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

Love your purple beans, they're so shiny and gorgeous!

And yes, stews really are always better the second day, aren't they? They go sweeter somehow. Curries too! I might give that stew a go in the slow cooker tomorrow, it looks delicious and uses the three veg I most need to get through!!

I have far, far too many cabbages as well. I don't know why I planted so many, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I have your caution to 'grow the things you like to eat' in my head, book and am reminded what wise advice it is. I think I need to be a lot more thoughtful next year about what I grow, instead of just bunging things in!

This week I have about 5 kilos of green beans, 10 kilos of courgette, and 4 kilos of peas plus more cabbages than I can shake a stick at. It is ridiculous and, to be honest, a bit stressful!! Thankfully, I have other things in more moderation so I'm not just limited to those three veg for ever!! Also, friends and neighbours are helping take off the strain!

Bookbook I can't wait for him to be big enough for the back. I was pouring sweat, but at least cooler here in Scotland. Also good for the baby weight
That's a beautiful crop you have there too

wigels - my DD had a Madame Googoo carrier, which she and I used until DGS was quite big ( along with a back one)

Question for the thread: I am sure someone here will be able to answer!

I got a plot in April and have been treading water since then, but I have plans for next year which involve lots of raspberries, plus a loganberry and a gooseberry. My question is, when should I plant them? Should I aim to get them in the ground this year, or is next Feb/March better?

This year LaContessa thats my vote. The ground is still warm ,and they can settle in before getting going next year without any planting hiatus. If they are in pots - then now would do if you have the space ready , as I believe they are always better in the ground than in pots. Its easier to keep them from drying out or getting too big for the pot. I have 2 gooseberries in pots , waiting to go in probably i the next 2 weeks, when I have the area dg over, weeded and extra compost and manure added. Just make sure you work out the best spot for them, on your plot

I forgot to mention shove - lugging soil to the plot??? You are going to have muscles of steel ! I take it it can't be used to help level the slope in your garden.? And how many peas have you had- is that before or after eating them as you pick - though I remember you saying you love peas !
And yes to too many cabbages. I also have that problem. I think I only have about 5 left now , thank goodness, but when there are peas. beans and spinach, cabbage is a bit mundane. Though we do like a bit of bubble and squeak here.

Lovely, thanks book - that's what I'm inclined to do! Just wasn't sure if I was letting my keenness get the better of me. Have already got the loganberry, just need the raspberries and gooseberry....

On contessa's rasps - I'm holding off planting for the moment, because I reckon September could be hot and dry (this has been the driest August for years in my part of the world) and I don't want a watering nightmare. Do you think I am being overcautious? I'm secretly hoping the answer is yes, as I am champing at the bit to get stuff in! Patience is not one of my virtues.

book - I only do a trug of soil, so I fear I am away off steely muscles, boo . And yes, peas. I do adore peas. Sometimes I think my trips to the allotment are probably quite calorie neutral in spite of doing quite a bit of work . The variety I'm growing this year - 'Onward'- has been amazing and keeps on coming - I've had kilos of the things off it, much better than I got from Meteor early peas, and a sweeter taste too. Will definitely be growing them again.

The slope on the garden isn't all the same, IYSWIM. It starts out really quite slopey, and then levels off. So the extension is going to be on the steepest part, which will solve a lot of the problem. I am probably going to need to shift paths around after it's all done, however, which may necessitate new steps etc. I am rubbish at planning it on paper, so I will wait til it's up and then take a decision...

Evening!
mm - a valid point there shove re how dry it has been. But with lots of compost and prep..... and I tend to plant after a good downpour. (I have had to water my new gooseberries nearly every day, its been so dry.)
My NDN grew 'Onward' peas this year, and they also had a great harvest. So will try them next year, though I do love my Hurst Green Shaft....
I've been a bit busy today, so only time I had spare was spent in the greenhouse, giving it a good tidy - I have got mildew on a few of my cucumber leaves , so chopped them off, with the hope of staving it off. Fat chance I guess.Though I have had a great crop off them, and still a fair few set. I also did a proper pick of tomatoes - all the slightly sad tomatoes that have missed being picked for one reason or another, (they have all been roasted , ready to make a pasta sauce tomorrow.) - a lot of trimming of dead leaves and tying up a few straggly bits.
And hopefully, some more rain overnight/tomorrow morning, so won't feel too guilty for not getting down to the plot to water.

Well, I got outside last night and planted a few things! Did I mention that I'm quite impatient?

My garden has been struggling a bit in the dry, and I haven't paid it nearly enough attention because I just haven't been here to do so. It's incredible how fast things slip when you are not present and watchful. So the next week is going to be about pulling it back into some kind of order for the last part of the season.

I need to tidy my greenhouse as well!!

at shove's impatience!

Another question: I want to have a flower garden bit in my allotment, and have already got many spring bulbs from Morrisons - daffs, tulips and the like. I want to have flowers coming up in summer as well though, and since I'm lazy it would be good if they were perennials. Can I buy summer bulbs and shove them in the ground at the same time as the spring bulbs, or will they rot over winter? I thought that they must surely be ok as they will have to go through a winter at some point! I could dig around spring flowers to push summer bulbs into the ground, but it just feels a bit inefficient; hence the question.

Advice is usually to plant summer bulbs in spring. However I've got away with doing alliums in mid Autumn for umpteen years, both spring and summer varieties.

I am not sure why this would be for varieties that can take frost - I suspect it's more insurance for the seller than anything else, to stop people complaining their bulbs have rotted in a wet winter?

Afternoon!
shove - you - impatient? - same here....
LaContessa - I don't see why not tbh, though some bulbs/corms need lifting . Well, I am going to qualify that - its recommended that they are lifted. My NDN has a bed of dahlias which have not been touched for 4 years, and they are fine with a bit of mulch over winter. ( And I am in the cold East Yorkshire). Don't forget herbs and lavender , which would also be nice in the flower bit- and the bees will love them.
Well I was at the plot most of the morning. I did a fair bit of weeding, then dug up a half row of potatoes, a couple of cabbages, ( only 3 left thank goodness!) courgettes and brokali. I left picking beans until tomorrow, as I still have a tray full to cook/freeze/give away.
Really glad I did go. - its been heaving it down here for the last hour :)

Hello!

Does everybody mind if I pop my head in and say hi? I'm a long term MN lurker but am coming out of hiding due to having just been allocated my very first allotment I'm incredibly excited and nervous all at the same time as I've no idea what I'm doing really!

Obviously my first task is to clear it and I have a rough idea of what I'd like to eventually plant but I was hoping if I could hang out here I could gain some tips from you very knowledgeable people

Evening!

Inky - welcome :) exciting getting your allotment. Have you seen it? Is it on an established site, or new. And whereabouts generally -North/South/East West? ( I'm just nosey, really!)Just ask away, and someone will be able to help hopefully.
A few thoughts - measure it out, so you can do a plan. Work out where the sun is, and see what the soil is like. Hopefully, if its an established site, there may be good soil in there. And find out about water supply!

Book yes I've seen it! We collected the keys today so I went and had a good poke around, it's on an established site but our plot has been unattended for about a year. It's actually not that overgrown compared to some of the other empty plots so I'm hoping won't take too long to clear.

Sorry I pressed post to soon.

We took a rough measure today but I really need to get in there with a tape measure. I've been told the soil is clay, I'm not sure what that means in terms of planting? We're in the south east, the allotment site sits next to a field so it's a bit exposed on one side and I've been told that it can get fairly windy so to make sure that canes etc are very well anchored.

I hadn't even considered water supply good point!

We've been offered a shed and some tools from my mother in law which is brilliant and I need to get down a rough idea of layout but I find it so hard to visualise space just by looking at things so it's definitely a tape measure job first

Sounds good Inky - lovely to start off with shed and tools too.
South East - well I think there are a few plotters on the thread down there. Clay soil is very common- it doesn't tend to drain well, can be heavy digging. and It takes a bit more time to warm up in the spring. But loads of potential.
Check where trees/hedges are for shaded areas, and if they will affect your plot. And get to know your neighbours and have a nosey to see what they are growing - thats always helpful!

Afternoon!
Well, its been a bit mizzly all day, but managed a couple of hours this morning.I weeded, and got my comeuppance for not going for a few days - the most enormous tray of green and purple french beans and runner beans. I have been running around to neighbours to give some away. I did see another plotter, and he came across and asked if I liked cucumbers.( I do and mine are a bit small at the moment) - so he came and gave me 4... so I forced some beans on him . And I was also given a beautiful red cabbage.I picked beetroot and courgettes. I deadheaded loads of flowers , cut the sweetpeas and picked raspberries too.It all takes more time than you bargain for, and I never seem to get quite sorted before time is up.
We have had so much rain in the past few days, my once nearly empty water butt is now almost half full - . I bet I don't need it now !

I love this time of year for giving veg away. I have taken to dumping large amounts of beans and peas on my next door neighbours! It's lovely to hear you have swaps at your plot, book. I hardly ever see anyone in mine but I have managed to palm some courgettes off on the odd person

I've been doing my back garden today - as part of a load of jobs, I planted out a Chilean guava which I bought for the allotment but decided was just too pretty to part with.

Hi there , I am new to this thread I am a relatively inexperienced gardener although have grown some veg over the years. I have a 1/2 acre (!) veg patch and need to start cutting the cost of feeding the family by growing my own. Can anyone give me an idea what I should do when. I do know it's currently overgrown ( very busy summer over committed with work) so I need to get up there and stick the rotivator in it.

would you believe I have been offered a complete planting of sweetcorn from my NDN - they grew a forest of it, won best plot but don't eat them so I have been given free rein. Which I am truly grateful for as mine were a disaster this year. I will be swapping with sprouting broccoli !

x post with Wereareyougoing - have to dash now, shouldn't be here mumbling along, but will be back later :)

Wow it sounds like you all the very productive plots I can't wait for the day when I can just pop over and pick my own fruits and vegetables, seems like a daunting task though!

Back ..
sorry it was wearegoing ! and a 1/2 acre veg patch at home .
Right - I'm sure others will come and help too.
Have you cultivated it at all before the last year? Is it just weeds from this year, or is it covered in brambles and such? It is easy to rotavate , but if you have loads of perennial weeds that will just cut them up and distribute them more.
This is the time of year to start getting ready to plant fruit bushes/trees and
With half an acre you could certainly grow a lot, but there are costs to growing. It isn't necessarily cheap .
So you need to weed, dig over and mulch for starters.
Then make a list of what you want to grow, first rule is to grow what you like to eat.