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.

I have to confess , we're lucky enough to have a double plot now but there's no waiting lists where we are. We worked 1 plot last year as the previous tenant's helpers,(he was 83!) and then took over both plots this year.

The side we didn't have last year hasn't been worked much in the last 5 (or more) years, so I had my first attempt with a rotovator yesterday.

After 2 hours got half the new plot in a reasonable condition, but will be removing grass once it's dried out a bit more. And stacking it separate to compost heap. Shoulders ache today, but I would not have wanted to dig it over.

We've been shown a useful trick, sinking plastic boxes, preferably polystyrene into the manure pile, as warm boxes for seedlings. The guy who showed us has built his cold frame into the pile, and his tomato seedlings are 6 inches tall already. He starts all his seedlings like that. The only problem is they can over heat.

Don't forget if you get manure delivered now, it will be rotting down nicely all summer for digging in in the autumn. Also you can grow squashes in it rather than taking up space in your plot.

Yes the technique is called 'hot bedding' and was invented in Victorian times. They would dig a pit in the greenhouse and fill it with horse poo, grass, etc, and it kept the greenhouse warm for the seedlings.

Thanks Lincs, you're not my mum are you? She said exactly the same thing this evening when I was telling her. lol. If so I must go through all my postings.

It seems really effective, but then the Victorians were very ingenious.

Looks like DH is heading back down there on Sunday, he wants to get the 1st early potatoes in.

Hope everyone has a good (productive?) weekend.

Hello all Just thought I'd mark my place on this thread as we have just taken on an allotment with another two couples (friends from NCT class). Of the three of us mums, one is an experienced allotmenteer, one is a keen garden grower and the last (me) is a complete novice who's never even had a garden before. Hoping to have a good read through of this thread over the weekend and start picking up tips!

The plot is in a fairly decent state, just needs digging over thoroughly. We're planning to start this weekend, one bed at a time, and plant as we go.

Hi cyteen. Sounds like you've got the right idea. Hope you have fun.

I'd like to join too! I've got a ten-pole plot that I'm now in my third year with. I'm doing it in narrow beds and now have nearly all of it under cultivation -- it was really overgrown when I took it on and it's taken much longer than I thought to get under control (well, sort of, was trying to get yet more couch grass out of the asparagus bed yesterday).

Feeling that I'm late with everything this year, have hardly sown anything inside yet because I've been so busy. In the ground I have: broad beans, carrots, turnips, shallots, onion sets, garlic and first early potatoes. I'm panicking about peas (kids will be soooo disappointed if there's none), and well, everythng else.

Ok, so I have spent my first morning down at my 'new' allotment. It needs soooooooooo much work doing to it!

I attempted to clear out the shed (5 bin bags full of broken flower pots!!) & some of the biggest spiders I've ever seen in my life. As well as a couple of huge wasps which I managed to wake up. Cue slightly hysterical woman running around empty allotments in the rain.

I cut back an enormous amount of brambles which had taken over a compost heap and a water butt, so now I have both of those ready to go. But I have a pile of bramble thorns shoved into 2 incinerator dustbins and now I am not sure what to do. Should I just chuck a match in there and watch them burn, or do I douse with petrol? How long do I have to wait for it to burn until I can safely leave it.
I'm the least most pyrotechnically minded person ever so if anyone can point me in the right direction of learning about bonfires & dustbin incerators please do!!!

niminipinimy 3 years to cultivate! I am going to love telling DP this! He reckons our 5 pole plot can be sorted in a weekend! LMAO!

Lizzzombie well ds2 was only a year when I took it on and ds1 isn't the easiest of children so I've probably only done a couple of hours once or twice a week since I've had it. The main trouble was that (pig-headedly) I decided not to rotovate or glyphosphate and ended up digging out all the perennial weeds, and I also (sorry, this is really insane) double-dug all my beds. It does mean that my soil is fantastic now (she says proudly) but I do wish I'd managed to do it more quickly. I've seen people dig over their plots in a couple of weeks so it can be done.

Lizzombie burning is the best option, but just check when you're allowed fires on your plot. We had to stop on at the start of March.

Niminypinimy fantastic! We caved last week and used a rotovator, but I will use the excuse my DH has just had an hernia op (I wonder why?) and I just couldn't face digging it over by myself.

My plot is now rabbit fenced. Can't take the credit as couldn't face the thought of having to bury 150 feet of the stuff so drafted in the heavy mob and my vegetables this year are going to be flipping expensive. Have my eye on a shed on Ebay and have told DH he's making the base as I lugged 14 heavy poles and 50 metres of chicken wire from the car so it's his go.

Have met more of the other plot holders who are all very nice and very encouraging. One has very kindly given me an old bath to collect water. Am doing ok with the couch grass. Not doing it all, some is going under weed suppressing membrane and I'm growing squashes through it.

DH is putting up the Ebay greenhouse that has been sitting in pieces since I got it last year. So I'm all ready now - shame it snowed this afternoon!

Hope everyone else is getting enough dry weather to get out a bit.