so rich and diverse hopethis helps
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Digeroo on December 16, 2016, 08:18:37
My curiosity had been getting to me.
I have very well draining soil so keeping moisture is always difficult.  I might give this a try.   
The nice thing about this site is that people have experience of a number of growing conditions.
I get very frustrated when I see people using techniques they see on the television which were designed for poorly draining clay soils. 

Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on December 16, 2016, 09:47:48
I must be blessed as I do not have to go to such lengths to grow my outdoor stuff as I never water them at all. They get a good soaking as I plant out but that's it,nature does the rest!

I put this down to my initial preparation, my manure is in, it will soak up the winter snow and rain and come planting out time the ground will be moist and friable thanks to the worms my manure  has nourished over the winter.

I wished the same was the case for the stuff in my three greenhouses,although is not too bad as again I prepare my beds well in advance and let nature do its thing, usually a couple of times a week does the trick for me,in other words it's up to nature I.e. Warm,cold or a mixed bag like we have had this year.


But as they say: each to there own!
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on December 16, 2016, 13:53:26
I must be blessed as I do not have to go to such lengths to grow my outdoor stuff as I never water them at all. They get a good soaking as I plant out but that's it,nature does the rest!

I put this down to my initial preparation, my manure is in, it will soak up the winter snow and rain and come planting out time the ground will be moist and friable thanks to the worms my manure  has nourished over the winter.

I wished the same was the case for the stuff in my three greenhouses,although is not too bad as again I prepare my beds well in advance and let nature do its thing, usually a couple of times a week does the trick for me,in other words it's up to nature I.e. Warm,cold or a mixed bag like we have had this year.


But as they say: each to there own!
i suppose thats one advantage of having a shorter growing season up north i only took my outdoor toms out 6 weeks ago as i clear i manure my two other plots are all done however the new one has no humus in it hardly at all so its all in to try and get the soil in decent shape for the growing season but as for beans i always trench them and water via a trough and people always comment on my yield and healthy plants its just something ive always done also put a wind break around them at planting time to give them a head start it must be tg that our southern softie beans are not as the tough northern ones lol
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: Tee Gee on December 16, 2016, 15:25:12
Quote
i suppose thats one advantage of having a shorter growing season up north

Well No! I think we may have a higher rainfall than you do, so I can get away with no watering or just a little watering in really hot summers (what one of those I hear you ask  :happy7: )

In terms of the length of my growing season I think is subject to what I plant and how I plant e.g successional sowings/plantings for example.

Personally I think it is more down to the quality of the soil I have.

My soil is quite loamy / humus rich and I think that is down to the amount of manure I have put in it over the years.

The reason I say this is on a comment I received from the plot holder I swapped plots with a couple of years ago, when he got into digging my old plot he commented on how easy it was to dig, whereas the plot I took over from him was quite heavy and dead due to lacking humus.

Sadly since I made the exchange my old plot has not been cared for in the manner I did, meaning if Iwas to  let it, this could annoy me but as I said previously....each to their own!

Back to your bean trenches; another difference between you and me is the fact that I have gone off runner beans, I now prefer growing two or three smallish lots of fast growing climbing french beans which keeps me supplied throughout the whole season rather than just getting a one off bumper crop of say runner beans. I find that these grow without the need for trenching so at my time of life this can only be a good thing.

My surplus from each batch goes into the freezer for out of season use!

You say: different methods that make this site so rich and diverse I agree and this is one of the reason I go into the banter of comparing notes with you and the others, as it is the thing I miss most on our site, and that is no one seems to have the time to have a natter and put the world to right any more .

So hopefully  lads and lassies you will all carry on with the good work  into 2017 and make an old bugger like me happy!

Title: Re: new plot
Post by: galina on December 16, 2016, 16:45:58
What a very good idea Johhny  :icon_cheers:  yes indeed we are always learning and there are as many methods of doing things as there are gardeners  :sunny:  But this is a good method, not just for your very light soils.  We are on clay and in a relatively dry area of uk.  I often run out of stored water, so any help with water saving is always appreciated.   :wave:
Title: Re: new plot
Post by: johhnyco15 on December 16, 2016, 16:57:16
Quote
i suppose thats one advantage of having a shorter growing season up north

Well No! I think we may have a higher rainfall than you do, so I can get away with no watering or just a little watering in really hot summers (what one of those I hear you ask  :happy7: )

In terms of the length of my growing season I think is subject to what I plant and how I plant e.g successional sowings/plantings for example.

Personally I think it is more down to the quality of the soil I have.

My soil is quite loamy / humus rich and I think that is down to the amount of manure I have put in it over the years.

The reason I say this is on a comment I received from the plot holder I swapped plots with a couple of years ago, when he got into digging my old plot he commented on how easy it was to dig, whereas the plot I took over from him was quite heavy and dead due to lacking humus.

Sadly since I made the exchange my old plot has not been cared for in the manner I did, meaning if Iwas to  let it, this could annoy me but as I said previously....each to their own!

Back to your bean trenches; another difference between you and me is the fact that I have gone off runner beans, I now prefer growing two or three smallish lots of fast growing climbing french beans which keeps me supplied throughout the whole season rather than just getting a one off bumper crop of say runner beans. I find that these grow without the need for trenching so at my time of life this can only be a good thing.

My surplus from each batch goes into the freezer for out of season use!

You say: different methods that make this site so rich and diverse I agree and this is one of the reason I go into the banter of comparing notes with you and the others, as it is the thing I miss most on our site, and that is no one seems to have the time to have a natter and put the world to right any more .

So hopefully  lads and lassies you will all carry on with the good work  into 2017 and make an old bugger like me happy!


im always up for the banter and i love it all the more knowing you have a smile on you face long may it continue i say
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