Allotments 4 All

My allottment was the only place where none of the sh*t could touch me during a really bad phase 6 years ago.  Even in the good times, the smell & feel of soil lifts my spirits.  Can't explain it, just thankful for it.

How about planting a small ornamental hedge around the edge of the plot, or straightening the edges, mark it out with string, whatever.  It's a job that can be doen in any weather and makes the plot look a little smarter.  Dunno why that helps, but in a weed infested wilderness, sharp edges made things better.

From one who has never (thanfully) sufferred with depression,oops I told a fib, I had a short spell when A. One of our young drivers got killed when driving one of our lorries and B. When we lost our business I would just like to wish all members who do suffer with a peaceful and happy future. So glad that gardens/allotments have been a joy to you all. Happy gardening.
Lorna.

I got through a real bad spell a few years ago by retreating to the allotment every day. I still go down there sometimes in summer after a particularly difficult day in school.

I hear where you are coming from Rob.... at least my allotment are on the back of the garden! Bliss....
:)

Today I've made a leaf-mould bin :) Thanks for the idea Sprouty  ;D Just need some leaves to go in it now  ::) I've been chuckling about your list today as I was wandering round identifying 'Scary Bits'. There are quite a few in my lotties I can tell you! Every time I saw one I shouted to the chickens "IT'S A SCARY BIT! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!" And for the most part, they did!

FROGLETS: My edges certainly need straightening! No need for an ornamental hedge though. I've got a whacking great 10ft high privet all round them  ;D

Hope everybody's had a happy day - whether you've been gardening or not  :)

Thank you me dear, just been out in the rain in my lunch break.  I decided to enjoy the fact that the water table is getting a boost, however small, to help us all out next year

I'm glad about the boost in the water table as well but it's playing havoc with me onion planting!

Quote from: Trixiebelle on November 22, 2006, 13:18:58
Every time I saw one I shouted to the chickens "IT'S A SCARY BIT! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!" And for the most part, they did!

really made me laugh Trixiebelle!!!

sadly I'm at work looking wistfully out of the window, but catching up with this forum in my lunch hours helps me deal with allotment separation anxiety :)

Well folks the council rotovated my new allotment today. I can't wait to get up there and start. All that bare soil to cover.

1.   planting plan - as I do square-foot gardening it's essential to avoid planting the same crop in the same place two years running.

2.   Maintenance - managed to acquire a working rotovator approx two weeks ago for £20.   Have had to repair the silencer on the engine, now just need to do an oil change (when it stops p*ssing it down!!)

3.   acquire new pet - acquired four year old marmalade and white girl cat called lily off same gentleman where got rotovator from.   So far have bonded with rotovator better than cat as cat is a man's cat & can't figure me out.

4.   "watershed" - read some of the oldest posts, there's a lot of hidden gems I had totally forgotten about but made me laugh all the same (especially important as I'm cuurently recovering from a house fire three weeks ago - henbce the bad typing)

ll the best,  CC

I'm hoping my allotment will give me a similar 'perk' to so many of you here. I'm not depressed but have suffered from it and it's going to be a hell of a year ahead financially. I desperately would love to get out of London but the allotment, for the short time I've had it, has made me smile all the time! So there's a change. Some good ideas here, so I think I'll add building compost areas to my winter task of endless bramble chopping. And will have to find a heater for my shed. In addition to the lovely hard sweaty work I get to ride my bike back and forth so the physical exercise is doing wonders to my mood, sleeping, and waistline! ;)

I've hit a bit of a creative slump too, so am really looking forward to bringing my easel to the shed (I don't actually use it in the studio) to play  with little watercolours, not my usual medium and plants and allotments not my usual subjects. So just looking forward to some freedom in my head. :)

Tina.

Sorry to hear about the fire Carrotcruncher... we had one a few years ago now.... OH phoned me at work to say she had "burned the house down" to which I was heard to reply..." no you haven't the phone is plastic and would have melted!!!!!!
;D