Allotment Gardening

Gardengirl..

Hello to all  Allotment Gardeners and Home gardeners of allotment patches or if you have just signed up for an allotment and in need of some encouragement, so many of us growing our own veg, flowers and fruit - enjoying the wildlife thats about.

Growing your own has a much nicer taste stronger when picked fresh, so much to learn also seeing plants grow is so amazing.

If you have an allotment whether just starting out or are an experienced allotmenteer...feel free to drop in... or add to the discussion...

Here are some links if you want to look back...lots of familiar posters...who give good advice...and share their day down on the plot.

Back to the last page what we were talking about    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1011231/new-allotment-omg-part-3/p50

No 1 started thread :  https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/220407

No 2 followed on  :  https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/916310/new-allotment-omg-part-2/p1

No 3 last thread at the beginning 1st page : https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1011231/new-allotment-omg-part-3/p1

Zoomer44

Went to the plot today. Jerusalem artichokes are coming up, that makes me about two or three weeks behind you Gg in terms of growing stuff. Can't believe how cold it has been but it's for  cast to warm up a little.. Took some toms and peppers and started to plant up the GH, will take some pictures tomorrow to post.  

debs64

Hi all, 2nd year on the allotment for me and learnt from some mistakes though no doubt I will make many more this year!
Off to plant up sweet peas today plus real peas and beans. 
I have decided to concentrate on greenhouse crops, mine is more of a poly tunnel but you get the gist. Also soft fruit and flowers for cutting plus courgettes and some herbs. 
Potatoes I find too labour intensive, butterflies got my cabbages and cauliflowers and the onions were just a nuisance. 
We have hives on our allotment owned by a local keeper so lots of flowers will prove popular I also have a mini pond and a bird feeder and bath. 
Maybe not the most conventional plot but there is only me at home plus hubby who works away a lot so large amounts of basic crops are just a waste for me. 

GWRS

Good morning all 
Gardengirl big thank you for starting this new site 
Zoomer , my juruslem Artichokes are only just starting , everything is looking good , have picked lots of asparagus , had some raw in a salad yesterday 
Went to plot yesterday and planted main crop potatoes 🥔, need to cut lawns this morning , as rain showers forecast this afternoon

Debs64 , welcome , your plot sounds great 👍, I grow some flowers for cutting as well 

barry island

I've had an allotment plot for seven years this year and have put a lot of hard work into it to get it just about right for my needs, although sometime in the future if I keep it for any length of time I may have to consider raised beds and no dig but don't want to go to the expense at the moment. I get exercise, fresh air, peace and quiet, the joy of seeing things grow, the experience of learning new methods and the ability to taste really fresh food. The allotment is a living breathing open space in a sea of urbanisation, cars, noise, people rushing about on their daily grind, my haven. Not to say that weird thing don't happen when we aren't there, once I found a dead rat just lying there no reason for it just dead on the path, once there was signs of a bird I think it may have been a pheasant been attacked and consumed right on the edge of my rhubarb bed, the other day I found a disposable nappy all wrapped up laying in my potato bed how it got there I have no idea. Last year someone took all the unripe pears off my small pear tree, why? As I say it's an allotment site and there are long periods when it will be empty who knows what goes on there when we are all at home?

GWRS

Barry Island , did find a wheel barrow on my plot , I suspected somebody borrowed one and put back on wrong plot , left by notice board and with a note , It had gone the next time I went up 
Been to allotment this afternoon, finished netting front of new fruit cage / sitting area , took longer than we thought 
O/H planted 3 round courgette plants , not grown before under fleece and 3 normal courgette plants under bell clouches , all grown from seed  , if they all grow will have enough courgettes to feed the village 

barry island

I sowed my courgetts a couple of weeks ago I thought that the hot weather over the Easter period would have given them enough heat to germinate them but had to put them in propagator, they are coming through now. I only usually plant two courgett plants or as you say they produce too many to keep up with. I went today to plant out Lolo Rosso under milk bottle cloches, and for a second sowing of Radish, Beetroot, Spring onions and Turnip. Low and behold the killing goes on and there was the wing of a pigeon laying next to the raspberries, I would think that there's some kind of bird of prey about, "nature red in tooth and claw".

barry island

Just had notification from the allotment chairman about an article in the local newspaper saying that the council have had a meeting discussing using our allotment site to extend the cemetery. Apparently the allotment officer who works for the councils contract company knew nothing about this. The story mentions a time period of ten years so I'll probably be had enough of allotmenteering by then if it does happen.

GWRS

Barry , always sad when I hear about allotment land grabs particularly by Councils 

barry island

@GWRS, I've had another email from the allotment association and apparently the council have said that the newspaper misquoted the meeting and that although the council couldn't rule out taking allotment land in the future that they didn't have any plans at the moment. Its amazing really, our allotment is very well run and has around 200 plots which are mostly occupied, I watch a youtube channel from someone who has a plot in Nottingham and his site is suffering from people giving up their plots on what seems like a weekly basis.

Gardengirl..

Hello All, well I have been to the allotment and planted out some beetroot seedlings frees up a bit of space in the plastic gh's just ordered a wide plastic gh from Wilkos so should get it next week, on plot got to see a baby blue tit sticking its head at the bird box window so must be bigger by now

In garden planted up loads of sweetpeas that I dug up yesterday from someones garden they come back every year so hope they take - all in pots