Newbie - first attempt to get in on the act!

[Susiebelle]

Just thought it was about time I said 'Hello' -  like the Amatteurgardener I have been enjoying the forum for some months and love the friendly banter and generosity of every-one.
I am a very keen gardener  and ventured into vegetables with an allotment 18 months ago,I inherited a plot riddled with mares tail, the previous plot holder used a cultivator which helped the mares tail no end! most of my time has been spent on clearing and getting the infra structure up & running. I am using the raised bed system using railway sleepers,  the last sleepers went in 4 weeks ago, now that was worth celebrating  :) I am working on the premise "you only get out what you put in" and have gone for double digging ( it should be renamed back breaking) but I am getting there and enjoying every minute of it, as for the harvest - excited isn't the word - it has certainly awakened the inner child!
I am really not good at this forum thingie but hope to change all that and look forward to receiving advice and support along the way- bye for now :-* :-*

[Susiebelle]

[coznbob]

Hi Susiebelle, would say welcome to the madhouse but think you already know us well!

Am jealous of your sleepers, must have cost a fortune and been seriously back breaking to shift them! ;D

[Susiebelle]

Hi Coznbob,thanks for the welcome- back breaking yes! fortune well  :P.
In my first season I was known as the !SkipGal! always knocking on some ones door asking if I could recycle the contents of their skip, but then Luck struck! - cut a long story short sleepers came courtesy of British Rail, they even fork lifted them onto my plot!  and payment in the true spirit of allotments  by way of produce - now thats LUCK

[Jeannine]

Welcome from me too, and especially as you sem to be a Skip Womble too.you will find many like minded Womblers here. XX Jeannine

[Froglegs]

Hi from me , but i must tell you i don't have any thing to do with skips..............i send the wife!!!!! ::) ;)

[manicscousers]

hiya, susiebelle, welcome from us too  :)

[Suzanne]

Hi Susiebelle & welcome

Sounds like you really had to work hard on getting your lottie ready - I know what its like when you have marestail - it's a *** to get out. I also have a bit of a reputation when it comes to skips. My OH has stopped me taking anything to our council dump as I tend to bring stuff back!
Suzanne

[lorna]

Hello Susiebelle glad to have you aboard, hope you enjoy
Lorna.

[cornykev]

Hi Sus and a big N. London welcome from me.  ;D ;D ;D

[asbean]

Hi Susiebelle - welcome to the forum - it's addictive so watch out!  :) :) :)

[theamatteurgardener]

Thanks for the namecheck!

18 months is a lot more experience than myself however! Do you have any photos of how things are on your allotment, especially of these railway sleeper beds? Im intrigued.

[Susiebelle]

No pics I'm afraid - haven't got the know how yet! but the sleepers are fabulous. As far as the experience goes it's a steep learning curve, I came to the allotment never having grown any vegetable, but I am still in wander at the generosity of my fellow plot-holders, in my first season poor health kept me away for a few weeks I returned to discover my winter dig was well on the way, when I prodded I was told that they new something was wrong so they thought they would give me a helping hand, now thats what you call looking out for each other. The initial advice given has stood me in good stead what ever you are doing enjoy, once it becomes a chore its time to walk away and you have to be able to accept failure, nature has a way of telling your whose boss! they are right and I luv 'em all