Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 15 - will winter ever end?

[bookbook]

Hi everyone , just putting this up quickly , will add on later
Everyone welcome! :)

Went to our allotment today as got an email from the council that there was a bad break-in overnight. Most sheds forced open and, I guess?, stuff taken or messed up. Thankfully the actual plots were left, I think most people would be upset at their young veg being destroyed. I didn’t stay long as couldn’t bear to see people upset, we were lucky as our shed has a proper key lock rather than padlock so couldn’t be broken into.
On a more positive note, tomorrow I will take up the asparagus crowns that arrived a few days ago and some strong looking strawberry plants.
I have broad beans in my greenhouse at home that are about 6 inches tall - should I put these up there after gardening off for a week or so?

Oh @Janus that's bloody awful. As if things aren't bad enough right now.

I wonder if people were after compost/seeds? Or just general vandalism?

Oh Janus that's awful I'm so sorry!

My gardening day was better as a) I have first germination on my beloved tomatoes, and b) I went to Aldi, only a 25 min queue to get in, but I scored some... COMPOST!

I'll still need some more though, so thanks for links and tips.

I want to say just just bored teenagers but who knows and don’t want to really jump to that conclusion? It doesn’t make sense as we all take our oldest tools up there so nothing of much value! I feel so sorry for the older ones up there as that’s their outlet and peace in these horrible times and where do you get replacement wood at the moment for doors?
I love walking up to the allotment (I count it as exercise the days I go up!), it’s kept me sane the last couple times I’ve been up. I switch the news off and just enjoy the digging! I’m sure a lot of us feel the same way. I do hope they stay open.
Stay safe everyone.

Oh @Janus, what an awful thing to happen. Like you say, it does seem like mindless vandalism if they haven't actually gone for tools/ fruit/ veg anything else handy. Our Freegle site has closed down here so I'm guessing you couldn't even ask on there for spare wood! I do hope it all gets tidied up soon

What a sad thing to happen Janus. I hope it doesn't put anyone off going to their plot.

We have had some of each of our seeds germinate now so we were very happy to discover the last ones (chllis) popping up. My DSes took care of them really nicely yesterday when I took them off the shelf to be watered. I think they remember planting them and quite interested, which is one of the things I wanted from growing edible things.

I had ordered some seeds, a raised bed kit and some windowsill mushroom kits a couple of weeks ago. Today the mushrooms turned up. I am quite excited to try them. I hope the seeds will still come but I feel like the raised beds might not and I'm not sure what I'd get to fill them anyway although there is a garden centre locally that have a landscaping business who currently do home delivery, so maybe they would have something.

That's too bad, Janus but glad for you that you weren't directly affected.

I sowed masses of broad beans today and began clearing the second veggie bed of overgrown rocket and mad verbena bonariensis that seed all over the shop. Tomorrow is snow peas and sweet peas. I've moved strawberries to a sunnier position.

It tanked it down with rain last night, so very welcome.

agh , Janus - so sorry to hear that . Our site has been done over a couple of times , once fairly recently , and it feels horrid .
I am itching to be back at the allotment , but due to SI , not able to go for another week . I know it will be okay , maybe some extra weeds , and I am doing as much as I can at home , but the wish for space and a fork and digging is a constant .
However , the garden is benefitting . I had planned on digging up my old raspberries this year -but instead , I have weeded thoroughly , given them a good mulch and watered with sequestered iron . I think I would prefer a smaller harvest than wait a couple of years for the new ones to start coming on stream .
All my tomato plants have germinated now . I have sown extra leeks , and all of my flower seeds now too .
Today , I need to get out my little mini greenhouse , which I use for hardening off the small plants ( just use it as extra shelving , and can chuck over some fleece if there is a frost warning .) Sweet peas and beetroot have been coming out for the day for a week ,so can be left out all the time now , and I have the pricked out brassicas to start hardening off now they have settled into the plugs .

@Janus that’s so awful to hear. I can’t understand why anyone would do that.

I was wondering if any of you would be able to help me. My broccoli has germinated really well but doesn’t have its second set of true leaves yet so unsure if it’s too early to put outside in the trug (is covered by a cold frame) or I should transfer them to slightly bigger, individual pots and keep them inside. My other worry is they are quite leggy. Is it something I’ve done wrong? Never grown broccoli before

Youve -leggy probably due to not enough light . You don't want to disturb them until you have true leaves , then you can use the seed leaves to pick up and prick them into small pots . It is not too cold - they are pretty hardy , but wait until you can move them safely , otherwise you may damage them . Wen you do prick them out , just plant them in deeper .

Ok brilliant thank you for your advice. Really appreciate it

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting. I gave up my allotment about a year ago because I moved to a new house with a bigger garden. I've been slowly converting the garden into an allotment. I'm glad I did because our council has closed all the allotments.

So far I have three raised beds and a large mixed border with fruit trees and bushes mixed in with flowers.

So far I've sown broad beans and peas and I've planted seed potatoes and onion sets.
I've got tomato and butternut squash seedlings on my window sill. I've never grown butternut squash before.
I planted rhubarb and asparagus crowns, the rhubarb is growing well but no sign of the asparagus yet. I won't be able to harvest any for a few years anyway.

I thought I had courgette seeds in, but I don't and now I can't buy any. Really annoyed because I love courgettes.

I've got two tiny apple trees on m9 rootstock, but I only planted them last spring so I don't think they will flower this year.
I have a peach tree with one measly flower on it, it's leaves are all curling, I meant to move it to a more sheltered area in the winter but never got around to it.

I don't know what I'm gonna do for fertiliser. I'm going to try to make some out of nettle leaves and banana skins. I got some comfrey roots from somebody local but it'll be a while before they get going.

Just checking in. Janus - that's awful about the break-in, unfortunately I think crime will increase with fewer people out and about to spot things happening. I'm glad the plots were left alone though.

Lookingglassmilk - welcome to the thread. Yes, it's annoying about the seeds. I have just realised my pack of coriander seeds only had two in it, so I have raided some from my spice rack and will see what happens. Failing that I will try and buy a pot in the supermarket and split it out into several plants. Do you have any neighbours that might have some, they could perhaps leave on your doorstep while out exercising? You might be able to pick up granular fertiliser at the supermarket.

I have been gardening at home. We cleared to a large extent our main flower bed last summer for the fence to be replaced, so I am going to take some of it over for fruit and veg. It is getting overgrown with brambles, dug some out yesterday but scratchy! Today I havebeen planting seeds - in my living room window incubator I have sweetcorn, tomatoes, cucumber and sunflowers, in and incubator in my greenhouse I have basil, catnip for my girls and coriander (from my kitchen!)

janus that’s sad about your break in.
looking sounds like you’re making good progress-sad that the council have closed local allotments though-I feel worried about this but so far it’s going strong. Whereabouts are you?

We had a relatively productive quick visit getting netting sorted.
Need to start pricking out some seeds and planting the next batch. Have a delivery of compost coming courtesy of local garden designer with trade contacts.

Hello, can I post a query? I have been finding it very hard to find multi purpose compost. Wickes actually has bags of it stacked up on the forecourt but refuse to sell it as it is “ non essential “ (not to me!). My tomato plantlets need potting on and I have nothing to put them in. DH managed to find some tub and hanging basket compost today ( contains a moisture retentive agent according to the packaging). Would this be ok for planting on? Thanks in advance.

@whataboutbob yes I'm sure that would be absolutely fine.
The only thing I probably wouldn't use would be ericaceous compost. But hanging basket stuff should be fine.

Thanks @TiddleTaddleTateTat ! The little darlings have outgrowth their tray 😊

I am sorry about the break in Janus. Unfortunately they seem to be a fact of life round our way.

It seems to be quite organised, somebody knows somebody knows somebody who has a key for the gate. A van comes in and anything which can be carried gets brought to the van. They even stuffed somebody's hens into a sack one time. Fortunately they were left behind so they could be returned to their run quite quickly.

DH brought the majority of our seedlings home from the allotment yesterday. We will collect the rest in the next day or two. They will be going into a little grow house on the patio until they are big enough to plant out.

Keeping going with these feels like a promise for the future.

Thanks for the tips Oakley Gnome and bookbook

I popped over yesterday and met my plot neighbours, one of whom actually used to have my plot (they’ve played a fair bit of musical allotments on this site by the sounds of it) and they were able to tell me a bit about my plot.
The bramble looking mess on the right boundary is actually yellow raspberries, although there are some brambles a bit higher up. At the top right of the pics is an apple tree although getting to it will be a challenge! The scrub looking patch to the bottom right is where the previous holder ran her chickens. She said that particular patch is pretty fertile so I should try and plant there pronto. Other than that the rest of the plot is pretty well covered in couch grass and bind weed... so I’ve got a lot to do!

Literally the only gardening tool I have to my name at present is a pair of secateurs... could anyone suggest a sort of allotment gardening tool starter kit shopping list I could try to procure?

Angelo - I have yellow raspberries (well, they are sort of apricot coloured. They are a late fruit which is the right time of year to do it as they are growing vigorously and fruit on this years growth. I took my allotment over in August and cut them all back to the ground then which was a big mistake and I hardly got any crops for a couple of years. If yours look as though they are growing vigorously now I might be tempted to thin them out or remove any strays now but not cut them all back in case they are an early variety, but watch out as they are very vigorous

I also have a plot full of bindweed and couchgrass. My only advice is keep on top of it, I loosen the soil with a fork, then kneel down and dig it all out bit by bit with a handfork, it is time consuming but quite relaxing. So my allotment essentials for that are a full length fork, handfork, decent kneeling mat (memory foam are great), a big bucket to chuck the weeds in and my phone/headphones. I use a trowel for planting out, secateurs for the raspberry canes but not too much else really. Oh, a watering can, plant labels, a pencil, plant ties/string and canes, plus I save empty milk or water bottles to put on the tops of shorter canes for safety.

Re raspberries, if it's brown, cut it down! Ie - if it has previously fruited it will be quite woody. You might also see old stem bits from the fruit at the top. If so cut it down to the base. If the cane looks greener and there's no fruited bits at the top , leave it as that will be raspberry that fruits on 2nd year growth.

The most common yellow raspberry is Fallgold, which fruit on 1st year's growth, so you can cut right down. They are delicious, have quite a long season and are mostly ignored by the birds. Slight downside is that they don't last as long on the cane, especially in damp weather, and they don't last as long once picked either. So eat them quickly!

This is a very strange mix of storylines.

Sorry, wring thread

Are you watching Doctors ED and on the wrong thread?