Our Allotment Journey - Day 1 !

jtb2412

Evening rummer xx :beer:

Personally I'd opt for the ready made beds if you've not built any before. £3 difference I think is all and it would be well worth it and save you a lot of time. If we'd managed to find some ready made raised beds at that price, then I know we'd have bought them to save a lot of time and effort ! It took DH a good couple of hours to build each one.

Itching here too, it's the worst time of year for gardeners I think. Just waiting for things to grow - like watching paint dry but in an excited way (that sounds really sad, doesn't it? lmao)

Here's what we've started off so far and where:

Indoor windowsill
Beefsteak tomatoes
Various chillis - DHs little projects
Bell peppers
DS Atlantic Giant pumpkins
Parsnips, one lot in compost the other on wet tissue, we've got a bit of an experiment going on
Various flowers - delphiniums, clematis and some others that I can't remember without looking
Potaotes chitting on bed in spare room (make sure you keep away from direct sunlight if doing this)

Greenhouse

Cos lettuce (just getting second set of leaves)
Carrots (just poking through the last day or two)
Sweet Peas (just popped up too)
Hyacinths (doing very nicely)
Parsnips (last bit of experiment, they are notoriously hard to germinate so hence the 3-way test, I'm determinted to get some ! )
Cabbage (sown last week so no sign yet)
Radishes (as above)

Sown in ground already
Garlic
Onions
Shallots
Asparagus (root)
Spring Onions (early variety)

I think that's it but I've probably forgotten something !

HTH Rummer, any more q's then just shout and if I can't answer, i'll look it up in me book .

Frugaldom

Hello

It was a beautiful sunny morning here but there was a touch of frost through the night. It's now cloudy but fairly mild, so I'll probably go and get the plastic barrels prepared for having stuff planted in them. I'll maybe split up the first of the cherry tomatoes as they are starting to grow their second set of true leaves.

Raised beds - I think these will be easier to keep slugs off as you have a clearly defined edge and can sprinkle salt or course shell/gravel around the outside of them. It seems to deter the slugs and snails but doesn't stop them completely. I reckon if I make it as difficult for them as possible to get to the veggies, and present them with beer first, it might just work. I'm also very lucky to have a hedgehog living in the garden, so he might like the odd slug or 10 through the night. I used 2L plastic juice bottles as individual cloches last year, which worked really well, but don't think they'll do here because of high winds. However, by the looks of things, I may need to worry more about the sheep getting in and trampling/scoffing everything - they are getting fairly frisky when the sun shines these days! :rotfl:

Has anyone tried the plastic guttering for starting off seeds? It's great stuff! I've heard of some people even attaching it to fences and leaving it there with salad leaves, strawberries etc growing from them.

Frugal_Fox

This thread was just what I needed. I've just come back from an hour of so down our allotment. We actually got it two years ago this easter, and when we first had it we did a big old purge. Dug over half of it, laid the other half under plastic. It was very very neglected. Started off loads of seeds and had things growing. Then our shed got broken into - repeatedly. They cut the rope swing down we'd attached to the damson tree to occupy the children. The lawn mower was in the stream. We retrieved what we could, the very next weekend it happened again, and again and again. On the fourth breakin they also trashed the allotment, pulling out all the plants, snapping the canes, breaking the fruit cage I'd made.

Devastated didn't come close. Also we were about £300 out of pocket from buying the shed and tools and replacing them plus the seeds. Last summer we had another go and after a couple of weeks of hard work it was looking better so we planted some things up and then next time we visited - desolation again.

I've gone up again this morning. I really want an allotment. Our garden is tiny and not suitable to grow veg in, but I shall be so devastated if it's ruined again. I've drafted a note to the lady in charge to confirm I'm still interested in an allotment but that I'd appreciate one closer in (mines right on the edge) if one should come up and I'd release mine at that point.

Thanks for the photo inspiration - I needed it. ours just looks a total wilderness, albeit a little less grassy now!

Rummer

Frugal Fox that sounds awful, I am sorry to hear that all your hard work was destroyed. Fingers crossed they have either given up or that you get a new allotment site soon.

I was motivated after all our conversations on here so today I planted:
Tomatoes
Sprouts
Spinach
Chillies
Peppers
Cucumbers
Radishes
Basil
Parsnips
Leeks

Some are in the greenhouse and some are in the house much to the horror of my OH! Over the next few days I am going to finish digging over the fruit bed and get the rest of my bushes planted.

How did the rest of you get on today?

shaz_mum_of__2

rummer theres a good range here

http://www.crocus.co.uk/productsaz/_/az.r/
i think you can get cashback on this site too

we have also been considering cutting down some 1 ton builders bags and filling with compost to use as raised beds on our flat roof kitchen extension

jtb i am planning to do cherry toms and strawberries in hanging baskets (and possibly cucumbers??) i bought some wicker type ones at mr m in the sale last year for 29p!!

Shaz

ps the kohl rabi has come through but no tomatoes or peppers yet

Rummer

Good Evening!

I am so happy that it is the wknd! We are going wood shopping to find out how much it would cost to build our own raised beds , my OH was horrified when I quoted the prices of the ready made ones so fingers crossed we find reasonably priced timber!

Apart from that I am going to be digging beds and planting seeds and fruit bushes, it is all just so exciting coming into spring! What do you all have planned for your gardens/allotments?

Melonade

Rummer wrote: »

Good Evening!

I am so happy that it is the wknd! We are going wood shopping to find out how much it would cost to build our own raised beds , my OH was horrified when I quoted the prices of the ready made ones so fingers crossed we find reasonably priced timber!

Do you have a local reclaim yard close to you? We priced up flags yesterday in ours and I was looking at all the wood, pallets and railway sleepers. They had really big scaffolding planks £3.50 each for used ones or £5 for brand new. They looked really good and quite strong. It might be worth a look if you have one near by

Apart from that I am going to be digging beds and planting seeds and fruit bushes, it is all just so exciting coming into spring! What do you all have planned for your gardens/allotments?

Nothing this w/e or next week :mad: I'm scared I'm falling behind now and won't be able to get any raised beds built or anything planted!! I'm new to gardening/growing stuff but I'm really keen to start. Even when next week is over I've got to clear the garden before I can even think about raised beds/digging/planting aaarrggggghhhhh

I think I'll pant some seeds in pots and get something started maybe... then I'll have to build it a bed

Happy w/e everyone

jtb2412

Hi everyone

Still mooching about here but had a busy week so will pop on sometime over the weekend and catch up with you all. Have my parents staying so won't get much done this week ......... have a lovely weekend everyone xxx

shaz_mum_of__2

Rummer we made these from wooden gravel boards 2 per each squre one approx 4 feet square cost about £6.50 for the wood from B*Q the longer ones were made from on old ranch style fence.

It took 2 tons of soil to fill this lot(£50)



so the whole lot abot £70
Shaz

gazza975526570

Just got my allotment and am intrigues with people growing stuff in greenhouses - all the seeds ive bought say to put direct where you will grow them

Is it better to start them in trays and then plant them out?