Allotments 4 All

Was reading someone's blog at the weekend and it had the throwaway line 'Allotments don't come with a manual!' so I thought I'd start throwing one together for newbies.

Can folk suggest what needs to go into it? Very much a work-in-progress and yes I know there's no photos yet! Got to find a patch of the respective beasties first and the council here strimmed everything in sight last week...

Have
http://www.moonbells.freeserve.co.uk/advice/Allotment_Manual/allotment_manual.html
so far!

moonbells

ps still need compost heaps, netting, feeding, organic alternatives eg comfrey and nettle tea, and a link to the pests and diseases I was muttering about last week!

Awe shucks, it was my journal *grin* do I get payments for being a muse? :lol

very good sight up to now moonbells, god luck with it. a tip you may want to include may be about buckets, for tomatoes or protecting cabbages. instead of going buying them like i did (spent £40 on 40 buckets) go to your local supermarket and ask them if you can have the buckets what the flowers were in as they usually throw them in the skip

perhaps you could include a weekly tip section and ask people to send in their tips

keep up the good work               weedgrower

Good idea MB, what about a little section on scything?

Why not put it together and then get it printed as a pamphlet - sell it - for yourselfor for charity?
I am sure that it is the sort of thing that would sell at school fetes/allotment open days.

Quote from: NattyEm on June 27, 2005, 17:16:47
Awe shucks, it was my journal *grin* do I get payments for being a muse? :lol

aha - T'was you! :)

I was doing the weekly read and had read about a dozen blogs and without going back and re-reading I couldn't remember who it was   ::) ::)

Got me thinking, that's for sure. Just wish sometimes I could stop thinking about such things when I'm at work! 

Quote from: Mubgrub on June 27, 2005, 17:49:22
Good idea MB, what about a little section on scything?

Ah, well, this is where my HELP! comes into it - never done it: I think my hubbie would have a panic attack if he thought I was going to get anywhere near a large sharp knife! I am loathe to write about anything I have either no experience in or haven't talked to someone at the lotties or here about the practicalities.  Have you used one? How easy is it?

weedgrower: thanks - will have an essential equipment/where to get bargains section eventually! Not sure about tips - I would possibly get flak if I didn't include one or didn't get round to updating so I'd rather avoid this one. I had enough enquiries when I didn't update my blog for nearly 3 months!!!

WSL: Had thought to send it to the Allotment committee here to give out to newbies.  But if A4A folk clubbed together to help me write something which would definitely have open copyright, then everyone can have something to print for their site's newbies.

And NattyEm can have her manual  ;)

I need a wiki....

moonbells

QuoteI need a wiki

YES!  An allotment wiki would be ideal wouldn't it.  Everyone could add their information.  so..who knows how to set up a wiki???

robsa has started one on his blog. ask him?

Moonbells,

A cracking start!!!

Links to Gavin's site with his diary of what to do when would be good as would (selective) links to other sites with a specific purpose eg there's a very good one on green manure that have managed to loose

Well done

Phil

Moonbells really enjoyed reading very helpfull and usefull ,a good start will be adding it to my bookmarks ,thanks

Quote from: Svea on June 28, 2005, 08:21:17
robsa has started one on his blog. ask him?

thanks - will do!

moonbells

Oops replying to self!

Have found a very appropriate free wiki host.  But I don't want to advertise the location here until Dan has said he doesn't mind me doing so as it would be interactive and might draw folk away from A4A (though I hope not!)

Dan?

moonbells

Quote from: moonbells on June 27, 2005, 20:15:30
Have you used one? How easy is it?

Nope, never used one and a bit nervous to try, that's why I think it would be a good idea ;D

Whats a wiki?

wikipedia - a short encyclopedia online.
you know the original wikipedia of course?

looking good so far, moonbells. i like your 'what can i grow now' section :)

as a good tip to newbies: when sowing outdoors, make a 'control' sowing in a labelled pot indoors, so you will be able to identify the seedlings on your plot later on when weeding between them :)
also, write in your map of the plot where you have sown what - that will limit the possibilities further.

Wow - very impressed Moonbells  :). Think its a great idea.

Nice one Moonbells.  :)
There is no marestale on the weeds list!! Mind you if anyone finds a foolproof way of getting rid of the blighters thy'd be in for a nobel prize (well I'd nominate them anyways!)

A fantastic resource moonbells which wasn't there when I started - wish it was.

Not sure about the advice on green manures though.  I think you are supposed to plant the nitrogenising ones before brassicas as this is eaxctly what you need in the soil.  Hence beans before brassicas in the roatation.   

What about a guide to seedlings using pictures.  Having started my lottie this year I found lots of things I suddenly realised I couldn't recognise!!  eg parsnips.  Also how and when to weed round them.  I found round carrots and parsnips best to pull out weeds sideways rather than upwards forit doesn't disturb the roots so much.

Great start and definately a few things learned while browsing it.   So thanks and hopefully you'll keep it going.

Iain