newbie

[JAL]

Hi,
New to this site - I have had an allotment in London for 8 yrs now.  I have 8 rods - currently in the ground - raspberries autumn and summer, onions - autumn plus red & white and shallots, garlic, broad beans, mange tout, spinach, potatoes - pink fir, strawberries, rhubarb, logan berries, blackberries, asparagus (three yr old bed).  In addition grow flowers - sweet peas, dahlias, chrysanthamums, sunflowers etc.  Plus a greenhouse full of plants waiting to go out.

Really excited at finding a site of like minded people who love growing fruit, veg and flowers and really looking forward to exchanging ideas and news.



I am work full time but and

[JAL]

[Gardengirl]

Hi JAL - welcome to A4A. :) I am sure you have realised by now that this is a great site and I am sure you will make many 'cyber' friends as I have.  I haven't got a lottie - more of a flower person myself but enjoy reading about others.  Yours sounds great - perhaps a photo?  Look forward to hearing all your news.

[Wicker]

Hello JAL, can only echo what Patricia said it is a great site, you can really pick up hints and be encouraged to try new crops.  I've been allotmenteering(??!!) for quite a few years but this year is the first time I've tried Sweetcorn (still hardening off nice) and asparagus (could only get 1 year old plug plants but theya re in the ground anyway).  I've obviously been in a rut and just "listening" to all the others gives you a fresher outlook - plus they are all good fun and ready for a laugh.

Cheers.

[kenkew]

Welcome Jal. Got any ideas you'd like to share? Something along the lines of, "How to make a cheap slug gun?" or "What's the best prayer for lettuce?"

[Mimi]

Ken the best prayer always starts:-
Lettuce pray.   ;D

[JAL]

Hi kenkew,

The only gun for slugs that I can think of is a water pistol filled with salted water - will give the slugs a slow painful death - not sure if it would be that good for the plants or soil!
;D
jal

[philcooper]

Plants that have their origin on the coast such as beetroot appreciate a bit of salt

Phil

[carrot-cruncher]

greetings,

Six months ago I was a newby, both to allotmenting & this website.   There are some fantastically helpful people on this site & I've benefitted greatly from other people's knowledge & experience.

Welcome aboard

[legless]

welcome to allotments 4 all! looks like we've found someone else experienced taht we can bombard with questions!!

i grow a few flowers too, get some funny looks but then some people come and tell me how much they enjoy them.

[Wicker]

I'm a great believer in flowers on the lottie as I don't have a garden.  Have really got quite a lot packed in and they pretty all seem to thrive and certainly give me a lot of pleasure, like you Legless people seem to like to see them there too.

[JAL]

Thank you for all your replies.  If anyone is thinking of starting some flowers on their plot I can recommend dahilias - they flower their socks off and provide the house with masses of cut flowers - it is very hard to purchase dahlias from the florist.  They are also very easy to look after - I don't even lift mine - just leave them in the ground - a few slug pellets in spring and a couple of feeds when they start flowering and they are away.
jal

[philcooper]

I'm with you there Newbie - dahlias are great, they smoother all but the most persistent perennial weed and look good to.

The only downside is that they do like lots of water (which my plot does not have)

[gillianbc]

I'm nutty about dahlias too.  Until I first grew them, I thought they were difficult and only for the experts.  I do lift and save most of the tubers but I have also found them incredibly easy from seed - even sown as late as June. They don't all come true but all are lovely.  

[philcooper]

Cuttings too are so easy - just try to stop them rooting!

[Wicker]

I should know how  but, Phil, I have never taken cuttings from my dahlias - what's the procedure please?

Have very large tuber "balls" of 2 different large dahlias which I have literally chopped in two twice in recent years and still they grow but the plants are very large when grown.  Think time has come to try cuttings and get some smaller plants which take up less space.  I wield a mean hacksaw  :o ;D

[philcooper]

The way to get plants that flower shortly after those from tubers is to:

Start the tubers into growth in Feb by placing them in some moist compost and gentle warmth (~15 degrees), this will produce growths.

When they are 2-3" tall, cut off, close to the base and insert in a sandy medium and the same or slightly higher temp. they root within 2 -3 weeks. Rooting hormone is supposed to help.

You can try it at this time of year with the shoots that are emerging. They will be a little late in flowering but it's good practice and there are always plenty of shoots, so removing a few won't  reduce your harvest

The rate at which they grow when rooted is fantastic

Phil

[Wicker]

Thanks Phil I haven't planted the split tubers yet and there are quite a few shoots so I will try cutting off 3 or 4 and bring them on.  Cheers