Our Allotment Journey - Day 1 !

jtb2412

Hi everyone

Hope all is well in gardening land?

Not done much in the garden or down the lotty this week at all as I've been busy with our Guide fundraiser that is on Saturday. Just as well the weather hasn't been too good really otherwise I'd have been :mad: that I couldn't get down there lol

Things are coming along nicely and all seeds growing well. The only thing I'm struggling with is my peppers and tomatoes so I'm going to have to start another lot off and stick them in the heated propogator - I think it's still too cold in the greenhouse.

Top_Banana our soil is very dry too - lack of rain and wind is the cause ! I'm a bit glad it's rained here today as my water butts are empty and the soil down the lotty was pretty much unworkable due to being so dry - And it's only March :eek: :eek: :eek: ! Your spuds will be fine in there though, dig down a bit so you reach the moist soil and stick em in .

Our plans for this weekend (as I think the weather will just about be ok) is to go down the lotty on Saturday PM (fundraiser in the morning) and get a bit more of the other side dug over and weed the last of the raised beds on the other side. I did get down there on Tues for an hour and weeded the herb bed (some rather big clumps of things in there and i'm not sure what as they've not come up yet so time will tell !) I also laid some more slabs outside the front of the shed and weeded in between them (obsessive or what ?) It does look nice now though .

Sunday we'll be spending the whole day down there as we're away on holiday for a week during the Easter hols so we need to get as much done as possible so that when we get back I can sow all my other seeds :j (the ones that say April on them :rotfl: ).

What's everyone else got planned?

Moozle_2

The allotment is looking great and its inspired me to have a go in my own garden. I am a total novice and so I have gained some really good tips and ideas. Thanks!!

Frugaldom

jtb2412 wrote: »

What's everyone else got planned?

Weather has been horrendous here with gales, rain, hail and sunny interludes but I have been otherwise occupied watching my chicks hatch :j :j :j
I've posted piccies here in the 4k thread I got a total of 8 chicks out of 15 eggs in the incubator and that was after thinking I'd lost them all when the power went off for 3 hours in the storms on Monday.

Shaz, ask all your neighbours if they'd object to your having 2 or 3 hens, promise them no cockerals and a free egg now and again and that should do the trick.

Top_Banana, that bed looks ideal for getting some potatoes in - I'd do them one row per week so you can have spuds over a longer period.

spirit

Hi,

sounds like you are all really organised, well done :T

I got my new lottie last Saturday as my own blog on here shows - inc pictures.

I've ordered the replacement poly cover which i'm hoping will get here by the weekend. i've dug over 3 and a half of the raised beds so far. I nipped down there for an hour last night but it got too dark to do the whole bed hence 1/2 one! i was also a bit scared that i mght get locked in as my plot is no. 1 right down the bottom and no one else was there :eek:

so this weekend it'll be the polytunnel covering. more digging of the other raised beds. i need to move the grass-covered manure heap and dig there so i can put the peas probably and do a trench for the runners.

TismE_3

Evening all :beer:

I have really missed hearing and see what you all have been up to in the garden, our internet has been playing up for about a week, so havent been online.

Really been busy down the lottie with all the clearing, yes it was sooooo exciting discovering a greenhouse! you'd of thought i'd found a million pounds had you been there ! i was gob smacked lol, since then we have also found an Anderson shelter! lol
but thats the last of our finds now as the site is cleared, unless we dig something up, well you never know!?
I have added only a few more pictures, i keep forgetting to take the blooming camera:rolleyes:
Unfortunatley i've overdone it and strained my back, so i'm out of action BOOOOO!! also the nurse insisted i had a tetinus (sp?) jab today because of all my bramble scratches and i also burnt my arm on the bonfire bin.
Really frustrated with the back thing, as i cant do much, yet i want to keep cracking on .

Have measure the plot now it clear 30 metres by 12 metres so plenty big enough for our needs.


Oppps got to go now will pop back and finish this post asap.

Tisme x

Rummer

Oh Tisme, sorry to hear you have hurt your back, mine plays up quite often so I have to take my time when digging the garden to make sure that I don't knock it out completely.

Moozle great to hear you are going to give growing fruit and veg a go in your garden, I don't have an allotment but I manage to grow quite a lot in my garden and every little counts!

Nykmedia How is the pond coming on? I got as far as starting to edge my pond with stones and we ran out of money! £3.99 per stone was huge so we are going o do it over a couple of months so that we get it exactly the way we want it. Going to get lots of nice smooth pebbles to create a frog beach . Although I am getting a bit nervous with all the rain we have had that the pond will flood!

Spirit Sounds like you have a big job ahead, good luck!

Laura D I have loads of enthusiasm but sadly no artistic talent at all, in fact I have to label my sketches of the garden so I can remember what it is :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:. One of my pictures was drying on the table and my parents thought my daughter had done it (she's 5) I was gutted!

jtb2412 Sadly I have got nothing done at all in the garden this week as it has been freezing cold and pouring down with rain, so I have been gazing longingly at my (empty) raised beds out the window :mad:. The seedlings are doing well though and my sweetcorn finally started to show its face as did the squash. Going to hold off putting my seeds into the greenhouse until the temps pick up a bit here.

Top_banana How are the potatoes coming on?

Shaz I have been desperate to have chickens for years but my OH is having none of it, need to check the deeds of our house to see if we are allowed them, I am thinking we won't be so I have never checked caise then my dreams would be shattered :eek:. In the meantime I will just have to keep dreaming

Rummer

Hello again! After my mammoth post earlier I need some planting advice . I am organising the planting rotas for my raised beds and I was thinking of doing the same thing across the three beds but I wanted your opinion. There are 16 squares in each and I was planning on each row having one of each:

• Corn
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage

I was thinking of planting a row every few weeks so that I had a steady supply of foods over the next few months although I am not sure how often I would plant a row, would it be weekly, fortnightly, every three weeks or do I need to plant them around the same time and then just harvest them at different times??

That would then leave my three beds - one for shallots and leeks, one for potatoes and one for peas and beans. The rest of things that I am planning on growing would be in tubs or in the greenhouse. That includes:

• Courgettes
• Carrots
• Parsnips
• Beetroot
• Radishes
• Tomatoes
• Squash
• Chillies
• Peppers
• Sprouts
• Salad leaves

So what do you all think? Would I better growing some of the things I had planned for pots in the raised beds? This is all starting to get confusing and I am going round in circles :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: I am unsure and in need of your help and wisdom :A.

Looking forward to hearing all your ideas!

skint_taffy

not sure of top plants but the bottom 1s are pulmonaria round here they are called army and navy

Melonade

WOW everyone is doing so well and getting lots done!!

So far I have 2 window sills full of seeds, no raised beds yet :embarasse I was meant to start them a couple of w/e's ago but haven't had a spare 10 minutes never mind a few hours

I'm mega stressed about what I can plant were and having plans for 2 beds sized 4 x 6 each and not knowing how many spuds I can plant in how big a space... and trying to fit other stuff in the beds too, lettuce, peas, spring onions, carrots AARGGGHH.

I think I've bitten off more than I can chew for a first time grower :rotfl: But everyone is doing so well and it really is very inspiring.

TismE_3

Back again, can't sleep back is making it difficult so i've decided to get up and get some pain killers and coffee :rolleyes:


Continuing on from my last post.........

We took the measurement of the plot and its 30M by 12M, so plenty big enough for us, Although my mum is now after a "little bit" to plant flowers with the grand kids, and the girls are hinting for a pond.

While im outta action with the back trouble, i'm going to start planning the plot out now we can see what we are dealing with.
I might try a little light raking over the weekend and hopefully light the bonfire, and generally potter about down there. I've got a weekend to myself OH is working and kids are off to their dads.

I've also been recording Grow your own veg & Dig for victory on the gardening channel, so i can watch these in peace! i must admit to becoming a little obsessed with it all! lol Can't seem to get enough!
I've recently (3 weeks on sunday ) stopped smoking , so the whole lottie experiance so far has really help to distract the mind over those difficult first few weeks.

I seem to be amassing a awful lot of seeds to say im not planning on planting out this year, will have to make some space at home in the garden and get some pots on the go i think, something else i can be getting on with this weekend...... I'll keep you posted!

Have a great weekend everyone happy gardening:j

Tisme x