Didn't get all over the weekend as DH was working a lot and smallest rugrat is teething so not in a mood conducive to me getting on with anything.
Hoping to get there today at some point, but I am only getting own both weekend days most weeks. :-[
I have potatoes in, red onions and stuck a few peas in last weekend - just the experimental ones we started off in pots to show the children how things grow. So nothing major needing attention I don't think.
Ah just remembered carrot seeds as well :-\
I am guessing once I get more seeds etc in, I shall need to go down more often to water at least, and keep an eye on things?
have to say its quite exciting this way as things change so much each time I get there, even if it does mean the weeds have too !!!
Hi Barbara,
Sounds the same as me!
We have pots, carrots, onions, leeks, parsnip, chard, spinach, and beans and peas that the children grew!
We try to get down at the weekend and one or two days in the week. Would like to do more, but work and children make it a little difficult.
We just do what we can when we can.
Amen to that. I don't get down there anywhere near as much as I need to really - work takes a lot of my time. I only just managed to get down there after almost 4 weeks last night and the weeds had taken a stronghold. Luckily thanks to the rain the night before the ground was beautifully soft and allowed for easy weeding - tap roots and all!
Just get down there when you can really is my philosophy now. Anything is better than nothing and most the plants once they take hold are reasonably hardy and can just about fight for their own corner. Obviously if you remove the weeds as often as possible then the plants won't have to fight quite so hard, but it's character building for them ;)
Agreed. As and when you can. Though would recommend the hearty pro-active use of weed supressing cloth on all unused/worked areas, netting an area when planting out and a hefty use of slug pellets. This method has ensured that there are actually crops left to grow during the non-visiting spells.
If you have room, starting seeds off in pots/trays at home is also helpful as it keeps your interest going and ensured that you can plant out on the next trip& shop instant results.
Bit worried at the mo' due to no visit for 1.5 wks, mum planted out 100 dwarf french beans with no netting and no slug pellets. Fingers crossed there's anything left when I get down there this coming weekend (come hell or high water!)
Ours are over the back fence so it is rare we don't get down....
Unless you have stuff under glass, which has to be watered, most things will survive on a once a week visit to check: not swamped by weeds ( a good sign... if the weeds won't grow your plants stand no chance) or eaten by something...
;D
Once a week, twice if I'm lucky. It has to fit in with the rest of your life, so don't end up feeling guilty - remember that it's meant to be rewarding, and not a burden! ;D
Mines 30 foot from the house so I am pretty lucky really, like to get down several times a day if I can. Do all the hard work then late evening take a wander around checking out the days work.
Mine's five minutes walk from home. I also work from home, which means I can pop down for a quick half-hour dig or whatever from time to time during the day (weather permitting, of course). I keep three piles of clothes - lottie clothes, slopping around the house clothes and smart work clothes for when I have to see work people. Trouble is, occasionally I'm in a meeting and happen to glance at my hands and think OMG - my nails are FILTHY!
hi
my allotment is about 5 min away and although i have been down there pretty steadly for a couple of weeks i have not been for a week and a bit and i feel i have lost all the ground i had gained.
All my weeds have grown and i just see so many unfinshed jobs.
I went up today and got a bit done but i recon i need 40 hours to get it cleared and the way i want it.
Problem is i have this utopian vision of what it should look like and with the best will in the world i am failing to acheive what i feel i can.
cambourne7
Little and OFTEN is the key .. Weeds will grow like lightning this month and next .
Best weed control is gardeners shadow ...Unfinished jobs are par for course on lotties I think .You sets about one but always notice something else that is more urgent . Wouldn't it be more boring any other way ?..You needs unfinished projects. :)
yes i agree little and often its certainly something the physio hammered into my head.
Going to do a list and try to stick to it!
My previous plots meant i got there once weekly or there-abouts.
I now have hens on my current plot. This way I have to go down at least twice daily. Once to let 'em out, once to lock 'em up at night. Its only a 5 min walk away so I get a bit done each evening. Even if its only 10-15min weeding or putting in one row of seeds.
Would like to do little and often but the hours we work mean nearly everything has to be done at weekends. Luckily GH in garden so can sow and look after seedlings.
As I work 12 hour shifts, I'm either at work all day/night or a day off, so I'm lucky I usually have three or four potential days a week to get down the lottie. The weather is my guide, unless it's pouring I go down and get on with my mental list of jobs.
This week, thanks to the rain (at last!) I have spent the last two days potting on squash and chilies at home, popped down from a couple of hours to take some down to my little greenhouse at the lottie yesterday, so will have to make sure I keep an eye on their watering now..... ;D
I work shifts too so when I can get to the lottie depends on my working hours too. I have a book called "the half hour allotment" & it's full of advice on how to run an allotment on no more than 1/2 hour visits, the key being pre-planning your visit.
I'm on 12-hours days today & tomorrow so want get near the plot but next week am on nights so will get approx three hours each morning before I go to bed.
CC
sounds like i need to read that, problem i have is that i go down to do something specific and then get side tracked by something else.
Very easy to do...!
I have a wander round first, in case there is something that needs repair (bigger sticks for my peas today, netting my strawberries as the birds have started to have a go at them), or has been eaten/attacked by something (refilled slug pubs), or needs watering (herbs in pots).
The half hour allotment book suggests you have a strict list of stuff to do, but I could never stick to that! Sometimes I just don't feel like doing much when I get there, but after contemplatory sit down I start getting on with bits and pieces, and somehow it all seems to get done eventually. I find the less time I have available, the more I get done! I did write a list of stuff to do when I first started clearing the plot, just so I could work out a logical order for it all. Crossing off tasks done was very satisfying too and kept me going through the winter. ;D
went to the lotty today about 3 ish and crawled back at 7.30!
I decided that the ground was 2 wet to dig ( would be easier to get a pottery wheel and make a mug )
Do decided to turn my compost (move from one bay into another) and layer in lots of fresh stuff. This was going to come from my cabbage bed which had gone to seed. As i started pulling and yanking i though there was 2 or 3 cabbages i might harvest. Low and behold these were not cabbages they were cauliflowers (odd as i did not grow any).
Took some photos 8)
View of the Bed - http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/P5120601.jpg
Ready to eat Cauli - http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/P5120598.jpg
MiniCauli - http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/P5120596.jpg
Dinner - http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/P5120602.jpg
Not quite ready Cauli -
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/P5120599.jpg
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/P5120600.jpg
So feeling very stiff and sore but very chuffed!! Got many admiring glances from other allotment holders.
Camborune7
should think you're chuffed, nice surprise, we got sunflowers and parsnips, coriander and fennel freebies this year but i bet yours tastes nicer ;D
well this is the thing my other half is not a major fan of cauli.
So i only picked one and its soaking in salt water to take the bug out. Now just have to work out what to do with it maybe soup or cauli cheese?
Does the home grown stuff taste any better than the shop bought stuff?
you only need to steam it for a few minutes, it melts in the mouth,the (cack) shop bought stuff can't compare to it, ;D
cool i will give it a try with tomorrows roast chicken dinner...
I think i might try this recipie with the other head...
1 Cauliflower
600ml (1 pint) Vegetable or Chicken Stock
300ml (½ pint) Milk
150ml (¼ pint) Cream
2 Leeks
1 small Onion
2-3 Garlic Cloves
25g (1oz) Butter
15g (½oz) Fresh Thyme or Tarragon
Bay Leaf
Nutmeg
Parsley
Ground White Pepper
Chop the leeks, onion and garlic.
Sauté in melted butter until the onions are transparent.
Cut up the cauliflower
Place the cauliflower, thyme or tarragon and bay leaf in a saucepan.
Simmer in the stock and milk until the cauliflower is soft.
Remove the bay leaf and liquidise or sieve to a smooth puree.
Stir in the cream.
Garnish with cauliflower florets and chopped parsley.
sounds lovely, enjoy it :)
wow thanks all :)
hoping as rory enjoyed it so much the other day, I may get down there a bit more while I am out of work!
Cambourne7 I am so jealous of your freebies! I might have to look into come cabbage and cauli now, they look so delicious! we weren't going to bother as we don't eat them much.
Hi all, as we haven't been down at all in the last week, and won't get til at least Tuesday after work. The rain hasn't helped obviously, but we've been so busy with family commitment etc and we both work full time too. I feel more and more like we're drowing in 'undone jobs'!
Sowed some cauli's, brocolli and cabbages in modules today so at least we'll have some plants to put out in a few weeks hopefully!
Very little, and not very often is our motto at present, but it's always harder in your first year.... right? :D
Hi kitten
my first year too, in fact I only got the plot in February so its been HARD work so far. We have only cultivated half the plot too , the rest if hald heartedly covered in tarps trying to stave off weeds!!
We havent managed to get to the lottie for a week now, I am really looking forward to the rain stopping, if only for one day, and hopefully that will be a day when I am not at work LOL! (Mon,Weds or weekend!), it doesn't look like it will be today!
the outdoor jobs are piling up at the allotment and in the garden!
Do you know, Asbean, you sound just like me. My fingers are ingrained with muck. Oh I'll never be a laydeeeeee!!!!!!
My jobs are piling up too; the peas and sweet peas need planting out urgently, and I'm way behind. I had no Easter break, and ten weeks' teaching without a rest is completely exhausting.
i normally goto the plot when kids at school for a couple of hours i the morning, but not lately one the weather and two we have 16 community service men over there right next to our plot, int going over there feel intimidated
I managed to do 40mins on Monday and 3 hours this morning - Yay!
I stayed in the rain for about 30mins this morning, I kept thinking that it will only be a shower and stop in aminute, but it didn't and I decided to go home. Got home, the rain stopped - typical. Anyway, I needed to get some housework and cooking done, but I might try to get back later.
You sound like me. I love the lottie sooooooo much I can't be bothered with the cooking and housework. I have to dash back from the lottie, get stuff done in a rush at home so it looks as though I have been slaving over a hot stove for hours. I am going to have to dust today though it's getting thicker. God, I hate housework!!!!!
cacran amen to that 8)
I`d much rather be at the lotty than doing housework my quick visits usually take about 2-3hours, son`t be fooled into thinking that I tend my plot for that long, I usually have to talk to about 5 people about it first. Thats the nice thing about the lotty everyones so friendly. One thing about this weather though because I don`t go down there every day perhaps twice then when I do the plants have really grown (well most of em!) :)