Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 5 - The Diggers Rest !

[bookbook]

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....

Feeling much better today and got my spuds in! Hopefully they won't rot in the incoming deluge
Im off for the weekend to see some friends so thoroughly soaked my flower , spinach and calabrese seeds and the spinach and calabrese are just coming through! Interested to hear other people are having poor germination issues with seeds. Im having the worst year yet. I had to chuck my Bedfordshire champion seeds and half the chilli varieties I sowed as they. Just. Would. Not. Sprout!
Tomatoes have been ok on sunny windowsill over radiator though.
Anyone else enjoying the sunshine?

Too cold for toms yet; to be fair I have loads germinated but that's because I have a shop to supply now! My own, I usually sow now as they soon catch up.

The ones in our polytunnel are just getting their true leaves now. The later ones will probably catch up and overtake, that's what usually happens. Sunshine was fab too - the polytunnels were too hot which was so good to say.

Evening!
yes, a wonderful day- plot and garden.
Managed to finish planting up the fruit cage, all the bushes mulched, and picked the very last of my sprouts ,also dug up a rosemary at the new bit of plot to plant at home - it was totally in the wrong place
Everything has done quite well with me seed wise apart from the spinach. Tomatoes are just getting their first true leaves. I am just about to set off a second sowing of leeks, - the first ones are doing nicely , but we like to have plenty.
Have sprouts/summer cabbage/brokali/salad leaves and lots of annuals all up. Still lots to sow yet mind you!

Hi all! Welcome to Guy - your plan sounds great! Just one thing though, you mention you've made raised beds in different dimensions, so long thin ones for peas and beans. I think you need to move crops around each year - you won't be able to grow beans in the same patch every year. Although I'm probably quite old-fashioned in my gardening so there's probably some new-fangled way of overcoming that!

Beautiful sunny day here! Spent a lovely afternoon visiting a few local garden centres with a friend. Think I've found my apple tree, a local nursery had some James Grieve trees that are cordoned. Perfect for my garden I hope! Will go back and get it soon I hope. I also picked up some seed potatoes in B&Q for 50p. No idea why they were in the bargain bin, they look fine to me! Well, I'm not complaining.

Hoping to get out tomorrow and get a few bits done. I was supposed to be having a child-free long weekend but unfortunately DS has been ill so DH couldn't take him to my in-laws after all. Hmph.

Let - thanks but don't worry - I don't use the raised beds for peas and beans, I dig separate rows for them so the 4 raised beds can still be rotated, if that makes sense. It's just the way my dad taught me to, I'll ask what he did in subsequent years with those plots.

I planted my fruit trees yesterday, and then made a flower bed. I'm not around tomorrow but I do need to get some seeds ordered and a load of topsoil to fill my beds with.

Hope you're all having a nice long weekend x

Happy Easter everyone!

Had a lovely day yesterday, no particular plans, just at home all day and lots of sunshine. My DCs (12 and 10) have reached the stage where a planned day at home usually means them nagging me to let them use the x-box or wanting to go and see friends and I woke up yesterday yearning for the days when they would happily potter with me all day. Much to my surprise neither friends or x-box were mentioned, DD came into the garden and claimed one of my small raised beds, cleared it and planted catnip plus decorated it all with twigs and plant pots, then came to the allotment with me and made somd very helpful suggestions. DS didn't garden but happily came shopping with me and both DCs played in the garden nicely for hours later too.

So, what have I been doing? My new potting shed is proving to be such a joy to work in (and a man is coming next week to fix the leaky roof). I've been up there planting seeds, potting on etc most evenings recently. I start seeds needing warmth in the house then out to the shed to make way for the next lot. I have got tomatoes, sweet peas and broad beans germinated, waiting on catnip, cosmos, courgettes, sweetcorn and probably a few others. I have also followed advice from GQT last week and put all my onion sets in cells to start them off while the soil is still so wet at the allotment.

At the allotment DD helped me to relocate and stabilise my compost bin which was in an awkward spot and kept blowing away (it's an inherited dalek one with not much in it). Her suggestion was to embed stakes round it to hold it in place. I was about to dig out manky looking celery from last year when she pointed out it had new shoots and may well crop again so I'm leaving it. We're away now for a few days but will be going straight back when we get home as there was lots of white sprouting brocolli ready to harvest.

Afternoon!
getting a bit wild here today, and rain due, what a difference from yesterday. So after a quick trip to pick a cabbage, I have decided to start off my mushrooms this afternoon, at home, and maybe sow some more seeds in the greenhouse.!
Cupcakes -its always a bit of a let down when you have things planned out for 'me' time, and it goes out the window. But hope your DS is well soon. Good to know you can get your apple locally after all - sounds like you are sorted
WhoKnows -lovely to hear you have such a nice time in your shed, glad to hear its is going to be mended now, and you have managed to instil the joys to your DC's .
Happy Easter everyone

Heeellllooo and Happy Easter!

It's a bit grim outside today, but yesterday was glorious and so off I went to the plot. A bit of weeding, and a bit more digging put of my path, which is very hard - going, as it is very wet, stone, compacted clay full of couch. And a bit of chatting, and a bit of peace mimsying about in the sunshine. It was lovely.

V odd re my tomatoes. I am certainly not leaving them anywhere chilly, perish the thought! Nope, they get carried in to the dining room table when dusk falls. I'm wondering if it is the compost, which seems not to drain too well.

Hurrah for your potting shed WhoKnows, AND for your DC's enthusiastic participation. It's lovely, isn't it? My DS asked to go to the allotment after school this week as he wanted to do some digging for me. Well, he couldn't manage it, but it was a very nice thought. He schlepped mud lumps instead, and didn't even moan about the drizzle.

Talking of DS, he has seen a pic of tromboncino squash and wants (me) to grow them. So I need more seeds. And possibly another arch. And almost definitely more room.

Kiwi if you could ask your parents roughly how long from cutting to production for a blackcurrant, that would be so amazing, thank you!

Spotted - always more room! Very odd about tomatoes though, a mystery.
I have had a lovely hour pricking out my summer cabbage seedlings, and sowing borage, kale and cavalo nero.
Another not so joyous hour as I I also started off the growing stuff for the mushrooms. I didn't thoroughly read the instructions before today- ( unlike me) just skimmed. So happily trotted out to do a perfect mix of rotted manure, compost and straw. Oh, and gypsum, which I didn't have - never mind, manage without. And on closer reading no worms in the manure - (they eat the spawn it seems) .....oh, oh , - we bagged up a lovely load from the plot, congratulating ourselves on how many worms there were. Have you ever tried to evict worms from a barrow load of rotted manure?

doh -always more room needed

Evening!
well, went and did a little bit of digging prep for potatoes this morning. Actually, apart from it being a bit breezy, it was lovely. I did have to re weight down the fleece covering my broad beans, as it had been virtually blown off. Fingers crossed that it stays put tomorrow. Rain due in bucket loads if you believe the weather men

Hope everyone's plots are ok? Just on train home from 'the north' back to LDN and had two allotment neighbours message me on Facebook to let us know our shed is in its side
I had needed to raise the bugger anyway and Im going to take the opportunity to put some more breeze blocks underneath, so will have to go on a hunt this afternoon f

Apparently other sheds have been ripped off bases on our site and someone has already tried to resurrect ours, which was very nice of him but he but didn't manage it as it is too heavy. Any tips?

DH is in a major sulk. This is going to be a long journey home.....

It is lovely to read everyone's posts.
whoknows what sort of potting shed have you got?

Hi, I've been succession sewing broad beans for the past three weeks. No sign of the first lot yet. In Hertfordshire. Any hope?!

Put in potatoes today and planted asparagus a few weeks back. Garlic has been in over winter. Not doing too much this year. Just a few bits and bobs as currently very heavily pregnant and have a toddler so trying to be realistic about what I can achieve as well as manage the rest of the garden.

Very impressed by the wide range of crops many of you have started.

Well, a few days ago I checked (gently) the underground progress of my peas. I couldn't find most of them, but those I did find were disintigrated. So that solves a space problem for me - I now have room for some carrots, chard and beetroot.

I also peeped at my broadbeans - they’ll be poking through the earth any moment now. Fab.

book I’ve sown some of my White Lady runner beans in peach punnets deep trays. I knew that the flowers were white, but I wasn’t anticipating that the beans (seeds) would be white aswell (not that it matters). It came as a bit of a surprise to me - knocking the door of 60 and still learning really basic things

Along with the 3 apple trees that I planted last year, I put in 3 pear trees (Castell - June, Moratini - Aug and Conference - Oct) and now I see from ethelb that pear trees hate wind. Drat, I'm at the head of a windy valley. I lost the top of my Granny Smiths last year. For a young tree it had plenty of fruit on it, and I kept thinking I should reduce the number of fruits I was expecting it to carry. Then after a particularly gusty day it couldn't cope any longer. It now just has two short twigs sticking out of the top. I’ll wait and see what happens this year. No sign of life yet.

desperately tries to keep up with thread

spotted 2 wks ago I sowed (actually, I’m pre germinating) 4 kinds of tomatoes - in bathroom, no greenhouse. The only ones to have germinated so far are the Harbingers, so they have been put in pots. Still waiting for signs of action with the others. Might do some fresh in case these first ones have passed the point of no return.

Weather here is the same as there. Wind has died down today and the rain has paused, but is due back with a vengence tomorrow and Wednesday.

Hello to new people.

Afternoon!
well, made the right decision today to go out for lunch with daughters. Heaved it down and howling last night, with rain all this morning. Came back, rain has stopped so quickly went to the plot to check all is okay, but we are fine.
oh ethelb - thats not good, you only put it up recently as well- all that hard work :(
How big is it? My DH suggests leaving it on its side until the weather subsides, and then gather up some man power - probably 5 or 6 to lift back onto the breeze blocks. Then 2x2 wood ( tannelised if possible, as they will last longer) on the outside corners - length. 3' long, if not more, with at least half of that length in the ground, then screw them into the corners of the shed. Does that make sense?
welcome mnpeasantry - broad beans can take some time to germinate when direct sown - the ground is still pretty cold. I set some off in pots at home at the beginning of February which took about 10-14 days in the greenhouse. I have direct sown some as well, ( twice) but they do seem to be a treat for mice - I see little holes where they dig them up, so I use the pot sown ones as back up. I do have them under a bit of fleece, just to keep the worst of the cold off -I am in Yorkshire, so still cold on a night. Sounds like you are doing very well, with a toddler and pregnant- rather like Grouchy :)
teacup - thats gardening, you can never know the half of it :) and another having problems germinating tomatoes - what is going on? I am obviously lucky, though only 1 of my pepper seeds has come through, so will have to sow some more. Everything else seems to be doing okay, fingers crossed

Thank you bookbook. Fingers crossed they will all come up.

Ethel, when are you due? My toddler loves a bit of digging too but have to direct her to the not yet planted spots!

I hope your shed gets sorted teacup.

Looking forward to hearing more about everyone's crops as the weather warms up!

Sorry, mixed up. Ethel hope your shed is ok and grouchy good luck with the pregnancy and toddler.

its easy to mix us all up mnpeasantry - we have other posters expecting with toddlers as well!
My sunflowers have germinated! And the other annuals I sowed at the same time-They seem to have popped up quickly, (time flies - was the 18th so 10 days. Not too bad I think :) )

Funny - this is my shed, it's half and half shed/greenhouse, got it last June so this is it's first full season of use. At Christmas we had some very stormy weather and the greenhouse vents started letting in rain, which happened several times, so I have arranged for the supplier to come this week and patch it up. However we had torrential rain and strong winds last night and not a drop got in .

Anyway, no damage either at home or at the allotment. DD and I did a good job of securing the allotment compost bin on Fri as it was in place, lid still on, unlike every other time there's been strong wind. And as a plus, now it's been moved, I have room for another row of raspberry canes .

Ethel - sorry about your shed, hope it's not too badly damaged.

Teacup - are your tomato seeds under cover in the bathroom? I always do mine in a little windowsill incubator (unheated but it's a sunny window) and I think having the lid on them helps. Plastic bags over pots would do the same.

whoknows thats a very nice shed with lots of room and light! It looks lke you have a concrete base there.
Would you mind if I asked some more questions? You dont have to answer them

1. Does it get too hot when it is sunny?
2. Is the rainwater collected in a butt?
3. What sort of door do you have?
4. Have you found it difficult to keep the glass clean?
5. Is it treated wood?

Glad to hear it lasted the winter and the stormy weather.

A potting shed is on my wish list, but I'm dithering between potting shed/greenhouse/conservatory type extension thingy/plastic cheap walk in greenhouse for £25 . Being a total miser I have opted for the last option with which I am reasonably happy but I cant actually potter about in the plastic greenhouse and the utility room is being used for potting/sowing seeds /cuttings etc which is not ideal as in spring the clothes end up smelling of compost instead of lavender and drying herbs.

Morning all!

mn I'm another one pregnant with a toddler. Maybe we need a role call or something? I'm struggling to keep track too!

funny I love the smell of compost so composty smelling clothes wouldn't bother me! I suppose most people wouldn't agree though!

The sunflowers I planted with DS have germinated. I excitedly showed them to DS, who eyed them up and said "Can I eat them?". When I said no he sighed and went back to his duplo. I guess we'll be sticking to vegetable gardening then!

Very little gardening this weekend unfortunatley, due to combination of poorly DS and rubbish weather. We did place a reserve on a rescue labrador though, so hopefully I will soon be joined in the greenhouse by a four-legged companion again.

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter.

Sorry about your shed, ethel. Hope it's not too much of a mission to move it.

Hi mn. How far along are you? I'm 32 weeks. I planted a few broad bean seeds hopefully in the garden about 4 weeks ago and they've just started sprouting. I've also planted some that I potted inside and they seem to be doing well. I'm in south east Scotland so slightly nervous we'll get another frost sometime soon and set it all back.

DH and I went away for the weekend, just the two of us, and visited Drumlanrig castle near Dumfries on our way home. Everything was still asleep in the gardens there, but I did pick up a very pretty primrose to put in where the herb wheel used to be. I'd like a bit of colour in the vege patch while I'm getting more seeds sorted.

Planning to start some more seeds soon, but need to get more potting mix first.

Starting to see some beautiful buds on my blackcurrants and plum trees. Exciting!

Spotted I'll check with my parents and let you know asap.

Morning!
WhoKnows - well done to DD for anchoring your compost bin , just in time!
funny - I know all about dithering.- In the end, I bought a secondhand greenhouse, and I have a potting bench at the end in there, which works for me . The only drawback is that I see it out of my kitchen window, so I have to try to keep it tidy :)
Cupcakes - you can tell DS that the birds will eat the sunflower seeds ( and they are edible for humans too of course!) , and another dog - hopefully one who doesn't get ill eating your tomatoes (and was it chillies? )
Of course, now the Easter weekend has been and gone, it is a lovely sunny day here!