Allotments 4 All

Hi everyone

How are you all? I went away on hols and the lottie went to pot then got home to first weeks of term and total stress, imminent house move etc so haven't been around for a while as feeling a bit down about the lottie - case of first year blues perhaps?

Anyhoo, picked loads of blackberries today whilst walking the hounds and made my first Jam - what a joy  ;D ;D, did a search and got the recipe from A4A - and remembered that there are lots of lovely people to talk to on here.  ;)

Lushy x

I love blackberry jam!  I had a very prolific plant on my plot but it was where I needed to put my shed so I had to dig it out last year.  I saved 3 bits of root with shoots and put them in big pots as I don't have space in the ground.  They're all doing well, have tied them into fan-shaped bamboo canes but no fruit this year as it's their first. On my last jar of blackaberry now, so a whole year to wait  :(

If you've had to let the plot go a bit it's a good time of year to get back into it because what you tidy up stays tidied up now!

Thanks Ceres, thats a good positive thought and a good tidy up will make the world of difference I'm sure.  Picked another 5lbs of blackberries yesterday, there are so  many everywhere this year, so more jam on the way, also thought I might try marrow and ginger as I have plenty of very large courgettes!   :)

Lushy x

I've made all sorts of jam with marrow - ginger, lemon, orange.  I'm thinking of trying it with a smidge of chilli.  I also use it to bulk out other stuff like plums.

Hi Lushy, mine  went the same way, hard to get down when the children are off and then away and am now getting it back ship shape, halfway there! Had to put up with the usual "who are you?" quips but now I'm back in the groove! Good luck!

Thanks reddy, having enough time is hard with kids, etc jobs isn't it?  had a good time there yesterday and even though it looks a bit of a mess we harvested loads of stuff - lovely to think of the plot working even when we can't.  We intended to strim to make it a bit tidier but oh spent almost 2 hours trying to get the d**n thing to work and had to give up - meanwhile I did all the work!! The weeds are totally taking over again bit disheartening but we'll keep plugging, I just have to accept we don't have much time and plant accordingly next year.

Lushy x