The ups, the downs and the insides out of growing your own in 2025!

emsi_b

Hello all, we signed our tenancy agreement for our allotment today- I've been lurking whilst we waited to see if we were successful but now I can join in.

We're looking forward to being able to grow whatever we like without worrying about the dog digging everything up he did his level best to dig up our potatoes in the garden before they were ready last year, ate all of the raspberries and decimated the kalette netting so the cabbage whites got in. The only things that survived his gardening efforts were the french beans and the apple tree!

We have a full plot (120sq ft) and half has fruit trees and bushes on. We've identified the raspberries, rhubarb, honey berries and an apple, but there are two more fruit trees (possibly a plum and a cherry). There's a whole host of strawberries taking over wherever they fancy too. 
The other half is fair game- it's divided into quarters, and we've dug over one for seed potatoes. There's a bag of onion sets left behind in the shed we'll plant too, along with a whole host of seeds- carrots for definite, and plenty of beans. If we manage to get things set in time, I'd like to try the romanesco broccoli seeds too. If the garden centre has kalettes again, I'd give them another go. The couple of bits that survived last year were very tasty.

Our aim for this year is just to keep on top of what we have really- steady progress rather than all or nothing. We're in it for the long haul

ladybird1106

First earlies are in. More tarpaulin put down in the orchard ( we get dreadful bindweed/wild blackberry). Moved comfrey into the old herb bed. Harvested rhubarb and made 2 crumbles 
£3.80.
love 🐞

redofromstart

Congratulations on the allotment Emsi-b, sounds like you have been very lucky with what you have inherited. 

Yum rhubarb ladybird, I've just added a tiny plant to my veg plot so a few years before I get any. Someone at work used to hand it out freely so I never planted any. 

Suffolk_lass

carinjo said:

Farway said:

ladybird1106 said:

Yesterday I tackled the 6ft gooseberry plants,  probably a bit late. They had all dropped branches to the floor and replicated themselves (not sure what this is called), so they had to come out too.

Love 🐞

Layering.

It's an easy method of increasing your stock

https://www.rhs.org.uk/propagation/layering

Oh i love this idea. Tried propagating Monty Don style and it worked really well. But the layering method can be done in place where your bushes grow!
The greenhouse min max for the last few days was 0.7C/38.6C! Love the little temperature gauge we got. 
Yesterday was a very productive day on allotment. Ms C done flower seeds in trays and a few rows of beetroot and lettuce in greenhouse.
We also done red sun shallots with fabric weedsuppressing, covered to protect against pigeons.
Finally i done a few rows of lettuce and beetroot under glass in the gladioli raised bed.
Ms C just put the first layer of varnish on the newly painted potting bench, seed planting shall commence tomorrow!

Loving the edging around your beds. We have just agreed that instead of buying scaffold boards to edge ours, to use the old concrete roof tiles that have been stacked against the inside of the front fence since we swapped the kitchen extension to slate. It will clear a space almost enough to walk through (more realistically, more bricks will be moved from the edge of the cartlodge to the fence, so the cartlodge and fence can be painted)

ladybird1106

Love your recycling idea for the roof tiles Suffolk_lass plus save you some money. Had to buy some new mint plants today. Ours has finally given up the ghost( it was over 10 years old). Will aim to propagate some more over the next few weeks. Also invested in a new electric propegator as we have a lot of seeds to sow. Going up to the plot this evening for a fire. 🔥 
redofromstart we are currently looking at what else we can make with rhubarb as we have loads still left in the freezer. Never got beyond crumble to be honest.
love 🐞

redofromstart

I like rhubarb fool ladybird and it makes a great rhubarb meringue pie.

Glorious sunshine again here today.  I am wrestling with my watering set up so that I don't run into problems later and I would like to build and fill the last raised bed today.

I have chitted potatoes to plant (Lady Crystl) but I think I will grow those in tubs rather than use a bed.

ladybird1106

Ooooo they both sound delicious redo will give them a go. Thanks.
Been to dads today as we are still emptying his house and garden. Found 2 plastic tables, about 50 tent pegs - always useful, and various bits of gazebos (2 but not complete) might use the material to act as a temporary weed suppressant. There is still the greenhouse to take down in the next couple of weeks. 
love 🐞

carinjo

@ladybird1106 you can always try rhubarb gin. From what i read can use frozen rhubarb.
My dodgy back showed it's ugly head, so it all slowing down almost as soon as got started!
But on the plusside, ms c finished the potting bench. And it a thing of beauty!
anyone near L1dl, they still have some garden stuff and it now on sale, saw a cold frame for £19.99.

redofromstart

Your potting bench made me smile carinjo, and thanks for the heads up on Lidl. Nothing reduced in ours earlier in the week but I know they still had stock so worth a look. 

Working_Mum

ladybird1106 said:

Love your recycling idea for the roof tiles Suffolk_lass plus save you some money. Had to buy some new mint plants today. Ours has finally given up the ghost( it was over 10 years old). Will aim to propagate some more over the next few weeks. Also invested in a new electric propegator as we have a lot of seeds to sow. Going up to the plot this evening for a fire. 🔥 
redofromstart we are currently looking at what else we can make with rhubarb as we have loads still left in the freezer. Never got beyond crumble to be honest.
love 🐞

I stew rhubarb with ginger (use some of a pack of crystallised ginger from baking section in Sains) and eat it with Greek yoghurt and it is delicious. All my friends love it too.
Sounds like you're making progress