Allotments 4 All

Now are are approaching Autumn and soon to be putting our plots to bed, what have been the highs and lows of your year.

What was the best, most rewarding experience, and what was the worst, most horrendous disaster?

Well, this was my first year growing anything - let alone veggies - so the high point was that ANYTHING at all grew.

But more specifically - tomatos warm off the plant, unexpected bonus of blackberries, raspberries and more blackberries from bushes around plot, and just the one perfectly-formed aubergine!

Downsides were discovering onions had white rot and realising just how much slugs ate...

Funniest point was realising that the banging noise I could hear from the watering can when watering corgettes wasn't a stone, but a frog that was trapped in there - then being caught by potential new allotment holders (being shown round the plots) on my hands and knees trying to lure the frog out by talking to it!

Lost my bean and brassica seedlings sown in modules to a very enterprising snail, who managed to hide from me and over the course of three night decapitate the lot!

Due to exams and other work didn't have time for a second batch.

Best thing was the first raspberries!

And the shed making it into the national press ;D (and me, but that's by the by.

This wasn't the RT shed story on ebay by any chance???

p.s. I didn't put the smiley face there - I just put a question mark - what's that about?

However, I did put this one in :-/

I think my most rewarding moments were grapes for the first time on the vine and olives on the tree.  Also best harvest of beans and strawbs ever

Plant-wise, I had always wanted a ceanothus and finally got one - what a picture - and the bees loved it.

Not too many disasters, but planted a passion flower not realising they were so vigorous - full of blooms, now hanging with orange fruit, v. decorative, and in second bloom,  But it's got to go, strangling my eucalpytus and cordyline.  Whether I can transplant it without killing it not too sure.

On the whole, pretty good year horticulture wise and with all the dry weather the grass was not a problem ;)

this years been the best for a while. hoeing weeds and knowing the heat would frizzle them up without the rain giving them a second chance. sweetcorn bigger than could be bought in the shops, and passing time talking with other plotters hanging over the fence till twighlight. for this far north the years been exceptional.
  worst bits.....the never ending watering and the sunburnt neck also the thought of the ice cold winds and freezing rain while digging over the winter. ah never mind next summer might be even better.
                the plotter

YO Suze O,the best time was looking at the garden when it was all done and came into flower it looked beautifull  :D  the worst was when my pump broke on the water feature i missed the water gusshing so much
it really makes a difference WHEN you sit and relax.
   cheers Rosebud.... :)

Rose bud

What sort of water feature do you have.  Have been considering a solar powered one, as not too hot on the old electrics !

Also considering some solar lights for a bit of low level glow.

Ain't it getting dark early in the evenings now and today such a heavy dew and really autumnal feel - I am not looking foward to the winter at all, lets hope it'll be a mild one, although the amount of berries I already have in the garden on cotoneaster and berberis looks dubious.  But maybe just old wives tale.

Yo Oz

You asked about growing flowers on the lottie

I would say anything that attracted bees/butterflies.

Mainly old cottage garden/herbs.  try; lavendar/borage/hollyhock/campanula/delphinium/foxglove/echinops/lupins/oregano/nepeta/salvia ;)/sedum/verbascum/rosemary

Funnily enuf bees seem to really like blue flowers.

I have acute attack of the munchies and cannot find any choccy in the house ........

Hi the best time was when I picked the first runner bean.  now when I go down the lottie and see all the vedge growing and pick the runners. And not a darn weed in site.

The worst time was after the excitement of getting the lottie four months ago.  the reality hit me with spade and fork in hand and I saw what I had.
Waist high weeds thistles nettles docks and brambles
what a mess should have taken a photo. Teresa

Yo Suze O i only said to me hubby yesterdayabout the
amount of berries on the different trees and the old chap who lives in our old part of town and spends hours on his allotment said looks like a rough old winter this year so maybe theres something to be said for these old wives tales :-/ we have a double barrel water feature quite large but i think we should have a bigger
pump really its lovely to look at and to relax by,those solar  lights look great especally now the nights are drawing in my sister has got some they are nice to look at  as it gets dark but its getting quite cool now so its not long before we nip indoors  wait till the sales are onbefore
you buy . cheers rosebud.......... :)  

Yo rose bud

Yes, the number of berries around already are quite amazing - we maybe should start a thread about old wives tales?

Solar lights prob would be in the sales now, I cannot believe how quickly the nights have been drawing in and 8 pm quite dark and not warm enuf to sit out.

Have to order some seed catalogues I think and while away the winter eves day dreaming of bigger and better crops  ;)

Yo Zo!

Just bin doing a bit of quantum leaping across various boards and visited Beeb to see what final insult was to ower Tim.

Also, went via Spydaradio and other strange assorted fruits.

Hey OzZy. you have replicated yourself, got 3 postings on me screen - oh wtf it's Friday  :)

Oh No it ain't Friday, Oh yes it is, Oh no it ain't clock  says 7 mins to 1.00pm  - Satters.

Scarey space out here in cyber space. Gotta break out the Choco Liebniz bikkies any mo now ......

Hi Folks. Best time, All year so far. Worst time, none worth mentioning. See you on the Gower sometime Oz. Guess who!

Is that Eric?

No, maybe not Eric, your user name means pine - not a major clue.

Would you be John or Paul?

Put us out of our misery tomorrow please !

I thought palustris meant 'growing in Marshy ground' so it was a clue. So to put you out of your agonies of indecision, tis me. Hello all. Eric. ;D

oh, God!, another chap with education - can be dangerous!! - Tim