New allotments Autumn 2010 Chat

scotsaver

Benson wrote: »

How many compost heaps should I have on the go?
I've got one starting shortly, just sorting the garden, but someone advised me to do 3? Does this sound right?

Up on the Allotment most plot holders have 2 large boxed off heaps, I inherited my plot just over a Year ago and there were 4 Compost bins that I've continued to use but most people seem to use what they have and still go out and buy more Manure/compost - it seems like you can never have enough so if you have the space then I would say go for it.

CommitedToChange

well my allotment is still half covered in a pile of soil they don't know when the contractors are coming back to move it so I still can't do anything.

I've been told that they may move me at there end of the month if my plot is still covered in soil, apparently some tenants will be getting evicted for lack of rent payment and not working on their plot.

So that might be ok!

scotsaver

Weather has been great so after spending 2 days sorting the Garden I've spent all day today up at the Allotment. Got 2 beds dug over that I plan to put my Spuds into, letting the Sun get onto the Soil first to help it warm up a bit and then I think I'll put them in on Friday - doesn't it feel great getting the Sunshine on your Back?:D

How is everyone else doing?;)

CommitedToChange

well I'm gutted at the beautiful weather at the moment, since I don't have a plot to work on yet! Despite this I have planted a load of seeds and my broccoli is already sprouting

Synonymous

Well I'm loving this sunshine and so are my seeds!

I've been down the allotment and planted garlic, red onions, spinach, spring onions and radishes in the last week. Spied some guttering to sew my leeks in but forgot to bring it home - doh!

On the down side I have had a few traumas today I need advice on please!

First off I think I saw a rat at the back of our green house, I'm not too surprised, its near a river and there must be loads, but do I need to make any considerations for my veg?

Also I'm having ant trouble I unearthed a colony whilst digging over one of my beds and dug the whole thing out, but today I looked under the pot where I'm forcing rhubarb (different part of the allotment) and it was crawling with ants, obviously they are loving the dark warm space because they aren't touching the rest of the rhubarb. The ants are browny-orange and the small kind. Are these going to damage my veg, if so any in particular, and how can I organically get them off my rhubarb? I guess I can just pick them off when I harvest but I'm worried that the ants mean trouble for root veg and things, and may need to be seen off like the last lot - please help!

dogstarheaven

hmm, i'm not sure whether ants do any actual harm to plants. normally, when you discover them, you would of disturbed their nest and naturally, they'd disperse and maybe, that would mean they would relocate somewhere else on the plot (not an expert!). in my old house, the whole garden was riddled with red, horrid biting ants and it wasn't possible to sit down on the lawn in the 4 yrs i was there (and dd was tiny back then:(). i've seen a couple of nests that i've uncovered on my new plot, but i haven't been worried by them.

what i'm more concerned atm, is that the site water isn't going to be switched on till April, and we haven't got any water barrels setup yet. all we have is a 5 gallon container that we tried in vain to save water, but only managed half of it, and was used v sparingly to water the newly-sown carrot (purple haze) and beetroot seeds that i'd done on Sunday. so, i'm not really happy to hear that this week we're going stay dry and sunny....:eek::eek:

since my new job, i haven't been able to go down v much and w/o a car, it's going to be harder. i've got to adjust my sleeping pattern so that i can wake at 5ish (used to last yr much to the annoyance of my dd and dh:p:p) and go down to water the plot...so the last 2 w/ends i've been down, and since Sunday, i've been worried about my seeds not germinating properly, because of the watering problem (must remind myself to put a notice up in local shop to get lawn clippings that a local neighbour might save for me so that i can use it as a mulch).

got the first of my seed orders in the post recently, and have sown globe artichoke - violetta di chioggi and violet de Provence at home. tis my latest obsession: artichokes (have these obsessions/pet project regularly with various things.. where i do a load of research to find out the best and the most useful/cheapest etc., in what idea i have) at the w/e. the other order that i'm waiting on is a flower list from T&M which are mainly good for cutting. i've also planted 6 jerusalem artichoke in a part shady bit of one of my beds, then later after reading more of my gardening books, i found out that they need about 18" apart when i've only done about 9" or so. it's about 3' away from a hedge w. lots of ivy grown down the sides, so it'll probably not crop v abundantly, if they're grown too close together..

i've put up a reply to the ' what do unusual stuff do you grow' thread if you're interested...

joeblack066

Hi All!

Have just signed for my new allottment, and am currently terrified! Good start tho, it's a half size, will be fully rotovated and ready to plant, and has a shed.

My first question is, what are the best/ easiest things to start with? I'm a complete novice you see!

Thanks!

CommitedToChange

hello and welcome.

Congrats on getting your plot - and a shed, that's brilliant!

I think the general advice is to grow what you'll eat rather than what's easy - but I think it depends on your soil as to what will really take off - I've heard Courgettes are easy and often produce a glut. But its my first year so I'm not sure!

CommitedToChange

woo hoo my allotment is now sorted - I'm being moved and my new plot is number 105. Its being marked out and sprayed tomorrow and then they are going to dig it over for me with the site digger.

I'm going to be able to start by the end of this week and I can't wait, good thing to as my onions are begging to go outside ;D

scotsaver

CommitedToChange wrote: »

woo hoo my allotment is now sorted - I'm being moved and my new plot is number 105. Its being marked out and sprayed tomorrow and then they are going to dig it over for me with the site digger.

I'm going to be able to start by the end of this week and I can't wait, good thing to as my onions are begging to go outside ;D

CommitedToChange - that's fantastic news - you must be really chuffed and the timing is perfect for getting everything started.:D