Our Allotment Journey - Day 1 !

Top_Banana_2

I've put my 30 Maris Peers in:

How does that look?

I decided against trenches.

The problem I had was mounding them up. The soil on the top has turned almost to concrete and it was tough to get it into mounds. I'm really worried about how I'm going to earth up, as there is hardly any 'spare' loose soil left. Can I earth up with multi purpose compost? Or should I use the compost from my bin?

I've been told to add a layer of organic mulch on top. What is that? Can I use those bags of soil improver/enricher from B&Q?

How many spuds should I get from 30 seed spuds?

Frugaldom

Hi guys

Hope everyone's had a great weekend despite the mixed weather. Frugaldom gardens has had the grass mowed, some weeding, the chick run fenced and many, many hen-scratched holes refilled - but they do love the woodchips, borders, potato bed and lawn. :rotfl:

Loads of things are growing, my first 8 squares of my square foot garden have all sprouted and the latest sowings into wooden planters have come through. All except one fruit bush have buds and all the fruit trees are budding. After last year's failure with artichokes, I think I may have overdone the seeds this year - I'm going to need a garden extension to fit them all in at this rate.

We had another chick hatched yesterday, this time from the eggs under the broody hen. :j

Looking good, Top_banana. Not sure what the proper definition of 'organic mulch' is but I have straw over my potatoes and bark chippings around the fruit bushes & trees. My potatoes from last year gave me about a kilo per potato and that was from supermarket bought potatoes, not seed potatoes. Hope this helps

Top_Banana_2

Thanks, nykmedia.

So can I earth up with chipped bark?

Frugaldom

T_B, there's a link somewhere for alternatives to earthing up. You can use hay, straw, grass clippings etc Try googling 'no dig garden' to find some interesting reading I'm using straw and grass clippings for mine in the raised bed.

shaz_mum_of__2

Hi guys

Spent sunday weeding , digging anf filling bean trenches and putting up supports and transplanting strawberries to pots very littl to show for the effoert but pleased its all done

tb sounds like you have a clay type soil which has crusted over have you had much rain recently?? sounds like its dried out

soil improver is well rotted manure as far as i know it is designed to help soil structure i have really sandy soil and it adds some body and water retaining properties the last time i use real manure i ended up with twitch grass and am still trying to get rid of it you can also grow potatoes through black plastic instead of earthing up but not sure how its done


Shaz

Rummer

Hello! I have had a fabulous few days in the garden. I extended one of my beds so it is now double the size :eek:. Then I used the grass dug up from it to create a surrounding for my pond. I also cut the back grass and tidied up all the paths as well as finishing my pond!

In the greenhouse I started off some peas and two different types of beans and over the next few days I am planning on planting p a whole load more and to move my current mini plants out of the house and into the greenhouse.

Still need to get the potatoes in and I am a bit anxious about that because the bed we had planned for them is totally overgrown and I just do not want to face it!

Glad to hear you have all had good times in the garden too

Top_Banana_2

I've put some B&Q soil improver on the rows of spuds, and I will fill the rest of the bed with either bark or leaf mulch.



How does that sound?

buddywitch

Looking good, just wait now till you see the first tatties starting to grow and them earth them up at bit at a time. Enough to keep them covered, as you dont want them to turn green (eating green tatties give you bad guts).

shaz_mum_of__2

I have been weeding, this is part of my back garden .........i love virgin soil at he beginning of the season.....................is it just me?


Shaz

Frugaldom

Shaz, that looks great! I think I can make out strawberries in the tubs, but what's that growing at the back? It looks really healthy and well grown compared to anything I have.

I can now start ticking lettuce and eggs from my shopping list, as one of the hens laid an egg this morning. :j It's the first egg laid in frugaldom gardens and I'm hoping it's the start of things to come. Roll on summer!