Allotments 4 All
Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: cate on March 09, 2006, 19:31:27
-
Here I am, a newcomer to all this, staring at the vast expanse of barren soil and itching to get going. I have the early potatoes sprouting in the greenhouse but I don't know what else I am supposed to be doing with this allotment at this time.
I am scared that I will miss the boat and miss the chance to sow, plant or prune something.
If everyone lets me know what they are doing at the moment - allotment and veggie wise I mean - then I may be able to find out what I should be doing.
-
One tiny piece of advice ...
Don't panic !
At the moment I am waiting to get onto the plot. I have done my planning of what needs to be planted when, so I know the earliest dates to start planting stuff now. Note I say earliest dates, most stuff will not suffer if planted a couple of weeks later, but by spreading it all out it is not a rush.
This weekend? Plant six asparagus plants that have been in pots in the greenhouse over the winter. Rake my onion bed ready for planting my sets. Prepare my potato trenches for my first earlies, which will be planted in about two weeks. Pot up my germinating broad bean seeds in the greenhouse, I do this purely so they dont get eaten by mice.
In general I am just preparing beds for sowing, so that when the ground is warmer, it just needs a quick rake and straight onto sowing.
-
I’m no expert as I only acquired my lotty just over a year ago and never grew anything other than sub-tropical plants before.
My problem is that I only have our conservatory to sow seeds in and that is full of tender sub-tropical plants at the moment, so like last year I won’t be sowing any veggies until the risk of frost has passed.
I am looking at the end of this month at the earliest, I dare say a lot of peeps have sown stuff like tomatoes, great if you have a greenhouse or plenty of room indoors but I’ll bet at the end of the season they won’t be that much ahead of me in the growing stakes, so worry not, just read all about it or surf the A4A. ;)
-
Nothing! Daffodils have opened here 27 days after they did last year. I set my sowing baseline by this - so won't sow stuff for a while yet. I shall put my spuds in the ground in April I think instead of the middle to late March.
I shall sit back and enjoy the show of my favourite season for a while :)
moonbells
-
Still digging, a lot of ground to clear of couch, have the whole of next week to crack on.
-
Welcome Cate :)
My top tip would be to get the Kitchen garden magazine as it gives you all the information on what to plant when and free seeds ect.
-
Hi Cate
well as ever removing the smaller weeds now so as they dont explode in the next coming weeks and places still to be cleared although this yr is hopefully going to be a lot better start than last yr
Theres a few things on the go now some peppers chillis squash and cougettes cucumbers all been kept at slightly under what they require but spme just managing to lift the soil up a bit
Few cabbage sprout and benas on the go
Strawberry plants almost ready to be thinned 9im not looking forward to that as theres about 100 of the devils )
Potatoes been chitted (didnt really have much choice as they made there own mind up in the box lol)
2nd poly tunnel under construction Just one end to plastic up and the roof to construct ow and one door,
Also all my drips for the plants have been ordered and barrels and alike to be delivered (barrels borrowed on a permanant basis they cost me some veg a bit later on !! good swap i think)
3rd poly tunnel well not really a tunnel unless your a small lepracorn (in waiting of St Patricks day of course) which my melons will be intended to go in
Othe than that not alot as all has been planned and the allotment marked out ready and theres hopefully not going to be a lot of room left
carl
-
new allotment last October, so digging, digging and digging - all winter - only the potato beds left to dig/create ::) I got some spring onions in last weekend in a pot, a few early peas are sprouted in guttering ready to go down under cloches fairly soon. May try some early carrots and turnips under cloches this weekend if the soil has warmed up enough (I think it has and the cloche went on last weekend. A few things started at home on windowsills; summer cabbage & cauli (successional) and sweet peppers. May start some herb seeds start this weekend.
mat
Umm, update; just checked the weather forecast and they are forecasting light snow again this weekend, maybe the carrots will wait!!!
-
Too early still to get sowing seriously here in Peterborough, I don't plan to put in any seeds until April - indoors or out - plenty of time for them to grow and catch up. If you have a lottie, keep an eye on what everyone else is doing (peer into their greenhouses if you can ;D) and if they are good growers, copy them. One Italian gent on my plots is nearly blind, but seems to get the timing of his sowing and planting eerily right - just before rain even - and his produce is superb. I'm watching him like a hawk this year.
-
Hey supersprout, he doesnt drop his trousers and check the soil conditions by sitting down does he? Sorry, that appeared on another post somewhere, but you comments made me think of it!
-
What we are doing right now at our plot? The answer is, nothing! The weather is too uncertain and we are due more snow this weekend in the N.E., so we can't do any digging or anything else. At home we have planted some seeds, but there is still plenty of time. It isn't easy this time of year as, as soon as there is a hint of spring it is natural you want to get cracking. It is very difficult to go by any strict timetable as it all depends on where you are in the country and what your weather is like. Once the frost is over and the soil warms up a bit, then you can make a start. The best guide is to see what the majority of your other allotment neighbours are up to, as supersprout says.
Have you made all your plans as to what you are growing and where things are going to be put? Have you bought all of your seeds? It is a good time to start an allotment book too so you can keep track of all the things you do plant. Records are useful, especially for this time of year when you can look back and see when you planted things the previous season. You could be planting some seeds at the moment, but you have got lots of time yet. Our potatoes are chitting too, but we don't usually plant them out until the Easter weekend. Everyone has their own particular routine for when it is the right time, depending on where you are and what the weather is like.
We are still harvesting leeks and spinach from last year, and we planted our Japanese onions in November, our garlic in January and I have risked planting some shallots in February, but our plot has nothing else in it at the moment. So don't panic you still have plenty of time to do things. Good luck with it. :) busy_lizzie
-
Nothing really. I don't have a greenhouse or conservatory so haven't planted any seeds yet. My onion sets are the only thing I have done, last weekend, I am in the south and they are in a raised bed so warmer. Peas will be next but straight into the soil as I have nowhere I can do 'guttering'! It's early days yet and the ground is still quite cold. Potatoes are chitting but not ready to go in to their containers yet, probably end of the month.
I have some shrubs waiting to be planted and can't even get those in because the ground has been frozen for about 2 weeks solid. Might manage that tomorrow though between the showers.
OH is making me some more raised beds so will have more space this year which will be great when the weather warms up enough.
So don't rush Cate, you have plenty of time. Like other people have said things are later this year. Enjoy whatever you do. :)
-
Waiting impatiently ;D ;D
I have garlic in and growing and fruit (rhubarb, blueberries in tubs and raspberry/tayberry canes) and some purple sprouting broccoli planted last year.
Need to sort out the strawberries but anytime in the next couple of weeks will do.
Will be planting jerusalem artichokes soon and the potatoes are chitting aprt from that I'm just sitting with itchy fingers making sure I've got all the seeds I want (plus a few extra ;) ::) :o ;D)
-
I'm a newcomer too and feeling exactly the same as you.
I can't go to the allotment often so I'm quite frustrated at the moment. :(
Only just started making a bed and feeling like I'm getting nowhere.
To cheer myself up I've been sowing some seeds... :D
-
I'm new to this game too - dying to get out there but the weather is dreadful in Yorkshire at the moment. I'm still preparing the ground whenever I can and will be finishing off my central paths next weekend if possible. Hope to get first spuds in under a cloche April 1st......... had to give in and sow tomato and chilli seeds in the conservatory this morning! :)
-
Nothing - just waiting for the weather to warm up really.
Planted a row of broad beans and shallots about 3 weeks ago - before the last cold snap, no sign of them yet though :(
If it stays dry over the weekend i might go and potter about, maybe go over the next bit for planting with a drag, tidy up the edge's.
-
Nothing at the moment. Ever since the snow and frost went its rained. It's my OH's b'day today so I'll be taking on this weekends domestics while she puts her feet up. Its v cold and blowy today with almost constant rain (Cheshire) so I couldn't do much if I wasn't at work anyway. Lance
-
In the midlands its much the same as everyone else. Tomatoes, peppers are in pots indoors and everything else will wait until the weather clears up. To a newcomer I would only say that the best bit of advice I had when I started 10 years ago, was to dig a bit and then plant a bit - that way you don't get disheartened. Most veg will grow even if they are sown late - you just may end up with slightly smaller plants!!
-
Not a lot. Have got behind with digging on my plot because of a back injury in November, but have managed to persuade a group of friends to come and help me on Sunday so hopefully will catch up a little. Weather not looking great though.
I have my potatoes all sorted in shoeboxes at home to chit. Apart from that, trying to make sure I'm more organised this year than last. I was late planting almost everything last year because I hadn't got a plan!
But even thogh I've never been that organised, I've always had a crop of something to harvest :-) so don't panic, just enjoy the experience :-)
-
Moving a path from the side of the lottie to straight down the middle, A bit more digging and erecting another greenhouse this weekend weather permitting.
Only thing i have sprouting at the moment are the daffodills and of course the rhubarb.
So i would not say you have not missed the boat yet.
Be patient don't rush into planting yet even though you want to ;D
-
Nowt...... ;D
The first earlies are on the windowsill chitting, will put the maincrop out to chit over the weekend. *Might * think about sowing something in the next couple of days.
Even down here in Weymouth it's been snowy, frosty and now wet and windy so the lottie has been neglected for a while. There is a layer of manure spread over the whole plot which I'll rake off or dig in as necessary. Will hopefully get up there in the next week or two to prepare the bed for the onion sets to go in.
Really not in any hurry though - still way too chilly.
Louisa xx
-
I'm twiddling my thumbs. Have lots of digging that needs to be done but it is too wet. >:(
-
Sowing seeds in modules and waiting for the rain to stop.
-
Nothing. I might put my onions in over the weekend, depending on the weather, but when it's the way it has been the last few weeks I don't do anything except maintenance tasks and digging, and as it's been so cold and I've been a bit under the weather, I haven't even done that much.
-
Been busy with my granddaughter. We finally got the broad beans sown in toilet rolls as well as outdoor tomatoes (Rose de Berne) and greenhouse ones (Shirley). We've got 20 Amsterdam Forcing in modules too. They won't need "transplanted". The whole thing will go into the soil when they're ready. I'm intending to plant them among my winter onions and cover the lot with fleece, but it might be better to wait until the "spring" onions go in. (Any advice welcome ;))
Orla and Kestrel potatoes are itching to be planted so I'll see what the weather's like over the weekend (snow forecast :( :(). Still haven't got shallots in due to frozen ground. Need to get a bed cleared for Sturon and Red Baron onions.
If all else fails I'll sow some lettuce seeds in my (cold) greenhouse. They should be up and away before the toms go in.
-
Like someone else on here we got out allotment in October. Weekends have been busy since getting it and have done some digging but all of it.
Onions and garlic went in November also some broad beans they are doing well.
I tried to sow some strawberries, tomatoes and aubergine in my rush as I needed and wanted to get things going and they come to nothing.
Need to get some compost today to start sowing some cabbages and cauliflower I got. Do people do a few seeds each weeks so that they don't all come at once?
-
That's wwhat I'm doing - a few at a time.
-
Arghh, forgot ... allotment AGM today, that will throw my day out ...
Never mind, no ferrying of my daughter to the stables today, so I can grab an extra hour on the plot.
-
Hi rosyred, I don't like veg coming at once unless it will sit patiently and wait for me to get around to it (root veg, most winter veg). I always sow e.g. beans and peas successionally and - wait for it - will try courgettes sown May and June this year :o ;)
BUT you can cheat and get successional crops without successional sowing!
Grow in a block, rather than a row; outer plants will mature faster than inner plants
Rather than rake your bed flat, deliberately 'mound' it (so you have a 'south side' and a 'north side'). There is a marked difference between south (earlier) and north (later) plants grown on my 'curvy' beds, even when planted or sown at the same time.
-
Mainly feeling guilty & lazy reading these posts, having done very little this year, not even digging! Put some garlic & onions in before Christmas & still got some leeks left, but have only sown tomatoes & aubergines on the kitchen windowsill so far!
Last year was our first year & we "only" started chitting potatoes on March 10th. This year they've taken so long to come from T&M that I'm starting them today- even later! AND they've substituted varieties- won't be ordering from them next year (or maybe my fault for ordering late).
-
Right now? Exposing my complete ignorance to SS on the subject of cauliflowers ;D ;D
-
Putting another 20 bags of muck on my manure stack and working on the greenhouse bed.
-
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
I planted a bed of onions today; hopefully I'll manage another tomorrow. It's still cold but they won't come to any harm.
-
I'm not worried about the onions: it's the harm I might come to that concerns me - out in the freezing cold. Snow on the hills and all.
-
I used to be very much into Scottish ice climbing; I'm not worried about the current weather!
-
I'm a new guy same as mat, only got my allotment in September. I prepared some of the beds before the rain started last weekend and have stayed indoors since! The soil will be too cold, wet and muddy to do anything constructive. So I've started off my Globe Artichokes, Leeks, Salad Onions, Cabbages for Spring Greens and Celeriac indoors as seedlings, and I've just today sowed some tomato seeds I got free with a magazine. Then I'll move them into a patio greenhouse I bought from Wilko's to harden off. Outdoors, I planted my fruit bushes last weekend as they needed to go in asap.
I second what everyone else has said and wouldn't recommend trying to start anything else out on the Allotment just yet. If anything managed to survive out there, it wouldn't be very strong and you'd probably get a poor crop. It's better to wait a few weeks as as I've read elsewhere on the site, the veg always seems to catch up from a late start. My precious spuds are probably better off staying in the shed at the moment!
Though I well understand the feeling of itchy fingers wanting to start on the allotment / veg garden... I've got a new toy, oops, sorry tool, ;) I want to use, a weed wand I bought from Lidls ;D But's it too darn windy! :'( ;D ;D ;D
-
Looking out the window at the snow drifts and the blizzard and wondering how I'll get to work tomorrow.. :'( :'(
-
cheer up graw, if you get snowed in you can manufacture '000s of seed tapes ;D
-
True! ;D ;D
-
I now have to dig a drain, as a chalybeate spring has quite literally sprung up in the middle of my plot.
I found a really water logged patch and dug down to reveal the subsoil, and bubbling out of the ground I have bright yellow sulpherous water.
A bit of excavation revealed that an old drain had run from this point down the hill, but soil has fallen between the bricks and rubble that served as a drain.
So now my mission is to dig a new drain, this time I'll construct a boxed culvert out of paving slabs. I might see if I can sink a barrel into the ground, further down the hill, to collect the run off. Will the plants be happy with such sulpherous water?
We have a lot of these springs around here, they pop up and disappear depending on rain.
Ironic that a few weeks ago I was worried about how dry my soil was, and now I am trying to avert my allotment turning into a mud hole a hippo would be proud of (if he could tolerate the smell of rotten eggs).
-
Putting the d..n fleece back over the potatoes - is there always a gale when it freezes??
And noting that it's +1C in the g/house, but the garlic in plugs & potatoes in tub - planted 1/3 & 4/3 - are showing nicely.
-
Tim
Not planted my earlies yet, will be waiting for a few more weeks yet even here in sussex. Have you put all your earlies in yet or is this just a few under fleece?
Today I will be making the first sowing of tomatoes in the greenhouse and doing some more digging at the allotment.
Then pick a few things for lunch, sprouts, leeks and parsnips ready to sit down for the rugby at 3pm I hope!
Jerry
-
Two rows, Jerry - as mentioned elsewhere at the time. Too sprouted to wait any longer. They have probably rotted in the freezing ground?
And it says that extreme cold spoils the flavour.
-
I'm pricking out and repotting toms today. I had a bit of a tally up and I have 75 plants! 18 varieties! and I'm running out of pots and room in the heated greenhouse!! :o
-
TEE HEE ;D You sound like me Myrtle!
-
i'm posting this ;D ;D
-
I was waiting for someone to post that Greenie ;D
-
Mmmm .. and now.. that's right now .. I'm having a rest after cleaning out the top oven. Heaven only knows what state the bottom one is in.. :o :o
There are disadvantages to having a husband who cooks. ::) ::)
-
I'm a newbie too ;D got my plot last august. I have had to start from scratch because the plot hadn't been cultivated for some time. So far this year I have been laying paths and making raised beds, planted gooseberries, raspberries, blackberries and blackcurrants. The rhubarb is waiting to go in, hopefully this weekend weather permitting, I have potatoes chitting in the back bedroom and I have built a pond this week which already has a frog in it ;D
-
Do you really want to know?
Having an early Scotch, having just unloaded 30 New Horizon Grow Bags, & 6 of their compost. At least it got my circulation going!! But watch out - the bags split like crazy. Environmentally friendly plastic, I suppose?
-
Tim
Are you going to be doing your usual trick of half grow bags on end for your greenhouse crops?
Jerry
-
Funny you should ask, Jerry. I was going to, but this splitting business has given me doubts.
-
I am thinking about trying it this year rather than double decker grow bags. I think it will make watering far easier and I am investing in an automated watering system for the greenhouse to cover holidays as I hate to ask my dear neighbour to help as he is getting on a bit.
Would putting your bags in black bin liners help on the splitting issue? They would have the added advantage of heating up faster in the day as well.
Just an idea.....
Jerry
-
GOOD THINKING, JERRY!!
Watch the watering though - do you remember the photos of my effort a while ago? All the roots were around the outside of the bag.
Can do better!!
-
I do indeed remember the images but you still had a good crop I seem to remember.
Watering is the key area of improovement for me this year and I am tempted to source a moisture metre to help set things up nicely.
Jerry
(PS, the whitefire light seems to be working a treat so far)
-
Tim and Jerry can you please explain what you are talking about? I am intending to use growbags for tomatoes this year to "rest" the soil in the greenhouse, but I'm concerned about watering in particular.
-
Right now?? Reading new posts and whilst sitting here have eaten over half a tin of cashew nuts, just have no will power!! All Lorna's (jnr) fault, she came shopping with me and she bought a tin so I just had to buy a tin.
-
Hmmmm... clearing out some errant blackberries behind the garage and along the alley. Found a trailer full of wood back there that isn't ours. Well, finders, keepers then.
Cleaning out clumps of grass that have sprung up since the monsoons hit in October. Bits of burdock here and there as well. Widening the path a bit. Had L shaped beds but am moving them all to 1 meter by 3 meter squares. Too difficult to weed the end bits. All in all it looks like a bomb hit it and didnt do a very good job. Am about to plant garlic, onion sets and seeds, leek seeds and attempt to find my strawberry plants under the dead nettle. I have a lazy bed waiting to be tidied up. And tomorrow comes the rain yet again.
But at the moment am having a cup of coffee and tending to the wounds from my bout with the blackberries. All in all its been a productive day so far.
-
Cutting the bag in half & standing on end. Makes spacing much better & gives a nice depth. And, because a bag is never full, there is space at the top of the halves to add more compost as the plant grows. I don't agree with 3 to a bag - as they say - anyway. Even one aubergine can take the whole area.
But my roots were almost all around the outside of the bags so, this year, I shall put a pot in the top to direct the water. If I'm allowed water??
-
Sounds like a great idea Tim. So you half the growbag and plant one tom plant per upended growbag? (just making sure I've got it right)
To keep OT! ;D ;D ;D ;D
I'm asking Tim a question about growing toms in growbags.
Sorry :-[ :-[
-
pacing the house and becoming unbearable (according to husband and cats) as i wait to move house so i can sow some seeds!!
-
Looking at the 'orrible weather (snow and sleet all day) and wondering whether we'll see summer this side of the end of the world. I'll be planting toms and corn this weekend anyway; they can go under the hot water tank to germinate.
-
Here in central Belgium, 30 miles south of Brussels, we are waiting for the thaw.
I have two new baby plastic greenhouses in the garage and about 6 metres of rigid plastic cloches, just waiting for a bit of warm so I can sow some seeds and a local DIY store has mini plastic greenhouses for tomatoes but it's still way too cold to think of sowing seeds or planting out or even weeding and pruning - and we're practically at the spring solstice!!
-
Hi Cate
Like you I have only had my allotment for less that 1 year, this week end I will be planting 2 fruit trees and potatoes, carrots, beetroot and kohl rabi. I have already got my onoins, shallots and garlic in. I also have Purple tomatoes and winter squash in pots starting in propagators.
Hope this may help/insipre?...
-
Even down here in Weymouth it's been snowy, frosty and now wet and windy....
@fozzylozzy. I know Weymouth really well, been on hols there loads of times. Spent many a happy hour in the Admiral Hardy pub's beer garden near Littlesea, watching the lottie holders grafting over the road!
PP.
-
sitting at computer and suddenly children descended to give me a make-over
despite me proteting I was going to have a shower.
7 yr old son is sitting on the back of the computer chair trying to put a white sparkly hair
scrunchie ( becoming more and more frustrated as he tries and hair falls out each time)
9 yr old daughter has put lipliner, lip gloss, mascara, blusher and stick on stars on cheeks.
Can't wait to look in mirror :-X
Debs
-
Oh Debs. That did make me smile, I can just imagine it. Hope you haven't got to go out cos they will be upset if you wash it all off!!!!
-
have just finished tucking into a toasted ham & cheese sarnie while watching recorded episode of the last week's 'The Apprentice'....half-way thru it at the moment so don't know yet who 'got the boot!!
also plucking up courage to go out into the cold (got a glimmer of sun right this minute tho) for few bits of necessary shopping :-\
-
Although it's cold I've had the windowsill plants in the greenhouse this pm -as the temp. was in double figures. I think the extra light and a bit of jiggling about helps to stop them getting too tall.
-
Getting crosser and crosser trying to post photo with only the b....y red cross coming up. Using imageshack, now giving up and going to knit some slippers instead.
Oh how I wish the weather would warm up.I did go to the lottie thismorning and someone very kindly gave me some pallets to construct a compost bin from. Tomorrows job,I think. :-\
-
;D
Knittting slippers???????? I am in awe of the talents on this site!!!!!
;D
-
When I've done them AND mastered the photo posting thing I'll let you see them........!
-
(http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i23/Emagggie/Image035.jpg)
AND I've got a cup of tea.
-
hi, am sat here waiting for our cat to start giving birth,all signs are that it will be today.
-
I'm waiting for the beeper on me cooker. Got a honey-roast gammon and a lemon meringue pie to come out, then I shall tackle the ironing!!
Stuff this domestic goddess malarky, I'm off to the lottie all day tomorrow come hail or snow!! :)
-
have had enough of this awful cold wind, am going to go and have a long hot soak in the bath ... with bubbles !
-
;D
Lol...waiting for the slippers to adorn the toes in front of the cosy fire!!
;)
-
love that shot of your toes in front of fire - how sensible ;)
& you seem to have mastered the camera too (no red crosses there) ;D
-
Sitting at the radiator and on here as usual waiting on OH to wake up, may go a short walk to blow away some cobwebs!!! Mince is cooking and hope I remember to switch it off. Hate Sundays really do, they should be banned. Now if it was warmer out there I would go and cut back some dead wood and shrubs, but its bleeding freezing and theres a fine drizzle.
::) ::) ::) ::) ::)
-
Walked down to the plot and collected a big Tesco bag full of seed packets, ready to plant toms, corn and squashes in pots, and go through to see what I haven't got in time to make a last-minute order.
-
rain snow sleet everywhere, ground too wet???
Just dug 10 parsnips up and leeks, ground is SO dry!
-
At 7am, I was on the plot and hoeing round the onions, garlic and shallots, soil was just right...shame the wind was a bit cold otherwise perfect! Greenhouse is busy, broadbeans and peas waiting to go out, leaks awaiting pricking on have to be next week after I have finished nights :D
-
Still digging and weeding. I'm taking between 4-6 big buckets of weed roots out of each 8x4 bed. So right now my back REALLY aches.
Have planted two cheapo apples trees, a Cox's and Jonagold.
In the plastic greenhouse I have beetroots - thinned them out this morning, also greyhound cabbages, 2 types of brussells, early purple sprouting broccoli, calabrese (hydra) broad beans, peas ( hope to put both of those in the ground next weekend) spinach, calendula and little leo sunflowers.
-
Just had 5 hours of wall to wall sunshine while working at the lottie. It certainly makes a difference. Finished off the bean trench. Dug over a narrow strip beside the compost bins for my cukes or a squash maybe. General muck flinging and tidying up. Cleaned out the shed too. Perfect day and I'm ready for a long hot soak. Aaah! :)
-
Perfect day here too weatherwise - but have visitors so couldn't go to lottie. AAAARRGGHHHH!
-
Lovley afternoon here, sunny, warm and not much wind - actually felt like spring for a change. Managed to get another row of shallots in and a row of parsnips. Cut the grass aswell. The row of broad beans i put in 4 weeks ago have still not appeared though :-\
-
A rare bit of sunshine today. So ignoring the wise old adage "one swallow does not a summer make" I planted out my first earlies. They're well chitted and I bunged plenty of manure in the trenches so hopefully they'll get a decent start. I must remember to get down there with the frost fleece before they pop their heads up.
The soil is worryingly dry. Down at a full spade's depth there's hardly any moisture at all. The taps are all dry at the moment and I'm worried that with the hosepipe ban coming in on April 3rd they won't switch the supply back on again.
-
I'm a newbie to veggie gardening, been very busy today as the weather has been "spring" like. Made a start on my fruit garden, planted raspberry canes, rhubarb, gooseberry & blackcurrant.
We've had to fence off our veggie area to stop our chooks from scoffing all the new shoots. They had the top off one of the rhubarb (just hope it survives!!)
Lots of seeds already planted in jiffy pots etc all round the house, conservatory & greenhouse. ;D ;D
-
Welcome Carolinep.. Hope you enjoy the site. Plenty of advice if you need it (I hasten to add not from me :)) The natives are really friendly and welcome all new comers. Enjoy.
-
Lovely warm day here too. I have planted up two blueberry bushes into pots that I bought yesterday from Woolies. No Idea if they will belany good but two for a fiver its got to be worth a try. They were Bluecap variety, not sure if thats good or bad.
I have also sown 4 varieties of sweetcorn today into roottrainer pots and put them on the windowsill...hopefully not too early to do that?
I have been to the Lottie and given my 5 inherited, very overgrown gooseberry bushes a prune and a feed. I will have to just see how they do over the summer. Am now trying to remove two tiny thorns from my thumb....boy do they hurt!!
Helen
-
Brillant weather so be down allotment and planted some early potatoes, carrots and Parnips and I feel really chuffed. Only thing had a look in book when I got back and I planted parnips like I did carrotts so I hope I can thin them if they come up.
-
I had a good weekend with plenty of digging and weeding. The soil was perfect for getting out the nettle roots. I had two barrow loads full. I have to rest quite a bit because of my health problems but I enjoyed being out in the sun and feel really satisfied with what I have achieved.
-
I'd have planted the rest of my onions if I'd been feeling better, but I've struggled this weekend, I've been up to my eyebrows in church stuff. As it is, I've got the toms in, under the hot water tank, and other things will follow shortly. I've got a final seed order off, and included sweet peppers and aubergines. I'll see how I go with them; last years toms worked, at least uintil the blight struck, and chillies didn't.
-
Making seed tapes! ;D ;D ;D
(http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/2222/dscn08660wz.jpg)
-
Oh thanks supersprout, that's just reminded me that I was going to try making seed tapes this year.
-
Wow! Those seed tapes look like a great idea for one such as me (who can't judge an inch from a mile)
How do you make them? And what seeds can you use them for?
cheers
-
hello sally, there's a great thread on this at http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,5605.0
The spacing is very much trial and error, but better than shaky hands and damp seed packets
:D
-
Well I'm sitting in an office in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (a**e end of Russia), waiting to find out if my plane will be flying today, the airport has been closed for 2 days due to the two feet of snow that fell on Saturday and Sunday (this makes about 4 feet of snow in places).
The temperature here is currently -3c (10.20am here now), but at night it's been getting down as low as -18c. So no tomatoes here!
I sincerely hope I can get back in the next day or two, cos there's bugger all to do here :(
-
Hey Robin, I am growing black Ukranian tomatoes this year, they are supposed to be able to stand the temperatures there but they probly start them in July ;)
-
Apparently it was 37c here in September, and people were sunbathing at, and swimming in the sea that is now frozen! :o :o
So maybe things with a short growing season are fine.
But it sure puts our 'cold winter' into perspective....
Almost forgot.......MY PLANE'S FLYING TODAY!!!!!!
-
Hopefully you're back home by now - I spent a short time in Mongolia & have very vivid memories of the rugby scrum when check-in finally opened 4 hrs late as the plane had got iced in in Russia.
Over there - vegetables - huh??? The ground is unfrozen for such a short time It really hard going to get much at all. Diet is meat and lard.
Think I'll go & sift through my seed packets again just because.
( red onions into the ground - garlic going great guns, too early for salads & potatos in pots yet)
-
dying of a sore back argggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggh
-
Going to bed for a while. I've still got the tail end of a bad cold, and I've just spent the day dealing with the most horrendous classes. I'm ready to drop.
-
So what are you doing - right now!
I'm sitting here reading this thread of course....lol ;D ;D ;D
Today I planted some more flower seeds and 2 Howden pumpkin seeds. I cut up 3 x 4 pint plastic milk bottles and made labels......You've not heard of plastic milk???
I did some house cleaning and then sat back and admired my seedlings. A year ago I was recuperating from an operation and wasn't able to be as organised as this year. In fact I have never been as organised and inspired as I am now and I think it is all down to A4A. Thanks folks.
;D ;D ;D
-
how do you make the labels out of milk cartons? Don't tell me there is a thread somewhere!
-
how do you make the labels out of milk cartons? Don't tell me there is a thread somewhere!
Of course there is
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,28/topic,16176.0
-
Clearing a bed ready for my red onion set to go in next week. Its been lovely and sunny here in Barnsley. Not much work on this week so nice weather means i can get down the lottie. Loved it. Robin hope your home safe up at Houghton. Also sowing TOmatoes, peppers and marigolds.
-
Ooh northerner, nostalgia for Barnsley :P I used to live in Saltaire and save up to go shopping in Polyanna :D
-
Is that a clothes shop in Wombwell?
-
On Market Hill, on the right, before you get to the bottom of the hill and the bus station ;)
-
.Diet is meat and lard
Ah yes! Just back from Poland and the bread and Lard :o
Bread is really nice ;) Did eat Lard and 4 times normal food for a week and still lost quarter stone ???
-
Yesterday I was so fed up with the continuing freeze that I indulged myself in the local market and bought bright red primulas for some cheery hanging baskets along with Tête-à-tête daffs. They also had an offer of 4 drumstick primulas for €5 and a 3' acer Beni-Maiko for only €15 so that came home too and on the way I picked up two 70 litre bags of compost and some tomato fertiliser to perk thing up.
This all meant I have had to nick OH's half of the garage as a potting shed so this morning I've moved some plants I had sheltering in the bull shed and put back my potting table in the garage which has a handy water supply. Now I'm off to cut down the dead stalks from the various grasses before the promised winds and rain arrive this evening. Feeling a lot better now having been frozen out of the garden since the surprise snow storm in November.
I might even get my Japanese onion beds hoed and titivate the bed where the replacement broad beans will go. The October sowing is now a black mush.
-
Yes, it's nice to get the black mush cleared away and start over (sigh) ::)
What is a bull shed obbelix? ???
-
well apart from sitting here reading these messages...I'm 'nursing' a very painful stiff back (permanently got spondylitis & fibromyalgia anyway) but not grumbling cos yesterday - in the lovely sunshine, I managed after preparing the soil a bit & getting a nice tilth on it, to plant 2 rows of white onion sets, 2 rows of red onion sets & 2 rows of shallots!!....
have now got a lottie buddie to 'share' my plot cos of my continued low back probs....she's amazing - she's been great & dug my bit for me too cos I've just not been able to do it but don't want to give up my lottie. I not only enjoy the fresh veggies & cooking them as part of my 'normal' meals but love all the 'fiddling about' involved in makes preserves of various sorts & freezing when necessary. I spend more time at the kitchen sink I think than I actually do at the allotment!
Still not got my garlic in yet - sort of hoped yesterday that maybe I'd be able to nip up there again today and get them in before the rains come tonight (so the forecasters say) but right now, can't nip anywhere ???
Sorry for the ramble, live alone & nice to 'chat' to people in this way.
H.P.
-
i must admit to getting board to day so i planted my garlic out in the garden plot that i should be using for flowers but its been in pots for ages now and was getting worried that id miss getting any garlic if i left it any longer then i noticed there was a space that needed to be filled (empty pots ) so iv washed and dried and tomorrow ill sow seeds ;D and start praying for warmer weather from now 8) its been nice to day but the wind is chilly iv also read my seeds packets again and wrote out a list of when i need to plant
-
Sitting here, waiting for the word that my Mothers Day Present--a ton of 'muck'---has been dropped off at the allotment. I have to gallop up there and move it as soon as I can.BUT........while I'm waiting I have just made the cornflour goo ready for making seed strips (as in top tips).Now I'm going to plot my plot while the goo cools. Better late than never ! :)
-
Sitting in front of the computer feeling frustrated. I'm still well under the weather, my wife's got flu, she couldn't sleep, I couldn't sleep, and then I had mad Year 8's most of the day. Aaaargh!
-
Hey Robert, don't know what subject you teach, but wouldn't it be good if it was history, you could get those year 8s to dig over your allotment in the hopes of finding something 'historical'. ;D
Mine's available......................
-
i've just rearraged the conservatory -ours is a 'working conservatory'none f yer pretty wicker seating in 'ere matey!
plenty of chitting taters -ready for good friday planting,my dads traditional planting day....checked the leeks in there..moved my fuschia and begonia cuttings in there from the kitchen-ah!THERES the sink!!
checked a4a for the problem with my pepper seeds-thanks sanders-he'd answered someone else with the same prob-damping off?use vermiculite with the next lot kitty!
planted some cuc and tom seeds -with vermiculite!....now?
feet up prior to egg and chips provided by management-see ,-i had a colonoscopy yesterday and i'm too sickly to move today....well..to the cooker anyway! ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)hahahahaha!
-
Poooooooooooor kitty!!
-
;)thanks tim but dont you believe it!-
apart from a few hiccups(like yesterday)i am as fit as the proverbial butchers cat!
i also washed the conservatory floor-planted 3 more tubs of strawberries,clipped my raspberries into shape and repotted a few geraniums...but i didnt want to boast !
see-i am fit as a fiddle! ;D
-
weather not good at the moment at south shields :'( was going to put the spuds in this weekend but it is forecast rain all weekend so will wait till next week ::)
-
.Diet is meat and lard
Ah yes! Just back from Poland and the bread and Lard :o
Bread is really nice ;) Did eat Lard and 4 times normal food for a week and still lost quarter stone ???
Yeah, funny that. The food is absolute cr*p, they do have veggies, probably imported, but they are cooked in fat, as is everything.
Thing is, they are all as fit as fiddles. Not a fatty to be seen.
And Northener, thanks. I got back last night at 11.40 pm, after spending 15 hours in Moscow's Dedomedovo airport, waiting for a connecting flight.
We were working in Juzhno-Sakhalinsk, which is just to the north of Japan, and 9 hours from Moscow. Nothing really works out there, and when the airport (which is tiny) got a new snow melting machine to clear the runway, they forgot that it would freeze at night... ::)
Therefore the first sign of snow and the airport is shut (and boy, do they get snow!). We were 2 1/2 days late at leaving Juzhno, and because of the difference in flight times, the scheduled BA flight from Moscow had already left. Hence the wait.
The place itself is............................interesting. The roads are made of ice or packed snow at this time of year, and in the summer they are made of potholes, apparently.
The housing in the city is generally crumbling concrete flats that haven't been touched with a paintbrush for decades, and in the countryside the houses are like sheds.
Nobody smiles until they know you, and then you're lucky if they do. Even the running water is unreliable, and it stopped working a couple of times in the hotel, even though it's new.
I've never been so glad to be British, or even Western European, and I've never been as happy to get on a plane. You don't realise how lucky we are until you see some other places that aren't so good.
I'm glad I went, even though I thought we'd never get back. I just hope I never have to go back again. ;)
If I have time I'll post some pictures later, if I can sort out a few good ones.