The 2015 Allotment / Veg Patch Thread Part 2

[agoodbook]

the previous thread is just about full, - well done spotted so welcome to everyone interested in growing their own veg!

Previous thread is here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/gardening/2282529-The-2015-Allotment-Veg-Patch-Thread-its-here?msgid=53650520

We have to maintain the paths next to our plot as well as the plot itself. Also although they do the main track which runs alongside mine they don't do the edges so you get long grass overhanging. After many exhausting hours trying to manage it all with shears I caved and bought a cordless strimmer for my birthday, it's amazing! The paths within my plot are just grass weeds at the moment, I want to keep the temporary this year but am thinking about following the example of my neighbour and getting a roll of hessian to lay down in strips.

I really thought borage was about 30cm tall. I have no idea where I got that notion from - did I just make it up? All the pics on Google images are close-ups. Very misleading!

Hessian, hey? Does that hold weeds back? Do you know, I don't even know how strimmers get their power. Are they petrol? Rechargeable? God, I have so much to learn. I have an ancient plug in one at home, I've only used it once. It was my parents'.

Paths- for mine I dug out ditches and lined with membrane. Then as I dig the beds I throw all the stones into the ditches to make drains. Once they were full I topped with bark. Only did a couple of formal paths. The rest I just use planks and stepping stones and move about.

But my allotment is 'informal'

Mink, that is a genius idea to make a path into a drain!

And cordless strimmers. Of course!

The paths around my veggie patch really need work - they're paved but very uneven. Not ideal with a toddler running around.

Was it Zebra who laughed at my caffeine-fuelled dog? . It was quite funny. But not as funny as the time, many years ago, that our family dog chewed through the pipe running between my Dad's demi-johns and got drunk on home-made rhubarb wine. Drunk labrador = funny. Hung over labrador... not so much.

TWO Cucamelons!!

Anybody know how big the cucamelon vine will get? As big as a regular cucumber?

cupcakes my instructions say to construct a wigwam like for sweet peas, so i assume at least six foot or so?

Woo hoo - two cucamelons! My vines reaches over 6ft last year maybe 8? They are easily control able tho as they are so thin, you can just chop them. The thing I had to make sure was that no tender plants were next to the cucamelon, as it kept on sending out climbing arms to scramble up and across, and they would have damaged a fragile plant. Overnight new arm tendril things would have popped up!

Hung-over labrador? Poor thing. Still not as bad as a post-spliff one would be - imagine a labrador with the munchies? That would be dangerous!

mink drainage paths sound interesting. And I have been stockpiling the stones that I have picked out of the soil, I have piles of them, pots of them, buckets of them...

My cucamelons have sprouted! As have the sweetcorn seeds - I am very impressed as I only sowed them on Sunday! guess that's what having a makeshift indoor greenhouse will do for you (very bodged extension with a plastic roof - it gets ROASTY in there).

I keep hoping that I'll see hedgehogs in my garden - I've only seen one healthy one in my whole life!

Hurrah to seed germination! It's a good feeling, isn't it?

Ooh, I must check my sweetcorn, it's in the airing cupboard. My new marigolds still haven't come up. I scorched the last ones. Aren't they meant to be quick and easy to grow?

calendula or tagetes? my tagetes came up within a couple of days

mind you, a couple of weeks on and some of the remaining seeds are still germinating

zebra it is indeed! I'm esp happy as the mangetout and courgettes also decided to poke their heads out of the soil yesterday..... I feel your pain about 'easy' things though; I'm hopeless at peas. Always getting the soil temperature or depth or location or SOME damn thing wrong. Easy to grow, my arse my arse is depressingly easy to grow, in fairness

Oh, calendula.
Though I have tagetes seeds too, to plant near my spuds. But they're still in the packet.

Plumping I can't do radish. Radish ! That's the thing that kids grow as it's so fail safe and quick ! Not sure what my failsafe would be - apart from arse erm, maybe dandelion? Oh, chard perhaps.

Ds and I have been sifting topsoil, this glorious stuff giving the mulch (did put way too much on, it's over a foot deep in places and it's over 2 years old) a quick turn over then raking the sifted topsoil in place.
We've planted 3 types of pea. And some radishes

Oh, now I have topsoil envy! That looks like happy plant playstuff, violet.

You all inspired me to sow a few more pots of veggies and fill up another propagator. I'll have you all to blame when we get a glut of iit all in a few months! (I hope. I have just used potting compost today. Last week I used some fluffy 'compost' that came free with a propagator, mixed with volcano dirt. I have no clue if either will work. Remembered to add labels, including ones with dates they were sown.)

Wow, your soil, Violet !

Peace, what did you sow?

I sowed some tomatoes; spring onions, butternut squash and spinach beet; pea asparagus and lettuce; various sorts/colours of carrots.

I was on 'keep DGS entertained ' today- ( not allowed out due to tonsil op) had to leave at 7, so put out tender stuff into the greenhouse, knowing DH would open window and door when it warmed up......well, he didn't -
Tomatoes and sweetcorn loving it, all my flower seedlings fine but I have a tray of very sad brassicas seedlings :( - ah well- at least I'm home now- so I have done an emergency re-sow on my kitchen windowsill, and watered the ones in dire straits- we shall see if they survive

violet - lovely stuff! - shows you cant put too much mulch on :)
Peace- gluts are good- better than the alternative - I supply a lot of courgettes and beans to friends

My celery is germinating (does happy dance) what do I do now (panics)

research recipies :o

Gluts are good! This is what freezers and preserves were designed for.

THREE CUCAMELONS!!

No idea about the celery.

DS was a bit under the weather yesterday and was fast asleep in bed by 6pm so I snuck out into the garden. Potted up my pumpkins which were bursting out of their pot. Pondered about where I would put five pumpkin plants. Prepped the bit of veggie patch for DS to plant his french beans in when he's feeling better. Generally pottered. 'twas lovely!

Zebra I am also radishly challenged .

Sounds like cucamelons grow tall.
I'm sadly excited as my first sweet corn is showing signs of life. I realise I need to pot on the peas and beans as they are already bursting out of the bottom of the biodegradable pots I used to start them off. I'm planning to sow more plants in the next day or two while I'm not working.

Our allotment paths are all grass. I plan to pop over there later and do some watering although it might rain tomorrow. See if my beetroot, leeks and carrots have decided to germinate.

Shall I put my leftover peas in with the field beans?