Allotmenteers ?

[Fibilou]

Does anyone else have an allotment and would like to chat ?
It's our 3rd year this year, didn't do very much this year due to pregnancy and very hectic schedule but can't wait to get back into it this year. Got big plans !
We've got 2 greenhouses on our plot and I'm planning on planting a grape vine this year and we're going to be investing in a fruit cage.
There's an empty plot next to us which can't be cultivated (apparently) so we are contemplating writing to the committee to see if we can rent it and plant a proper little orchard with a couple of apples, pears, plums and a cherry.

Bouncingblueberries, congratulations on your pregnancy ! I'm an allotment first timer so can't be much help but if it is just down the road that will help a lot I think.

What state is in your plot in and how much work does it need ? I think from what I've read it is best not to be over ambitious and just do a bit at a time. Potatoes might be a good idea to help break up the soil, apparently you get a smaller crop but it does make the ground easier to dig.

Wilkinson's have weed suppressing membrane which is £12 for a roll and should go a fair way over a half plot. What about lobbing that or some black plastic over, cut holes through it, dig out a bit of earth and plant courgettes and squashes ?

One of the guys at the allotment said he only ever waters new seedlings and his crops are fine and a friend of mine who had an allotment last year did much the same and I was surprised at how well things grew with little water so it sounds as it you can make hard work for yourself by over watering.

You can get purple podded beans and yellow mange tout which although would need picking really frequently, would be easier to see and might make a good job for a pre-schooler whilst you sit and supervise holding the baby.

Make a herb garden which should look good, be useful but not really need any maintenance. What about whacking in some raspberry canes, strawberry plants, gooseberries etc that you won't have to do anything to really.

It must seem daunting but if you can get friends to help with the getting it ready bit and take it step by step and go for easier crops and fruit bushes then I'm sure it will be fine. As the children get older and you have more time you can change what you grow.

Thanks wynken hadn't thought about using a membrane to control weeds - good plan!

Hoping the plot will be in quite a decent state when we get it as there's a clearing party this weekend to sort out abandoned plots and general maintenance - out plot (or plot-to-be) is on of the plots on the list to be cleared. So fingers crossed!

My wish list of crops at the moment looks like this:
Raspberries/gooseberries (Aldi has some on sale just now)
Rhubarb
Peas
Mange tout
Strawberries
Sunflowers (for ds to look after )
Maybe some cornflowers or other flowers to cut
maybe some courgettes too

So looks like I was thinking along the right lines going by your suggestions. Need to suss out the space properly first though.

I'm so excited! Think dh just panicked at the thought of new baby + weeding + keeping ds happy + sleeping + staying sane

Och, it'll be a doddle!

[wanders off into day-dream of idyllic summer days spent pottering around allotment in floaty dress with content newborn in sling and 4 year old ds skipping along with basket of freshly picked strawberries]

Very important!

You need a child-digging area, where the dc's can get mudding and happy digging, and not ruining your crops.

Grow Pumpkins! They take up loads of room and smother weeds, and dc's love them - and I mean giant ones not fancy ones!

Oh loving the idea of their own little vege plot/mud bath

eeeek!

I'm making ours a rainbow plot in an attempt to get the DCs (who are older) interested. We're having yellow round courgettes, runner beans with salmon coloured flowers, bright light beets, peas with purple flowers, yellow tomatoes, purple podded beans and yellow mange tout. And they are going to make me a little wildlife bit which I haven't quite decided yet. DS has made a bird feeder out of a pine cone at Beavers which takes pride of place at the elm tree at the end of the plot.

That sounds so lovely Wynken

Bouncingbluberries I think little & often is the best plan, much easier if plot is near home and you can just nip along when you have half an hour and dash back home when it gets too much. I've had my plot for 2 years now and must admit to having done very little so far but I figure I'm in it for the long-haul so right now I'll just do what I can. It was in a shocking state when I took it on and then I was pregnant and initially tired then too full of baby to bend or dig and last summer I started to do a bit but it isn't that easy with 2 small people. DS1 likes it but does lose interest after a while. I'm going to concentrate on soft fruit which is very expensive to buy, requires little maintenance and DS1 loves.

I think giving them their own area is a good one but DS1 also just loves the opportunity to play in mud and he also likes playing with water (luckily the water supply is opposite our plot) so I fill a big tub up and leave him to it.

Was just ordering some oven cleaner from Lakeland and they have collections of Italian Franchi seeds on special offer 5 packs for £1.99. I got these

Hello mums -You might be interested to know there is an online problem solver on the RHS website, you can put in what you're trying to grow, what the conditions are like etc and it will offer tips/advice and even suggest things you could grow - it's a very nifty little tool! Have a look and let me know what you think apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantselector/default.aspx

Was all set to wage war against couch grass, had even sorted a flask then it started thundering and hail came down.

First seedling of the year through, a tiny pea!

Congratulations on your first seedling WynkenBlynkenandNod.
My broadbeans are germinating and tmorrow I am hoping to do some digging.

(Quick hijack - you were so right about the iphone, I love it)

Congratuations on your broad beans and the iPhone ! I sneaked a peak earlier and now have a couple of broad beans just come through. I love this bit when the all start germinating, makes me feel spring will soon come.

Fingers crosed for good digging weather tomorrow (checks iPhone weather forecast )

Good look with the couch grass, WynkenBlynkenandNod.
Please keep us up to date. We also have a problem with it and Marestail, and as we're trying to avoid herbicides I seemed to spend all of last summer on my knees removing roots.

We've been held back this year due to the weather and my husband's hernia op, so my massive wish list is rapidly shrinking.

On the plus side I did put asparagus in the other week. Hopefully next weekend will be nicer because I can't wait to get down there and get some seeds in.

Well, we signed the tenancy agreement on our allotment yesterday

What a shocker of a plot though! It's been neglected for quite a few years and we had to tear down the shed and greenhouse before they fell down - they were only being held together by the brambles!

But we had loads of help and everyone was so welcoming DH are I were a bit dazed and confused by it all, but by the end of the day, we'd all made a huge difference.

Still a long way to go until we can plant anything, but we'll get there, little by little.

Exhausted but happy - really hope the weather is dry next weekend so we can do some more!

That's brilliant news, Bouncingblueberries! Just remember you don't have to do it all in one go and you'll be fine.

Gosh, I am feeling very behind. I haven't even bought seeds let alone planted any yet.

Does anyone have any successful anti-slug tactics by the way? My plot is moist and because it's only partially cultivated I suspect I am running some kind of slug Bed & Breakfast. They were delighted by the strawberries I provided for them last year although my anti slug courgette collars worked really well. Between the marestail and slugs (and the bindweed so hardcore it grows inside my shed) and the badges after the sweetcorn I feel rather beleagured!

Well done bouncingblueberries, you sound as if you have been really busy.

TheHouseofMirth, I wage perpetual war against slugs. Unfortunatley the most effective method for me has been going out at night with a torch and bucket (and rubber gloves) and picking them up.
It's a truely gross job, but I find if I do it early in the season it allows my seedlings to get big enough to fend fr themselves.
Last year we had a hedgehog who decided to live in the garden and that was brilliant as he did the job for me. I'm hoping he will return (and bring a large family with him)

What are courgette collars? They sound like something I need.

Well done Bouncinblueberries, that is great, how lovely you had such a warm welcome and sounds like you have some lovely friends.

I have no idea about the slugs. At home last year I has some sucess building little barricades around plants with pennies, no luck with crushed egg shells and a bit of luck with beer traps and resorted to the organic pellets. Far from ideal but the only way I got anything to grow. I have heard scattering bran around the plants help and I'm thinking of growing through weed suppressing membrane on some beds to see if that helps.

Plan of the week here is to get an old bench down so have somewhere to sit whilst drinking flask of tea, very important I feel.

Thanks everyone! Yes, lots have people have said "little and often" to us, so we're definitely going to take that advice!

The sunshine today has made me even more excited - hope we get some nice dry weather this weekend too. Anyone know of anywhere that sells cheap tarpaulin? We did salvage one from the derelict shed, but it's gone walkabout already sadly. Need to cover over some of the plot before we end up back at square one!

One tip for slugs I did get was to save large plastic bottles and cut collars for your seedlings using pinking shears. Worth a go!

wow! you have all been busy over the weekend!
BB - you can get tarpaulin on ebay fairly cheaply - we bought one to cover our camper van with over the winter. - we actually bought a camouflage one - which would be quite nice on an allotment - no nasty blue or black ones spoiling the view!
Al this talk of broad beans poking through is making me feel left behind - i might try and get mine in this week.
I did sow some chilli's, webbs wonderful lettuce and some cosmos at the weekend - which are all on my dining room windowsill. My sweet peas are just starting to poke through - i sowed them weeks ago and was starting to wonder if they were going to come through at all.
No sign of my leek seedlings though - although they are notoriously slow to germinate.

Just wanted to add my congrats to BBB. The best tip I got was 'work backwards', ie dig facing what you've already done, not looking at what needs to doing.
You'll be amazed at the difference a few hours makes.

Re slugs, I've not tried this one yet, but egg shells are meant to be a good deterrent, or if you've plenty of time making collars with sandpaper, they just can't cross it.

Am hoping to get down on Thursday to ours, (weather permitting). Shall stick poorly husband in shed to plant seeds, whilst I dig.

Thanks cats! Hoping to head over there on Friday on my day off. dh is taking the day off too, so we should get a good bit done between us. I've hinted heavily for a fruit type bush or small tree for the allotment for Mother's Day - so can't wait to see what dh and ds choose

Aldi's is going garden/allotment-tastic this Sunday! Lots of handy things to buy including a greenhouse (not a glass one obviously!). We were sorely tempted by a magnolia shrub in there today, but resisted. I've always wanted a Magnolia tree, but want to keep the allotment for productive plants

Managed to clear a wee square of the plot this afternoon. Can't wait for tomorrow - hope the sun shines for us again!

Well done BBB, you are doing brilliantly! I need to avoid spending more money as have to do rabbit fencing and I need a wheelbarrow.

Haven't made it to ours this week and -6 played havoc with the broad bean seedlings I'd stuck out that night into my plastic greenhouse.

We are in the very fortunate position of being offered a temporary plot for the summer on new allotments, 7x5 m. I know it sounds greedy but our main plot is a half plot, no parking or water where as the temporary one is all dug over, some parking and water and rabbit fenced. Next spring there will hopefully be bigger permanent ones available and I may give up the half plot. Only downside is that it will be in restored kitchen garden and there is talk of the public being allowed in so the plot holders can teach them how to grow veg. I'm a bit worried about that idea, as are the other two people I know who have been offered one, as we feel we're a bit new to it all to be doing that! Lovely for the DC's though, there will be pigs, goats, sheep and maybe some chickens and they are hoping it will be a good community project.

beautiful day in wiltshire today. So a day at the allotment is called for. Got loads of digging to do and sorting out up there. Plus it means the kids and dogs can get out and run around like loonies. Anyone else going up the allotment today?

I'm going to do some digging. I've got 9 rhubarb crowns to plant and I want to prepare my pea trench.

It's a beautiful day here

Glorious day here though maddeningly we've got some stuff to sort out in the house that has to be done today. Might do a bit though - luckily plot is pretty much next to house so could escape for an hour this afternoon.