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

Evening all. Enjoying the updates although it's a bit difficult to read everything on the phone. Sorry to hear about the blight, slug plague and the dead hedgehog

Anyway I went up to my new plot again today. Spent a couple of hours with secateurs cutting every single stem off the dock. I brought one full binbag back (was on my bike so space very limited) but there are 2 full refuse sacks and an absolute mountain of cut dock stems still to bag up. Planning to go back tomorrow with the car as all green waste has to be composted on plot or taken off site and I don't want to compost millions of dock seeds.

DH's plan to blitz the plot in 3 days is way too ambitious. Even when the dock roots are dug out, there's creeping buttercup, horsetail and ground elder all over it. I have to clear a third of the plot by October and so there's no great rush but the weeds are taking hold so fast I think I have to keep on top of it.

On the bright side I found a very nice spade, trowel, hand fork and another pair of secateurs buried in the undergrowth so they are now mine as well I guess

I do ache all over now though and today wasn't even a hard day - dreading how I will feel after tomorrow and possibly Tues as well (have to make the most of good weather on my days off)

I only managed 15 mins at the plot today, just strimmered all the edges and grassy bits to tidy it up, and checked things over. My courgettes, squashes and cucumbers are struggling to get going, the courgettes have been nibbled by slugs and keep losing their flowers, the squash and cucumbers look healthy but no flowers. Tomatoes look healthy but still only flowering, no fruit set. Potatoes are all flowering too.

Book - they sound like my raspberries, I would describe them as apricot coloured, they have a lovely flavour. I've only had one ripen so far this year though.

Timtam - frustrating though it is, I do think it's best to clear a small area at a time thoroughly rather than a large area and not get everything out, which was the tactic I used in my first year and the weeds grew back faster than ever. Nice that you found surprises, my plot came with a compost bin, several watering cans (all but two had holes), two hoses, one trowel, some lovely slate plant labels and no end of tangled netting, old fence posts, battered plant pots and other random crap.

Evening! I had a nice 90 mins in the... sunshine ( ) this afternoon, but I'm not really feeling the love yet, Tbh.

For a start, I'm still gutted about the blight. And my neighbours haven't yet cleared their potatoes and tomatoes away, so it absolutely stinks. I was wondering whether I should cut their blighted foliage off in a bid to protect the spuds underneath, but I wasn't really sure if that is what you're meant to do, so I didn't.

I planted out the last of my squash and courgettes in most of the tomato vacuum, and gave the ones that are there a bit of a feed. And I planted out some very old leftover chard seedlings too. But the beans are still really crap, my new chard that I planted before has started to bolt already (huh?), and what is worse, my rasps have loads of lovely lush leaves but the fruit just hasn't ripened. And I still have hardly any blackcurrants - even the ones in their 2nd year. It feels like a lot of work for not very much at all - today's haul was a handful of mangetout and a teeny courgette. My 2nd courgette.

Timtam if you haven't done so get something - cardboard or tarpaulin - over the plot. This will block out the light and slow up the weeds. As you clear if you are not planting up cover it over otherwise the weeds will be back as soon as you look at it. Docks and creeping buttercups do take time to clear but take it steady and don't overdo it. It is a marathon not a sprint.

Spotted disheartening about the blight isn't it? We did at least get to eat some of our potatoes for tea last night. Your beans will catch up soon enough and I think blackcurrants take a couple of years to get going. The RHS book says you shouldn't allow it to fruit in the first year to help it - well I haven't done this with mine planted last autumn so who knows what will happen next year. Sun is shining here this morning and it actually feels like summer out there so maybe the weather is going to cheer up.

Hello all - rain and extra work have largely kept me out of the garden for the last few weeks, but it seems to be doing ok. I've been harvesting early potatoes, courgettes and swiss chard for the last couple of weeks, as well as the odd carrot and spring onion, and yesterday was very pleased to pick my first cucumber. It's from a plant my neighbour gave me which is much further along than the ones I've grown from seed, and it's in a pot on the patio so sheltered with lots of sun (when it's out).

A week or so ago I thinned the gooseberries and cooked up the ones I had picked, but now the birds have taken almost all of the others . As I only put the soft fruit bushes in this winter I wasn't expecting any fruit, so I suppose what I had was a bonus, but I will have to sort a fruit cage for next year.

Spotted the bolting is probably due to it having been midsummer (been reading up about 'photoperiodism in plants'). My coriander and remaining lettuces boltted 'in time' to midsummers day.

The hedgehog wasn't there earlier in the day, but in the heat of the afternoon I saw on the grass (from the window), what I thought was another mole/vole hill and took no notice. But when I went out I found it was a hhog. No idea why it went to that location at that time of the day. It must have been disorientated for some reason.

It might even have been this one taken a couple of years ago. It went for a kip under the bushes after I'd been bringing it a large picnic of snails. The cat is a young friendly feral. I know there are more hhogs around, so I haven't lost all my helpers.

bolted I knew it didn't look right.

And hello to the new people

Struggling with headaches at the moment so getting very little done. But picked our first strawberries today and they were incredibly delicious. No comparison at all with those from the supermarket.

Back at the allotment today. It was very hot. I had to wear wellies, long sleeves and long trousers because of the nettles which didn't help. I dug a fairly shallow pit (was supposed to be a deeper trench but the digging was absolutely exhausting), filled it with all of the cut nettles/some of the comfrey and covered them with soil. Hopefully it'll rot down over the winter and make a good bean bed next year. Next step is to get some of that black weed membrane to put over the soil. I need to move some hoops of piping and some cane supports first. I also bagged up 8 refuse sacks of dock, goosegrass, annual weeds...managed to get them home and the neighbours kindly let me use their green bins as mine would only take 2 bags. Absolutely worn out now but may go back tomorrow and pull some buttercups out, I don't think I'll be fit to dig anything! I knew it would be hard work but it's very tough. As was said above, I don't want to overdo it so will see how I feel in the morning

Evening!
no plot today - had DGS . Did think to pop and water this evening, but the day got hotter and muggier, and at about 6.30 it started to rain. Had a really good 40 minutes solid soak , so that was miles better than me lugging a few watering cans.
I am planning on using salt around my last precious seedlings Small Legs - I have some plug carrots, peas and replacement brassicas to protect .
timtam - don't panic- and please don't try and do it all at once. I second WhoKnows in doing an area at a time thoroughly, then cover or plant. It can be painfully slow, but really worth it in the long run. And you wont feel like you have been run over by a steamroller either..... a good hot soak is bliss after that ..But the joy of finding useful things - wow a decent spade - plus piping is invaluable - (as a plotter, I hoard all sorts of stuff now , whether I know its useful , or not!)
Spotted just :( . My spinach has bolted too- just a rotten combination of weather. I have sown some more - ( hope over experience maybe?)Do you have any sort of committee or membership stuff at yours? Our site now has a facebook page and today there were 2 people offering surplus seedlings - beans/pumpkins and other stuff. Worth a little quiet ask around if you see anyone ( maybe not the stalker....)
FionaJT - sounds like it is almost all going well :) I can sympathise on the gooseberries - I moved one out of a fruit cage as it was too crowded in there, to the other end of my plot this year. Was really pleased it had settled in without too much bother. Had a nice looking crop going on. Went yesterday - stripped bare . Have netted another one next to it ( I presume not nearly ripe enough yet, as they hadn't touched that one)
Grouchy - not good - any ideas on the cause? Hope you are feeling better soon. And yes, I may be moaning about strawberry poisoning, but oh, the flavour. DGS and I made strawberry oaties today from an MN recipe. Not perfect - too sweet, and crumbly, but DGS didn't mind, and he took home some for Mummy and Daddy :)

Hello everybody. Haven't been on here for ages and have named changed (clue: Dog died Jan, MIL died June - PM if you're still stuck! And that's a depressing way to identify myself!).

Lovely reading all of your updates and seeing new people joining in. One day I'll be joining you all again!

Very little for me to update - between travelling back and forth between inlaws, being 7 months pregnant, and having 3YO DS, the garden has pretty much collapsed in on itself. What hasn't been munched by the slugs has been dug up by cats. I have some potatoes left, but never got chance to bank them up so don't expect much from them. I guess they'll have kept the weeds down? One pumpkin has survived. Tomatoes look OK but due to lack of water aren't huge and don't have many flowers. I have some beans in the greenhouse that DS planted, but I suspect they will be slugged as soon as I put them out! I'm tempted to plant them in the greenhouse and see what happens.

I have, however, managed to pick a few strawberries and jostaberries. I went a bit mad with the (organic, pet friendly) slug pellets. It didn't seem to work at first but I'm noticing an improvement now. My poor rabbit is getting his food bowl slugged every day though!

I think I need to cover over the rest of my plot and just leave it be for this year (and maybe next). The weeds - mostly grass - are about 18" high now, should I ask DH to strim them before covering over?

Morning
and I do know who you are Diamond - :) the garden can cope - you have other more important things to do/think of.
I have been to the plot this morning and done the usual hoeing/weeding harvesting.
On another note - one of the many lovely occasional posters on here , who you may know ( I wont mention by name, but lives in Australia ) has posted on another thread that her husband died suddenly at 61 last week .So sad...

I saw that too, book. Awful for her.

Diamond that's a rough year. The plot comes last. Look after yourself.

Will be going to the allotment tomorrow to get all weeding done with the help of my MIL, before we go away for 2 weeks on Saturday.

Nobody has any onion sets, I left it to long - will start some winter seed veg when we come back. I have lots in just now but needed to fill space up. Maybe I'll put some more potatoes for new potatoes.

Next years crop will be better as my 6 week old will be older. Cuddles when needed all the time is more important now. I'm concentrating on having everyone fed and in an acceptable house. Allotment/garden is last in the list. But not looking too bad

Well, have had a morning of refection on mortality, but also with the thought that life has to go on.
On a totally unrelated thought - I must remember that if I cut yellow flowers for home, I will be invaded by little black beetles - darn you sunflowers.
wigel - good on MIL ! and enjoy your holiday :)

Oh books that is sad news.

Take care of yourself. Gardening is jolly hard work when you're pregnant.

books The headaches are from lack of sleep, I think. I'm really not coping with that aspect of newborn baby this time round.

Had a good amount of my broad beans for dinner tonight, along with fresh herbs from the garden, and I ate the first pea (well, mange tout) and tiny carrot today too. Lovely.

I also feel like I've learned a lot for next year from the mistakes I've made, which is great.

Sorry, the comment with the flowers was for Diamond.

oh, I don't miss those early zombie times Grouchy - but a carrot !!!!! you get a for it being not munched to oblivion !
And that is the truth of gardening - trying again next year !

I'm a bit of a lurker here and new to gardening, but I thought that somebody more knowledgable than I might be able to tell me what's eating my raspberries and how to get rid of the sodding beasts?

Not sure what's been eating the raspberries Pauline. Our apple looked a bit like that and it had little caterpillars, but not sure what they were.

A good morning in the allotment, would probably have stayed longer but my eldest wanted to come home and play with his home toys - we were there for over 2 hours. But weeding of brassicas done, onions, shallots and carrots just about done. Also need to clear the plot I want to plant new seedlings in later, mostly it is done. Also did more tidying, which is great.

Tomorrow potatoes weeded and a bit more here and there.

The last plot owner, accumulated so much stuff and big drums grrrr- I still have to get rid of them

I am just happy to be able to keep on top of things with help of my MIL.

I have half a plot, so it's big

My raspberries are getting eaten too, I suspect birds.

Evening!
Hi Pauline - mmm maybe 2 things going on there.... the holes don't really look like damage from sawfly , and pretty sure raspberry beetle affects the fruit , so are new holes still appearing? The second picture looks like aphids of some sort I think - so maybe you can spray with a soapy mixture. Anyone else got any ideas? The aphids are everywhere this year, and seemingly not a lot of ladybirds.
Went down this afternoon to pick yet more strawberries - I am still looking for good recipes! Watered squashes and courgettes - they are just about ready to motor I think. DH did bindweed duty, and i found some more caterpillars on some kale plants - arghhhhh!! Will need to think about picking redcurrants in the next few days.

doing well there wigels :)

Pauline I think the picture of the underside of the leaves looks like it could be aphids. Spraying with a soapy solution as Bookbook suggests will help there.

I wonder about flea beetles for the holes. These make little holes and are merrily attacking my radishes. (Or rather DH's radishes as I don't like them much). Apparently if you get something sticky on cardboard and put it under the plant and shake it then you'll knock the beetles off and they can't escape. Haven't tried this myself yet though.

Interestingly we've had quite a lot of ladybirds around this year and not many aphids so far so completely the opposite of you Bookbook.

Diamond you've got a lot going on. I would strim before covering the areas you don't have time to do anything with. If you've got parts which are reasonably well dug and not too weedy you could try sowing a green manure as well.

I'm sorry to read about our Australian poster's husband has died. That is sad

Afternoon
Hope everyone is okay.
Only popped to the plot for half an hour today , did some watering and weeding, checked on the brassica cage - no more caterpillars so far thank goodness. Picked cabbage for tea.
Then home to make strawberry muffins for the freezer - only another punnet to use before I pick some more....
Beans are starting to travel up the canes at last, with a few flowers on the french beans - none so far on the borlotti.
Something is munching the leaves on the swedes rather heavily - slugs rather than caterpillars by looks.
Picked the first reasonable amount of raspberries today too - lots and lots to come by looks.