Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Jitterbug on March 08, 2007, 10:08:19
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I am starting to panic when I look at the bigger picture and am afraid that I will not get everything done in time. Has anyone got any advice for me. I am in the Dorset area so maybe I can start doing things a bit earlier than others inland?
The situation at present is as follows : I have been really good about not sowing too many things too early and have not even put any tomatoes in yet - despite me fondly caressing the packets every day and having all the labels ready and waiting for the big sow which are lined up on my kitchen worktop. I only have some To date I have got my onions and garlic and broad beans in last Autumn which are all doing well. Also managed to get another three rows of garlic in last week. The Jerusalem Artichokes are also in - only one row though. The others went hard and dry so I turfed them.
But I need to get the first early potatoes in, plant some carrots, beetroot, spring onions, finish weeding and firming the cabbage patch - which I changed with the root patch at the last minute, dig the trenches for the asparagus (still to come) so I can just pop them in on arrival. Also need to dig in the green manure in the currant bed.
Phew! I'm exhausted already - I still got sunflowers, calendula, Nigella and all the other companion plants to get going as well - alto I am going to sow them direct into the ground on the lottie.
Any advice on how others cope would be most welcome!
Thanks
Jitterbug
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Break it down a bit at a time. Do some things properly and not a rush bodge job to get all of it done.
Saying that am also panicking a bit, but what doesn't get done this year, will wait til next.
Enjoy it... :)
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Dont panic... as already said break it down. Do one thing at a time. Write lists out and next to each item put when you 'plan' to do it... remember its flexible. You will get everything done and even if you dont, you will do what you can and still be eating lots of fresh veg later in the year! I still dont have my water butt up and look at all the rain i have missed... whats the betting i put it up this weekend and we will have no more rain!
My beds have been poorly planned but hey no worries - they will be better next year right????
Relax, have fun! And dont do what i do... panic about sowing - sow lots all in one go, run out of labels and think you will remember what you have sown.... yep i've done it again.
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Thanks for that guys - its just sometimes you get so overwhelmed - I mean you spend hours poring over the blue prints. More hours breaking your back digging and digging getting the beds right and then POW - spring is here and its all systems go.
The rain has also not helped much either. I took the whole of last week off and only managed to get a day and a half at the lottie with all the rain. I know what you mean about a rainbutt. I have been eying one out down at our local nursery but it is a bit pricey. More important things to get first. I tend to be my own worst enemy and am a bit of a perfectionist and push myself far too hard at times.
Deep breath --- deep breath
Jitterbug
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Jitterbug.
What you need to do is the lists. I go down to the plot and i have a clear idea that i want to do x and y then then when i get there i will see that a, b & c needs doing as well.
Its very easy to get side tracked.
- Do you list with an est how long it will take and when it needs to be done by.
- dont be tempted to put that they all need to be done by x date
- think about the sequence things need to be done in, do you need to dig the trenches for the asparagus by a few days before the date you expect delivery to let the soil settle and warm up. Then you need to plant them.
and make sure you plan how much you can do before you back dies
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Hello Cambourne
Yeah I know what you mean about lists! It also does not help that the soil PH meter I bought seems to be registering 7 all over my plot. I need to try and see if it is not broken or anything. Will post another topic about it.
Jitterbug
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I have millions of lists, I write them over and over again but always lose them, however, I know now everything i need to do and eventually i will do it.
my plot ahs been too wet to dig and none of it is prepared, i have a muck heap the size of a mountain to move and weeds are everywhere.
you are not the only one who feels overwhelmed. I got my plot last July and am still nowhere in getting control.
I go down everyday and whilst i only feed the chooks and collect eggs, each time i go it doesnt seem so daunting as i start to plan it all in my head.
i found last year that it was only by working on the plot could i see my way tot he end and feel like i was acheiving.
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Prioritisation and preparation are the key things for me as I tend to go for the fun jobs first and leave the not so fun but important ones.
Plan before hand what you're going to do that day and then stick to it. At the outset take regular breaks so you don't strain anything but don't get disheartened if progress seems slow. When you've finished the job stand back and have a good look at what you achieved, then break open a bottle/can and enjoy the peace & tranqullity of your site.
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I'm feeling overwhelmed too - currently on sick leave so its doubly frustrating that I can't get to the plot and make the most of the time off.
I'm a great believer in lists - it really helps to be able to cross things off and put them out of your mind. It also helps to prioritise what needs doing.
I've got tons of digging to do and still need to make the base for the greenhouse, then glaze it, prepare the beds, plant the potatoes .... it goes on and on. Have at least managed to start sowing some seeds and noticed today that 6 tomatoes have appeared.
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same here. I've only got one bed dug, for my 1st early spuds.
the cheap fruit bushes I bought were plonked in "beds" that have had the grass and weeds skimmed off but haven't been dug, so they're going to have competition :(
I have managed to cover half my plot in weed-suppressing membrane, but the other half is a tangle of string marking out beds I have yet to dig.
apart from the fruit bushes and some rhubarb, I haven't planted or sown a single seed yet and get all panicky whenever I think about it!
it's going to be a looooooong time before my plot matches how it looks in my head ::)
there's always next year...
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Ah!! the joys of being retired 8)
I see one common theme running through many of these questions & Answers.
GROUND PREPARATION!!
Like you all I did work for a living and was faced with the same traumas but quickly learned that early ground preparation was the answer to making life easier.
When a bed is harvested and cleared "PREPARE IT FOR NEXT YEAR!!"
This does a number of things;
First and foremost ; you know it is ready for next years crop no last minute panic preparing it!
Two; It is easier to prepare it is invariably workable wheras around now as many of you are finding it is TOO WET!!
Three; It allows the winter weather to get into the lower levels of the soil (if left rough) this is particularly beneficial in clay soils.
Four; It takes the worry away of having to propagate and prepare at the same time when the weather is iffy to say the least and daylight hours are in short supply.
Sorry if I have come across a bit patronising but I wish someone had given me this advice many years ago it would have saved a lot of aggro
OK this advice is a bit late for this year but I think some of you will see the merits of it in later years.
For this year may I suggest you do your seed planting in the evening indoors, and leave the weekend for preparation.
and the odd thing about it .........your plants will all come up when THEY ARE READY and your panic will have beenn all in vain!!
OK I'll get of my soapbox 8)
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Thanks Tee Gee for those very wise words. I did manage to get most of my beds weeded and dug over but now there are new little weeds coming out.... Gnash!! - an old guy on my allotment told me I should not cover the ground with carpet and is does more harm than good. So I took it up - hence the new weeds.
I cheated last month with getting someone in to rotovate a piece of ground only covered in grass for the potatoe patch. But all the bean beds were trenched and manured in the Autumn before I went away - so they should be nice and fertile for the beans / peas this season.
Jitterbug
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I aint got nothing in the ground yet and not worried at all. Will get it all sorted over the next 4 weeks - weather permitting. Just been forcast - dry today, dry friday and rain saturday here in teeside. Story of my life ::) ::) ::)
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Like TeeGee, I try to make sure my beds are all prepared as I am clearing crops which means they are always ready, willing and able.
Spuds, by the end of the month, but I'm not panicking - they will grow and do the business. It is so wet that the seed spuds could well rot in the ground before they get the chance to grow.
I have tried early sowings of carrots under fleece and cloches on the plot, and hardly any germinated, so my first roots sowing will happen mid March.
Easter long weekend is usually my big push. I drag the old man and kids up onto the plot to get the jobs done and get the first lot of direct sowings done.
Tender seeds, like TeeGee says, I do in the evenings. It is suprising how little and often gets them all quickly done. Did some spring cabbage, spring onions, basil and flowers in cells today. ;D
It always seems to come in such a rush after we have had a long winter wishing for this time, so don't panic, enjoy it and take it all in your pace. Things will grow, even if they aren't sown on the 1st day of spring. ;D
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I did manage to get most of my beds weeded and dug over but now there are new little weeds coming out.... Gnash!! -
Don't worry about them these will easily hoe out! Plus they tell you that the ground is warming up, well normally they do but we have had such a mild winter even the weeds do not know what time of day it is :o
an old guy on my allotment told me I should not cover the ground with carpet and is does more harm than good. So I took it up - hence the new weeds.
And I agree with him let the weather get into the ground it usually kills off a few nasties whereas carpets protect them!!
But again this mild weather might might prove me wrong :-[
My plots as I left them in November http://tinyurl.com/2xoqso ......look no carpets ;) ;)
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And I agree with him let the weather get into the ground it usually kills off a few nasties whereas carpets protect them!!
But again this mild weather might might prove me wrong :-[
My plots as I left them in November http://tinyurl.com/2xoqso ......look no carpets ;) ;)
I'm sure I've read in a book or magazine that leaving bare soil uncovered increases the amount of nutrients washed away by the rain, and that it's better to sow a green manure to over-winter and protect the soil.
but, on the other hand, I know that if you have heavy soil (which I don't) you should leave it bare over winter to allow the weather to break down the clods.
so which is better: bare or green manure, or does it depend on your soil type?
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I'm sure I've read in a book or magazine that leaving bare soil uncovered increases the amount of nutrients washed away by the rain, and that it's better to sow a green manure to over-winter and protect the soil.
I agree but I don't put in any nutrients to leech out, I fertilise just a few days before planting out, and are greenmanures not best dug in prior to winter?
The only time I would go against this theory is if my ground was on a slope and I used the green manure to stop errosion.
Could the article be that surplus chemicals (nutrients) are washed (leeched) out?
I seem to recall that the river authorities and fisherman a few years back complained to the agricultural fraternity for this 'leeching' into rivers & ponds.
Can't win can we???
The gardener seems to get blamed for everything these days >:(
I won't go into the peat & water issue :-X
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I just admit I've lost the plot.... something always gets overlooked..
;D
::)
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I just admit I've lost the plot.... something always gets overlooked..
;D
::)
speaking of losing the plot - i counted out of the packets all my sunflower seeds - about 8 differnet types and Lidl's 29p was supposed ot have 15 seeds in but had 40 in... so they came out tops!
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are they the evening something, oo..mine have just been planted, got 27 ;D
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Completely OT but anyway...
I bought some mixed pumpkins and squash seeds from seeds of italy, and there were 145 seeds in there. I know cos I counted them at my desk at work!!
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they'll last you a few years then, plotof weeds ? ;D
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are they the evening something, oo..mine have just been planted, got 27 ;D
Not sure... some giant type of sunflower anyways.... did you plant direct??
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no, shoved them in rootrainers, all came up and transplanted them into deeper ones today, they're getting out of hand ;D
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Yeah, i know what you mean about getting panicky jitterbug, it's our first year with the lottie and we've really no idea what we're doing, so i'm following my fave book like it's a bible! ::)
You're one step ahead of us, we haven't dug anything yet, although we did have the plot rotovated in January (as soon as we took it over) so we're hoping to do minimal digging this year, just dig & plant/sow at the same time & see what happens. We'll be more organised next year..... ::)
My main thing is remembering everything that needs to be done, so i'd recommend the list thing too, i'm a list addict actually in all facets of my life, lists are king! It really helps to relieve the pressure of remembering everything, and you get the added satisfaction of crossing things off as they get done! 8) Do i need to get out more.... :D
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Like many others I concur with lists, prioritisation thereof, sticking to them and mindinf the poor old spine... Panic ye not, for tis worthless and causes only anguish and escalating guilt vibes.
Like Tee Gee, I agree that ground prep is vital.
Unlike Tee Gee I work stupid hours with a stupid commute and resort to weekend visits only during the dark evenings. Ergo I am moving over to mulching and this year will be mostly cheating with the seeds (buying in plug plants where possible) to enable time for The Mulching Experience to be fully implemented and the weed-ridden paths to be violently hammered into shape whether they like it or not.
The hardest part is geting the peripheries of the plot dealt with as all you want to do is sow & harvest. Then the weeds get a bit embarassing... It's worth putting a half hour on your list to dedicate to borders, paths and weedy spots.
And remember to enjoy the process - allotments are there for enjoyment, love of connecting with the earth and munching on the fruits of your efforts. It can't all be done in one go (unless you're retired... ;D ;D ;D) so pick and chose which permanent crops to go in for this year and those that can wait for next year and work your prep throughout the year instead of in one go.
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Just join the club! I think it is natural to feel like this - I do myself. There is always one time usually inbetween May and June, in the season, where somehow you feel out of control. The weeds are growing faster than you can deal with, the plants are not being put in, in time. The greenhouse is still full of stuff and you still have beds to dig over. Eek!! Panic stations! Like everyone says, prioritise and plan, but mainly don't worry about it. You can only do what you can do.
I especially feel sorry for those that are at work and can only go to their lottie at the weekend, which might be the time when it decides to rain continually. So, just do what you can. Remember it should be something you enjoy doing, not something you should be worrying and feeling pressured about. Somehow, you tend to get there in the end, and if you don't there is always next year, when "things will be better"!! :) busy_lizzie
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We haven't done any digging either,cleaned out my raised beds etc but it is too wet for the main plot , just relax jitterbug,I am a real perfectionist and one thing I have learned over my insane nit picking lifetime is that you will never get the perfection you strive for, no matter how close you get it will evade you,accept it and do the best you can. Be nice to yourself, you are supposed to be enjoying this, weeds will grow, they are meant to, so relax you don't have to have the perfect plot,well at least not the first year,,just kidding . Enjoy XX Jeannine
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Jeannine - those are really wise words, being a perfectionist myself i totally know where you're coming from.
I'm hoping the lottie experience will help me to tone down my perfectionist streak :o so I can accept part success instead of feeling guilty about everything not being 100% perfect.
;D
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beauty is in the eye of the beholder 8)
I think my plot is 1/2 finished and no where near ready to plant yet other allotment holders thing my plots looking great!
They dont seam to see the weeds, the grass and all the bits i have 1/2 done or not started.
I am determined to get one bed planted up this week rain or shine.
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Kitten,if you find a way please share it,being a perfectionist is a terrible thing to be,I realised I was way over the edge some years ago. I make teddy bears and I like the little ones ,so I aimed for smaller and smaller,everytime I did one the next one had to be smaller,eventually and I kid you not I actually got to 3/4 inch tall,made of ultrasuede, there were 24 pieces in the pattern,but would you believe I then wanted to dress them,and it had to be in scale I did little sweaters using fine heirloom thread instead of wool, regular thread was even too thick,and I knitted them or piano wire. Terrible isn't it XX Jeannine
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hi jitterbug, Dont worry to much, i suffer with a bad back, and have to get other to do most of my work, so i have to plan my plot out well, i now use this way to do things, people may disagree, but it works for me,
i draw out my plot for what i want to grow and eat every year, and stick to a crop rotation by moving the vegetable areas to a new site every year,(http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/2020/lastscandj9.th.jpg) (http://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lastscandj9.jpg),
when i start the season i hire a rotavator for around £30.00 perday, my son 27 yrs, poor lad, places manure where my potatoes and legumes will grow, then he rotavate the whole site, kills him but keeps him fit (to drop) or so he keeps telling me, twise - three times (the more he moans) i'm not that bad really, he! he! just to mix every thing in well,
we then mark out the site again and cover the growing areas with a fiber membrane ( two layers of cardboard - paper can be used just as well) and grow through this, as it cuts out the light for weeds to grow (stop work-hoeing) it saves on water loss, allowing water to go through the fiber or organic covering,
now the tempreature has warmed up, seeds will germinate, i've just started to sow and grow seeds in my coldframes and cold greenhouse, the tempreatures are aroung 15--23dec during the day and i have a good show now, and on the weekend will start to prick out seedlings, and plant them out in about four - to five weeks time, god willing,
hope this helps,
windy
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you are not the only one who feels overwhelmed. I got my plot last July and am still nowhere in getting control.
this is me as well, except we got the plot in september.
and the plot is still covered in snow so no digging till april when the snow goes and the ground thaws. still lots of weeding before anything can be planted. then there's the seed starting... can't start too early they'll go leggy, can't start too late as even a week with tomatoes can make a huge difference with a short growing season.
maybe i'll get the hang of it next year...
glad i'm not the only one
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Thanks for all those wise words and encouragement. I have now drawn up a list of things to do and have numbered them from 1 - 7 in the order of importance.
Have decided that I am going to put a bottle of wine in my 'lottie box' (has its own list of things to pack 1 - 18) to take with me and if (when) I finish all the chores I will open the wine and sip it slowly whilst comtemplating my kingdom.
Cheers and have a wood week-end and hope the weather is kind to you all.
Jitterbug
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Have a good weekend then jitterbug, make sure you put the wine at number one eh ;)
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and that a bottle opener is one of the 1-18 items you bring :)
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I got my plot in January and was making good progress with it, but haven't been in three weeks. The only thing that needs doing down there is digging, and it's just far, far too wet. Before the snow, I'd properly dug about 20-30ft of the plot, full width. Only 110ft to go, then. ::)
It's been so long that I'm starting to hyperventilate in panic, just thinking about it :o
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it'll still be there waiting, Laura.not as bad as you think :) ..don't forget, it's supposed to be a pleasure, not a chore :)
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it'll still be there waiting, Laura.not as bad as you think :) ..don't forget, it's supposed to be a pleasure, not a chore :)
It's never a chore! I just want it dug, yesterday ::)
Impatient, me? Noooooo!