The gardening rant

[mrcharly-YHT]

I think Wobbly John has more reason than most to rant, but . . .

We got a letter from the council. Complaining our allotment was unused and full of weeds that were a 'nuisance to neighbouring plots'.

Funny, 'cause I thought that growing veg was using a plot?

Anyway, went down on Sat. Cut grass with sickle and raked it. The 4ft growth of grass, nettles and thistles looks like it will be lawn in a week or two. Cut nettle that are growing under fence from next door.

Then spent an hour pulling convulvulous. Twined round the bean plants. All across the dug bed. Exploding through the strawberry patch.

Hmm, I've pulled this out before. Where is it coming from?

Oh, the neighbouring plot. Who haven't done anything about their back fence. they have nice weed-free veg beds, but aren't cutting or pulling anything outside the beds. The back fence to their plot is EIGHT FEET HIGH in convulvulous, nettles and bramble.

I've cleared all of ours. Cleared the broken glass, dug out the pernicious nettles. Cut the weeds again and again and again.

I'm really pissed off.

[orienteer]

Your turn to make a complaint?

[mrcharly-YHT]

I think I know who is complaining - I won't accuse them, but next time I'm talking to them I'll grumble about how I'm having trouble keeping the convulvus back because adjacent allotment isn't pulling it out . . .

[Clare]

Bastard tomato blight.

 

[Bledlow]

No tomato blight on our plot.

There was, but it was so bad we lost every plant, just like our neighbours, so the blight is now gone. 

[madcow]

Mr Charly- are you allowed to use weedkillers on your own plot?
If the rules allow then a dose of glyphosate will do the trick. It gets taken into the plant and down into the roots, so if you spray the foliage on your side of the fence, it will kill the plants wherever they originate from. Best to apply on a very still evening so no-one can accuse you of killing half the allotment. Or use the new gel formulation.

[mrcharly-YHT]

We are allowed to use weedkillers, but I really don't want to.

Partly as a personal objection, but also because applying them so that no trace gets onto adjacent plots is very difficult. I've had experience of getting into trouble before, when I thought I was being uber-careful.