I think I'm going to write to the BBC and ask them to make a series entirely about A Year On A New Allotment. With the following suggestions.
1. How to find an allotment, doo's and don'ts
2. How to start off your plot tackling the monster weeds, brambles, rubbish clearing etc
3. Marking out your plot, pathways and beds, compost bins, shed and or greenhouse prep sites. (the use of Freecycle)
4. Making raised beds or lazy beds. Cheap and cheerful coldframe making
5. Soil preparations, manures, mulches, weed suppressant fabrics
6. Crop rotation planning
7. Non rotational crops. i.e strawberries, asparagus, soft fruits etc.
8. Seed sowing, potting on seedlings, planting out in final position.
9. How to take care of your plants once planted....i.e adding lime, blood, fish and bone, watering, making your own plant feed
10. How to control pest and diseases. Companion planting.
What else I have I missed off the list...?
Cant think of anything :)Great idea.
maby month by month instructions on what to plant, what time of the year, should it go in a greenhouse or straight outside, and harvest times, also planting for seasons ie winter veg. Thats what I battle with the most if when and what to plant. Excellant idea by the way, I would def watch it, if they bough it out in book or dvd they would make a killing
Great idea and go for it. Unfortunately, they did do something similar - it was called the Big Dig and it sunk without trace. Not through lack of viewer interest but lack of BBC interest and a sensible scheduling time.
PS - cannot believe that as the huge supporter of the BBC that I am, how many times I have slagged them off on various gardening and Imps boards this week.
Channel four did a series on allotments and I think that is on DVD but I don't think the content was as good as Lauren wants. :)
it was carol someone who did it, but it was more about her garden than a allotment
Bristol (TV) did a series about allotments that I had on DVD but a lot of it was weird!!
:-X
Hmmm, do you mean the poet bloke who sat on his shed roof and proclaimed his love of his plot to a pumpkin...... ::)
How did you guess Deb...
;D
Have just PM'd you about tomorrow Deb..
Joe Swift is taking on an allotment for the new series of Gardeners' World, but not sure how much coverage it will get.
Big Dig still gets shown on UKTV Gardens from time to time.
I liked the Big Dig but hope that Joe has a big enough slot to help us newbies
wait with baited breath