Christian Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 I've actually got those drippy things that I used for my pots in the courtyard and a climbing rose when I first planted it. Good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 My neighbour down the lane has the plot next to mine, her hubby is a builder and he has transformed her plot overnight. Rotivated, beds done and a wigwam of impressive hazel rods....her soil is amazing. I wanted the corner plot as I have fenced in two sides to keep the terrier in, but mine has so many stones everyone else has loads of family near by to help with getting the plot ready but it's just little ol' me. It's gonna take me a while. I think the realisation of just how much work it's going to take is kicking in.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 But then it's going to be so much more satisfying when you get similar result, but without all the help! When my dad got an allotment, he started out with considering the first season lost. Anything that he would get was a bonus. First year was a trial year, to try out all the different plants, different types of soil, how much or how little to water etc. Just don't have to high expectations and see everything as a bonus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Don't worry too much about the watering unless you have very light soil. We have a sandy soil which we have improved over the years and we only give extra water to new plants and in very dry spells when the potatoes are in flower we give them a drenching. An occasional drenching is often better than regular small amounts because it goes to the roots and encourages the plants tout down deeper roots they will then be more self sufficient. When you sow seeds especially carrots and parsnips, but I do it with most seeds sown in open ground. Make your drill then water that well, let the water soak in then sow the seed and cover with the drier surface soil. This prevents evaporation and again encourages the roots to go down straight away. They may need surface watering if it is very dry after sowing but not usually. Another must on our plot is slug pellets down when sowing especially carrots, otherwise you will see a lovely row of baby carrot tops one day and they will all be gone the next, so so times you think that they didn't germinate in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 My nan had the stoniest garden I've ever come across. The veg patch contained a fair few stones and I mean big flint ones! It was originally part of a farm and she lived just outside Ringwood. I can only say I've never seen such huge onions and carrots which never forked! Spuds aplenty. Anything she grew was fantastic and tasty! So basically they had access to plenty of manure which grandad put some in the compost bins and the rest was laid over the veggie patch. Many years of that resulted in more soil than stones - but the rest of the garden was nearly all stones and the flowers - oh my! Not much good if you are 8 years old and want to play mud pies. Whereas my dad was constantly keeping himself amused in our sandy garden by sifting out big stones. I must say it was therapeutic - if back breaking! We have a mix in our garden. Flint, chalk and in the main horrible clay. But with the big stones I just flick them out onto the pathway - it just gets a firmer path eventually. I guess with something like my nan's garden you just need to feed and the veggies grow anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Thanks! The builder has put in my raised beds I can't do that kind of things as don't have the know how (or patience) and it's nice to support the man, he's a local and retired, so 'it's beer money for me' he says....! i asked if I could borrow my neighbours rotavator, but he said it is a nightmare to use and the soil is bad and he doesn't want to break the belt, so offered to do it for me! he did his daughters plot next to mine and it looks great. I'm off for 11 days from Friday, so will spend some time down there to get things ready. Next is the seed buying, my favourite.....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Enjoyyyyyyyyy me dear. Saw your photo on FB. I think it looks lovely and neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 Thanks V! My back is in agony. The neighbour and his rotivator didn't happen. I have dug over 7 beds with a mattock (sp) and raked etc. I think my plot was a former Stonehenge judging by the number of stones I have dug up... One more bed to dig over (tomorrow) and it's the largest. I have planted broad beans, Blueberry bushes, rhubard, black currants, Summer fruiting and autumn fruiting raspberries so far. Straws to go in this weekend. Plus Calendula seeds and sweet pea seeds have been sown on pots. Only another 50 plus seed packets to open..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I'd have tomorrow off 7 beds in one day is far to much work. that's at least 7 days work over the winter for me and I've been digging allotment plots for best part of 12 years with a bad back, I never dig for more than 2 hours a visit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 Lol, it was 7 days this week! Over 6 days or so. Just 3 hour visits at a time as don't want to leave the Terrier at home alone for too long. When it's all tidy, he can spend time down there with me, the fence and gate are up, so he can't escape He came down yesterday and chased a pheasant away which landed in my fruit bed. I'm hoping a lightning quick terrier barking has put him off? Just what I need, pheasants! The neighbours have already mentioned seeing deer in the field before..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I like this site - very helpful and I'm always about 2 to 3 weeks behind with regard to climate. But I'm definitely not digging any more. This might give you a few ideas Christian. http://www.saundersallotment.co.uk/Diary%202015.htm You've been very productive - now have a rest!!!!! Or a Radox bath!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Christian - do try Pilates if you can find a good class suitable for all stages. Difficult to go when you have funny work patterns but when you know the basics you can practice whilst away. One word of advice make sure Milo isnt nearby - I was doing the move on the bed the other day - you lie on your back and lift the vertebrae one at a time - knees are bent so your bum is off the floor. Came back down onto the cat who had decided to sit right under where i was about to land. So if you dont want a squashed dog - move him. MY back is much better and my balance has improved. Humans are not designed for standing on one leg but I can do so now much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Ahhhh I've got that exercise! I didn't know it was a Pilates one though. The chiropractor sorted a few exercises out for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 Thanks for the link and tips, re back! I need to start yoga, as that would help more with flexibility apparently. I have the mat....just need to get my backside in gear and find a class/teacher. Popped down today and plants dill, cosmos, zinnias and sunflower seeds. Ready for my cutting patch - if they come up. Got my bean poles in, for runners and borlotto Off to work later, but glad I had a chance to pop down and do some bits, think it'll work best for me if I do a couple of hours at a time, rather than a marathon session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louise womble Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 (edited) I've had my plot for coming up to 10 years now! I am going more and more over to no-dig......or as little dig as possible. I mulch everything! my new neighbours are horrified - "aren't you going to dig that in"? no! - that's why it's called mulch! My onions wouldn't grow apparently - but they didn't know that, and grew huge and lush in spite of being heavily mulched - much to the neighbours irritation! Not happy with my mulching - they snitched on me to the committee......saying I didn't cut my path - when the secretary spoke to me about it - I had great pleasure in pointing out that the overgrown paths both side of my plot were not in fact mine, as the marker posts clearly show!!!!! The beggars still have not cut them and it makes it look like I'm being lazy - but I'm not giving in and doing their work for them! So mulch mulch mulch - feed the soil not the plants and your back will thank you for it! x Edited August 12, 2015 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 What do you mulch with? We have had our allotment for about 15 years now, we have very light sandy soil, great for root crops but not so good for brassicas. We have improved the soil over the years with chicken poo, manure, homemade compost and rotavating in the weeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 I use wood chips and or bedding from the chicken runs and houses for mulching but I do dig it in when I do the winter digging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 Yep, no dig here with our onions - they've been huge! And virtually no weeding - considering it was awash with spurge, borage and scarlet pimpernel last year. It's all paying off. We put our own compost down earlier and I was a bit miffed that most of it was mossy stuff from our mossy and wild flowery lawn! Put organic proper compost layer over that and the weeds were suppressed. The veg garden has been a doddle this year. I've weeded a couple of times but did the whole thing in no time at all - haven't needed to hoe because there weren't any weeds left. I didn't break my back digging either. With regard to pulling carrots, they only needed a little wiggle and they came up. For some reason hardly any have forked and yet there are stones beneath the compost layers. The runner beans have been hit hard by aphids, but there aren't any aphids at all now and they are now going bonkers and flowering all over the place and sending out more trails - trouble is having been wet lately I anticipate the slugs and snails coming in now. I did get that matting containing copper that I put over the top of a mulch. I didn't notice it keeping the snails off as they just climbed up the honeysuckle and bent down the branch until it touched the beans. Although I have to say it has been a really good year for outside, not so good inside because the tops of the tomatoes did get a bit overheated - even with netting up. Naughty moth caterpillars on my peppers - and in my peppers! But I've been shaking the stems and catching abseilers! Also naughty mouse or meecies knocking the tops of my tomatoes down in some places. Sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share Posted August 17, 2015 I can't tell you how well mine is doing Everything is doing well, apart from the sprouts, my netting wasn't high enough and the cabbage white managed to lay some eggs. I thought I'd got most of them, but judging my the holey leaves, I didn't Patty pans squashes = at least 2/3/4 a day, the same for round courgettes. The raspberries are great, parsnips doing well and onions are massive. Pulled loads of carrots, just as thinnings, but the main crop are still in and looking good. I put some horse muck around the roots of the rasps, but that's all I've added. Picking handfuls of runner and borlotto beans. The sweetcorn is the envy of the allotment, just hope they start to thicken up now. And I discovered 3 mini pumpkins are now growing! Beetroot is loving the heavy soil and I planted some more a few weeks ago. I'm loving it down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Swimming in onions!!! They're huge! Normally they just go to a medium size and we use at least 2 for a meal. This year just one is sufficient!!! So very pleased you are having such a successful allotment year too. Nothing better than reaping the rewards of hard work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
