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

[bookbook]

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

I went to the plot today to put in a honey berry and do some watering. A few spuds are up but not the second sowing of broad beans. I don't think some over the over 70s got the memo but we are all distant to each other. Some are obviously quite deaf because I could hear conversations across plots from at least 8 plots down.

“bookbook” I mean I’m no expert but I’m pretty sure these guys are beyond rescue! Have attached pics...

I’ve kept hold of the bits of frame, piping, tent pegs and wire, and one small bit of tarp that’s in reasonable condition. Unfortunately most of the tarp I found was that plastic woven stuff that has become so brittle a lot of it has fallen apart, and there’s loads of little bits of it in the top soil. I see hours of sifting in my future...

Sorry meant to tag @bookbook in that post...

Also if anyone can recommend where I can get some decent gloves for small hands that’d be grand!

How small, Angelo ? I use these www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-kids-garden-glove-age-7-11/p/0486965 although I'm older than 11.

The same gloves are in homebase too I think, but much more than £1. Nb they say out of stock at mo, no idea what wilko is like av the moment. Maybe best to find something online?

I’ve been into my local Wilko a couple of times recently (only whilst picking up prescriptions for DS at Boots next door) but the only gloves they have in store are adult medium and large sizes. Will have a snoop online though.

Lidl have gloves, I bought some a couple days ago, they have different sizes, I have tiny hands and bought some that fit a treat (possibly kids ones 🤣).

I don't think some over the over 70s got the memo but we are all distant to each other. It's only the shielded group that have to stay at home, for most over-70s, it's social distancing, they are just warned to be particularly scrupulous about it. So they may well take the view that the allotment is less risk than a supermarket.

Just got back, did a bit of digging and planed some broad bean seeds. Lovely and peaceful. I have to say that while I like a chat up there normally it's definitely more relaxing when there are fewer people around.

Also did some work at home this morning, our garden waste
collection was due so I thought I'd do my best to fill the bin as it might be the last one for a while so I spent a satisfying hour digging out bramble roots and sending them off to the council to deal with. Good time to do it, you can spot the new shoots easily and get to them before too much has grown around them in the borders.

I still haven't managed to go up to the allotment between me being ill and the DC simply not wanting to go out but we've planted loads in the garden. Hoping the potatoes will do ok in a big plastic veg bag I found at the back of a cupboard!

Morning!
and another glorious one here .
Angelo - can see what you mean about the secateurs !
I am still in SI , but going at pace here at home . Yesterday , I sowed all the sprouting broccoli varieties, and put outside all the small pricked out stuff onto my hardening off shelves . Today I will be pricking out the sprouts . Inside , tomato plants are coming along nicely , with a few to spare , so they will need pricking out in a couple of days . The peas I sowed have just started to germinate too .
I am waiting a little while before sowing curcubits /beans and sweetcorn - probably another couple of weeks .
Ruby - the only thing you have to remember about potatoes in sacks - they need plenty of feed and water to get half decent sized potatoes.
I am itching to be back at the allotment , so roll on Friday . Very lucky to have the big old fashioned sized plots at ours -( they are 8m wide ) with the plots going off the road down the site at right angles , so you can keep well away .
Take care everyone

It's been beautiful here the last two days which is wonderful. Normally I'd be putting things outside or in the greenhouse to harden off by now but it's 22 degrees today so difficult to know what to do.

What are other people doing?

Still sowing here tiz and have things inside still. But opening the greenhouse in the day! I am in the shielding group so cannot go to the plot - just have to hope that the onions stay ok with no weeding and the potatoes are ok with how we planted them! Have written off the soft fruit as cannot net it!

At home sown into the ground some spring onions and in the propagation the cucumbers. Only one tomato has germinated so far from a new packet - not good as cannot get any more seeds! Will try again at the weekend.

Has everyone had success germinating? I have with courgettes, squashes ( but no room to plant them at home!) and peas are coming up well.

RhubarbFizz you can use seeds from shop bought tomatoes? I have before and had success, I have only just planted tomatoes, hoping I’m not too late.
Germinated so far I have...
Butternut squash
Courgette
Peas (planted out)
Radish (planted out)
Leeks
Chillies
Cucamelons

Just planted..
Tomatoes
French beans
Peppers (probably too late)
Cabbage
Swede
Lettuce

Sewn direct...
Carrots
Potatoes
Spring onions
Beetroot.

I’m still waiting for some seeds in the post which maybe too late to plant by the time they get here but I have plenty already planted.

I need to somehow build a frame for my cabbages and fruit but not sure where I can get some wood from.

tizwozliz I'm no good at this put-things-out-during-the-day-bring-them-in-at night business. I move things from propagator to porch window, to "warm" end of unheated greenhouse to "cold" end of unheated greenhouse. So what I've done at the moment is to plant out everything from the cold end of the greenhouse secure in the knowledge that they've got a few warm days to get used to the outside.

Germinated - broad beans (about 6 inches high, soon to be planted out)
Sugar snap peas
Courgettes
Tomatoes
Chilli
Lettuce
Radishes (sown in containers outside)

I'm making more use of a propagator, which really does speed up germination at this time of year. But gives you a whole extra step in the acclimatisation thing.

Rhubarb could you put out a request on your local facebook page for old pallets? If you could get someone willing to deliver, and mark out with chalk somewhere convenient to leave them, you could then leave them there in quarantine for 3 days before touching. If you're like us, local recycling sites are closed, so there's bound to be someone who doesn't feel like storing surplus wood for the next 3 months or however long it will be.

Try growing the squashes vertically instead of letting then ramble. Or grow in a big container so at a pinch you could transfer to the allotment in July or August (though with shielding continuing to end June, I suspect going out in July/August is going to still feel very dodgy).

lovemusic thanks might need to try that and hope tomatoes get delivered.

Am trying not to think about how bad a condition the ploy will be! And all the lovely forced rhubarb that I cannot pick. Don’t know contact details of any ploy holders as the two we did have given up in the last year. Hoping someone I know who has no plot might go on their daily walk to pick the rhubarb so they can have it at least!

Can anyone tell me how to plant cosmos please? I saved seed and have no packet. Can they go in a greenhouse now in a tray of compost?

Mere I tried vertical courgettes last year - a special climbing yellow variety at the plot. No idea what happened but they did not climb! But yes could try in a flower bed maybe? Have some canes at least for the tomatoes ( hoping my one germinated seed continues at least!😀

Our local council of Monmouthshire has said for plot owners not to worry about getting into trouble over untended plots during this time. Nice to be reassured but 'I should think so too!'

These are the instructions on my cosmos seeds. I've already sown indoors, and have just separated out into bigger pots which are now in the greenhouse

Afternoon and hello!
well, after 2 weeks of SI , I was able to go to the plot this morning . Oh was I glad - its a bit weedy , but not too bad .
I added more compost and soil to my new raised bed , , dug over next area for peas and planted out the last lot of strawberries which have been coping in some big pots . Picked veg!!! :) In the meantime I have at home pricked out tomatoes and cosmos , sown all the PSB , along with a second succession of leeks , plus some cut again salad leaves . The beetroot and summer caulis and cabbages are hardening off , and the peas I sowed at home are just popping out . So all in all it is going as well as can be expected . Not sown beans or squashes/courgettes yet - it could still turn cold .
The plum and greengage are in full flower , and the asparagus is just showing the first shoots .
Here at the moment , all seems to be keeping okay , though a few plots definitely look untended , but they are the ones that were untended before all this started . Shame really , as people are waiting for plots , and in the normal course of events they would have had warning letters by now .
LoveMusic - can you make do and mend for a net cage? When I first got going , I used bamboo canes with plastic bottles on the top , and also the plastic rods from my daughters old fabric play tent , that sort of thing?
It really is all hands on deck .
Take care all

Thanks Tiz will do them tomorrow!

Hi all. Good to read your updates, and see your photos.

I'm still growing as much fruit and veg as possible at home, though our garden is small. (I don't have an allotment.) I've just cleared the narrow bed down the side of the house. It's shaded for most of the day by fence and house, but I'm going to try and grow more shade-tolerant crops there. Have planted lettuce, sprouts, and kale, and I'm going to try and grow runner beans up the fence.

Meanwhile I desperately need more compost! I ordered some from Primrose, but the date it's predicted to be back in stock keeps getting put back and back. Really need it to plant more buckets of potatoes!

I’m desperate for compost too, tried the local compost man who delivered my last lot but he’s not delivering during lockdown, local garden centre has a 2 weeks wait. I have emptied all my big pots in the garden to use as extra veg space (tomatoes, salad leafs etc..).

Looking like we are going to have a couple cold nights next week (Monday, Tuesday)? So might hold off a bit on moving things outside, my peas are out but I’m sure they will be fine. My beetroot is coming up too. Planted French beans indoors a couple days ago and they are up already.

Can anyone tell me how to plant cosmos please? I saved seed and have no packet. Can they go in a greenhouse now in a tray of compost? Yep. Better in individual pots or cells, so you don't have to disentangle roots when potting on.

RhubarbFizz You have to tie them in to the supports, at least to get them started.

Having an "shielded" person in the household, last delivery slot well over a week ago and no more until next Friday, I'm having to get a bit inventive for our lunchtime salad - yesterday was small new chard leaves, chives, jack-by-the-hedge, hairy bittercress and marjoram., scattered with crumbled tinned anchovy. Remarkably nice.

I'm all set for planting. Beds probably need topping up a bit more but it'll do for now. I found some polythene in the shed and I have loads of cloche hoops so will rig up a mini polytunnel so I can get things out a bit earlier.

Will pick some rhubarb today, we are the last of the greens from the last years brussels before pulling them.