The Potting Shed - come on in, the kettle's on!

poppysarah

Stables for manure.
You might have to fetch it with a trailer.

tim_n

aliasojo wrote: »

Hi Tim, I had a wee look at your page and saw you have some of those hard plastic cloches.

I was toying with buying them but thought I'd ask if you were happy enough with them. Did you use any other type of cloche first? Do you feel these are better? Worth the money?

We did have one of those plastic weave cloches (the sort which is clear flexible plastic and has green thread through it) but it was difficult to keep secure on our windy allotment. It certainly helped grow stuff and was always really warm! They only lasted a season or so because the plastic squares fell out and the zip started to rust.

It's a bit too early to tell with these new ones. There's less moving parts and I'm only really worried that sunshine will yellow and make them brittle. If they last a couple of seasons I'll be happy though.

duchy wrote:

I'm currently reclaiming my garden (long boring story about neighbours from hell-won't bore you) after 2 years of neglect.

I've cleared most of the brambles now (100 foot garden) and need to do some serious fence repairs so once all that is done time will have marched on so I'm thinking of growing in pots this year -and growbags rather than ending up planting too late by the time I've got the beds sorted.

I keep wandering past our local lotties for inspiration but everyone looks so capable and organized -I'm a bit daunted by it all. Hence pots-and sort out the very sad lawn. Maybe if I started a blog with lots of photos-I'd 1 Shame myself into keeping going and 2 Have a record of my progress for when I get disheartened.

They've had years to get to grips with their patch. Start small and work from there. It took me three years to be happy with my allotment, then I left.

Most of them are retired and spend hours toiling. You won't (unless you're retired or unemployed) have anywhere near that amount of time unless you're a green nut

Sympathy on the neighbours - I had similar experiences which is why I abandoned my flat. We had 24/7 arguments, loud music and other nocturnal noises. They'd stab each other in the corridor, kick down their doors, threw bricks through their windows. Council refused to do anything because I was the problem not them, I have to apparently accept they have a different lifestyle.

Thriftkitten

Evening from a Cornish potting shed.... I have some fantastic news, I am bursting at the seams to tell someone and so here goes,
All that know me will understand my frustration at living with a completly shaded very small garden on a newly build housing estate, 2 years I have suffered with dodgy grass, 3rd round of turf still isn't growing, I have tried and tried, but neighbour has erected a high fence and im left with a 6ft square patch that is constantly cold and wet, The winter months I don't bother but as soon as spring comes I dread another growing season and summer sat in the dark living room looking out to a depressing chain link surrounded box.
The good news is.... Someone contacted me regarding home swapping, we are both local authority tenants and he needs the extra bedroom and I am adament my 2 girls can make a sacrifice and share a bedroom(too long have they been ruling the roost).

I went to view their house today and nearly passed out!!!!! to my delight They have a 50ft established front garden, camelia, climbing roses, cornish palms and neat box hedging.... ok so this cant get any better right!!!! I go around the back and the back garden is roughly 60 ft with section at top that is an ALLOTMENT Oh my, my knee's are wobbling at this stage, Im thinking chickens, veg... "The good life", I'm sold sod the inside of the house I'll live in the shed at this rate, the inside is quaint, smaller but lot of character and even has an old boarded up open fire with a hook for hanging a kettle over to boil for a cuppa.... There is a lord!!!!, See I knew being a community carer and helping the elderly would bring me something in return.... fingers crossed it all goes ok and we will both ring respective housing associations on Monday wayyy hayyy I don't have to spend another summer in the dark.... lets get some shrimp on the barbie xxxx:T Sorry for the long post... I now feel cleansed!

aliasojo

Thriftkitten wrote: »

......I am adament my 2 girls can make a sacrifice and share a bedroom.....

You're making the kids give up their rooms and share so you can have a garden?

I wish you luck. :rotfl:

Thriftkitten

aliasojo wrote: »

You're making the kids give up their rooms and share so you can have a garden?

I wish you luck. :rotfl:

They get too many luxuries from me at the moment and I haven't really been firm and found they have run circles round me, the 14 yr olds nose is almost always out of joint due to the age, so why not have one luxury, I love my garden and am putting my welly clad foot down lol! at the moment they have the luxury of their own rooms with pretty double bed, big tele and all the electricals they want and they are still fighting, so now they can scrap in one room whilst im at the top of the 60 ft garden tinkerring away!!! I'm sure they will forgive me, in no time at all they will be bringing their washing home with empty bellies wanting a nice sunday roast, so all will be forgiven lol!

boultdj

Sound's lovely Tk, finger's crossed all goes well with the swap.

aliasojo

Thriftkitten wrote: »

... at the moment they have the luxury of their own rooms with pretty double bed, big tele and all the electricals they want ...

My earlier post was a jokey one but I hope you've really thought this through.

Teenagers need their own space. You could easily have them at home for some time to come and life could be very difficult if they've had to give up a lot and they will be in each other's way from now on.

I can easily understand the pull of the garden but I wouldn't be making the same choice I don't think.


*takes nose out again* Sorry

Thriftkitten

We sat down and discussed the situation before these people had contacted us as I wanted to know how they would feel if a smaller property came up that was suitable, the 10 yr old said she didn't mind, but she only spends a few hours in her room and sneaks in for a cuddle with me 99% of the time, which I don't mind as I'm on my own with them, I know this wont last forever but the option is there for however long she wants, the older girl said she was ok with it as long as when her friends stayed over her little sis would stay in my room the night, to which I agreed as she wants her own time with her own friends, My sofa is also a sofa bed, so should the need arise I can always spend a night on the sofa.... Oh having the sky all to myself would be a delight!! We can only try and my girls are very good girls, although a little hormonal I haven't had many problems with them so far, obviously if it was a boy an girl, I wouldn't be entertaining it!
Forgot to mention that the girls used to share before as I had a foster boy for 3 yrs and so he had to have his own room, I'm guessing by rights would only qualify for a 2 bed if the housing association needed the room I may be asked to downsize anyway.

Thriftkitten

Anyhoo, getting back on topic, I purchased a punnet of 6 baby pink trailing fuschia today, they look gorgeous, have potted them up in their own little pots and will keep them inside for a week or 2, the will look lovely in my big pots, also very glad now that I held off on planting my mortimer sackler climbing rose, oooh where to put it.... I can feel my first cherry blossom coming on!!!

duchy

Maybe that's why there are so many 30 year olds still living at home........Make them share and they'll not find it so hard to fly the nest