Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !

984 replies

bookbook · 01/03/2016 09:28

Thanks to teacuphalfempty for supplying the title .
so, its the 1st of March, the meteorological spring is here, and it's all systems go for the coming growing season. Let's hope for a good one -no pests and diseases, enough rain overnight and plenty of sunshine. Well, we can dream....Grin

OP posts:
Thread gallery
59
GrouchyKiwi · 25/04/2016 21:22

We had snow showers today and it wasn't even that cold. Weird weather.

Nothing to report in our garden except that my plum trees almost have blossom on them. That's very exciting.

shovetheholly · 26/04/2016 07:44

Ugh, I walked 7 miles yesterday in the driving sleet. It is nearly the end of April FFS. I have courgettes and squashes in the living room, while the kitchen is full of tomatoes and aubergines and chillis and peppers. It's absolutely mad. This so-called 'spring' is getting me down.

notsaying - the mix of grit/sand and soil depends a bit on what you are growing and a bit on the state of the soil - the claggier bits of your plot will probably need more grit than the soiley bits! In my asparagus bed, which is about 3 metres by 2, there are around 7 whole bags of horticultural grit. I'm also going to grow sea kale, which will need similar quantities though in a much smaller area. Elsewhere, though, I've used far less than that and none around raspberries and rhubarb.

I appreciate that this isn't really helpful for your ordering process! I think, given that this is an allotment and not a back garden and there is clearly a drainage issue, I'd be tempted to invest in a big quantity of horticultural grit (£60-80 or so) and then to try to use free manure, free spent hops or mushroom compost for now. Then I'd add in cheap compost/more manure when it came to planting up, depending on what I was growing (many roots, for example, don't like too much manure, but will enjoy compost; courgettes need lots of food so loads of manure). Bear in mind that, apart from the waterlogged areas where it probably all needs digging over, you only really need to improve soil in bed areas - paths don't need rich, lovely, expensive stuff on them!

If you use something like claybreaker (gypsum) that does need to be measured out so you don't end up changing the soil too much. Instructions about quantities on the packet.

You can also use your crops to help you out - putting potatoes in a bed really helps to turn the soil.

bookbook · 26/04/2016 08:20

Morning!
hail and sleet yesterday, woke up to snow showers this morning.
Luckily I am mostly on top of stuff, apart from getting there to empty my non composting stuff into the recycling trailer which arrived near us yesterday.
And yes , my dining room table is full of tomatoes and aubergines. The peppers, which are only small, got left in the greenhouse 2 nights ago, but they seem to be fine, thank goodness.
Sorry notsaying - I can only give general advice, as I don't have clay - I have stones and flint!. But the first thing I would do is speak to all the plot neighbours near you, and see what they have been doing. Is it also possible to have an exploratory small hole and dig down as far as possible, just to see if you have a hard pan at the bottom, and how far down it is. My rule of thunb is - one third soil, one third grit, one third compost . With planting, if you have less wet areas, then dig a hole twice as big as you need, and put grit in the bottom.
Also it may be worth looking at some of the green manures that grow really long roots - this site below seems to recommend forage rye and sweet clover, so may be worth a thought
www.greenmanure.co.uk/pages/choosing-the-right-green-manure

OP posts:
bookbook · 27/04/2016 15:21

Afternoon!
Managed to squeeze in a quick visit today, in between the most amazing hail showers.
Got all the non composting stuff thrown into the recycling trailer , and picked spinach to make a sag aloo for tea. Wandered around to check all is okay. DH carrying on nailing and screwing bits of wood to fruit cage and so on.
But by gum , that wind bites.....
But plants are tough, and they brought a smile, I have flowers on all the currant bushes. Thats including a yellow raspberry. - I haven't had any berries from this since it was planted, as it accidentally was put at the end of the autumn raspberries and has been chopped down every spring until this year ( because I did the chopping, and remembered) so here's hoping.... :) . The spring cabbage is looking good , and the strawberries don't seem to care about the weather. And even the asparagus is giving it a go.

Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !
Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !
OP posts:
shovetheholly · 27/04/2016 15:53

Wow, book your asparagus looks terrific!

It is currently hailing here Sad.

GrouchyKiwi · 27/04/2016 16:59

Asparagus growing in a garden looks cute.

Weather very nice here again today. It's been threatening terrible weather, and occasionally giving it to us, but there's been hardly any rain so I had to give everything a good soaking this morning.

The seeds I planted 10 or so days ago are still asleep in the ground, though I might have spied a couple of marigolds peeping through. If nothing germinates I'll have to resow in mid-May, which might be tough considering I'll be nearly term by then!

The ground is getting a hard layer on top because of the baking sun we've had (and probably DD2 stomping across it in her wellies doesn't help). Seems bizarre to say that in Scotland! Will that make it hard for shoots to come up? If so, is there anything I can do to help them?

My blackcurrant bushes have got little flower buds on them. Can't wait till they flower properly as it smells so great. Leaves are growing finally on my apples and plums, plus a tiny bit of blossom.

GrouchyKiwi · 27/04/2016 17:03

Here's a rubbish photo of the plum blossom.

Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !
Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !
GrouchyKiwi · 27/04/2016 17:04

And a bonus one of my girls playing. Oops! Blush

bookbook · 27/04/2016 17:26

lovely DD's there Grouchy - my plums are still waiting to break bud, but looking healthy. First year in like yours :)
shove - I came home and had a cup of coffee, posted, and then got on in the kitchen ( rhubarb and vanilla jam all potted up as well as tea prepped ) , looked out of the window - proper thick snow came down for an hour.
And there is Grouchy in the sun, further north - no wonder we talk about weather a lot.

OP posts:
didireallysaythat · 27/04/2016 20:20

Rhubarb and vanilla jam you say bookbook ?

Well don't be shy. Share the recipe with us all !

GreenMarkerPen · 27/04/2016 21:10

anyone elses rhubarb really late?
or do I just have a late variety? (I think the pack said 'pink champagne')
it's only just about poking it's heads out.

bookbook · 27/04/2016 21:51

GreenMarker - there are lots of varieties - the one I picked today is my thug Timperley early, which comes out in Feb/March. I have another one not quite ready to pick, and the third is still at bud stage
for didi - the recipe . Its my DD1's favourite, so I try to make some now to pop a jar with her birthday present :). It's dead easy

Rhubarb and Vanilla Jam
1 kg rhubarb, weighed after trimming, cut into 3cm chunks
1 kg jam sugar (or 1kg caster sugar +1x8gm sachet pectin)
2 vanilla pods, halved lengthwise
Juice of 1 lemon

Put rhubarb, sugar and vanilla pods into the pan.
Heat gently, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. – takes a while!
Add the lemon juice
Increase the heat, and boil for 8-10 minutes until setting point is reached ( 105º )

Jar up – makes 3 x 1lb jars

OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 27/04/2016 23:34

Green - my rhubarb has only emerged in the last week, no idea what variety it is as it came with the allotment, but it's always noticeably later than others on our site.

The weather! It has been snowing. In Hampshire. In April

Mostly working in the greenhouse this week then. My climbing beans (planted 14th) have just germinated, runners from the same day have not. Courgette, sweetcorn, butternut squash plants are all doing very well and I finally got my spuds in on Sunday.

funnyperson · 28/04/2016 00:23

My Timperley early rhubarb is well out in the south facing front garden
That in the North facing back is 6-7 ins

No flowers on any fruit yet except the quince

Notstayingup · 28/04/2016 06:41

Wow am in awe of everyone's planting and budding! So I popped down yesterday and the waters have subsided (a little).

It's been freezing here, it snowed in central London on Tuesday (3 big showers!) and it has been really cold at night - weirdest spring for a long time - or perhaps I am noticing it because I want to go and plant stuff!

Thanks for all the advice on quantities. Think i am going to concentrate on just my 1 raised bed and maybe try and build another one above the flood line Grin

Feel a bit of a fraud on this thread as a. Haven't a clue what I'm doing and b. I haven't planted anything yet but is lovely seeing everyone's pictures and plans

Notstayingup · 28/04/2016 06:44

And sorry meant to say big thank you to shovetheholly for the brilliant and detailed advice!

GrouchyKiwi · 28/04/2016 07:43

This is what our sunny day turned into after dinner.

Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !
Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !
shovetheholly · 28/04/2016 08:14

Waaaaaaaaahhhhhh I don't like this weather at all. It is making me feel very out of sorts and unsettled. This time of year is usually my favourite. This is the weather equivalent of telling a child you are taking them to Disneyland and then going to the supermarket instead.

I have three rhubarb crowns, but sadly I lost the labels. Pretty sure one is Timperley - it's the earliest and has a lovely champagne flavour but the sticks are quite thin. My second one is a bit behind that (only just coming ready to start picking now), and the third is only just gearing up now - it has the thickest sticks, though.

notstaying - we all start like that. In fact, I still feel like that when in the company of really experienced allotmenteers like book and doreen. To be honest, even when you've been doing it for a bit, every year is different so something that is a spectacular success one year can fall flat the next because of weather or frost or a different variety - there are so many variables. I think gardening is one area where there is no alternative but learning by failing, and (as Beckett) said, gradually learning to fail better. Grin

Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !
bookbook · 28/04/2016 09:08

Morning!
Notstaying - we all have to start somewhere. and though I have been gardening for many years , my plot experience is still small.... and limited to my soil conditions.And I have had a lot of failures !
I always think gardening teaches humility , it never , ever really goes according to plan ( well it doesn't with me ).
As another thought, with your extreme wet problems, along side your new bed, is it worth scrounging around for some free /cheap big pots/troughs. These could have spinach/lettuce/spring onions etc in just so you have something to pick. I say big, so it cuts down a bit on the watering.....!

OP posts:
shovetheholly · 28/04/2016 10:14

On raised beds: a couple of people at my allotment have got hold of those special wooden pallets that are used for carting lots of stone about. They are box-shaped already, really solidly built, and quite deep. They're putting liners in them and then growing in there, I think using a mix of the allotment soil and compost/manure. It's a really smart idea. Plus, I think one of them has a disability, so it is good in terms of bending over, as they are quite high.

JapanNextYear · 28/04/2016 10:23

Someone was asking about clay soil - I've got really clay soil and a hard pan right underneath it. So I went for raised beds, railway sleepers and also some treated boards - 8 inches high. Filled them with compost, topsoil, and everything else I can find including sea weed, mushroom compost and mulch every year.

I think I'd have given up by now if I hadn't done that as the plot floods every winter in parts and this keeps the beds dry.

bookbook - lovage - I planted one lovage plant 2 years ago, it's now 7 foot tall and about a foot wide - looks beautiful (though the flowers are nothing much) and I'll be damned if I can find a thing to do with it! Use it very sparingly as a herb with chicken and in salads but, even though I love celery and its very similar, I find it an overpowering taste.

I've left it in - but luckily it's in a overlooked corner and I think it would be a complete pain to remove.

Cedar03 · 28/04/2016 10:27

So DH was planting out the brand new asparagus crowns on Tuesday when it started snowing! In the south east! Hope the plants survive it. And our claggy clay soil

Grouchy for the sun baked top of the soil the bigger plants will make their way through no trouble at all. But you can gently break it up with a hoe or trowel. In fact you need to do this around seedlings/young plants because the rain will just wash off the top. I experience this a lot growing on clay. It goes from being so wet you can hardly dig it to being baked into hard solid clumps that you can hardly dig. I reckon there's normally about 2 days a year when it's actually nice to work with Smile

First pea (sown in the house last week) is peaking through. And so is a bean. Need to sow more plants in the house over the next couple of days. Have more beans to plant and also things like squashes and pumpkins. Also need to find out exactly which type of celery I bought as I have a seedtray full of seedlings and have realised that long term there's slightly different methods depending on the type.

GreenMarkerPen · 28/04/2016 10:58

lovage is great as a bouquet garni for soup/stews. too strong to leave in, I agree.

something similar to soy sauce is brewed in germany with extracts from the lovage plant.

bookbook · 28/04/2016 20:44

That sounds like a cracking idea shove not seen those...
Thanks on that re lovage! Japan and GreenMarker - I know just the spot for it ( irritating gap in beech hedge caused by overzealous/annoying neighbour chopping back too hard ) -and also how to use it, all in one Grin
I am now waiting until I have free time on Saturday to sow my next lot of stuff - my little Aldi greenhouse blew over today while I have been out. Luckily only a tray of lettuce seedlings where in there, I had taken all the pricked out brassicas this morning to benefit from the fresh air !

OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 28/04/2016 22:01

We've just had the most torrential hailstorm, I will have to go up to the plot tomorrow morning and inspect my poor little broad bean plants. As opposed to my original plan to go up there and water them as it has been very dry and windy (apart from snow flurries) this week.