Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 6 - Weed 'em and Reap!

[bookbook]

Thanks WhoKnowsWhereThe Time GOes for the title of the new thread.
So, we head into summer, praying for sun, gentle rain and no slugs
Everyone welcome to join in and share joys and woes and advice, given freely!
Previous thread here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/gardening/2582241-Allotment-Veg-Patch-Thread-5-The-Diggers-Rest?pg=1

Had to rearrange with DH so went down this morning instead of afternoon - result! It was dry this morning and hasn't stopped raining since lunchtime.

I spent almost 3 hours there just weeding about 2m of path (at the back of plot next to metal fence). Absolutely tons of weeds, stones and glass. So satisfying but soooo slow going.

We have inherited 2 compost bins. I braved a peek today. One is half full. The other has the lift off door thingy at the bottom missing so what compost I can see looks pretty pale and weed filled. Inside it was half full and covered in what looks like white seeds/non moving maggots. Are these some sort of horrifying creature egg? Ants were in great numbers running all over the egg things. Shall we get rid of the whole thing? Do you need 2 compost bins?

I mentally 'allotmented' whilst watching DD's football lesson. Kind of resenting real life at the moment for taking me away from my land!!

Ant eggs

Really? They seemed bigger than the ants running on top of them. Are ants okay/good for compost?

Have google imaged ant eggs and you are right - thank you! We have just recovered from a dead rat/s situation at home and I am pretty fed up of flies so ants make a change

More new people! Welcome to you all.

wigel my baby will be 5 weeks on Tuesday. I've found gardening has been great for helping me recover (though I have a home garden, not an allotment, so it's easier to get to).

DD2 pulled out about 60% of my spring onions today. I'm not as upset as I might be because I don't like them, but DH will be a bit disappointed.

I think I'll be able to harvest my first lot of broad beans tomorrow. I am so excited! Now just have to decide what to cook with them for dinner.

My potato plants are massive now so I'm thinking of harvesting some of them. There aren't any proper flowers yet, mostly buds, so would it be too early? I guess I could always dig some up to see. Fresh potatoes with the broadies would be delightful.

Grouchy - he's 5 weeks today
Oh dear for your spring onions. DS1 is 7 going on 8, he knows now

The allotment is a few mins drive away. Can walk, but will take about 30-40 mins.
We used to grow all our veggies in the garden until I got the allotment. Not a big garden though.

I just earthed up my last 2 rows of potatoes last week. Pink furs luckily.

I though I posted yesterday, must have lost it. Welcome to all the new people (and returners), it's lovely to have so many people posting.

I've managed a couple of hours at the plot over the weekend, weeded all the planted areas yesterday, planted some more seeds - I put in some broad bean seeds about 10 days ago and they are looking super healthy already so I stuck a couple more rows in. Went back today and got chard and red cabbage planted out. All I have left at home now are leeks and purple sprouting broccoli, both of which are still looking too delicate to go out just yet. I potted on the broccoli when I got home, so hopefully they will be strong enough soon.

If I say it myself my plot is looking pretty good at the moment . I'm pondering what do do when my onions come out, I have a large area of them and they won't need too much longer. I think I will extend my strawberry patch to part of that area, but it will still leave a big gap. Any suggestions?

Ah, booky beautiful peony - thank you! May it long remain un-strimmed.

Welcome, new people, and welcome home Cath

WhoKnows are you looking for something permanent to replace the onions? How much sun does it get?

Not much gardening for me this weekend. I planted a few more rows of dwarf french beans at home. And I put loads of chilli powder and chilli flakes down tk hopefully keep mice and squirrels from stealing the bean seeds.

I'm picking tayberries regularly now. Only a few a day so not enough to do anything with them but eat them on their own. They're delicious.

No, nothing permanent, it's part of my main diggable area. Full sun. To be honest, I'll probably just clear it, cover it in black membrane and leave it for the year, once the DCs break up from school it's all downhill for me in terms of available gardening time.

Evening!
mogs - I earth up potatoes by pulling loose soil up from the sides, - you don't need to add a mulch as such.
Grouchy - hope the potatoes and broad beans went well :)
Spotted #YoF has started for you !-( I wont be getting any tayberries this year)
WhoKnows - in the magazine I read the other day, Anne Swithinbank suggested popping some more french beans in for a late harvest. Or maybe spinach/ beetroot or even little turnips are quick growing 6-8 weeks approx to harvest

I think I miggt put in aome turnips. Found a recipe for turnip fritters in Summers under the tamarind tree. If only I could grow lime leaves, tamarind and pomegranate

Well- went completely bonkers in the garden centre today. DH not here and DD2 (who is normally quite good at giving me the 'really?' look) was distracted by the rabbit section. I have bought and planted today-chillies, tomatoes, basil in greenhouse ( oh dear god the SPIDERS) lettuce, rainbow chard (first time) and leeks ( first time) peppermint for tea, sweet peas and more strawberries. The Internet died while I was googling how to plant leeks so I got as far as 'make a 20cm hole and put the leek in it and then fill with water... ' and then couldn't read any more so that's what Dd2 and I did, hoping there wasn't a vital second part. I am slightly sunburnt, which is ironic given I've been living in a desert for two years but air is so much clearer here. I am doing my meet and greet with new job tomorrow with a red face and dirty fingernails.

Am very impressed by people doing anything at all whilst sporting newborns, I was still in my pjs eating yellow food at that point. Hope everyone is having good weather.

Cathpot - I bet you were outside for longer without feeling hot :) And that sounds like a good haul. You could still sow some late peas as well - I do, (though they tend to get a bit of mildew) its nice to pick some late in the season, even if its just a few.
Leeks sound fine - they are very easy - hardest bit is making the hole !
I ordered the perennial cauliflowers today - not due until September. I am sharing the plants with a lady 2 plots away. We both decided to try - we can always order more for next year if they are worth it.
.

Harvested potatoes, garlic, onions and shallots today. Unfortunately the potatoes [quite a few] seem to have a touch of early blight.

I harvested redcurrants, petit pois, mange-tout, lettuce, purple sprouting, some glorious chard and the first potatoes tonight from the garden and allotment. It is so exciting once it gets going, isn't it. The potatoes are small but the plant was dead anyway so I thought I'd investigate. I am just in love with chard. What amazing colours.

that chard is glorious, Hia
Mine never looks that good. Is that bright lights, or something else?

bookbook - do you mean sow peas from seed now? I didn't realise I could do that. hiahia - those colours are amazing. DD2 was planting chard seedlings out today and comes over waving one and going- even the roots are colourful!! Much excitement- but then we are all a bit hyper at the moment.

Yes, I planted out chard seedlings yesterday and was amazed to find pink roots on the pink ones .

yes cathpot - just choose a maincrop one - I use Ambassador. I sowed mine about 7 days ago, in plugs , and they are just starting to show, but not quite 'through' yet :)
HiaHia - you could put those in a vase!
Doreen - are they your early potatoes, or second early? I don't grow earlies, and my second earlies have barely started to flower.

Morning and welcome to all the new people. Bookbook was right that I have horsetail all over my plot. It's not that bad just very tedious. We try to get it out when we first dig over before planting then just keep on pulling it out or cutting off as we go during the season. It's annoying as it is persistent.

Doreen that's annoying if it is blight coming on your potatoes.
I like that chard. I must find my seeds and plant some. I've rather slowly realised that it was the pigeons rather than slugs that attacked it last year.

Inspired by Alys Fowler's book on gardening I have planted a small patch with a scattering of seeds broadcasting them - radishes, baby spinach, carrots, beetroot and fennel. Then I planted some seeds in the usual straight lines and I'm going to see what happens. The broadcast seeds have a slight advantage in that they are planted in slightly better soil.

My blackcurrants are nearly ripe but raspberries have a little way to go.

Afternoon!
a bit damp around the edges here. It has been dry all morning, whilst I was busy. Finally, finally managed to get to the plot this afternoon. Nice and dry, but keeping a weather eye out. Picked spring (!) cabbage for tea- went to pick strawberries - started to spit with rain. Picked as fast as I could. It stopped. Went and got wheelbarrow to do a bit of weeding - started to spit. Decided to sort out spring cabbage and strawberries and put in boot of car. Realised I needed to pick strawberries in my new strawberry bed, managed, but raining just a bit heavier - thunder ..... Locked up, and ran into car. Lightening, thunder and heaving down rain. Got home and had to sit in the car for 10 minutes as it was so heavy, also realised that in my haste, have left wheelbarrow, weeds and fork on the path....

Evening!
Has anyone used vinegar on weeds on their plots? Is it any good? (Back story - newbie allotmenteer took on my first allotment in Feb & it hasn't been cultivated in years.....!)

bookbook- did you go back and rescue everything??

Vaguely worried about bees- we have lots of thyme and alpines near the bench where I sit out and in previous years it's been heaving with bees- to the point you have to sort of wade through them gently to sit down. Just realised I've hardly seen any this year- are they late?

lots of bees where I am, but I know the local school keeps bees and there is a restaurant that has a garden&bees.
the mild winter but late&harsh spring has been bad for bees generally.

vinegar - haven't used it myself but my sisters rose arch was killed by her neighbours using vinegar to kill weeds on the path.