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

I don't know what state my plot will be in, I know it will have been used by someone as it is a well established site but who knows how long ago since it was cared for. I'm expecting a disaster but I have many plans! Lots of really ambitious probably woefully unrealistic plans! I want a really wide variety of produce from beets to brassicas and strawberries to spring onions. I want to grow lots of lettuce because I eat loads of it and get really cheesed off at how crap it tastes compared to freshly dug. I'm also going to start a strawberry bed and raspberries for the dcs to munch. I'm also praying on bended knees for a shed to have been left behind. First thing I'm going to do is take loads of pictures from every angle then I'm spending the evening examining my weed pictures and planning what is going where. Ooh I'm so excited. Maybe there will be old crops left behind amongst the weeds! Who knows what will happen.

There was a hoe buried under my weeds. And a lot of bricks. You could see those as a sort of self-assembly shed, I suppose... (I did score three compost bins, a watering can, a small trowel and a water butt, as well).

welcome Tragically
and good luck with the horsetail - its a right one - not sure if you can ever eradicate it. My memory is dreadful, but I know one of us on here has it, so maybe some experience with it will help. I have heard that planting very thickly with (I think) turnips really stops them in their tracks , but other than that its just pulling it out I guess?

When we got our allotment there was a shed - first winter storm the roof peeled off like an orange ...

Linski - we love to see pictures!

I will present my pics for all to see and laugh at tomorrow morning. Going to bed now to prepare for the big day tomorrow. Maybe I too will find can abandoned hoe! Oh the joy of a free hoe.

agoodbook do you think I should cut their pretty flowers off? (Absolutely don't want to do this)

Marking place

I have horsetail in my new plot. Taken on last summer it was full of weeds. We used weedkiller on it but this won't kill the horsetail. We had to dig anyway as the ground was compacted and full of rubble. But in fact digging can just help to spread horsetail as it generates from tiny little bits of black root that are impossible to spot. From now on I will be hoeing off the shoots as they come through - and they are coming through all over the place! But once the crops get growing a lot of them will help to crowd out the horsetail. So I'm not too worried.
Getting a new plot is very exciting - we've inherited a shed, two chairs, various bits of wood and a few other odds and ends from previous owners.

Ooh - new recruits! Lovely!

link I hope you've used a proper gardening pencil and that marker, the pens just fade, you know.

Linski & Tragically congratulations on the new plots! Bizarely I found a hoe when we moved into our house, in the overgrown veggie patch. Perhaps it's a "thing". If we ever move I shall ensure I leave a hoe for the new occupants.

Zebra claims she doesn't know what she's doing but she's actually our resident cucamelon expert! She even has tap roots, don't you Zebra!

Not had chance to get out in the garden much lately due to illness / rubbish weather, but I was looking through some old photos last night and found some from the year my veggie patch did really well. Think I will print them out for inspiration!

We have horsetail on one of our plots. In the end we planted that area as a small (very small) orchard. The combination of trees, grass and regular mowing seems to be slowly defeating horsetail.

Congratulations on the new plots Linski and Tragically. It is fun finding out what you have inherited.

The site manager told me to get out as much root as possible when digging (I get buckets of the stuff - seriously, no worries about spreading it right now because I don't see that it could have spread any more than it already had) and then when it pops its head above ground cut it off and paint the cut-off top with a deep root weedkiller (so that it should kill that bit of horsetail but not affect anything else). Online advice seems to be that you're unlikely to get rid of it entirely but if you are strict with it you can keep it under control enough that it won't affect your crops/yield, just be annoying.

welcome Link
violet - rooting from the stem seems to me like a softwood cutting rather than a root cutting -are there leaves as well? I would cut the flower off- you don't need much - about 2-3 " long with a leaf or two to pot up -( also maybe hormone rooting powder if only a bot of rooting going on ) and pop in free draining compost, and cover with a plastic bag. Bright, but not direct sunlight -can you leave enough length on the stem to put back in the vase?
Or... treat them differently - one cut off, one not ! :)

I have my new plot it is lovely! Well, it will be. It has loads already done to it! Beds laid out, footings for a greenhouse, space for a shed loads of potential! I have photos look!!

Lovely Linski - spend a bit of time checking where you get most sunshine/shade. and the water tap! Have you access by car, or foot?

Wow, Linski that's excellent. Great that you have footings - will you put a shed or greenhouse there, do you think? No hoe tho? I didn't find a hoe either. Just lots of dandelions, and 4/5 of a shed. But I love it all the same....

However, I am very very lucky that I have no horsestail/marestail. But it is on the site, so i am quite vigilant. Poor you, all afflicted ones.

Welcome too, Tragically - and cripes, you've done loads already! I think I've realised why I find my plot so relaxing - it's cos I go up there and just twonk about meanderingly. I get nothing done! I keep telling myself that soon I will transplant some stuff and it will look less like a browny grey shame, and more like a fertile, luscious haven. My new arch has arrived in post today so I feel like I have achieved something anyway. It's raining today, after days of threatening to, so no plotting for me. Maybe I'll pot on some toms. They need it, but I am running out of plant room.

Arf at me being any sort of expert, Cupcakes ! I clearly got lucky (and a bit full of myself!) with my cucamelons last year. The taproots are still not looking resurrected. I'm not utterly sure that they've not rotted. Oops. May resow and start afresh. Oddly my inca berry aka cape gooseberry aka physalis that I overwintered is thriving.

No access by car but the path to my plot is well maintained so I can just meander down to it. There is a water tap right outside my door! So vv pleased with that. I also met bill and john who have the plots next door and next door but one! They were both lovely so I will have friends no mares tail! No couch grass! Just a couple of pesky dandelions that I can whip out in a jiffy. There are also set beds with paved sections which I will try and upload later. I don't know what to do about a greenhouse really? I think I will hang on until I have cleared the site and then decide. Oh, and I have a boggy area right at the back. It was the source of much discussion with John and bill. I asked what they thought I should plant there, they told me I should plant a shed there ha! Jokes with my gardening mates already!! I have just legged it to aldi and bought myself cloches, bell ones and tunnels, some raspberry bushes a red currant bush and a load of herbs to get me started. I don't get the keys until I pay up for the rent and all the other deposits for different fees so I am in plot limbo. I'm sooooo excited, and the best bit, my other plot half neighbour is a woman so maybe she is a mumsnetter too? I have visions of sharing wine with my new buddies whilst pondering my crops.

Linski how exciting and what a lovely plot!

Rhubarb and raspberries like the wet - though not complete bog!

Have you that just now, Linski ? I got a couple of those cloches a few weeks ago but then my mum saw them and commented on them. Maybe there are still some in stock in some areas? I could go and be nice and get some for her and buy more gardening treasures and biscuits for myself

Ooo love the enthusiasm here I need a kick up the backside this is just the place. Cloches from Aldi?! How much?? I'm excited now!

No allotment for me today due to rain, I am nearly 36 weeks pregnant now so probably need to cut down how much I do anyway. I am in the process of digging over the second half of the plot which is now getting to waist high with nettles We have covered half of it with membrane but the rest of the weeds are flourishing!

I felt a bit discouraged last week as all the seedlings I'd put in (a bit hastily) have disappeared, probably scattered by pigeons. Onion sets also keep being scattered despite being netted. I have resown seeds and will wait for a few more weeks until they are well established and protect with fleece - hopefully tht will be enough. We do have some potato leaves emerging and strawberries starting to flower so there is some hope!

Is it too late to start leek and shallot seeds? I haven't done them yet and wondering if I should bother

hi silver - sterling work still digging at 36 weeks!
Leeks seeds no problem still - shallot seeds need to be set off in winter- do you mean sets? - if so, you just have time to plonk some in - really best a bit earlier but you may struggle to find any for sale

Oooh, leeks. I hadn't thought of leeks...

linkdat bell cloches £6.99 for a 3 pack cloche tunnels £5.99 each, grow cloche for raised beds £6.99 pack of plant clips 99p garden twine 99p all from aldi today!!

Linski you star thanks for that.

Don't forget folks, that if you have missed the boat sowing seeds, there are loads of plug plants for sale - at out local market the flower stall sells them at very reasonable prices :)

Nooooh, my Aldi had no cloches All I bought for the garden was more plant labels and 2x lettuce seeds. I wanted the raised bed cloches: I already have 2 and I wanted MORE!

silver Can't believe you're digging at 36w You win the thread for that.

It's still raining here - hurrah! I popped outside to move some plants to get more of the rain, and noticed that my spuds are up. A tiny bit. They're in containers (more at the plot poorly planted in the ground) - do I just put more compost in to cover up the leaves?