Yet Another Cycling Forum

Random Musings => Miscellany => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Si on 21 May, 2008, 11:51:13 am

Title: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 21 May, 2008, 11:51:13 am
Today I've been a mostly poisoning  :demon:

Being organic would be nice but, heck, it's damned hard work when your plot is choked with weed.  So I'm contenting myself with poisoning once only just to initially clear the weed on each section and then trying to be organic from then on.

Apart from that I've been a mostly earthing up my spud empire, by heck those buggers don't half grow fast, and cursing the slugs that keep eating my peas.

BTW, how tall do you reckon peas'n'beanz should be before you remove the anti-bird netting?

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 21 May, 2008, 05:36:11 pm
I pulled a few weeds up.

I've still got some space, but with runner beans to put out, and brassicas to plant out when they actually germinate, our small garden won't take much more.

The parsnips and early carrots have germinated, the broad beans look pretty good, one lot of runners is ready to be planted and given sticks, we ought to pull some rhubarb.

I'll go out and water the beans, I think.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hairyhippy on 22 May, 2008, 05:48:48 pm
Today I 'ave mostly been disinfecting my shiney nearly new recycled 12 foot greenhouse.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 23 May, 2008, 09:52:32 am
Yesterday I was happily informed that my potato blight was actually frost damage and that I wouldn't need to nuke my spuds afterall  :thumbsup:

I dug a new bed and shovelled some more shit to celebrate.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 23 May, 2008, 03:11:53 pm
Argh, have not been down at all this week!  Bah :(

[ponders nicking off from work early & stopping past to see how the peas are doing]
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 23 May, 2008, 07:16:34 pm
I've just made a tepee out of bamboo canes for the runner beans and put six plants round it. There are six more on the way - but the germination rate's quite poor: I sowed 19 seeds for that dozen plants. >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rogerzilla on 25 May, 2008, 09:16:33 am
Cut up all the cherry tree prunings from last week (this is a BIG fully grown wild black cherry which needs the lowest branches trimming to head height every spring) and saved them for kindling.  All the green bits went to compost, and the bin is steaming.

Applied weed and feed to the lawn just before the rains came in.  I don't like weed and feed - it smells, stains and it's potentially unhealthy stuff to use - but the clover is taking over.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mike on 25 May, 2008, 09:27:18 am
busy day yesterday (one of the benefits of waking up at 5.30 on a saturday), building new compost heaps, furious weeding, trimming a bit of hedge, mowing, strimming, building cages to go over the veggies and sorting out the garage.   I was absolutely knackered by about 3.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 25 May, 2008, 03:06:12 pm
NOTHING!
It's been p***ing with rain, in case you've not noticed.

Days like these are best spent indoors, with copious hot drinks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: steveB on 26 May, 2008, 12:14:06 pm
Picked these (well I did yesterday) and delicious they were too.

(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a314/stevic/100_0960.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 27 May, 2008, 09:39:48 am
Earthing up dem spuds.  Goin'a need a JCB to get the lower ones out the way I'm going!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hairyhippy on 02 June, 2008, 08:44:48 pm
The toms, aubergines, cucumbers and sweet peppers love being in the greenhouse. Today I also got given three large brussell sprout plants to go with the four I already had, so they all got planted and so did 5 courgette plants. I also planted some beans and peas. A happy day digging.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 03 June, 2008, 10:28:10 am
Put up the bean wigwam.
Put up the pea netting.

And.....

....actually managed to get SWOBO to go to the plot!!!!!

Was going to dig a new beetroot bed today but looks like rain stopped play.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 03 June, 2008, 10:45:39 am
Have not been down to the allotment for *over a week* due to illness & rain.  Bah. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 03 June, 2008, 12:03:07 pm
Have not been down to the allotment for *over a week* due to illness & rain.  Bah. 

Bad luck.....hope yours is nothing like mine: the couch grass put on another foot of growth since the current spell of rain started.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 03 June, 2008, 01:23:55 pm
Argh, don't say things like that!  I have the Fear on the subject of the weeds...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 03 June, 2008, 02:47:02 pm
I've done some weeding. I'm very unimpressed with the germination rate of my main crop carrots. Everything else seems OK.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Melbourne12 on 03 June, 2008, 06:41:21 pm
.... I'm very unimpressed with the germination rate of my main crop carrots. Everything else seems OK.

Seems to be a general problem this year.  Our first sowings of carrots and parsnips both failed.  And I hear the same story from fellow allotmenteers.  Maybe the early spells of wet weather?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rogerzilla on 03 June, 2008, 06:46:52 pm
As it's warm and wet, I put loads of slug pellets down.  That'll learn 'em.

Slugs - the chavs of the animal kingdom.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 03 June, 2008, 07:53:06 pm
.... I'm very unimpressed with the germination rate of my main crop carrots. Everything else seems OK.

Seems to be a general problem this year.  Our first sowings of carrots and parsnips both failed.  And I hear the same story from fellow allotmenteers.  Maybe the early spells of wet weather?

None of my carrots came up either  :(
But I must have near to 90% parsnip germination - started them off in bog roll tubes on the nati-slug table and then moved to the plot a few weeks back...looking good so far, touch wood.
It's sprouts that I'm having real trouble with.  Started in modules, they all came up, then went limp, I transplanted anyway and half came back to life, now they keep getting ate.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 03 June, 2008, 08:01:01 pm
We've had carrot problems, as well - and fewer parsnips than normal.  I've started some more carrots in pots on the balcony, see if I can get a few at least.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: nuttycyclist on 04 June, 2008, 11:10:23 am
I've done some weeding. I'm very unimpressed with the germination rate of my main crop carrots. Everything else seems OK.

I'm still hopeful for my carrots.  I put the seeds in back in 2006 and am watching carefully for the first one to poke it's little green leaves above the soil.

Home growing is exciting isn't it.  The daily anticipation of seeing if something's sprouting.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 04 June, 2008, 06:02:18 pm
Went down today & there is JUNGLE everywhere.  Some of it stuff we want; some of it weeds.  The raspberries have started up. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 04 June, 2008, 06:39:09 pm
Mowed. Mowed. Mowed. Mowed. Mowed. Mowed. Mowed ad nauseum.

When my massive order of sodium chlorate and my spraying machine arrives, I'm considering applying it to the lawn.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Domestique on 04 June, 2008, 06:44:24 pm
Chucked out my snail eaten cucumber and courgette plants and replaced them with more tomato plants.
Bloody snails  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 04 June, 2008, 08:49:27 pm
Just got nack from today's second visit.  Put down some cardboard and chippings for the area that's going to have the tomato and chili growbags (no, I don't know why I'm placing grow bags on the soil either!).

Dug over another bed and put in the beetroot that came free with todays "Grow Yor Own" mag.

Slapped some more lettuce in...doesn't seem very keen in growing this year.

Weeded to muck heap -  courgettes and squishes are starting to come through on it

Complained about neighbouring plot: blokes been to it about twice this year and it's a jungle -very annoying because all the weed seed will blow over mone and because there is a waiting list of people wanting plots and this guy is just wasting his.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 05 June, 2008, 10:26:22 am
*feels guilt about own jungle*

We do go down weekly (at least), though - it's just that what with me being ill & then pouring rain for several days, it's been left to its own devices for, ooh, about 10 days.  Which is more than enough at this time of year :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: marna on 05 June, 2008, 10:59:10 am
*feels guilt about own jungle*

We do go down weekly (at least), though - it's just that what with me being ill & then pouring rain for several days, it's been left to its own devices for, ooh, about 10 days.  Which is more than enough at this time of year :-\

Dandelion Patrol this weekend? We should <s>con people into doing our weeding for us</s> invite people down to sample the raspberries and admire the greenery.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 05 June, 2008, 11:44:48 am
Dandelion Patrol definitely required.  Also Grass Patrol, Bindweed Patrol, and Everything Bloody Else Patrol. 

Also those massive spinaches/chards/whatever they were have finally fallen over & need disposed of.

Also the raspberries have got a bit *carried away* and possibly need some cutting back.  (We should really check which are summer & which are autumn & which of these need to have this year's growth left to fruit next year.)

I did plant the squashes, though!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hairyhippy on 05 June, 2008, 07:48:40 pm
I watched HFW making dandelion and burdock root beer last night. Now there's a thought, thought I.

Myself, I have mainly been digging and strimming and supporting saggy peas.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 06 June, 2008, 09:31:43 am
Beanz in last night and made a complaint about neighbouring plot: totally over grown with couch grass that's ready to seed and blow everywhere.  Bloke that has it only comes about once every two months.  Complete waste of space now that we have a waiting list of people who would make something of the plot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: FatBloke on 07 June, 2008, 05:51:26 pm
Today, I have mainly been breaking this...

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2558120255_98002da98b.jpg?v=0)


...into small pieces with a 7lb sledgehammer, barrowing it round to the front of the house and up onto a 3 tonne flatbed truck, driving it to a secret location, unloading it by hand (except for the first load  :-\ ) and returning for more, times 4!!!! 

Between 6 and 8 yards of solid concrete!!  >:(

I'm knackered.  :-[

And I bloody hate gardening!   >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: David Martin on 07 June, 2008, 05:54:41 pm
Went down last night and trimmed the hedge. The plot is a full 20 pole or what have you (about 20m on each side). 1.5 sides are privet hedge. I think I have killed my hedge trimmer. It was starting to die - maybe the petrol is a bit old and I should throw some more oil in.

..d
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 07 June, 2008, 06:43:02 pm
My parsnips have germinated pretty well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: FatBloke on 07 June, 2008, 06:44:39 pm
My parsnips have germinated pretty well.
Well, a big HUZZAH!!! for your parsnips!!!   :P
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 07 June, 2008, 06:45:31 pm
My parsnips have germinated pretty well.
Well, a big HUZZAH!!! for your parsnips!!!   :P

Not too loud, you'll frighten the poor little dears.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 08 June, 2008, 03:48:51 pm
Hoed the place where my main crop carrots failed to germinate and put some French Beans in instead.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 08 June, 2008, 03:54:07 pm
Guess what? Mowing etc.

And for a change, major undergrowth clearance and I finished applying sodium chlorate to the drives and paths.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 09 June, 2008, 12:41:16 am
Hoed the place where my main crop carrots failed to germinate and put some French Beans in instead.

Mine didn't come up either - sown some more in cells now and got one of those mini-greenhouses.  I planted 2 rows of broad beans, none came up so sowed 4 more in pots and planted out, now 2 of the originals are coming up so got 6.  Also got lettuce, beetroot, swede and cabbage, some of them look sickly.  Radish, scallions, rocket and watercress in containers.  And at least 1 courgette nearly ready to plant out.

The onion sets are doing fine, just wondering whether to lay bark mulch round them or keep hoeing.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 09 June, 2008, 09:15:23 am
Yesterday on the plot I did..........nothing.  Went to play bikes instead.....am having withdrawal symptoms already, need to go plant something.

I seem to have changed from a cyclist that dabbled with veg to an alotmenteer who dabbles with bikes  :-[



anyhoo, having asked around, seems that others are having carrot germination problems...must be a bad year for them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 09 June, 2008, 10:04:12 am
Still no sodding carrots on our plot - the ones I planted in an old milk carton on the balcony are doing great, though.

Will think of something else to put in where the carrots were on the allotment... 

We went down on Saturday & WEEDED LIKE MAD.  Also chopped back the Raspberry Cane Jungle & used the stems as a mulch over where the butternut squash will (hopefully) later appear.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: steveB on 09 June, 2008, 10:18:41 am
I think the carrot germination is down to the cold spring, all the allotmenteers have had the same problem with the exeption of yours truly and a bloke a few plots up.

The two of us sowed carrots in a four sided shelter and covered them with fleece until germination, he put his in an old bath and I made a four sided box out of recycled timber which we have delivered free to the plots.

(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a314/stevic/100_1013.jpg)

The mange tout is just poking through too.

(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a314/stevic/100_1014.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 09 June, 2008, 06:12:08 pm
A pal of mine, a very good gardener, reckons he doesn't bother to sow main crop carrots until June. He says that the germination rates are lots better and he gets a lot less trouble with carrot fly.

He gave me a couple of courgette plants this morning and some nice tomato plants. They will be going in after tea.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 09 June, 2008, 06:17:16 pm
A pal of mine, a very good gardener, reckons he doesn't bother to sow main crop carrots until June. He says that the germination rates are lots better and he gets a lot less trouble with carrot fly.

Might give that a go. Ta.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 09 June, 2008, 07:01:49 pm
A pal of mine, a very good gardener, reckons he doesn't bother to sow main crop carrots until June. He says that the germination rates are lots better and he gets a lot less trouble with carrot fly.


That's what I've just been told by one of the old boys on the lottie.  And he used to ride fixed so he must be right.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 09 June, 2008, 10:14:54 pm
Ooh, I might have another go, then.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: nitpickles on 10 June, 2008, 01:59:31 pm
Weeded like mad over the weekend. Beans and peas are doing well - especially now that I've managed to find the hole in the rabbit fence.

I think I've got about 10 germinated carrots. I'll have another go.

All the pears have gone black and shrivelled - a shame because last year's crop was immense. And there aren't very many apples either. The plum numbers are down but the blossoms were hit by frost so I was expecting that. Not a good fruit year (unlike last year!).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 10 June, 2008, 09:50:25 pm
Planted out the courgettes and tomatos plants that Mel gave me yesterday.

Watered things which look as though they might like it. Got my revenge on some nasty mosquitoes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Notsototalnewbie on 11 June, 2008, 06:23:00 pm
There's tiny blueberries on my blueberry plant! For the first time ever, it is just coming into its third year.

I s'pose I should net them, can't expect the birds to know that they're welcome to the lardy nutty stuff hanging on the fence, but not my precious blueberries. The plant in a big pot though so not sure of the best way.

The herbs (garlic chives, curly parsley and moroccan mint) that I bought at the festival a couple of weeks ago and bumped across London shoved in my rack pack have recovered from such treatment and are looking surprisingly well.

And my garlic has gotten very high indeed.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: steveB on 11 June, 2008, 08:28:50 pm
Picked strawberries, mange tout, carrots.  Hacked down all the broad been foliage (to be stored for green manure) and chatted for hours.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 12 June, 2008, 03:01:40 pm
Eaten many home-grown strawberries.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: FatBloke on 12 June, 2008, 04:30:46 pm
I've been digging out the soil from the beds around the house to lower the level to at least the same as my damp proof course. :-\

I hate gardening! :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 14 June, 2008, 04:52:54 pm
Today I was mostly getting cut to shreds while weaving brambles into the top of the fence around our allotments.

Vandalism is escalating, two major breakings in the last week or so.  First one they broke into theportacabin that's for the schools' projects, damaged stuff, let of fire extinguishered, destroyed cameras, etc.

Last night they seemed to make a bee-line for one of the committee's plots, broke into her shed, messed things up, left beer cans and stuff everywhere and then burnt a couple of scare crows.

All quite pitiful and soul destrying really, considering the amountof work that people put into both their plots and the community area.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: steveB on 14 June, 2008, 11:01:18 pm
Sorry to hear about the vandalism, it is so disheartening when people put in so much effort, only to have these efforts ruined by mindless moronic arseholes.

We don't get much vandalism, but we did have a couple of young teenage girls running riot on the plots, kicking down crops and generally being a nuisance.  Both were drunk.  But when they were challenged they turned it around and did the challenging.  People are just too frightened to do anything, as these girls would have probably turned into tearful children and accused people of all sorts of wrongdoing.  Sadly people (me included) won't take the chance of any scandal, so they just walk away.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hairyhippy on 15 June, 2008, 12:11:57 am
We have really big strong fences which seem to deter a lot of the vandals. Can you apply pressure to get the security upgraded?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 16 June, 2008, 10:30:47 am
Our current fence is around six fet tall with spikey bits around the top.  We think that they are currently climbing over the top but in the pst they've used a large lever to pop out individual posts.  We asked the Allotements Association and council for help.  They did say that they were going to give us money to buy thorn bushes to plant around the fence but that never happened because of budget problems.  Some of the plot holders put up some dummy CCTV cameras and signs but these were attacked a couple of days after instalation.  The police are often to be seen riding their bikes around the plot and checking on what's hppening, but that's during the day and the attacks happen at night, I guess it would be a massive drain on their resources to station a couple of coppers there each night until it coincides with an attack.

Current plan is wrapping brambles around the top of the fence to make it harder to get in, but it's a very long fence so will take some time.  Also talked about the plot holders buying the thorn bushes themselves, but the problem is getting everyone to contribute - lots of newbies who are fighting just to stay on top of their own plots and don't have time for bush plating I guess.  Also some of the plot holders decided to hide on the plot Saturday night and see if they could catch the vandals.  Haven't been back since to see how they got on.

The thing that has been damaged the most is, ironically, the community project - the area designed for the kids in the area to come and have a go at growing stuf and to give them something to do with their free time. It is hoped that this will deter the current younger kids from becoming vandals when they are older and give them something that allows them a sense of achievement.  If the current vandals don't destroy it first.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 04 July, 2008, 10:30:17 am
Yesterday I was mostly breathing heavily.

Mrs Bodger came with me.  We got to the gate and I realised that I'd left the keys at home.  While she stood there, tapping foot, drumming fingers, looking not amused, I had to run home (in my heavy steel insert digging boots) get the key and run back up the hill.

Now I remember why I do cycling and not jogging.

after all that efort I decided that I ought to make the time there worth while and so dug another bed out of the sea of couch grass.  Now, what to put in it...more peas, turnips or kale ?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 04 July, 2008, 11:41:37 am
I've been going down before work every morning this week for 15 min weeding, 15 min watering, a little picking of raspberries... 

Achievements so far: cut back the comfrey AGAIN & used it to mulch around the corn a bit; planted beans & peas next to the corn; cleared the jungle-patch next to the chard so I can stick something else in there this weekend (possibly pak choi); harvested lots of rasps & strawberries.  It's a nice start to the day, as well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 06 July, 2008, 10:01:11 pm
This morning I sallied forth between the drenchings, hedge clippers in hand, to make a ruthless stand against the marauding privet hedge on the other side to my existing bed and succeeded in cutting half the length of it right back to just a bundle of sticks, and clipping the rest.  Then removed all the clippings and existing mulchings to leave a nice patch of land ready for me to start sowing into.

Popped in some peas I'd soaked overnight, then some fennel seedlings that had only just seen the light of day.  Two rows of swedes and a row of beetroot chard plants my aunt gave me.

The broad beans are developing flowers and tiny pods, and are getting covered in blackfly.  It wouldn't make any sense to cut the tops off so I sprayed with mild fairy liquid, the ants didn't seem to like it anyway.  I've been very lucky with land molluscs so far though something seems to like nibbling the leaves of my beetroot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 07 July, 2008, 11:06:18 am
nettle tea with a spot of washing up liquid, is appraently good, or rather very bad, for the black fly on your beans - just be sure to remove any ladybirds first as they are the good guys.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 07 July, 2008, 05:04:31 pm
Watched the rain fall! :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 07 July, 2008, 08:19:40 pm
Today nothing, waiting for the pond that Ms. P dug to fill up.

Yesterday finally got something to eat, late starting this season.

Just eaten some of our broad beans with some fish. Dug up some potatoes and onions for later in the week. Picked the cherries (birds didn't eat 'em).


Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Quisling on 09 July, 2008, 11:08:21 pm
I harvested my first ever home grown courgette - and added it to my veggie stir fry to tea.  I felt a bit smug then, and rather sorry for everyone else who doesn't attempt to grow their own stuff.
We needed the rain though - the water butts have been empty.  Indeed, MiniQ was steering me away from the garden centre on the weekend otherwise I'd have bought another one.  Water butts hold a special place in a man's life - like piles of useful looking bits of wood ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 10 July, 2008, 12:09:16 pm
Damn, damn, damn, you've reminded me - I was going to leave the top off mine so that it would refill in yesterday's downpoor  :(


Anyhoo, off to inspect the progress of my first courgette to fruit this pm.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 10 July, 2008, 04:35:18 pm
We harvested some weed potatoes today - rogue ones which survived from last year. Didn't grow any this year.

There's enough for a couple of meals and now the parsnips will get some more light.

There should be a bumper crop of walnuts provided the bloody squirrels stay away.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: peliroja on 10 July, 2008, 04:38:11 pm
Nothing, but I have entirely lost the plot, if that helps?  ???
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Otto on 11 July, 2008, 03:23:49 pm
Picked some red spinach, lettuce, land cress,rocket carrots and peas for my salad at work today ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: marna on 13 July, 2008, 08:19:28 pm
Got my hands savaged cutting back the blackberry brambles. Our next-plot-neighbours cut back the bramble almost completely a few months ago, and so it's attempting world domination in revenge. It's producing lots of fruit, though. Hurrah blackberry crumble!

Scoffed too many raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries and strawberries, because now seems to be berry-overlap time. The currants are only now ripe, and are delicious.

Also fed hungry plants with tasty, stinky comfrey tea. Discovered that there are ants living under the compost bin. (They did not like me stirring it and ran all over my feet.) Harvested a daft quantity of rhubarb.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 13 July, 2008, 08:23:17 pm
More potatoes dug, more broad beans n' onions harvested.

Hoeing and general clearing, lots of weed growth with last weeks wet weather.

Fishing dead mouse outta the -now full- pond.

Runner beans and peas looking good.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 13 July, 2008, 09:12:52 pm
Got my hands savaged cutting back the blackberry brambles. Our next-plot-neighbours cut back the bramble almost completely a few months ago, and so it's attempting world domination in revenge. It's producing lots of fruit, though. Hurrah blackberry crumble!

Scoffed too many raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries and strawberries, because now seems to be berry-overlap time. The currants are only now ripe, and are delicious.

Also fed hungry plants with tasty, stinky comfrey tea. Discovered that there are ants living under the compost bin. (They did not like me stirring it and ran all over my feet.) Harvested a daft quantity of rhubarb.
You could make summer pudding and delicious compotes.

On Friday I noticed that the brambles lining the path I commute along are starting to ripen. I might go along next week with tupperware.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 13 July, 2008, 11:25:55 pm
Arranged with the neighbour to water as needed as now on hols for 2 weeks.  Also put nets up as as well as bits of beetroot one of the leaves on a juvenile cabbage had been nibbled away by pigeons, you see and hear them skulking around the rooftops and neighbouring trees and now I know what they're up to when your back's turned.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Quisling on 28 July, 2008, 11:01:42 pm
I installed my third water butt yesterday, and did a bit of "butt fettling" today to clear crud out of the hose from the guttering downpipe.  Then it rained a lot :thumbsup:

I now have 430 litres of rain harvest, though of course the garden doesn't need it for a day or two.

I also harvested my 15th courgette of the season (keeping a tally on the fridge door), and propped a couple of courgettes off the mud to stop them rotting.

I also admired the mizuna which will soon be big enough for a little harvest, and apply tree which has some nice fruit developing now.

C
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 29 July, 2008, 01:49:38 pm
After a weekend of weeding and planting out more tomatos and peppers, Yesterday we picked some of the crops.

Cauliflower, cabbage, runner and french beans in the freezer.

Carrots and courgettes are poor this year.

Have more turnips than we will ever eat. Beetroot are huge. baby sweetcorn is now ready. over 100 plants, which really need to be picked through every couple of days to get the best from them.

Made cauliflower cheese for tea yesterday, served with a lamb chop, new potatoes and gravy  :P
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 01 August, 2008, 05:15:59 pm
Today I found out what a Smith Period was and why we shoud be frightened of them.

I also found out what happens if I leave my courgette plants unvisitted for a week.....any good recipes for monster marrows?

On with the harvest...finally finished the first early pots and started with the second earlies now...at this rate it'll be christmass before I get onto the mains!

Peas aplenty!  But I have a problem with them...how exactly do you get the home from the plot without eating so many that you make yourself ill?

Beat root up next week - time to start boiling and pickling.

Chard is still going strong.

Had my first home grown onions last week....they were so nice I cried.

First runner beans appearing on my wig-wam and first (and probably only) tomotoes on my tomato plants.

Lettuce doing well - much to much to eat but looks nice along the edges of other beds.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 01 August, 2008, 05:37:02 pm
I picked the first of my tomatoes....  :thumbsup:


And they were luvverly - very sweet and juicy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 03 August, 2008, 08:11:06 pm
Dug a bit more ground out and planted Natasha endive, April cabbage and Munchen Bier radishes (funny name for a girl).  Went to Wickes and got a Quiet shredder - should have been £119 but for some reason it scanned as the Impact one which is only £85!  :thumbsup:  Hope this won't invalidate the guarantee if it goes wrong.

Then harvested the first of my compost after 2 years or so, it looks great.  Shredded about a third of the loose clippings around my garden and completely filled the bin up again - going for a 'hot' heap where it heats up quickly and you keep turning it till it stops heating up.  Pissed on it.

I also called in a horsey place this afternoon and they said I could take as much of the manure as I wanted any time.  However with this new pesticide that has certain "side effects" and I think has now been banned don't know if it's a good idea to use it.

I also got some chicory seeds, something else I like a lot and pay a small fortune for in Waitrose, and some Japanese onion seeds which are sown around now and harvested next summer.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 03 August, 2008, 10:13:47 pm
Nothing. Had a quick look. It's been raining on and off all day. Running out of potatoes and onions so I'll have to go back in the next couple of days.

I did eat some of my runner beans and potatoes with a tuna steak. Nice.

Kale's looking good. Nice yellow courgettes this season.

Grass and weeds going wild, need a good long session with the shears soon.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 06 August, 2008, 06:01:26 pm
Harvested the last of the broad beans and composted the plants. Dug over the bed and sowed two rows of Early Nantes carrot.

Harvested the last (and first!) of our first attempt at Early Nantes carrot. Harvested the first of the French beans.

I also piddled on the compost heap and noted the reappearance of brandlings!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Quisling on 09 August, 2008, 10:17:33 pm
Harvested some kale before the caterpillars do it for me.  Added this to the courgette soup and served with home made bread rolls for lunch.  I think I got all the caterpillars off first though..
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 11 August, 2008, 03:47:49 pm
I think I got all the caterpillars off first though..

But they are only another form of kale, surely?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 19 August, 2008, 07:43:20 pm
I just harvested 1lb of French beans.

This is my best crop this year, although the small number of runners on the tipi are improving. However, the French bean plants are being eaten, I think by very small slugs. A couple of plants at one end of the row, next to an ancient brick wall, are badly affected.

I've also exterminated lots of snails.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 19 August, 2008, 10:03:13 pm
I cut my first courgette tonight.  The sap was glistening on the stem after the blade slipped through and within half an hour it was being added to the pot.  I saved the last piece to eat raw and it was so delicious I swiped about 3 more out to eat them raw too.  I'd like to stuff my face with the things and feel juiced out for the foreseeable future till some more had grown.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 21 August, 2008, 08:58:53 am
tsk, turn your back for a couple of days and what happens?  championship sized marrows everywhere!

I could stuff 'em or make soup, but they are so big that I can only carry one home at a time.

Turnips have come up well, nice white golf ball sized ones, but I think that I have planted them a little too close to the kohl rabbie as it seems a little thin.  So, what can you do with a sack of turnips?

Beetroot - think I've over done that too.  Spent the other evening pickling.  The fugg has now left the kitchen and the house doesn't smell too much. Problem is that I've used all my jars and still have 3/4s of the crop left  :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Maffie on 21 August, 2008, 12:43:24 pm


Beetroot - think I've over done that too.  Spent the other evening pickling.  The fugg has now left the kitchen and the house doesn't smell too much. Problem is that I've used all my jars and still have 3/4s of the crop left  :-\

If you cut the foliage off 2 inch from the bulb then pack in sand or peat in layers and cover so completely dark they will store without rotting
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 25 August, 2008, 08:57:18 pm
Picked some more French beans.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Maffie on 25 August, 2008, 09:42:12 pm
Ive eventually started digging up the lawn to have a veggie patch now what to plant to grow for autumn?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: TimO on 31 August, 2008, 07:34:34 pm
Converted about half a huge heap of cleared weeds and overgrowth into two bags of chopped up mulch.  Of course, checking the calendar, I realised that Garden waste is picked up every two weeks, and the pickup was last Friday. >:(

I shall have to see where the local recycling centre is, and trailer them around on the back of the bike.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 31 August, 2008, 08:12:54 pm
You are not composting it?  I find that given time in a black composter, in the sun, even couch grass, docks, dandelions, etc all melt down in the end.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: TimO on 31 August, 2008, 08:21:43 pm
There's rather a lot to compost, and I don't really have anything to do with it once it's been composted, most of the garden is gravel (with varying amounts of weeds!)

At least if I take it to the recycling centre it'll be useful.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 31 August, 2008, 08:47:32 pm
You have to do something with compost?  Based on the many books and forum discusions I thought we just composted for the art of it!   ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 31 August, 2008, 09:57:40 pm
See my previous post about Natasha endives etc - well none of them came up apart from the radishes.  This is uniformly common sowing straight into the ground, something must be eating them.  I sowed exactly the same seeds into a seed tray a fortnight ago and pricked them out today - 20 lettuces, 6 chicories, 8 endives and 9 cabbages, plus some spares in case any fail / get eaten.

This is in addition to landscaping a pond I've dug - only a small one but I'm fascinated by all the plants you can get for it, plan to turf over the liner which I've already cut holes through, make a rockery / heather area at the back and marginals for the front, maybe some bulbs too for next Spring.  I also have a small sandstone trough left in the garden for a water feature and bog plants.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 02 September, 2008, 05:21:57 pm
I just picked a good bunch of runner beans, killed a load of snails and Mrs Wow and I shared the first walnut of the year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 15 September, 2008, 07:34:19 pm
Ye gads, you go away for a couple of weeks and when you come back it's all weeds and marrows  :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 20 September, 2008, 09:40:49 pm
Weeds and Marrows. If I could live on weeds and marrows..

I haven't done anything on the plot today. I went out for a ride because it was warm'n'sunny. Good it was too, except some knobber in a car managed to hit me with a part-filled bottle of coke.

Ms. P and her friend went tho' and came back with carrots! we have never been able to grow a decent carrot but these looked great- big and straight. Just stuck the seeds in the ground real late, didn't cover them and didn't thin them either (sown thinner than usual tho').

Had a meal today consisting almost entirely of stuff from the allotment (except for flour, butter and eggs). Dessert too- from blackberries and dropped apples from next door's overhanging tree.

Kale has recovered somewhat from caterpillar attack, sweetcorn still not quite ready.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 20 September, 2008, 10:04:52 pm
Dug potatoes today. Much better crop than last year. Took one bag home in the trailer at lunch time and took the bigger trailer after lunch to bring 4 more bags home.

Had risotto at lunch time with carrot, onion, pepper, baby sweetcorn and aubergine from the allotment.  :D

Any ideas what to do with the multitude of chilli peppers that are ripening at the moment?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RogerT on 21 September, 2008, 08:21:14 am

Any ideas what to do with the multitude of chilli peppers that are ripening at the moment?

Dry them and store in a kilnerjar to use for cooking..but.. caution..they get even hotter once dried.  ( found out the hard way )
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rae on 21 September, 2008, 10:40:52 pm
Dug a 6 foot wide bed that was 40 feet long.  OK, it wasn't all today, I did a bit of it last week-end.  It is now sown with red clover as a weed cover and nitrogen fixer, all to be rotovated in some time in April.   

I'm knackered. 

If I am to restore the veg patch to its former glory (currently it is effectively a bramble patch), then I have to dig 7 more of those beds.   The next bed will be too late for clover before winter, so I'll dig it, then rotovate in a tonne of horse poop. 

I might give in and hit the paths with grazon - or maybe repeated flymoing will do the job. 

Harvested a load of marrows and sweet corn from the bit of the patch that was still cultivated.   Harvested a load of apples.

Fixed the cutter deck on the lawn mower: if someone from Countax is reading this: "I would like to shove the blade belt engagement mechanism up your arse".   A more awful piece of engineering is hard to imagine.   Anyway, with new bearings, it cuts perfectly.  Now I have to weld up the grass collector so that it sits at the right angle. 

I also pulled the rear tub off the Series III as it failed the MOT - more welding.   This is a vital piece of kit because I can then get the sankey trailer out and fill that with weeds, rather than taking the poxy wheelbarrow to the heap every 10 minutes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 27 September, 2008, 05:58:27 pm
I had to go get some secateurs from the allotment shed today (going to help create a cyclocross course tomorrow).

Haven't been for a week and.. not too bad! the weeds aren't growing as fast now. Cut the grass with my hand shears (don't do that very often) and then just sat down, drank coffee, looked around and enjoyed it for a bit.

Got some potatoes, kale, strawberries. The pumpkin was too big, I'll have to go back with the trailer.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: TimO on 27 September, 2008, 07:28:36 pm
.... The pumpkin was too big, I'll have to go back with the trailer.

Nah, you just need a Fairy Godmother with a wand, then you can just tow the carriage back (sans Cinderella et al). ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hairyhippy on 29 September, 2008, 06:10:15 pm
Took the boys, two of their friends and Mrs HH down there on sunday. I had carefully planned some activities for the children, planting, watering etc, but the best bit by far was the enormous mud pie that they made.

For the first time in three years, the digging is almost on schedule.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 29 September, 2008, 06:22:28 pm
I have emailed the cooncil allotment officer to ask about the possibility of getting a half-plot at Lady Road. Then I read the allotment documents on the cooncil website and discovered that Edinburgh has 1100 plots and a 450-person waiting list.

Maybe having emailed him from my work address will invoke a feeling of cooncil brotherhood and he'll put me at the top of the list.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: marna on 29 September, 2008, 06:35:50 pm
We had Allotment Dinner on Saturday night. Roast potatoes, beets, parsnips and sweetcorn, french beans (not roasted, those) and crumble filling all from the allotment.

We spent a fair portion of Saturday weeding, harvesting, cutting back brambles and generally imposing order on the chaos. Brambles fought back and I have a fine collection of scratches still.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 01 October, 2008, 03:42:34 pm
I have had a reply. The waiting list for allotments at my side of town is up to 7 years.

I could be dead (of scurvy) by then.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: marna on 02 October, 2008, 04:16:19 pm
I have had a reply. The waiting list for allotments at my side of town is up to 7 years.

I could be dead (of scurvy) by then.

Oh boo! Get yourself on the list anyway. I know waiting lists in our little patch were several years, and then a rash of people moving, and a couple of new plots being made available, meant that the waiting list was zipped through and is tiny now. A lot of people on the list had moved away or lost interest in the intervening years, which helped lots.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 02 October, 2008, 09:58:29 pm
I emailed my councillors and pointed out that the council's 2002 allotments strategy committed them to increasing allotment capacity, and asked how a 7 year waiting list fulfilled that strategy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 27 October, 2008, 10:01:17 pm
Dez has been out and dug over the entire plot during the past couple of days.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: nuttycyclist on 28 October, 2008, 12:49:22 am
tsk, turn your back for a couple of days and what happens?  championship sized marrows everywhere!...

Lucky bastard!   I'm still waiting for my yellow tomatoes (July) to go red so I can pick them.





You have to do something with compost?  Based on the many books and forum discusions I thought we just composted for the art of it!   ;D

Yup.

I only grow compost in my garden.  Other than putting it on the garden to grow next year's compost what am I supposed to do with it ???
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 07 December, 2008, 08:36:36 pm
Just a couple of hours cleaning up a bit. It was cold and I wasn't working hard but I always feel warm when down at the plot. I was bloody freezing an hour later while cleaning the commuter bike in the garden.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 15 March, 2009, 01:26:02 pm
Finally got properly started. We've been clearing up and digging over some of the plot in the last few weeks. Today planted the potatoes, onions and some broad beans.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rogerzilla on 15 March, 2009, 01:35:07 pm
I mowed the lawn and planted Miss Z's runner beans in pots.  Hopefully they'll be able to go out before they take over the kitchen, which is what happened last year.

Yesterday I planted what will eventually be a dwarf box hedge around the (circular) rose bed.  I estimate 5-6 years.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 17 March, 2009, 08:27:29 pm
I thought it was April for runners? - just what I've been reading up on as I'm going to plant some too.

I planted a few rows yesterday - onions, endive, chicory and cabbage all withstood the severe winter OK  but broad beans didn't - and today sewed/stuck some tough plastic together to cover two 6' x 3' cloches I made using timber and water pipe.  I noticed a blackbird pecking around this morning, hopefully not denuding my new seed beds - if it'd been a pigeon or the squirrel that comes right up to my back door I'd have had my catapult out.  Though went out over the winter one day to find a heap of pigeon feathers next to my nipped-off cabbage leaves - bon appetit, Reynard!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 18 March, 2009, 08:15:26 am
Yesterday was spent planting a new rose (Tequila Sunrise, an orange/yellow hybrid tea rose with a heavy fragrance - just right for tub growing in an enclosed courtyard garden) and planting a blackcurrant bush.

I also sowed early salad leaves and sowed some aubergine seeds (a first for me this year).  Both pots are siting on the kitchen window.

I also prepared a couple of tubs for some early tomato plants I have on order.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 18 March, 2009, 08:18:32 am
I also prepared a couple for some early tomato plants I have on order.

How do you "prepare a couple" Reg? Spreading your wings? And didn't they object?  O:-)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 18 March, 2009, 08:20:54 am
I also prepared a couple for some early tomato plants I have on order.

How do you "prepare a couple" Reg? Spreading your wings? And didn't they object?  O:-)


Whoops!  :-[

Duly amended!   ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rogerzilla on 11 April, 2009, 07:14:49 pm
Slaughtered the ivy and nettles in the no-man's-land between our wall and next door's fence.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 13 April, 2009, 07:32:59 pm
put the seed potatoes in.  Buggrit, 30 left over. why do I never calaulat the space needed right?  Anyone need some seed potatoes? Maris piper mains I think.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 03 May, 2009, 10:05:24 pm
Poured a pint of fresh piss into the compost!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 03 May, 2009, 11:13:10 pm
Not my plot, but today I've been clearing a huge patch of brambles from my daughter's garden.

My forearms are scrtched to buggery, and also scorched from the fire we burnt them on.

I also set my hair on fire.  ::-)

Still got most of my eyebrows, but I think the hair has to be cropped - it's all frazzled.

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/wobblyjohn/frazzle.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 04 May, 2009, 10:07:39 am
place yer burnt hair around the seedlings - it keeps slugs off (or so an old wife told me).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 13 May, 2009, 06:56:30 pm
Went to B&Q with the bike trailer, bought a lawnmower- one of those push-along jobs.

Took it home and put it together. Back in the trailer and took it to the allotment where I cut my grass (there is still about a quarter of the plot which I haven't cultivated yet).

Beats using shears.

Then I planted some courgettes.

Noticed my potatoes are really slow to get going this year, sure there's usually plenty of green stuff by this time of year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 13 May, 2009, 08:15:19 pm
We don't live far from Palinaurus and our tomatoes don't seem to be progressing.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 14 May, 2009, 06:56:42 pm
We don't live far from Palinaurus and our tomatoes don't seem to be progressing.

Are these two eventualities in some way connected? :o
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 15 May, 2009, 01:26:01 am
We don't live far from Palinaurus and our tomatoes don't seem to be progressing.

Are these two eventualities in some way connected? :o

They are both Solanaceae. Possibly therefore.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 17 May, 2009, 09:44:58 pm
Right, a rare weekend near the house has let us catch up a bit.

Loving my new hoe - it's a Swoe, and works like a draw hoe or a Dutch hoe.  Much easier to use.

Aaaanyway, we've planted:

Beetroot
Carrot
Parsnip
Runner Beans
More shallots
Radishes
Spring Onions
Marigolds interplanted to stop carrot & onion fly
Lobelia around the blackcurrant bush, which has a lot of currants coming
Begonias & Fuchsias in the front garden
Trough full of herbs

And I remembered to put some canes in for the peas I put in last week.

Fingers crossed for success
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Julian on 17 May, 2009, 09:53:04 pm
Charlotte has built 3 raised beds, and we're going to build a couple more.

I've been to the plant sale and bought

8 leeks
6 runner beans
2 courgettes
6 caulis
3 gardeners delight tomatoes
2 F1 hybrid tomatoes, which promise to be cherry tomatoes which look like strawberries
and a Tumbling Tom.

The hybrid tomatoes are in already, the others are still in their seedling pots and will be planted over the course of the next week.

I'm really looking forward to having a garden to play with.  This is my first attempt so let's see if we get anything edible out of it...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 17 May, 2009, 09:58:15 pm
Cool.  Raised beds are definitely part of our plan for next year.

I've found my gardening books this evening, including the indispensable and very informative (even for numpties like me) Organic Garden Book, by Geoff Hamilton. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Julian on 17 May, 2009, 10:48:14 pm
I don't know if ours counts as organic.

Eat lead Blue Nasty, slugs!   :demon:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 18 May, 2009, 09:11:40 am
Well, it gives lots of good general gardening advice - you don't have to be organic (completely).  Geoff Hamilton was a luv.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 18 May, 2009, 10:00:22 am
Yesterday I chased people of the plot.  Bloody open days.  The notice saying "Please keep of the plots" seems to be interpreted as "Please march all over the plots and pull up what you like".  >:(

Then I got very wet.

Then I patted a retired greyhound and watched chicken poop roulette.

Then I put some peas in and put some more paths in.....finally found a use for the Mail on Sunday.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 18 May, 2009, 11:30:23 am
... what, you ran out of loo paper?  ;)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 18 May, 2009, 11:32:29 am
You touched the MoS?

Now wash your hands.

And again...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 18 May, 2009, 11:55:02 am
It is now buried under several inches of mulch.

In my defence: I don't buy it (I've asked  relations to keep newspapers for me as I'm using them as the base layer for my paths) and the only pages I look at are the crosswords and the sport (believe it or not it is generally quite positive on cycling).  Although sometimes I take a sneaky look at the letters just for entertainment value, but these aren't as good as they used to be as the paper seems to be telling people exactly what to write about these days.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Datameister on 24 May, 2009, 09:18:37 pm
Found out what to do when invaded by bees.

The sky went loud, very loud. Allotmenteers scuttled for cover, and a swift trip home to google "swarming bees" ensued.

Chappie came out later and collected them, declaring it to be "only a small swarm" (about 2,000 bees).

Fascinating.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 30 May, 2009, 08:42:40 pm
I discovered my allotment, and recreated the path between it and the derelict one.  ::-) The grass was over a metre high.  Serves me right for not going there for 2 weeks of glorious growing weather, but I had bikes to fix!
Did lots of chopping down and a little digging.  Lots of digging needed tomorrow, and also planting my leeks (from their pots).  I need to stop planting things in pots at home (got french beans and broccoli almost ready, and lettuce and spinnach not too far behind) - I can't keep up with the need for space to pot them out!

I have planking and framing left over from destroying my old shed.  Is it worth creating beds? I can't really see the point, but then, I've only just started allotmenting this year - last time I was on an allotment before that was when my dad had one 15 years ago.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 31 May, 2009, 10:04:53 pm
Did some digging and planted a fair few leeks (over 40).  When I ran out of space, I gave the rest away!  I think I might have sowed too many seeds. :)
Lots more digging needed before I have enough space for my french beans (also in pots). :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Kathy on 01 June, 2009, 04:24:45 pm
We spent the entire weekend dismantling the shed and replacing the rotten bits before weatherproofing all the panels.

Refugee woodlice fleeing the genocide have been trekking into neighbouring gardens, sneaking under border controls in search of a Better Life...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: FatBloke on 01 June, 2009, 05:12:55 pm
Refugee woodlice fleeing the genocide have been trekking into neighbouring gardens, sneaking under border controls in search of a Better Life...
Apparently the grass is greener over there!

Meanwhile, I have irrigation to attend to.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 06 June, 2009, 10:22:16 pm
Butterfly repotted all the windowsill veg & herbs.

We need bigger windowsills now :-\

Looking at the plot, there's stuff coming up, including some that look like rows of things.  I need to get the hoe out to clear the sycamore seeds, or else we'll have a forest.

Foxes don't like shallots.  One was dug up, and bitten, but spat out again. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 06 June, 2009, 10:31:14 pm
I've left everything to Dez, who is doing a good, if rather one-sided, job.

Some of the seeds he sowed have failed. The broccoli, on the other hand, germinated magnificently. All the gaps now have broccoli plants in them. I think we will have cornered the broccoli market come April 2010.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 06 June, 2009, 10:35:47 pm
I'll take some off your hands.

I lurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrve broccoli... :P
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 07 June, 2009, 03:28:42 pm
I dug a patch about 3 foot by the width of the plot, and planted 2 rows of french beans.  And gave away the rest of the pot of beans, cos I didn't have the space or energy to plant out the rest.  I only have another 3 rows worth in my cold frame that are ready to plant out (plus broccoli, lettuce and spinnach that aren't quite there yet)!  ::-)  It's all growing faster than I can prepare the ground for it.  :-\
More digging needed.  I should have done it in Feb/March, so now it's twice as hard.

I also cut the grass back (again) using my shears, though I have bent the handles by trying to cut broccoli or bussels sprout stems.  Now if I close them too vigourously, I punch one hand with the other.  :-[
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 07 June, 2009, 04:28:10 pm
dare not go near mine at the moment - haven't got a life boat to hand.

courgettes going in when the rain stops. 

my paths are coming along nicely: many layers of newspaper with several inches of wood chippings on top - really are stopping the weeds coming back, 'tis a method that I'm going to stick with from now on: free'n'easy.

I reckon two weeks at most until the first early pots are ready to start eating  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 08 June, 2009, 08:24:28 pm
Butterfly repotted all the windowsill veg & herbs.

We need bigger windowsills now :-\
+1. I've thinned out the windowsill lettuces. The thinnings made a very nice salad, & Mrs. B was impressed with the flavour, which was nice.

The coriander is looking good, though the parsley is coming along very slowly.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 10 June, 2009, 08:58:54 pm
Picked & eaten the first windowsill coriander. Needed thinning, & waste not want not. As Mrs B said, it smells much nicer than the supermarket stuff.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 10 June, 2009, 11:08:56 pm
I had my first strawberry today (a Cambridge Delight)   :thumbsup:

Nom, nom, nom...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Kathy on 11 June, 2009, 09:34:54 am
I harvested a fine crop of slugs last night.  ::-) They seem to have eaten all the parsley and radish seedlings. :'(

Got all the netting up over the soft fruit, although I was annoyed to discover that something has snapped one of the two fruit-bearing branches of the raspberry bush, destroying 50% of the crop.  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 11 June, 2009, 01:48:12 pm
I had my first strawberry today (a Cambridge Delight)   :thumbsup:

Nom, nom, nom...

I feel like a proud dad, after the strawbs doing nothing at all last year, apart from putting out runners whenever my back was turned, I've got my first little green strawberry budettes.  I'm not expecting to ever get to eat them...that would be too much to hope for, but it's an advancement on last year so I'm happy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Kathy on 11 June, 2009, 01:56:31 pm
I had my first strawberry today (a Cambridge Delight)   :thumbsup:

Nom, nom, nom...

I feel like a proud dad, after the strawbs doing nothing at all last year, apart from putting out runners whenever my back was turned, I've got my first little green strawberry budettes.  I'm not expecting to ever get to eat them...that would be too much to hope for, but it's an advancement on last year so I'm happy.

Get netting up pronto, or all you'll get is a very fat happy blackbird.

<---- voice of experience.  :-[
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 11 June, 2009, 03:34:45 pm
Netting?  there's no room what with the guard dogs, electric fence, mine field, ground to air missiles and Star Wars SDI system......

having said that, I've a feeling that I've discovered the world's first burrowing magpie  :o
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris S on 12 June, 2009, 09:28:13 am
Hurry up and turn red - I want to eat you...  :demon:

(http://www.ivy-house.org.uk/images/strawbs.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 12 June, 2009, 10:43:01 am
Onions are a goner.  :'(
Got onion bug....it's slowly sweeping across the whole of the Midlands apparently.

Do you think it's too late to try again if I can find some more onion sets, some enviro-net and a new patch to put them in?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 12 June, 2009, 02:38:12 pm
Aren't onions very sensitive to the length of the day or something?  I started mine off last year (first veg ever) in the shade in mid-May, they hardly grew at all with the 'summer' we had.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 June, 2009, 04:22:38 pm
I had my first strawberry today (a Cambridge Delight)   :thumbsup:

Nom, nom, nom...

I feel like a proud dad, after the strawbs doing nothing at all last year, apart from putting out runners whenever my back was turned, I've got my first little green strawberry budettes.  I'm not expecting to ever get to eat them...that would be too much to hope for, but it's an advancement on last year so I'm happy.

Get netting up pronto, or all you'll get is a very fat happy blackbird.

<---- voice of experience.  :-[
Already been at mine. :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Kathy on 12 June, 2009, 04:29:42 pm
I had my first strawberry today (a Cambridge Delight)   :thumbsup:

Nom, nom, nom...

I feel like a proud dad, after the strawbs doing nothing at all last year, apart from putting out runners whenever my back was turned, I've got my first little green strawberry budettes.  I'm not expecting to ever get to eat them...that would be too much to hope for, but it's an advancement on last year so I'm happy.

Get netting up pronto, or all you'll get is a very fat happy blackbird.

<---- voice of experience.  :-[
Already been at mine. :(

I have netting up. The inedibly sour white currants that the pigeon has been eating have been doubling in size and turning red - it's quite a novelty!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 15 June, 2009, 12:03:53 pm
I chopped down more weeds (that were hiding strawberries :thumbsup:), and I tried to mulch a corner of the plot with compost and cardboard.  We shall see how that progresses.
I failed to put netting up because the allotment shed doesn't stock it as they can't compete with B&Q. :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jules on 15 June, 2009, 03:44:21 pm
I've picked another 2kg of so of strawberries and a lesser quantity of raspberries and cut the last aspargus spear of the year.

Did a lot of weeding and watering and started building a treehouse ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 17 June, 2009, 07:37:51 pm
Lifted our first new potatoes of the year.  They were quite nice (better than shop bought), although not as good as the Lady Cristle I had last year - teach me to use the cheapo option from Wilkos!

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 19 June, 2009, 09:42:51 am
I chopped down more weeds yesterday and did some watering.  I'm hoping to be able to pick strawbs tomorrow... :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 19 June, 2009, 12:37:54 pm
What I've been doing is getting rid of all the work we did over the last two years on our tiny garden in preparation for small area of bought-in turf - coz that's how the landlord wants it so new tenants aren't 'put off'... It's a little bit sad really, but we have managed to make larger borders than there were before and therefore keep the strawberries, raspberries and rhubarb etc.

However, planning what we are going to do with our new place is more than compensation for this! (see 'an acre of our own'...)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 21 June, 2009, 04:47:55 pm
I discovered a wasps nest yesterday  :o while chopping back weeds (again).  The usual method - stand over the hole and then act surprised when a bunch of wasps appear (I was fortunate only to be stung once).  The only anti wasps stuff in Homebase said not to use on the ground or near food.  I didn't buy that, but it means I still don't have a means of getting rid of them (except the evil way - parafin and a match).
I also did a little digging, and picked strawberries and rasberries.  :thumbsup:
With a bit more digging I can transplant the last of my french beans from their pots.  The leeks don't seem to have grown at all, and are quite hard to see.  The onions and garlick are going great guns.
Once the beans are in I've a lot of digging to do before I can put in the spinnnach, broccoli and lettuce.  Thankfully they don't need to go in the ground for another few weeks...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 21 June, 2009, 08:33:35 pm
today got covered in blood and goo. Magpie had got itself tangled in a net on one of the other plots, damaged its foot. I managed to get it free eventually after it had gooed all over me, yuck.  Once disentwined it seemed to fly off quite happily. I am now expecting it to repay the favour by telling its mates to leave my swedes alone  :demon:

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 22 June, 2009, 08:49:42 am
Today I completely cleaned out my worm composter (worms and their house are going to a local allotmenteer)... it is a rather smelly job, and quite tricky because worms don't always do what they are supposed to (hide from the light) and are also surprisingly fast.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 22 June, 2009, 06:09:02 pm
I had the first of the courgettes today.

Nom, nom, nom....  :thumbsup: :P
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 22 June, 2009, 09:07:26 pm
I had the first of the courgettes today.

Nom, nom, nom....  :thumbsup: :P

Where?   ;) :demon: ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 24 June, 2009, 01:04:00 pm
I picked more rasberries and stawbs yesterday and did some watering.
Is it possible to freeze raspberries without destroying them?  There are an awful lot there to be picked right now. :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SandyV on 24 June, 2009, 01:08:49 pm
Today we had the first grapefruit ever from our tree  - and there are more to come!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 24 June, 2009, 01:48:14 pm
I picked more rasberries and stawbs yesterday and did some watering.
Is it possible to freeze raspberries without destroying them?  There are an awful lot there to be picked right now. :)

To freeze raspberries, lay them in a single layer on a tray covered with cling film and pop them in the freezer.  Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.  They should be fine.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 24 June, 2009, 03:57:13 pm
I picked more rasberries and stawbs yesterday and did some watering.
Is it possible to freeze raspberries without destroying them?  There are an awful lot there to be picked right now. :)

To freeze raspberries, lay them in a single layer on a tray covered with cling film and pop them in the freezer.  Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.  They should be fine.
Thanks, I'll try that (probably tomorrow).  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 28 June, 2009, 05:01:31 pm
Cried.
Something ate my strawberry.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: delthebike on 28 June, 2009, 05:07:55 pm
About 40 watering cans worth of water (it'll probably rain tonight).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 29 June, 2009, 11:38:46 am
I picked about 5 tubs of raspberries, froze 3, gave 1 away and ate 1 over the weekend. :)  Thanks Reg - freezing on a tray is great.
Not so good for strawbs though - when defrosted the inside turned to mush.  I'll have to eat them fresh, or make jam or something.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 29 June, 2009, 12:58:24 pm
I picked about 5 tubs of raspberries, froze 3, gave 1 away and ate 1 over the weekend. :)  Thanks Reg - freezing on a tray is great.
Not so good for strawbs though - when defrosted the inside turned to mush.  I'll have to eat them fresh, or make jam or something.

'Fraid I can't help with the strawberries - mine have always turned to mush when I've tried freezing them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Maffie on 29 June, 2009, 03:09:08 pm
Spent yesterday on a snail hunt to protect the apples and pears.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: TimO on 29 June, 2009, 04:15:26 pm
I picked about 5 tubs of raspberries, froze 3, gave 1 away and ate 1 over the weekend. :)  Thanks Reg - freezing on a tray is great.
Not so good for strawbs though - when defrosted the inside turned to mush.  I'll have to eat them fresh, or make jam or something.

'Fraid I can't help with the strawberries - mine have always turned to mush when I've tried freezing them.

Fine for things like Strawberry Fool though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 09 July, 2009, 08:36:46 pm
Cleared a lot of weeds, and tidied up some plants that had been dug up (including yet another shallot, and a couple of pea plants, complete with pods :( ).

Repotted tomatoes - something coming there.

And we finally got some produce.  Butterfly picked a few blackcurrants (a lot have been left for the birds already), and we got these:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/ado15/PICT0668.jpg)

More on the way, but nice to begin the harvest, after a very late start. :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 09 July, 2009, 10:27:48 pm
I picked about 5 tubs of raspberries, froze 3, gave 1 away and ate 1 over the weekend. :)  Thanks Reg - freezing on a tray is great.
Not so good for strawbs though - when defrosted the inside turned to mush.  I'll have to eat them fresh, or make jam or something.

'Fraid I can't help with the strawberries - mine have always turned to mush when I've tried freezing them.

Mash/liquidise with cream and sugar before freezing.  Remove from freezer after an hour or so and re-mash with a fork and return to freezer until set.

Strawberry ice-cream.

Quote from: clarion link=topic=3043.msg379820#msg379820


More on the way, but nice to begin the harvest, after a very late start. :)

We started late too.  Plenty of salad and I had chard and spinach with my pasta tonight (steamed in a colander over the cooking pasta, then chopped and mixed with the pasta with garlic and chilli flakes flashed in some olive oil; cheese and black pepper on top).

I'll need to spend some time over the weekend weeding and thinning some of the plants that bolted during the not-quite-a-week I was away either side of the weekend.

Spuds look good, beans pretty poor.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Kathy on 13 July, 2009, 04:58:21 pm
Time to see how it has fared after a fortnight away. Everything's looking a bit overgrown, the tomatoes have made a takeover move on the carrot patch, and some butternut squash seedlings have mysteriously sprouted in the potato sacks (presumably from the home-compost).  Fortunately the neighbours have kept everything well-watered and eaten all the ripe fruit so that no mould has developed (apparently it made a nice summer pudding), and I'm hoping I should be able to get some beetroot and beans to go with dinner tonight. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Julian on 19 July, 2009, 06:22:38 pm
Picked yet more courgettes.  They're taking over the universe. 

Went and talked nicely to the tomatoes about plz turning red and being nommable.  They've been green but there for *ages* and I want to pick some.

Finally got chemical on the blackfly ass.  Soapy water was doing nothing at all.  Got a faceful of spray in a gust of wind and felt a bit queasy for a while.

Seeded two nasturtiums to plant next to the beans to attract the blackfly off it to avoid facefuls of poison in future.

Made a little brick plinth for our new water butt to stand on :thumbsup:

This gardening stuff is going rather well.  What else can I plant?  There is room between the leeks and around the beans, and in between the cauliflowers.  I was thinking about planting some little things like radishes but I don't know if I'm too late...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Hot Flatus on 19 July, 2009, 06:27:37 pm
  What else can I plant?  There is room between the leeks and around the beans, and in between the cauliflowers.  I was thinking about planting some little things like radishes but I don't know if I'm too late...

Rows of perpetual spinach.  Dead easy.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 19 July, 2009, 07:41:28 pm
Every occasion I've had the time to go the the allotment in the last week, it's rained.  :( Busy yesterday - nice day.  Today - rained almost all day. :(
I've got probably 3 hours of digging to do before I can plant out the spinnach and broccoli, and they need to go out asap.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jon P on 19 July, 2009, 07:48:48 pm
Definitely not too late for radishes - you can plant most other things too, even carrots; turnips, beetroots, salad etc

That's assuming it's not going to rain every day for the rest of the summer and the beans, courgettes and toms are just going to rot ...  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Hot Flatus on 19 July, 2009, 08:55:30 pm
I had the small first crowns off the broccoli/calabrese, picked off to encourage side shoots.  It tasted fantstic and stayed a deep dark green colour.  Runner beans are starting to go mad, but first row of sugar snap peas are finished and new row is about a week off. Have eaten all my early spuds and so waiting for the next lot to be ready.


Seriously, though liz, bung in a few rows of perpetual spinach.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Julian on 19 July, 2009, 09:20:44 pm
I'll try that - sounds good.  Perpetual spinach and a shot at radishes, here we come.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Kathy on 20 July, 2009, 02:14:59 pm

Finally got chemical on the blackfly ass.  Soapy water was doing nothing at all.  Got a faceful of spray in a gust of wind and felt a bit queasy for a while.

Me too (having first made sure that the ladybird and various pollinators were all elsewhere).

Pulled up a lot of weeds, picked some beans and the last few peas, salvaged some strawberries before the woodlice ate them (I didn't know until this year that woodlice like strawberries, but believe me, they do), planted a dozen or so carrot seedlings out...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: juliet on 21 July, 2009, 09:38:10 pm
I got back to the UK well past the planting season for most things - Marna got a few tomatoes going for me but the rest of the balcony was sadly bare.  Planted a handful of various things (rocket, some kind of red lettuce stuff, pak choi, sorrel, mizuna) and it's all coming up beautifully.  So any of those should be worth a bash. 

Just went down the allotment to get rid of the unpleasant stuff in the compost-container, and harvested a load of blackberries.  The glut is about to start... Sadly I mostly missed raspberry season :(  Nothing else doing all that well this year, bah. 

We planted some thyme seedlings last week and *some* of them seem to be settling in, so thumbs crossed... 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 22 July, 2009, 02:21:46 pm
I picked a handful of French beans. :)
The ones that got transplanted a month or 2 ago look good, but the ones that were transplanted recently don't look so hit.  Ah well...
I did a tiny bit of digging.  Need to do lots more...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: docsquid on 23 July, 2009, 07:31:14 pm
I've now got two large buckets full of quite large potatoes from our earlies which were well ready for digging up.  That represents about 1/3 of the expected crop as I have a whole lot more growing down at the woods in both a raised bed and in a patch of soil earmarked as an allotment patch. 

We've also had a good crop from the runner beans and there are masses of them growing now.  Garlic has been harvested as the tops had keeled over and were dying off, and the shed stinks of garlic because I've laid it out to dry.

Plus I've picked a huge courgette which was doing its best to turn into a marrow.

So, dinner for the next few weeks will involved *insert main dish here* with garlic, potatoes and runner beans.

MMMMmmmmm :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: DuncanM on 23 July, 2009, 07:43:26 pm
I picked some more beans, and did a little weeding and digging (like 10 minutes).  Docsquid has reminded me to check my garlick though.  And if I can pull it then I need to do less digging, so that's a win/win. :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Hot Flatus on 23 July, 2009, 08:02:48 pm
3 or 4 hours weeding, trimming tidying up.  Had broad beans for lunch, now tucking into saute potato, kale and rosemary omelette.

Just discovered a row of tatties that are ready.  Now going out to spray some chems on the brassicas as I'm sick of picking off eggs and caterpillers.   Next year they'll be covered in fine mesh or fleece from the off
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Julian on 23 July, 2009, 08:14:02 pm
I've largely been tying our tomatoes to anything stable.  Bloody gale force wind down here at the moment.  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 06 August, 2009, 03:41:32 pm
Dez is currently preparing for pickling a basin-full of shallots that he grew.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Quisling on 03 October, 2009, 11:35:37 pm
Today I made half a dozen jars of apple jelly.

Yesterday, I did some hedgerow shopping and picked up a jumbo carrier bag load of walnuts.  I've just got them drying out now.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 07 October, 2009, 07:02:02 pm
This weekend I mostly raked up cut grass and leaves - the disadvantage of having an acre of land (which is still all lawn until we dig a lot of it up next weekend!), is that it takes ages to do this. I'm not expecting any sympathy though...

On the plus side I discovered that we have large numbers of green and brown frogs in residence and the squirrels (both grey and black) were going crazy bouncing about all over the place, mainly gathering and burying conkers.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 08 October, 2009, 07:54:24 pm
Not been to the plot today but I have just made a soup out of my borlotti beans.

They dried nicely outside in their pods during September (practically no rain).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 09 October, 2009, 10:35:57 am
had my first home grown cauli last night - yummy.

also pulled the first leek of the season - buggers had those little brown grubs in again (onion flea?) but if you poke the grub out and don't tell anyone that it was there in the first place they seem fine when cooked.

The tidying starts this weekend: remains of beans, courgettes, strawberries, turnips, peas, calbrassi, etc all to be pulled and chucked on the compost ready for the autumn dig over.

Only problem is that in my rotation scheme spuds follow the sprouts and swedes and it's these that stay in longest , preventing digging untill early spring - would rather do it before so that the grown can get properly seen too by the frost  ::-)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 14 October, 2009, 09:18:07 pm
I seem to have acquired a second-hand rotovator.... and raspberry canes and redcurrant bushes... oh, and maybe also chickens for next year!  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 25 October, 2009, 03:01:09 am
Today I have been rotovating. It might be easier than digging over the 15 square metre veg plot we have planned, but it is still bloody hard work, especially as we are starting from lawn, and the soil here is heavy clay.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mr endon on 25 October, 2009, 03:28:42 am
I doubt that's going to be satisfactory. Converting lawn to veg growing really requires double digging, with inverted turf buried at the bottom of each trench or used as the basis for a compost heap. Double digging also gives the opportunity to feed/improve the soil, especially as it's clay; mixing in barrowfuls of stable manure/seaweed/compost as you go along.
3m x 5m should take a day, maybe two tops, and getting it right at the start will save time later.
Assuming you don't expect to get all your acre producing veg immediately, cover areas you're coming to later with carpet offcuts to kill the turf. And if the plan is to get an acre of veg going asap then ignore all advice about double digging, and rotavators, and get a friendly local farmer to come and plough you over to start with.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Julian on 25 October, 2009, 04:45:24 pm
I've pulled up all the summer plants.  All that's left is the leeks.

The five raised beds we've got have been more than enough for the two of us, so I'm abandoning plans to convert the other half of the garden into veg too.  I'm on the lookout for easy flowering plants and I've potted some herb seedlings, although it might be a bit late to have them growing outdoors.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: docsquid on 26 October, 2009, 05:36:36 pm
I've finally ordered the greenhouse and various accessories (not staging - we'll build that out of old pallets).  It will live at the woods.  When it is built I will have six mini-raised beds in it for various fruit and veg and the rest of the greenhouse will be for trees/saplings.  There will be four raised beds outside the greenhouse and of course our orchard of 8 apple trees, 3 plum trees and 8 cobnuts.

What with the chickens, we should be almost self-sufficient :) :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 28 October, 2009, 02:07:46 am
I doubt that's going to be satisfactory. Converting lawn to veg growing really requires double digging, with inverted turf buried at the bottom of each trench or used as the basis for a compost heap. Double digging also gives the opportunity to feed/improve the soil, especially as it's clay; mixing in barrowfuls of stable manure/seaweed/compost as you go along.
3m x 5m should take a day, maybe two tops, and getting it right at the start will save time later.
Assuming you don't expect to get all your acre producing veg immediately, cover areas you're coming to later with carpet offcuts to kill the turf. And if the plan is to get an acre of veg going asap then ignore all advice about double digging, and rotavators, and get a friendly local farmer to come and plough you over to start with.

Don't worry, I am not doing anything like the whole acre! And the rotovation is just the beginning - but it makes sense to do this before the winter (which is pretty severe here), during which it will indeed be covered (probably by snow most of the time, but I will covering it with tarps too to make sure).

There will be plenty of digging (or not depending on what methods I use where) come the early spring and lots of soil improvement. I'm making several different types of compost, and I will certainly be buying in plenty of manure from local farmers and sand too.

There's only one small area I will be using during the winter, which is to grow some garlic.

Most of the acre will be fruit and nut trees, and soft-fruit, and plenty of experiments with perennial food plants, including edible hedges (something I've wanted to do for a while - using various varieties of crataegus and prunus spp) and we certainly don't want to be rotovating, let alone ploughing, in those areas.

We will also be keeping one area of lawn and some more conventional flower beds.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Julian on 01 November, 2009, 04:32:29 pm
I've been busy!

I've turned the compost heap :sick: and moved it from the far end of the garden (where the chickens will be, when we get them) to the near end.

I've used the lovely stuff at the bottom to tuck a blackcurrant bush in for the winter.

I've planted rosemary inna big pot, lavender against the fence, two climbing plants (honeysuckle and solanum) against the fence and put in a whole load of bulbs (anemones, blue squills, snowdrops and tulips) which should come up and cheer the place up in spring.

And now I'm drinking a huge mug of tea and contemplating cake.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 02 November, 2009, 01:18:27 am
Sounds perfect! I have been raking leaves from my garden and my neighbours' place helped by their little boys (seriously - they worked as hard as I did and they are all of four and five!). I then made a proper leaf composting area for the mountain of leaves we had. Then I started stripping the small branches off the cedars I cut down a few weeks back. They are going to be chipped and used as mulch. The main trunks, I will use to make various things - as I am starting to really get into woodwork. I want to make a traditional barn ladder for a start.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: fruitcake on 02 November, 2009, 10:38:09 pm
I've pulled up all the summer plants.  All that's left is the leeks.

The five raised beds we've got have been more than enough for the two of us, so I'm abandoning plans to convert the other half of the garden into veg too. 

Plant vegetables there too.  Give them to your neighbours.  Or sell them to your local organic grocer.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 07 November, 2009, 03:50:17 pm
I flipping love doing compost this time of year.


I turned a year-old pile I've got in one of those chest-high plastic composters. It's just lawn clippings, lots of coffee Starbucks give away free, shredded material, banana skins and old potato and tomato grow bags. It was rich and crumbly- like a Christmas pudding! I got three wheelbarrow's worth out of the pile and tipped it under the hedge and over the vegetable plot.

I left the bin a quarter full of semi rotted stuff and made a new pile with shredded leaves, more coffee, three big bags of shredded leaves and the cuttings from probably the last mow of the year. That was only  a week ago, and when I took the lid off today steam gently rose, it's cooking up nicely! The worms love the coffee grounds, they're banging on the lid for me. They're simple organisms, I wonder if they get a caffeine boost...

I've just made a gigantic leaf pile. The roads near the house are smothered in fallen leaves. They've been walked on for ages so they've already started to break down and turn mushy, so I walked down with a rake and gloves and a huge blue recycling bin and stuffed the bin full and dragged it up the hill. Three times. There's now a huge steaming heap next to the shed so I'll just leaf it for another year to break down.

 Girlfriend's been promoted, I've just got a new job after a year off, there's a dirty great leaf pile rotting down outside and Norwich won 7-0, a nice day.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: docsquid on 09 November, 2009, 03:40:45 pm
I've been planting my new blackcurrant canes.  They are going to live in the front garden.  We have a lot of veg and fruit in the front garden and nobody has ever stolen any!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jules on 09 November, 2009, 06:44:03 pm
Yesterday. Had our allotment society AGM. Then had a huge bonfire, let off a few quids worth of fireworks while eating a wide selection of nice food with a few glasses of wine.

Beats double-digging!

We're not short of a few bob due to our collective cash crop [1]



[1] Charging rugby lovers a small fortune to park their Range Rovers on the less cultivatable areas as we're within 3 minutes of Twickenham
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Speshact on 09 November, 2009, 06:54:24 pm
We're not short of a few bob due to our collective cash crop [1]

[1] Charging rugby lovers a small fortune to park their Range Rovers on the less cultivatable areas as we're within 3 minutes of Twickenham

Maybe it's time to get some raised beds in where the Range Rovers currently fit?

Today, planted the last of the autumn Broad Beans, gently weeded and plotted how to get rid of plot holders not using their allotment properly! Current plan, to bury their remains on their plots..shh.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jules on 09 November, 2009, 09:59:29 pm
We're not short of a few bob due to our collective cash crop [1]

[1] Charging rugby lovers a small fortune to park their Range Rovers on the less cultivatable areas as we're within 3 minutes of Twickenham

Maybe it's time to get some raised beds in where the Range Rovers currently fit?

Range Rovers are a far better crop - you ought to try them. The  income allows us the occasional wild party, for us to sell at a discount  all sorts of nice things (like horse manure and anti-pigeon netting) and to have a good range of power tools available for free loan.


Today, planted the last of the autumn Broad Beans, gently weeded and plotted how to get rid of plot holders not using their allotment properly! Current plan, to bury their remains on their plots..shh.

Asylum man 'killed and burned his wife' (From Watford Observer) (http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/944769.0/ ) - Happened on our site ::-)

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 14 November, 2009, 12:01:01 am
Eaten some more of the excellent tomatoes that are still ripening here.
David brought in another half pound today...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 24 November, 2009, 08:42:27 pm
Last weekend I put in some currants and raspberries kindly donated by a neighbour whose fruit bushes were threatening to take over the world. And I planted my garlic. Should be fine as it had got warmer again here... although it is now taking a turn towards the winter freeze.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 24 November, 2009, 08:45:46 pm
At the weekend, I:

- dug over two veg beds
- covered with copious leaf mould

- dug a bloody deep hole in a flower bed and buried the fox
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Welsh Man on 13 December, 2009, 06:28:25 pm
At the weekend, I:

- dug over two veg beds
- covered with copious leaf mould

- dug a bloody deep hole in a flower bed and buried the fox
Pity for Fox !!!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 14 December, 2009, 06:53:26 pm
Finally I had a Sunday when I wasn't racing 'cross and it wasn't raining.

What a mess. I covered up the weediest bed and started digging some of the others over, weeding as I went.

Found some forgotten potatoes, dug up some leeks.

Must get some manure delivered soon, I keep putting it off because it means 4 hours of wheelbarrowing to get it from the roadway to my plot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jules on 14 December, 2009, 11:17:12 pm
Dug over four beds and then decided to join two of the smaller ones together by removing the metre wide strip of grass that seperated them. Went and collected 10 sacks of "well-rotted horse manure" from the other end of the site (we collectively buy our shit in bulk) and dug those into said beds.

Harvested the remaining onions and carrots and half of the leeks.

Went home for a nice hot bath to relax my overworked muscles and remove the smell of horse ordure.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: matthew on 15 December, 2009, 07:38:34 am
I've ordered three blueberry bushes, so now I have to dig out the rosemary stump and dig over the bed to add in compost to our bagshot sand.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 02 January, 2010, 01:40:57 pm
Cow shit delivery day!

Had some help this time, four of us and two wheelbarrows. Still took about 2.5 hours to get it from the roadway to the plot.

Enough for 2-3 seasons anyway. Won't have to do it again for a while.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: andygates on 03 January, 2010, 11:10:06 am
Man vs. Bramble.

After half an hour of mincing, I remembered my badger-molesting gauntlets.  The proper violence began. :thumbsup:

Half an hour later, Bramble tapped out, snarling "I'll be back, just you wait and see..."
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jules on 03 January, 2010, 07:56:42 pm
Digging, digging, digging.

Harvested my last onion and half the remaining leeks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: andygates on 07 January, 2010, 08:39:40 pm
Wrapped the wormery up in an old duvet to keep 'em from freezing solid.  In a regular winter the die-off recovers easily but tonight and tomorrow are bloomin' parky.

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4254958878_e92a58ec4f.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/andygates/4254958878/)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Julian on 07 January, 2010, 08:46:02 pm
:thumbsup:

The next-door-neighbours have lent us a special insulating thingy to put over the henhouse to keep them cosy - they used to keep guinea pigs and apparently this is the thing to use in cold weather.  It's certainly kept the chooks happy!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: andygates on 07 January, 2010, 08:51:50 pm
There's some internal heat from rotting stuff and worm activity, so it just needs to be kept in.  I imagine the worms will be hunkered down inside the fox skull, passing thin roll-up cigarettes around a samovar and wondering when the cossacks will ride through.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 07 January, 2010, 09:23:44 pm
Oh crap, I forgot about the worms (mainly cos I haven't been on the bike since before xmas :( and therefore haven't been in the shed). Hopefully the being in a shed will be enough insulation..  :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 07 January, 2010, 10:05:57 pm
Thanks to reading this my worms now have a lovely duvet. I emptied the plentiful liquid over Christmas so hopefully they'll be ok with these measures.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 10 January, 2010, 03:13:29 pm
Hadn't been up for a while, thinking that there wasn't much i could do in the snow.  Wrong.  One very important thing - clear the snow off all the netting and cages and then take them down!  A few had suffered broken poles due to the weight of snow on them.

Harvested a few sprouts.  Eventually managed to ease some swedes out.  Didn't even consider trying to get a parsnip up.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 17 January, 2010, 11:38:09 am
the garden's stunned after the snow and ice. I think I've lost a Washingtonia palm, it's black and limp. We'll see. This winter will have been a positive Stalingrad for slugs and white fly and grubs, they'll all have frozen to death. Maybe we'll get an imbalance of pests this year, a species taking advantage of an upset in the balance?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 17 January, 2010, 12:09:15 pm
The snow certainly took its toll here as well.

I have a lot of box hedging here - around lawns and beside paths - about 3 feet high. The ones I've looked after and kept trimmed survived and wore the snow like a hat. The out of sight ones that I'd been a bit slack with and didn't bother to trim last year have been flattened. Not sure what the prognosis is as there seems to be broken wood.

Also lost a few big branches of big trees - also to sheer weight of snow. Gave me a bit of a fright when I was out in the snowy garden and started hearing tearing and falling limbs around me.

The melt and rain has flooded the veg patch but I'm sure that will drain away to its usual gravelly arid condition.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 25 January, 2010, 08:22:44 pm
Wyevale had a sale yesterday, all the veg and flower seeds half price and some plants at 75% off. I got an Actinidia Kolomikta for £2, a stunning plant with green leaves splashed with pink, as if they'd been dipped. The plant's also a drug for cats, they munch the leaves and fall over.

Technically I suppose this is theft, but on a bee keeping forum I read about guerilla gardeners in Eccles. On the day the green waste is collected these two chaps went round early in the morning and swiped all the bags from a posh street. The houses had large, established gardens to the bags were stuffed with laurel branches, privet, bay, viburnum, escallonia, beech and yew and so on. The two bods got three hundred and fifty cuttings from the sacks. They planted a mixed hedge the length of the allotment.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 01 February, 2010, 09:34:22 pm
Started planting seeds indoors: Red onion, Cauli, Peppers & Tomatos.
All in mini-plugs on the kitchen windowsill.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: docsquid on 09 February, 2010, 06:20:47 pm
I always plant my tomatoes too early - end of Feb is when I usually do it.

We have now got the greenhouse built and sealed and the raised beds inside it ready for the topsoil/compost mixture though!  Exciting stuff to have plenty of indoor room to grow salads and things without worrying about weather.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 09 February, 2010, 09:31:03 pm
I actually have done something on the plot today :o

I built the first of three raised beds.  I need loads more compost to fill the other two.

Handy hint:  If you are going to use a cordless drill to assemble your raised beds, ensure that there is at least a tiny bit of charge in the battery :-[
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 10 February, 2010, 05:07:09 pm
Mature horse manure £38 a ton round Norfolk, Clarion. Weedkiller free, and beautifully rich and crumbly, like a Christmas pud!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: TimO on 10 February, 2010, 05:56:21 pm
Mature horse manure £38 a ton round Norfolk, Clarion. Weedkiller free, and beautifully rich and crumbly, like a Christmas pud!

I bet you don't eat it with custard though. ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 10 February, 2010, 06:10:03 pm
Well, I assembled the other two beds today, but I need to dig out the grass to put them in place.  Tomorrow, eh? ;)

I don't fancy bringing a ton of horse manure home from Norfolk. :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hairyhippy on 10 February, 2010, 06:44:48 pm
Main bed cleared and manured. Side bed clear. Stinky stuff tomorrow. Apple trees pruned. Leeks planted. Toms planted.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 15 February, 2010, 03:25:27 pm
I have aching limbs.

Two veg beds are now dug and ready for planting. I also made a start on a third which has been neglected kept fallow for a couple of years.

I may plant parsnips tomorrow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 16 February, 2010, 11:07:34 am
Spud beds now all dug and mucked.
Legume beds also dug but need the leaf mould adding.

Not planting anything for at least another month I reckon - much too cold.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 16 February, 2010, 02:17:01 pm
It's too cold or wet to do much at all. Dug a compost trench for the spuds and beans, a barrow load of semi-rotted stuff writhing with tiger worms.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 16 February, 2010, 03:22:14 pm
Mature horse manure £38 a ton round Norfolk, Clarion. Weedkiller free, and beautifully rich and crumbly, like a Christmas pud!
I used to be able to have all I could eat  carry, free of charge from a local stables just over the border in Cambridgeshire. Hauling up to 1/4 of a ton, a mile to the allotment in the bike trailer is 'character building'

Stables has changed hands tho'.

I must contact the new people and see if an arrangement can be made.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 16 February, 2010, 03:47:08 pm
Wet and cold here - a real change from yesterday's hints of spring.

So no further on with digging remaining beds over.

Instead, I went to the garden centre and bought most of their display of vegetable seeds - serves 'em right for having a half price sale.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 16 February, 2010, 10:42:32 pm
Same here.  I've only got one veg bed ready.  It was raining all day. :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 19 February, 2010, 06:09:49 pm
Done the second one.  The boys were helping me.  It took longer ;D

Never mind, I also managed to turn the compost heap over, and got some nice dark GudStuf in amongst the eggshells, corn cobs and 'compostable' bags. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Butterfly on 19 February, 2010, 06:13:23 pm
 :D :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 19 February, 2010, 06:22:41 pm
Found loads of bulbs, too, which we've replanted. :thumbsup:

PS: three of your daffs are flowering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 19 February, 2010, 07:05:10 pm
All the veggie beds now dug and ready for planting when things get a bit warmer. Very cold here - usually by this time of year it's really springlike here on the South Coast.

You know, if I turned over a bit more grassland to veggies, we could be close to being self sufficient here. Not sure I can face the effort of converting, though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Butterfly on 19 February, 2010, 11:25:00 pm
Found loads of bulbs, too, which we've replanted. :thumbsup:

PS: three of your daffs are flowering.
Yay! My favourites :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 20 February, 2010, 07:49:15 pm
I dug the compost heap out on the allotment.  :smug:

23 wheelbarrow-fulls  :o

Mostly now piled on: Asparagus bed, raspberrys, currant bushes & rhubarb (cue the old "I have custard on mine joke"). the rest being spread on the section that will have brassicas and courgettes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 20 February, 2010, 09:57:42 pm
Third and final veg bed done with the help of Superstoker. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Charlotte on 20 February, 2010, 10:38:42 pm
Been out and mucked out the chooks, changed their bark chippings for Aubiose and generally swept up.  All the old, wet, turdy chippings went in the new tub I made last week.  We're getting everything ready for what I'm hoping will be our first season of "use every square inch" urban food growing.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 06 March, 2010, 08:19:02 pm
It's dried out enough to make a start on the allotment.  :thumbsup:

Seed bed raked out and 2 rows of parsnip, carrot & red beet planted, 3 rows of red onion sets, and some aubergines in the greenhouse.

Tomorrow I hope to get shallots in and more broad beans, and some bedding plant seeds

At Easter I am getting another greenhouse - FREE - so long as I take it down and move it.  :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 14 March, 2010, 03:31:45 pm
I've hardly been down the plot this winter, apart from a session shoveling a whopping great pile of manure and pruning the trees. Today was a good spring day. I moved my bean supports, dug up some leeks, moved some others, dug trenches for the potatoes (I'll wait a couple of weeks before I put them in though), planted some broad beans.

It was warm enough to take a kip on the grass afterwards too.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 14 March, 2010, 04:56:58 pm
Parsnips are in.

Too early? Too cold? Time will tell.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jules on 14 March, 2010, 08:41:45 pm
Weeded the Strawberry bed.

Thought about next extension to the tree house.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mike on 14 March, 2010, 08:54:33 pm
spuds are chitting in the kitchen.  I'll plant them and the garlic in a couple of weeks, I recon.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jellied on 15 March, 2010, 03:31:34 pm
Went to plot Saturday.
Got depressed looking at massive amount of work to do.
Weeded one strawberry bed
Dug over one medium bed.
Pottered around already planted garlic bed

Felt a lot better - more inspired now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 21 March, 2010, 09:38:51 pm
Out planting again today:

More carrots & beetroot, mange tout peas, radishes, turnips, cabbage on the allotment.

Courgettes, cucumber and Butternut squash in the greenhouse.

In the garden at home, in raised beds: new potatoes, carrots, beetroot, spring onions and salad leaves.

Took down a laurel bush and shredded it, and started coppicing the hazel.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 21 March, 2010, 10:43:04 pm
Well, we've ordered all kinds of local trees, shrubs and other plants... from Sugar Maples and Smoothbark Hickory to Red Mullberries. They won't be arriving until the start of May. In the meantime, we've got loads of seeds sprouting inside the house (in the bathroom, to be exact!).

I would have been out forking the veg patch today, but it snowed. It won't settle but the weeding will have to wait until next week. More seeds being planted this week, mainly the squashes and melons of various kinds.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 04 April, 2010, 06:12:16 pm
Planting is in full swing now. Over the last 4 days I have planted early & 2nd early potatoes, more carrots, lettuce, parsnips, cabbage, cauli, broccoli, rocket and parsley. In the greenhouse, more tomatoes, peppers, runner beans, baby sweetcorn. Also Geraniums, bizzie lizzies, begonias, pansies.

Potted up tomatoes and peppers from first sowing.

Emerging in the greenhouse are courgettes, aubergines, cucumbers, sprouts, squashes.

Seeds planted outside a few weeks ago and already up are carrots, broad beans, turnip, radishes and red beet. Onion sets and shallots are also starting to shoot.

First pickings of rhubarb should be next week, and asparagus on my neighbour's allotment is just starting to shoot - mine is usually 2 weeks later.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Kim on 04 April, 2010, 06:25:03 pm
With a fair bit of help from a friend who lives in Lincolnshire and is therefore experienced in the mysterious ways of Green Stuff, we murdered the overgrown hedge (which I'm informed is made of privet) in our front garden / student waste disposal facility.  The gate now opens wide enough for a bike with two fully loaded panniers to fit through, and there's a suspicious amount of daylight working its way to the front room.  :thumbsup:

(http://web4.twitpic.com/img/82661814-70d2caf62886f9fb869b48423668665c.4bb8cf25-scaled.jpg)

I remain wholly unconvinced by this 'gardening' lark, though.  Even with power tools (something for which I'm known to have a fair bit of enthusiasm) it's messy and hard work.  If I wanted to get covered in cuts and scratches, and have my hair full of bits of twig, I'd fall off my bike or something!

I am convinced that Birmingham City Council are taking the piss by expecting us to put hedge clippings in their nanometre-thin pre-perforated green waste bags.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MSeries on 04 April, 2010, 06:27:19 pm
Lopped a Chamaecyparis lawsoniana down a bit, hoed some soil. Turned over the compost bins.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris S on 04 April, 2010, 06:50:06 pm
Checked on the worms. I moved them into the boiler house a few weeks ago when it was -15c in (or around) the garden shed, where I had put them after the rat infestation.

Chuffin 'eck they've been busy - there are millions of the buggers, and all the unrotted stuff that was in the bin has just gone. So stirred up the top layers a bit and added the contents of the compost caddies in the kitchen, along with a few handfuls of shredded newspaper.

Looks like we should have our first batch of compost in a few weeks time  :thumbsup:.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 05 April, 2010, 01:47:55 pm
Five trellises fixed to a south-facing wall, four clematis, three honeysuckles and the evergreen climbing hydreanga to be planted. Gave the lawns the first cut of the year and mixed a heap of grass cuttings with Starbuck's coffee grounds, the compost heap is a writhing mass of worms now it's warmed up a bit.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mike on 06 April, 2010, 10:06:53 pm
have just mowed the lawn for the first time :)

garlic is up and looking very perky
early spuds have been in for a while but arent showing yet, main crop will go in at the weekend
beans & peas are in, nothing above ground yet
chard & carrots are in, no sign of life yet
first line of lettuce are up and need thinning
raspberries, red & black currants and blueberries are growing nicely
lots of buds on apples, plums and pears
have thinned the beech hedge a bit too, and pruned anything that looked like it needed it
:)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 12 April, 2010, 01:12:01 pm
Thought about mowing the lawn and pruning the rose at the front, but didn't get around to either of those.  Butterfly cut back a couple of the bushes to get the washing line up.

I planted the spuds.  I didn't want to take up more than one of the raised beds, so I dug out an ad hoc bed at the bottom of the garden for another 12.  I expect it'll get overrun with weeds pretty quickly, and my back's aching today, but I'm glad I just got stuck in and did it :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 15 April, 2010, 04:32:10 pm
Plum tree is absolutely full of blossom.  :D

Currant bushes also, but not as much as last year.

Had 2 pickings of rhubarb so far.  :thumbsup:

'Sparrow grass' is just starting to poke through the ground.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 18 April, 2010, 01:51:51 am
Today I has put up scarecrows. -  proper scaredycrows, and lots of video tape tied to poles - yesterday I went to open the greenhouses on the allotment and there were 4 pheasants eating my beans and peas. one was even inside the netting I had used to cover them.  >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: andygates on 20 April, 2010, 08:28:48 pm
Cleared the square-foot bed (4x8) and found that the damn salad potatoes just won't die.  Replanted the happiest of them in a better place and spacing, and planted out some bean and squish seeds.  The cat will use the rest as an epic loo until I get it planted up...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 21 April, 2010, 11:13:53 pm
Yesterday my Chirstmas pressie from Mrs. Wow's sister arrived: a small garden pack from Rocket Gardens - Spring Small Vegetable Garden - with free mini starter garden - Vegetable gardens Spring 2010 (http://www.rocketgardens.co.uk/showdetails.asp?id=101) . Pretty well everything is planted now, thanks to Dez. I'm concerned that the runner & french beans and the courgettes might be killed by frost. I reckon it's a fortnight too early for delicate plants to go out.

If all goes well, we are going to have too many lettuces. I'm not that fussed by salads. At the moment, though,we are having excellent purple sprouting broccoli.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 26 April, 2010, 11:07:46 am
all me spuds are in
the first parsnip, sprout and pea seedlings have stuck their heads above ground
and the battle against the weeds has escalated to full-on conflict

woo-hoo spring has sprung!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 26 April, 2010, 11:13:19 am
Pollarded (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollarding) a Eucalyptus tree that was somewhat taller than the house, yesterday. Borrowed climbing harness to go near the top, as space below was restricted and it had to be taken down in stages.

Trunk was nearly a foot diameter where I finally cut it. Most of it is now cut into logs. A 'tonne Jewsons bag' has been used to take the shreddings to the allotment (2 trips with the bike trailer) where it will be used to mulch the vegetables when there is a bit more moisture in the ground.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 28 April, 2010, 10:21:50 pm
Bored of being ill.

I sowed some cucumber, runner beans, parsnip and carrots.  Planted out shallots, red onions, lettuce (aka slug food), peas and celery. 

Elsewhere, I put some lavender next to the front path.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 29 April, 2010, 04:34:36 pm
Another day off work.

Superstoker & I set up the canes for the peas and the runner beans (not yet planted).  Planted tomato, spring onion & radishes in pots.

Oh - and labelled everything from yesterday & today (that I could remember :-[ )
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Butterfly on 29 April, 2010, 11:08:04 pm
Another day off work.

Superstoker & I set up the canes for the peas and the runner beans (not yet planted).  Planted tomato, spring onion & radishes in pots.

Oh - and labelled everything from yesterday & today (that I could remember :-[ )
Woohoo! :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 30 April, 2010, 09:33:41 am
It almost looks like a proper plot now :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 01 May, 2010, 05:39:45 pm
Planted more: carrot, lettuce, french bean, spring onion & spinach seed.

Planted out: leeks, onions, cauli, lettuce.

Potted on: courgettes, tomato, aubergine, peppers, pumkins.

Cut grass paths

Weeded.  >:(

Picked Sparrow-grass for tea.  :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 03 May, 2010, 04:13:29 pm
Over the weekend, I planted: two kinds of beets, two kinds of lettuce, black raddishes, rainbow chard, purple carrots, chinese cabbage, komatsuna, shungiku, torpedo red onions, Musselbrugh leeks, calabrese, pattypan summer squash and zucchini.

I also mowed half an acre of grass with a cylinder mower. 3 hours. Very hard work. But a good work out too. There will be less in the future though: some of this, we are going to chop out as flower and herb borders, there will be some taken over by the chickens when we get them, and there is another half-acre which will be forest-garden / orchard - many of our trees and shrubs will be arriving in the next few weeks. The lawn grass there we will try to kill off by covering over the next winter and replace it with native woodland plants and pararie grasses in the more open sections. Lawn grass is very hard to kill off though...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 04 May, 2010, 10:41:41 am
First earlies have their heads above ground  ;D

been doing beans on the anti slug bench.

and a brave new venture - the MiL's garden is large and jungle like - she is giving me free rein to tame it by whatever means necessary...I feel more veg plots on the way!   SO...a question - what's the best way to remove rampant brambles?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 04 May, 2010, 10:47:49 am
I have done nothing this weekend except marvel at the way that the spud plants are growing day by day, and take a childlike delight at the emergence of seedlings - radishes outside, lettuces, cucumber and, just this morning, runner beans inside.  No signs from the carrots or parsnips yet.  I don't mind.  I can wait.  A bit. ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 12 May, 2010, 08:02:34 am
This morning, I have been mostly looking out at the garden, and going:

FROST!!! :o :o :( :'(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 13 May, 2010, 12:24:07 pm
Frost has caught my potatoes, some of the french beans and some tomatos and pumpkins in the greenhouse.  >:(

Hope some will recover.  :-\

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 15 May, 2010, 06:38:11 pm
Frost got at my potatoes too. Bollocks.

They may yet recover, I'll give them a few weeks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris S on 15 May, 2010, 07:13:49 pm
I fed the worms. F*ck me - they've been busy; clearly all they do is eat and shag - they are chomping their way through everything I give them, and there are 1,000s of the buggers. Excellent  :thumbsup:.

Mrs S has been beavering away in the greenhouse, repairing the damage wrought by the Great Slug Disaster of 2010. She had to resort to the garden centre for new tomato and cucumber plants. The slugs are currently enjoying drowing in some of my precious stash of beer. Things I do for the cause...  ::-)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 17 May, 2010, 11:36:30 am
my spuds have gone a bit frilly around the edges due to frost too.  but I find that if you just pull the black bits off they soon recover as long as the frost doesn't linger.

Jerusalem Artichokes - just say NO.  they are easy to grow, taste quite nice and I've not noticed too much gas, but they seem to be trying to take over my plot and make a bid for world domination: buggers am coming up everywhere.

My compost dalek is full of wood lice.

Cats have had half the toms.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 17 May, 2010, 12:55:25 pm
my spuds have gone a bit frilly around the edges due to frost too.  but I find that if you just pull the black bits off they soon recover as long as the frost doesn't linger.


Oh cheers, I'm more hopeful now. I'll get down there this week and pull the withered bits off.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Cyclops on 17 May, 2010, 01:46:40 pm
Made some rhubarb crumble with the first few stalks. Planted out leeks, spring onions and celeriac. Sewed some lettuce, spinach and pumpkins.

Despite living in Scotland the tatties seem to have escaped the frost (why don't we have a crossed finger smiley?)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 17 May, 2010, 03:03:27 pm
Hopefully there will be no more frosts - I planted runner beans out yesterday as they were up to 18" high and starting to tangle with each other.

Pumpkins planted out under a cold frame. Lots of stuff potted on in the greenhouse.

As an experiment, I mulched the carrots with shreddings from the eucalyptus tree that I pollarded several weeks ago. I'm hoping the smell will discourage carrot fly.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jellied on 19 May, 2010, 02:27:35 pm
Honestly, drop you're guard for a minute and the place is overgrown. So three sessions with the strimmer, lots of weeding.

Spuds probably wiped out due to the frost although for some reason the weeds seemed to have survived.
 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 23 May, 2010, 07:37:38 pm
Butterfly borrowed next door's petrol mower again, and turned the chaotic meadow-styled weed collection into a lawn :thumbsup:

TGL & I followed up with some weeding, earthing up & watering on the veggies.  I fear that, in quick succession, the parsnip seedlings froze and the lettuce seedlings cooked in the greenhousette :(  Otherwise, there's much progress.  Even my pathetic peas have some reluctant buds appearing :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 23 May, 2010, 11:29:47 pm
Built a fruit net cage over the currant bushes, cherry tree and first row of strawberries - I used our marquee-sized gazebo frame to hold the net up.

 Asparagus is cropping well  - I can cut 3 times a week.  :thumbsup:

Eating rhubarb from the allotment and icecream at the moment.  :smug:

Early broad beans have pods on.

I'm spending an hour or so weeding and watering most evenings, but still not on top of some areas.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 24 May, 2010, 01:53:23 pm
Had a Spring Fair.
Excellent turn out, loads of happy people in the sun, plenty of money for the asociation, and a hog roast almost at the end of my plot.

Apart from that: weed, water, weed, water, weed, water, weed, water, weed, water, weed, water, weed, water, etc

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 01 June, 2010, 09:10:07 pm
Over the last week, I have planted a second succession of salad veg as well as the daikon and fennel. I am also experimenting with an old First Nations' technique called '3 sisters', where you plant alternate mounds of 1. sweetcorn and climbing beans; and 2. squash. It's going pretty well so far with everything coming up. We also got our rainwater barrels, which I plumbed in just in time for the first heavy rain we have had for ages. Oh, and we had a truckload of well-rotted horse manure delivered, which should help with planting out our trees and shrubs (when they finally arrive).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 01 June, 2010, 09:27:27 pm
my spuds have gone a bit frilly around the edges due to frost too.  but I find that if you just pull the black bits off they soon recover as long as the frost doesn't linger.

Bodger you were right. They seem to be thriving again.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 03 June, 2010, 08:52:13 pm
Wired together several pallets which I had collected to make some compost bins. I still have several more waiting for me to turn them into whatever comes to mind.
A rustic table and seat is the current favourite.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 04 June, 2010, 10:48:32 am
All my trees, shrubs and native flowers arrived whist we were away yesterday. Looks like I am not going to work today, as I have to get the trees planted!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 04 June, 2010, 11:04:17 pm
A half-day at school and temporarily in sole charge of FirstBorn.  It's been dry and warm, so I eventually dragged him down to "our" quarter-plot to weed and water.  Sowed 2nd lot of peas, plus french beans.  FirstBorn dug some big holes for compost and courgette/summer squash seeds. Picked the last of the broccoli and some rhubarb.  Saw the resident fox and three trains.  FirstBorn didn't want to leave. Bribed him with promises of ice-cream   :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 04 June, 2010, 11:55:15 pm
Did quite a bit of weeding yesterday. Planted out 2nd lot of runner beans. and first lot of outdoor tomatoes. Potted up cucumbers and watermelons into BIG pots.

Today I had the first pickings of broad beans - yum.  :P
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 05 June, 2010, 02:22:21 pm
Well, this tree-planting business is not quick - I got 3 yellow birches, a butternut, both a shagbark and a shellbark hickory, a serviceberry and a sweet chestnut planted yesterday on another very sunny day. Only 17 to go...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 06 June, 2010, 03:34:29 pm
All this allotment talk! For those of us with only a tiny garden, but yearnings for a bigger one, it's frustrating. Still, my tomato plants are coming along nicely, & this week we've had our first windowsill coriander & lettuce of the year - & very tasty they both were. We've been eating fresh basil for a while, having invested in a supermarket pot & transplanted it to a bigger pot. I've put in some more pick & go lettuce seeds for a late crop.

Strawberries are late, though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 07 June, 2010, 08:45:04 am
Quote
All this allotment talk! For those of us with only a tiny garden, but yearnings for a bigger one, it's frustrating.


I you can't get an allotment without a 100 year wait have you consdered things like LandShare?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 07 June, 2010, 08:46:14 am
Finally earthed up my 1st earlies - this time last year they were almost ready to harvest!

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 07 June, 2010, 11:08:53 am
More trees in: a black cherry, serviceberry, hackberry and flowering dogwood. But we've had lots of rain (thankfully, as our well was getting low), which means less outdoor activity.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 11 June, 2010, 12:54:19 am
Cleared an area which is shaded and will put some comfrey plants in there to grow rocket fuel.
Planted some pumpkin plants following recommendation from another thread I started.
Planted some squash seeds aswell.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 11 June, 2010, 12:55:08 am
Forgot to add, I have literally, yes at almost 1am, just come back from a slug hunt.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 11 June, 2010, 08:26:59 pm
David has just brought in the first ripe strawberry of the season.
 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris S on 11 June, 2010, 09:29:10 pm
David has just brought in the first ripe strawberry of the season.
 :thumbsup: :thumbsup: ;D

:)

I had the first batch on my cereal during the week. Not that sweet yet - later batches should be better.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 12 June, 2010, 11:39:44 am
We've been fighting the ants for our strawberries. We have so much Bok Choy, we made two enormous jars of Kimchee just from the thinnings... Our corn, beans and squash mounds are doing great. And the tomato plants are getting big already.

A few more trees and shrubs still to go in (including a new white oak seedling we just got given), and then it will be the turn of the woodland flowers. The rest of the remaining turf in between, I will strip off before autumn and cover it. Getting rid of lawn is hard work, but eventually we will have a forest on about a third of our acre.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 13 June, 2010, 11:59:21 pm
This is getting obsessive. Just back from another slug hunt.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 14 June, 2010, 09:00:58 am
I emptied out all the old pots that aren't growing anything but weeds, and collected all the stones & crocks.  Should give the slugs & snails fewer laces to hide in amongst the pots.

I sowed some more beetroot, cucumber, spinach and tomatoes - all very late, but trying to make upt for things which haven't been so successful.

And I dug over a patch and cleared it of weeds ready for the pumpkin plants which are going really well so far.

Oh - and planted out the French beans.  I may need to organise more support for them.

Peas, which started off really mimsy, now have pods, the third set of spuds (which I wasn't going to plant out, but Butterfly had more faith in) are coming up well, and I accidentally harvested a single new potato as I was earthing up the second patch.

I hadn't meant to do any gardening yesterday, it just sort of happened...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 14 June, 2010, 09:25:01 am
earthed up spuds at last (well, FEs anyway) - was harvesting them this time last year !!!!!!!

Thinned and transplanted sprouts and earthed up.  Think I may have grown too many again, but they taste so good.

Had heart attack when I found blight on the toms in hanging baskets.  A closer inspection revealed it to be flecks of compost thrown up by rain splash.  :-[

More carrots and peas in - should still be time for them to grow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mike on 14 June, 2010, 09:34:36 am
My earlies got frosted and have been overtaken (by about a foot) by my main crop spuds :)   Did lots of weeding at the weekend, broken up with tieing roses back and admiring my poppies and dahlias.  
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 17 June, 2010, 01:27:49 am
Picked Broad beans:
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/wobblyjohn/P1030644.jpg)

Shelled and blanched them for freezing:

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/wobblyjohn/P1030646.jpg)

No, I didn't cook them in a plastic bowl. ::-)

I picked almost as much on Sunday and expect to be able to pick again at the weekend.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris S on 17 June, 2010, 09:27:35 pm
Broad Beans make me fart - more so than any other beans.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Julian on 17 June, 2010, 09:33:57 pm
Weeding!!  Lots and lots of weeding!

And (finally) put out the last of the seedlings: leeks and courgettes.

I've given up on ever having any sweetcorn.  And I picked the very first few sugar snap peas :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 17 June, 2010, 09:40:51 pm
Put in some supports for the vine I planted (I was given it as a present so had to put it in).
Mowed the paths either side (next door got evicted today, which hopefully means someone else will take it over and do the weeding).
Sowed some red veined sorrel, am interested to see what that'll be like.

Bad news on the home front, my hedgehog (mine because it lives under my shed, I think) drowned in next door's water feature (they have a channel running diagonally across the garden). I am really sad about this, it always made me smile when I saw the hedgehog scuttling about.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Sergeant Pluck on 17 June, 2010, 10:56:23 pm
my hedgehog (mine because it lives under my shed, I think) drowned in next door's water feature (they have a channel running diagonally across the garden). I am really sad about this, it always made me smile when I saw the hedgehog scuttling about


Poor hedgepig  :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 21 June, 2010, 11:06:43 pm
Picked another trug full of broad beans this evening. About to start a late night of bean shelling, blanching and freezing.

Had new potatoes for tea yesterday & today.  :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 23 June, 2010, 06:01:55 pm
Admired my baby tomatoes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 24 June, 2010, 01:45:49 pm
Watered, weeded, cut some lettuce and lovage.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 24 June, 2010, 10:31:32 pm
Weeded, watered and planted some celery plants that a neighbour had left over.

To accompany the chicken breasts we had for tea, we had new potatoes, carrots, broad beans and the last of the asparagus - all from the allotment.  :smug:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 30 June, 2010, 11:03:06 pm
Watered, cut some salad and fed the midges.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 01 July, 2010, 09:26:11 am
first early spuds of the year.

Lady Crystl. 

Basic boiled spuds is something that I just don't get on with - at the very least they have to be covered in butter or gravy to make them palatable. But these Lady Crystls - well, I can just stand there eating them straight out of the saucepan.  In fact I think that I over did it a bit last night and should probably exchange my trousers for a moo-moo.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 05 July, 2010, 02:06:48 pm
We made pesto from the enormous amount of basil we have and the garlic scapes. Lovely.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 05 July, 2010, 05:35:06 pm
At the weekend, I lifted shallots and replaced them with tomato plants.

Now harvesting: courgettes, french & runner beans, carrots, beetroot, spinach, spring onions, new potatoes. First cucumber will be ready before the end of the week, and tomatoes in the greenhouse should be turning soon.

Will be lifting garlic sometime this week, and onions in a week or two.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mike on 05 July, 2010, 05:38:18 pm
Will be lifting garlic sometime this week

how do you know when Garlic is ready to lift, WJ?  Mine looks perky from above but I've been fooled before...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 05 July, 2010, 05:41:51 pm
I used to lift mine a week after the old guy on the next plot (who had been there 40 years) lifted his. Unfortunately he died last year - so it's guesswork.   :(

I may check the books/t'internet before I lift them.  :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 05 July, 2010, 07:55:09 pm
Pulled some beetroot, took them home, sliced and roasted them in olive oil, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Delicious, not had beetroot like that before.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 05 July, 2010, 08:28:24 pm

how do you know when Garlic is ready to lift, WJ?  Mine looks perky from above but I've been fooled before...

Apparently "when a third of the leaves die back" When the bulb is firm and the cloves are not separating.

BTW, it's 'Elephant garlic' that I grow.

I must take the camera down there sometime and get pictures of my crops.

Picked carrots, spring onions, mange tout, french beans, courgette, a red onion, last few sparrowgrass and parsley to make tea tonight.  :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 06 July, 2010, 02:13:41 am
Our cut and come again Bronze Arrowhead lettuce continues to produce more than we need. Amazing - best lettuce we have ever grown. We also have turnips, courgettes, beets, spring onions, Pattypan summer squash and carrots. All the herbs are fantastic - so it was courgette, carrot and sage fritters tonight, and a salad with lemon balm and chives, plus rice cooked with our own kimchi we made with the bok choi explosion a few weeks back. Yum!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 10 July, 2010, 07:56:54 pm
I got three wheelie bin loads of wet leaves and chucked tons of coffee grounds over it, left it for eight months then dug it into a border to rejuvenate it a bit:

Picasa Web Albums - solomonsky - garden (http://picasaweb.google.com/solomonsky/Garden#5491978858193074738)

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 10 July, 2010, 08:08:33 pm
Long overdue weeding, and clearing some stuff like the peas, which are over.  I pinched out the growing tips on as many bits of runner bean as I could see...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 11 July, 2010, 10:08:31 am
Yesterday evening got a final bag full of broad beans and started harvesting some potatoes- same plants that'd gone all brown and floppy due to a late frost, so that didn't harm them too much. I'll go along later today to pick the last of our cherries. Also- for the first time ever- got a cauliflower, I'll cook that later. Didn't plant them firmly enough- heads aren't nice and dense. Courgettes, squash and pumpkins getting started nicely. Borlotti beans slow getting going but should have some in a few weeks.

Could do with some rain. The remaining grassy bits of the plot are nicely browned- it'd be a good time to dig some of them up, stuff is really weak at the moment.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 14 July, 2010, 05:04:27 pm
Garlic now lifted, and last of the early broad beans harvested for next years seed. The area from these has been cleared and late salads (lettuce, radish & rocket) planted also turnips & pak choi.

French & runner beans are cropping well, but because of the dry weather, they are intent on producing seed and so are going tough early.  >:(

Because I didn't pick any crops at the weekend, I have marrows instead of courgettes.  :o

Need to catch up with some weeding this evening.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 19 July, 2010, 08:22:55 pm
Gathered what felt like a full harvest (I only started late in the year as this is my first). Loads of broad beans, potatoes, mangetout, beetroot , one french bean and a deformed carrot and some strawberries.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 23 July, 2010, 02:44:35 pm
Loads of (cosmic purple) carrots, most of which I have pickled in an Indian style; chard (made into a test version of kimchi); endless courgettes and summer squash, third lot of lettuce and radishes (including daikon); (yellow Kentucky Wonder) beans are just coming; tomatoes are reddening (or blackening depending on the variety!); the first aubergines and peppers are ripening; autumn squashes are already getting big, and we also have berries! Life is good...  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 23 July, 2010, 03:05:53 pm
Picked my first ripe tomato yesterday, as well as picking a large carrier bag full of french beans for freezing, and a trailer full of courgettes marrows.

I was dissappointed with my strawberrys again this year. I think I need to establish a new bed of them. Can anybody recommend a variety?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 23 July, 2010, 04:39:26 pm
Picked my first ripe tomato yesterday, as well as picking a large carrier bag full of french beans for freezing, and a trailer full of courgettes marrows.

I was dissappointed with my strawberrys again this year. I think I need to establish a new bed of them. Can anybody recommend a variety?


My strawerries were very disappointing this year, having cropped heavily in most of the ten years since I bought them from Woolworth's.
I put it down to the harsh winter just past.
they've been moved twice.
They are El Santa, which is a little bland but I'm not really complaining.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mike J on 25 July, 2010, 04:03:17 pm
A bit of digging and watering and burning of the bay tree that has been cut down on our plot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 25 July, 2010, 08:37:16 pm
A trip to the garden centre brought lots of stuff to do in the garden.

I dug over the 'failed' potato bed, and was surprised to find that there were quite a few atractive spuds down there (artfully arranged in a bowl):

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v326/ado15/P1000949.jpg)

I then planted out some carrots (Hush!  Don't tell the carrot flies :-\ ) and some lettuce seedlings, and spread around some organic plant food.

Butterfly repotted a whole load of stuff, including our tomato plants.  Then sprayed the naughty blackflies on the runner beans with organic spray stuff.

Oh - and we got a longer hosepipe to end the long walk to & fro with buckets & watering cans.  Expect a hosepipe ban imminently.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mike J on 25 July, 2010, 08:50:35 pm
I then planted out some carrots (Hush!  Don't tell the carrot flies :-\ )

A tip I've been given for this is not to thin them out too much.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 25 July, 2010, 11:26:08 pm
Thinned out some lettuces I'd sown a little while ago, picked two more deformed carrots (although they were tasty) and am generally getting things ready before I go on holiday at the weekend.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 26 July, 2010, 01:01:55 pm
Harvested salad, peas and beans.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 01 August, 2010, 10:52:39 pm
Picked pounds and pounds of beans.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris S on 03 August, 2010, 04:41:21 pm
Uh oh. We have a rather large wasps nest right in the middle of the lawn.

Now we could just dust off and nuke the site from orbit (it's the only way to be sure). #1 son suggested some CN20, or perhaps half a gallon of petrol and a match  ::-).

I don't want to leave it because sure as eggs is eggs, they'll attack the next poor f*cker who mows the lawn or goes weeding the border in that area; and that may well be me - I don't react very well to wasp stings in that I react a lot to them.

Is it worth getting Rentakil out for £80, or will a dusting of Ant killer and a large paving slab over the hole do the job?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: matthew on 03 August, 2010, 05:25:01 pm
What ever you choose, if you react to the stings, make sure someone else does it. You should be safely inside behind closed doors and windows for the 12 or so hours when the wasps are going to be very upset but not yet dead.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 05 August, 2010, 04:18:14 pm
Over the weekend, the plot has had no attention, but, last night, we had spuds & runner beans from the garden and some lovely aromatic parsley to flavour.  It's really good to eat your own produce.  I don't think I've ever had more than one item from the garden on the plate at any time.  I look forward to the day when I can do a whole meal from the plot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 09 August, 2010, 08:05:49 pm
Couldn't do an awful lot today because of a bad back, but I got 1.5kg of spuds off three plants, which is pretty good.  With French beans, parsley and celery from the garden, it was a real treat. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 12 August, 2010, 03:15:30 am
Tomatoes is what I am going. Loads of them: red ones, yellow ones, black ones, big ones, small ones, round ones, pear-shaped ones, oval ones, crinkly weird ones... but mainly just loads of them!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 12 August, 2010, 10:58:13 am
Tomatoes, lots of.  Beans even more of. Courgettes, marrows - out numbering the beans and toms.

Oh, and not even halfway through the first early pots.


This years seems to have been a bit different for pests:

Very little sign of carrot root fly or onion fly yet (touch wood), whereas last year there was loads.
Hardly seen any slugs either - normally a slug fest.
Not too much mosaic virus.
No caterpillars yet.
White fly going mad again (esp on kale).
But lots of pea moth :sick:

Lorra lorra lady birds, and a number of leather jackets.

Andfox holes in my muck heap.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 22 August, 2010, 02:45:11 pm
Our courgettes are now having a second wind, but the other autumn squash are looking good: we have a gigantic French one, some Guatemalan blue squash, butternut and acorn. The sweetcorn is also just about ready. Lots more tomatoes to go, and the aubergines and peppers are still producing. I've just been making some very concentrated tomato sauce to freeze for winter...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 22 August, 2010, 07:00:06 pm
Lots of winter salad sowed in pots and in the ground.
Harvested out first beetroot (it's been a busy summer  ::-)) which is now cooking in the oven.

S
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 23 August, 2010, 01:35:45 pm
Come back from a week away- carpet o' weeds  >:(

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 21 September, 2010, 11:35:55 pm
This week I is mainly digging 'tatties.

Better crop than last year.  :smug:

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SiD on 09 October, 2010, 06:37:08 pm
This week I are be mostly thinning carrots for christmas.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Welsh Man on 09 October, 2010, 08:09:29 pm
In the middle of assembling my new greenhouse ready for the spring.

 ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: geoff on 10 October, 2010, 04:18:24 pm
Digging out a gigantic brier...episode one last week, episode two this, probably three, four and five  to come. It was the mad rootstock of a loganberry-gone-feral that we transplanted (fools that we were!) when we moved out here from Oxford. Now it's hellbent on taking over the planet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 16 October, 2010, 02:09:01 pm
Switching to 'winter' set up (and I ought to be outside doing stuff not in here typing!).
Cold frames are now where the outdoor tomatoes were this morning.
Said frames have seed trays and modules for sweet peas and other flowers, and MrsC's collection of auriculas.
I don't know where the strawberries I potted up the other week are going to spend the winter!
Maybe another cold frame is called for?

S
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 25 October, 2010, 09:28:46 pm
Dug up some raspberry canes and put some chippings down for paths.

Scrounged some wood to make some cold frames, already have the glass.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 25 October, 2010, 11:30:56 pm
Cleared much of the allotment. replaced oil, spark plug & starter cord on rotovator and turned over all clear ground. Had bonfire with weeds & hedge trimmings.

Took 2 large pumpkins to the pub as they are making pumpkin soup for Halloween.  :smug:

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/wobblyjohn/P1040977.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 27 October, 2010, 09:54:10 pm
Nice pumpkins WJ!! Am trying to eradicate the bind weed on my plot and it is amongst the raspberry canes I inherited. I cut the canes down last year so will have a crop next, but am not sure if I shall keep them after that as the bindweed is so tied up with them I'll never really get rid of it unless I hoik all the canes out. Spent some time today excavating around the canes but there is still lots there.

Anyway, off to watch Colditz now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 07 November, 2010, 10:00:17 pm
Planted broad beans and garlic.  :smug:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 08 November, 2010, 11:37:25 am
Picked our last squash... and really it's getting too cold to do much else here now. It's not yet hit minus double figures yet, but I'm sure it won't be long.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 15 November, 2010, 07:52:09 am
Yesterday was spent digging over another couple of chunks of the allotment.  Only about 1/6th left to do now...  :thumbsup:

My onions and garlic are coming on well.  Mr R's parsnips need thinning (again) and the radishes are still going strong.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 15 November, 2010, 03:03:12 pm
planted 'orrible spikey bushes around the perimiter fence.

C'mon you horrible vandalising yoofs - try climbing the fence now*!


*OK, in a few yers when they've grown a bit to fill the gaps.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mike on 15 November, 2010, 03:08:46 pm
spent a happy morning on saturday spreading the old compost heap about the patch.  Probably about a ton gone in so far, with more to follow.

I'm going to leave planting till the spring, so it's just a few leeks, chard and radishes to look forward to through the winter.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 16 November, 2010, 06:56:01 pm
Spread a load of manure over most of the plot.
Tidied up the pallets I seem to have accumulated.
Replaced some of the broken and rotten pieces on my bench with bits from the pallets.
Hammered in some metal posts to help support the raspberry canes.
Made a wooden box, four pallets. Plan is to fill with manure/ compost and plant pumpkins in next year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 17 November, 2010, 07:27:20 am
Hmmm.... where can I get some pallets?

I want some for a wood supply on the allotment - but all the pallets I see tend to be jealously guarded by their owners.  I know the blue ones are worth money.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 17 November, 2010, 05:08:47 pm
I just keep my eyes open for builders doing extensions and the like. They always let me take them.
My local garden centre often has pallets (and other bits of fencing, posts etc) which they are only too glad to get rid of.
As you say, the blue ones can't be taken.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 22 November, 2010, 07:30:16 am
I've decided the last part of the allotment will be the 'soft fruit' area.

It has been dug over and a blackberry planted.  Next week some raspberries, a gooseberry and a blackcurrant will go in.  Space will be kept for strawberries.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: LEE on 20 December, 2010, 10:17:44 pm
Here's a quick summary of some of the results from the new veggie patch (all my wife's doing.  I build the raised beds and she grows stuff in them).

(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/freddered/Home%20and%20Garden/IMG_8634.jpg?t=1292883086)

(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/freddered/Home%20and%20Garden/IMG_8632.jpg?t=1292883115)

(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/freddered/Home%20and%20Garden/IMG_8635.jpg?t=1292883146)

(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/freddered/Home%20and%20Garden/IMG_8633.jpg?t=1292883439)

She's been busy up there all autumn so there should be some nice surprises in spring and summer 2011

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 28 December, 2010, 03:29:19 pm
Last part of the allotment dug over today.

Cleared the last of the radishes from Mr R's part of the plot and dumped them on the compost heap.  He needs to sort out his parsnips as well.  His winter greens and cabbages have been decimated as he was too lazy to net them.   ::-)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 08 January, 2011, 01:54:41 am
Pulled up some leeks and made more leek and potato soup.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 08 January, 2011, 01:44:41 pm
Raked leaves from the drive.

Re-planned majorly revised garden layout; including area for coppice to power biomass heating and removal of tree to create shadeless area for solar panels. Have yet to get final quotes and work out returns on investment but we could be heating towards negligable heating bills.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 08 January, 2011, 02:33:31 pm
I've planted a couple of David Austin Heritage English Climbing Roses in the back garden today.  I'm going to train them along the back fence.

I've also purchased some fruit bushes for the allotment: early, mid and late season raspberries, a blackcurrant, a whitecurrant and a gooseberry bush.  They'll all be planted up tomorrow (weather permitting).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 10 January, 2011, 06:57:28 am
Fruit plants all planted.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spokenword on 13 January, 2011, 11:19:35 am
Sown, in the unheated greenhouse, today; broadbeans,cabbage, sweet peas, winter salad leaves.
Covered one deepbed with polythene sheet to keep off the rain ready for erection of giant cloche next month for early pots to harvest in mid/ late May. Bought seed pots yeaterday fron a nersery with a choice of 50 varieties, but some, especially the salad varieties, were selling out.
Managed to stand up the plastic 200 gallon water butt after the ice had distorted it so much at the bottom that it was in danger of toppling into the greenhouse and I had to push it over the other way. It has taken 3 weeks to thaw the ice so that I could lift it back onto it's stand.
It's good to get on the plot now the weather is mild and there is a promise of spring, but not for a couple of months yet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 07 February, 2011, 04:07:18 pm
Pruned my vine which was planted last year. Hope I've done it right as I found the books very hard to decipher what to do, there being so many different types of layout. Have gone for a multiple cordon, I think.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hairyhippy on 16 February, 2011, 12:14:20 pm
Spread 2 tons of horse sh*t over everything.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 20 February, 2011, 12:23:35 pm
I'm just back from getting an allotment. I've been waiting nearly eight years for one or another and had a choice of two plots on what seems like a really friendly and helpful site and picked the one with small shed and small greenhouse for not very much on top of the rent.
The greenhouse needs a serious fettle but will come good.

 :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Welsh Man on 20 February, 2011, 12:48:00 pm
Been busy pruning some trees at the back of my garden this morning , going to sow a few herb seeds this afternoon.

 ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 20 February, 2011, 04:59:20 pm
Rhubarb split and one portion passed to a neighbour
More seeds moved from heated propagators to the greenhouse
blackcurrant and gooseberry pruned
A little tidying

S
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 20 February, 2011, 06:22:14 pm
Likewise split my rhubarb and gave some bits away.

Put some frames over one of my beds to warm the soil a bit.

Planted some more comfrey bits in the shady area.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 21 February, 2011, 03:47:01 pm
Been to Wilkos to get the Desiree seed spuds, and am using the let overs of last years Lady Cristl for the 1st early seed spuds (considering they are £7 a bag I think that it's worth a go).  All sat there happily chitting in the shed now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 26 February, 2011, 01:08:45 am
I, too, am chitting.

Planted some more comfrey bits. Rocket fuel, here I come.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 26 February, 2011, 06:00:56 pm
Made a new herb garden nearer the back door.

Did a bit more digging but was saved by the rain and driven indoors.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spokenword on 02 March, 2011, 04:10:42 pm
Cut lawns, pricked out onions, put broad beans in frame to harden off and errected 4ft by 30ft cloche over a deep bed that had been covered by a sheet of polythene for the last month, lovely tilth now.
Next week broad beans will go under cloche and potatoes (Maris Bard) will be planted with a view to harvesting fron mid May depending on the weather.
The advantage of the early beans is to get them before the black fly do. I used to sow the autumn variety Aquadulce, but to be honest I find the texture a bit mealy and this method works as well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 06 March, 2011, 06:09:28 pm
Bought some seed potatoes to chit. And some seaweed meal and poultry manure.
Dug in the horse manure which had been lying on the top of two of my beds over the winter, the others I'll do another day. Found more bindweed and horse tail roots whilst doing this.  :demon:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: border-rider on 06 March, 2011, 07:59:33 pm
Bought 7 fruit trees:

1 apple
2 pears
1 Mirabelle
1 Cherry
1 Mulberry
1 Medlar

We already have a motley collection of ancient apples trees of all sorts of never-before-seen identities, and some damson trees.

We've got some ornamental chestnuts & a Corsican oak that we grew from gathered nuts/.acorn that moved in pots with us also.

Much digging to be done this week.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 06 March, 2011, 08:23:46 pm
1. Another veggie patch bed dug.

As per another thread, I'm setting aside a couple of beds to experiment with "no dig" gardening (I have no expectations of success) and will be layering up with (bike (of course)) boxes this week.

2. A bonfire

3. Mowing

4. Digging 3 feet depth of leaf mould in the woods and spreading it on the beds to sustainably keep down weeds and fertilise.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 13 March, 2011, 09:02:58 am
The polytunnel is up!   :thumbsup:

Today my tasks are to dig over the last part of the allotment and to plant some carrots and spinach.  I also need to mulch the fruit bushes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 13 March, 2011, 03:13:02 pm
Well, last part of the plot has been dug over again.  I've also mulched the fruit bushes.

I'll leace planting the carrots and spinach for a couple of weeks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 13 March, 2011, 07:36:33 pm
Last week I rotovated all of the unplanted ground. This weekend I planted shallots, parsnips, carrots, beetroot and spring onions.

Broad beans that were sown in the greenhouse are now out 'hardening off'

The peas I planted in the greenhouse have all been eaten by mice.  >:(

Planted more peas and sealled the trays inside big plastic bags.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: PaulR on 14 March, 2011, 04:25:02 pm
Buried the rabbit, between the rhubarb/redcurrant section and the empty bed that's too dry and shady for veg (under a judas tree).  And planted out a vigorous bay tree.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 14 March, 2011, 05:14:22 pm
Prepared asparagus bed.

Created experimental no-dig bed.

Mowed.

Had bonfire.

Started seeds on windowsills.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 14 March, 2011, 09:06:49 pm
Put in a row of spuds (Pentland Javelin).

Planted several rows of broad beans.

Dug over part of my neighbour's plot.

At home planted some sweetcorn to get them going.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 15 March, 2011, 09:09:31 pm
Planted a row each of beetroot, parsnips and turnips. If they come up great, or I'll just sow again.
Planted them into freshly sieved soil, which makes getting the depth for the smaller seeds much easier.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 15 March, 2011, 09:26:48 pm
Planted a row each of beetroot, parsnips and turnips. If they come up great, or I'll just sow again.
Planted them into freshly sieved soil, which makes getting the depth for the smaller seeds much easier.

My soil is full of gravel and stones; digging is something like driving a spade into your drive. Once things are going, they grow pretty well really (and my long term programme of pouring on leaf mould helps) but planting is a nightmare of lost seeds. This year I am experimenting with sieved soil and, in the case of parsnips, starting them in bog rolls and then planting in their ultimate location.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: a lower gear on 16 March, 2011, 11:31:16 pm
Yet another day cutting a row of 50ft high sycamores into manageable pieces before they begin to get into leaf (the sap is rising; I may loose the race...).

Memo: think carefully before planing species that will, in a mere 30-odd years, grown ginormous. Your children, if they live in the same house after your day, will thank you.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 17 March, 2011, 12:06:42 pm
Spent an hour trying to unravel my endless* ball of string so that I could mark out my spud and radish rows.  I felt that I ought to make the effort as it's famous string - it's been on TV!


But by the time that I'd unravelled it I was too cold and knackered to plant anything apart from a few radishes.




* well actually it turned out to have seven ends
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: a lower gear on 17 March, 2011, 06:54:28 pm
Must be a big plot to have endless rows of spuds and radishes! (or maybe they're in a circle...?)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 20 March, 2011, 05:49:48 pm
Finally got some spuds in, and dug over the other half of the spud patch. Got the Broad Beenz in, as well as three rows of beetroot.
Investigated inside the falling-down-greenhouse  :o  which I nw find only has half a roof, and the 'potting bench' is actually a bedstead  :-\  . There's a tree growing inside, which has been tied to the rafters at some point, so maybe it's going to produce something?
On our last visit I discovered that I'd inherited a row of healthy looking, but quite old, raspberries. I found them just after I'd planted my own ones. Raspberries with everything later?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 21 March, 2011, 09:25:15 pm
Sieved a few buckets of soil so that the seeds, when I plant the next lot, have a good start.
Am thinking of growing carrots in pots of sieved soil.
Put some more chippings down on newspaper.
Decided where to put some gooseberry bushes I've grown from cuttings.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 21 March, 2011, 10:07:23 pm
More onions in. Carrots in. Parsnips in. Is the family really going to eat that many onions, carrots and parsnips?

Bonfire.

Leaf mould digging, barrowing and spreading.

Found hole in my wellies and gardening gloves. Any suggestions for wellies or welly repair, chaps?

That was all in the morning. After lunch I walked down to the sea and back. Absolutely glorious weather. Beats being in the office any day of the week.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 22 March, 2011, 07:10:23 pm
Not much so far. Uncovered one of the beds, started digging over another, stuck my bean canes up (borlotti beans later- oh yes), sowed some broad beans.

Dig the potato bed is next.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 23 March, 2011, 03:33:53 pm
First row of first earlies (am going to stagger them more this year so that I can get the whole lot while they are small and new and buttery).

Wilkos red onions in as they were 'chitting' in the cupboard.

Spring onions and assorted lettuce into the salad bed.  Am intending to eat less curry and more salad this year!

Raddishes have sprouted.

started last bit of digging but but too painful so gave up and nuked it with Wilkos cheapo systemic weed killer - I prefer not to use da chemicals o'deth but if used very sparingly I don't feel that they do too much harm.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 23 March, 2011, 08:32:03 pm
Planted some Jerusalem artichokes, braaaaap. Was given them by another plot holder. They should do nicely in a shady part I have.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 27 March, 2011, 05:45:33 pm
MrsC and I have this weekend filled seven old compost bags with weeds to go to the tip for recycling.
I am knackered and may have to have a restorative, pre-prandial something as a reward!  :smug:

However, both veg beds are now reasonably clear of weeds and the remains of last year's crop (a few beetroot and some small but perfectly formed leeks) so it was worth it.

S
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 27 March, 2011, 05:54:39 pm
Planted some spuds, Pentland Javelin and Picasso.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 28 March, 2011, 07:12:14 am
Yesterday I managed (despite creaky knees following the Cam to the Coast Ride) to give a final dig over to one part of the plot and to plant white sporuting broccoli and perpetual spinach.

I also dug over the ground in the polytunnel, and planted tomatoes ('Big Boy' beefsteak and 'Black Russian) and 'Little Gem' lettuces.

Two of the raised bed were dug over and carrots (Nantes Early) planted.

Now my knees ache...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 28 March, 2011, 12:57:41 pm
We planted our spuds yesterday too. And got a bit more of the plot dug over ready for more planting.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 28 March, 2011, 02:59:05 pm
Went to the allotment AGM.

There was much gnashing of teeth and unrest over petty issues. 

For instance, to help fund raising some people bake cakes to be sold at open days.  They claim back the money that they spend on ingredients, but not for their time or the use of their kitchens/power/etc.  The cakes re sold and what they make minus the money for the ingredients goes into the allotment funds for the good of us all.  The allotments have never lost money doing this.  For reasons that beat me, there were complaints from people (that weren't contributing to the funds themselves), that the cake makers shouldn't be allowed to claim back their ingredient money.  When it was pointed out that the cake makers actually make a personal loss and that if they stopped making cakes then the allotments would lose out, the complainers said that that was how it should be.

Jeez, and I thought cyclists were bad!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 28 March, 2011, 08:50:16 pm
Sieved a couple of barrowfuls of compost and soil. Am knackered and about to look up powered sieves.

Planted loads of broccoli.

Packed the tools away at 11ish and walked to a pub along the coast a couple of hours away. Very low tide today.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 29 March, 2011, 07:14:09 pm
Planted loads of broccoli.

Well, that didn't last long.

Eaten in under 24 hours. Bastard wild life.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 29 March, 2011, 09:05:34 pm
This is my new garden:

https://picasaweb.google.com/solomonsky/LastOfTheHedges#

The nine trees at the bottom of the garden are Amelanchiers.

Three 20 foot by 15 foot gardens, seperated by a 6 foot privet hedge. I've been cutting that hedge for 15 years and stuffing the clippings under the hedge to rot down in the soil. Too big, too much shade, too much work. I lopped them off at about knee height then wrestled the roots out of the ground. The soil is lovely and packed with earthworms.

I've planted a thousand summer bulbs, mostly Dutch Iris , Gladioli, lilies, and the new carpet dazzler lily:

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/medias/sys_tandm/8797075537950.jpg


Next, a bargain from Van Meuwen plants, 450 bedding plants for £14.99, and some shrubs for height and winter form, haven't decided which yet.

I'll keep track of the changes and post photos.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 06 April, 2011, 09:31:12 pm
We actually did something!

Set the spuds out for chitting, and Butterfly bought a load of compost and several plants. 

So we dug over the raised beds and added some of our own compost (actually a lot lot better than I thought it would be) and the new stuff.

Put in canes for the beans.

Now to do:  Planting, building fourth raised bed & filling it, digging out the other beds.  Good thing we aren't off camping this weekend as previously planned. :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 06 April, 2011, 10:39:10 pm
At the weekend, I planted out 4 rows onions (from seed) 1 row Spring onions, 2 rows peas, 1 row lettuceses one row broad beans.

Also planted several trays of baby sweetcorn, Mange tout, french beans & runner beans in the greenhouse at the allotment.

Planted several trays of peppers, tomatoes, caulis, courgettes, cues, butternut squash & pumkins in the greenhouse at home.

Carrots are up :D and shallots are sprouting.

Plenty of blossom on the plum tree & the currant bushes. Picked Rhubarb during the last 2 weeks. Still picking last years spring onions & leeks.

Next week I'll plant maincrop spuds & carrots, red onions & leeks, french beans outside (got hit by frost when I tried last year, but I have pleny of seed saved).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mike J on 06 April, 2011, 11:33:13 pm
I don't know if I'm going to have an allotment much longer :(

We got ours in July last year and have dug a small amount, but it was in quite a state when we got it and had a bay tree that had been cut down on it.  I got a letter today saying we hadn't complied with the rules (not that I've had any) and if we don't cultivate 75% in a months time, we will lose it  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 07 April, 2011, 07:44:59 pm
Planted some parsnips and beetroot on the plot. Shoved in some Jerusalem artichokes in an out of the way part. Broad beans coming up well and the beetroot and parsnips I sowed a while ago are showing. Generally faffed around aswell.
Planted sweetcorn, French beans (climbing and normal), leeks in the greenhouse at home.
Where does the time go??
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 10 April, 2011, 05:33:14 pm
Well I've started late but didn't do any growing at all last year so doing better at least.

No allotment but lucky enough to have a south facing garden so will try and grow a few bits, the year before last I had four successful tomato plants (at least until the wind blew them down and they were too bushy/big to get upright again) and a couple cucumber plants that grew well initially but suffered from being on a patio that retains water when it rains.

Hoping toms and cucs will do better this year, our neighbour has said yes to me putting some trellis up on our garden's dividing wall and I've read that cucumbers can be trained vertically so that'll avoid the patio problem.

Over the past couple days I have:

Main job left is to dig out the flower bed (which is 80% poo at this point) and replace the soil with the contents of the year before lasts grow bags.

Have seen some signs on the way home from work for sacks of manure so might grab one or two to dig in as well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 10 April, 2011, 06:38:40 pm
It's been a busy weekend.  Planted some stuff yesterday, and today started digging out for our fourth raised bed.  Lots of deep woody roots :(  May take a bit longer, but it's for the spuds, so we've got some time.  I've done a third of it, and may do a bit more after tea.

Had fun taking the trailer to the garden centre to get compost.  I got a 35 litre bag, cause I wasn't sure how hard it would be to tow, but I should have got more. :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mike on 10 April, 2011, 07:17:58 pm
busy here too - broad beans, spuds, carrots, lettuce all safely in the beds and 2 of the others dug & weeded, the bastard climbing rose pruned back quite hard, lawn mowed (again), half a tonne of horse shit wheelbarrowed from the drive down to the garden and three tonnes of gravel spread out on the drive. 

might cancel my gym membership at this rate.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 10 April, 2011, 09:26:14 pm
Put in two gooseberry bushes which I have grown from cuttings 18 months ago. Still have two more to plant.
Started off two water barrels with comfrey in them to make a superb feed. 
Transplanted some broad beans which I had planted too close in the expectation that not all would germinate, but they did!
Put up netting for climbing beans.

Need to put up supports for the mangetout. Last year I used pea sticks, which were OK but made picking awkward. Bit of time here as I've only just planted the seeds.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 11 April, 2011, 06:50:52 am
Well, I've put up a pea and bean frame, and planted broad beans and mange tout.

Also got courgettes and aubergines planted.  Last part of the last bed dug over, ready for  planting.

Plus we've been asked if we'll put our allotment in to the "Open Gardens and Allotments Weekend" in June.  They want an example of how you can turn round an unused, overgrown plot.   :smug:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: delthebike on 11 April, 2011, 04:56:31 pm
Dug up from the base of a 30 year old compost heap.

Name that jaw bone.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_45o2t790K90/TaMjwRFGORI/AAAAAAAAGOY/Qu9fPLtiqoE/s640/p4114810.jpg)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_45o2t790K90/TaMjw44Z8DI/AAAAAAAAGOc/7dY7zWXRsvg/s640/p4114809.jpg)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_45o2t790K90/TaMjwi0Q9tI/AAAAAAAAGOg/gr7qCq3RdYk/s640/p4114811.jpg)

I think it's a dog fox but ICBW and probably am.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 11 April, 2011, 04:59:25 pm
Anywhere near Piltdown? ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 11 April, 2011, 08:47:21 pm
Dug out a section of flower bed, moved some soil and a lot of plant bits elsewhere in the garden.

Inserted a piece of board sideways into the front of the bed to try and stop the lawn from collapsing into my new hole, dug too deep for board though and then had to fill in under it so not sure how secure it'll be, plus it's softwood from an old pallet so it'll probably just rot to pieces very quickly.

Covered the area with cardboard (weighted with the rest of the above wooden pallet) for the time being as still lots of bits of root in the soil, not sure whether to give it a decent bit of time covered over or just dig in my old grow bags tomorrow and risk needing a bunch of initial weeding.

Meant to take some 'before' photos but only remembered once I'd dug the top layer off, haven't done the whole length of bed though so could take some side by side shots for comparison.

A couple of the seeds in my little veg set propogator have sprouted but some of the other compost plugs and just covered in a fine white 'hair', not sure if this is mould (too much watering?) or what. May take some photos after tea.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 11 April, 2011, 09:45:25 pm
Planted the final two gooseberry bushes I have grown from cuttings. Transplanted some more broad beans.

Dug up some more bindweed roots, very satisfying that.

It's getting to the time when I go down after dark slug hunting.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 11 April, 2011, 09:56:48 pm
I dug a bit more of the spud bed.  There are some serious root systems in there :(

Got a bit windy; I got a bit bored; TGL came home, so I went in ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 11 April, 2011, 10:47:40 pm
Dug up from the base of a 30 year old compost heap.

Name that jaw bone.


I think it's a dog fox but ICBW and probably am.

Doesn't look like fox (or carnivore) to me.  Pig, perhaps??
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 11 April, 2011, 10:50:58 pm
Got stuff for wormery and (yesterday) for a small raised bed to put in our bit of shared border.  It'll be about 5' x 4', I reckon - mainly salad and herbs.  Getting it built is a small project for me and FirstBorn while Dr RJ is away.  The wormery is a secret ...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 12 April, 2011, 09:33:04 pm
Dug up from the base of a 30 year old compost heap.

Name that jaw bone.


I think it's a dog fox but ICBW and probably am.

Doesn't look like fox (or carnivore) to me.  Pig, perhaps??

I would guess at a sheep.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: border-rider on 12 April, 2011, 09:35:20 pm
I'd say sheep or goat

Looks like a grazer to me.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 12 April, 2011, 10:27:47 pm
Dug up from the base of a 30 year old compost heap.

Name that jaw bone.


I think it's a dog fox but ICBW and probably am.

Doesn't look like fox (or carnivore) to me.  Pig, perhaps??

I would guess at a sheep.

Jaw-bone is possibly too deep (top to bottom) for sheep ...
I'd say sheep or goat
... and thus also for goat
Quote

Looks like a grazer to me.

Absolutely - but which one?!

Photos:

 Pig (http://www.skullsite.co.uk/Pig/pigdom.htm)
Sheep (http://www.skullsite.co.uk/Sheep/sheep.htm)
Goat (http://www.skullsite.co.uk/Goat/goat.htm)
Fox (http://www.skullsite.co.uk/Fox/fox.htm)
Horse (http://www.skullsite.co.uk/Horse/horse.htm)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 12 April, 2011, 10:30:54 pm
I dug a bit more.  Lots of roots to get out, but it's worth doing it thoroughly, I suppose.

The foxes have come to have a check what I've planted :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 12 April, 2011, 10:42:38 pm
Started clearing and levelling the ground for the bed ...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: a lower gear on 17 April, 2011, 10:05:54 pm
Yet another day cutting a row of 50ft high sycamores into manageable pieces before they begin to get into leaf (the sap is rising; I may loose the race...).

Memo: think carefully before planing species that will, in a mere 30-odd years, grown ginormous. Your children, if they live in the same house after your day, will thank you.

Completed felling them yesterday and today completed cutting them up and loading them into friend's van so he can convert them into his next winter's fuel. Hooray!  :D

Now I can catch up with everything else in the garden.

Said friend will bring his chainsaw around at some point to tidy up the stumps.

Hope to plant some flowering cherries in the autumn to replace the sycamores - varieties with a good spread for shade, but limited height. Anyone got suggestions for potentialy suitable varieties?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 17 April, 2011, 10:27:58 pm
Yesterday, I finished digging and then built the raised beds for the spuds.  There were some epic roots in there!  i think quite a few from the tree at the end of the garden.  Hope there's no recurrence. :-\

Just watering and tending for the moment, then, till the spuds go in.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 19 April, 2011, 08:41:04 pm
Bought a heated propagator from B&Q on the way home (though it's probably warm enough now to not need one, oh well, will be good for starting earlier next year).

Have one half planted with spring onion and radish (both in a compost filled half seed tray), and the other half has a half seed tray with six compost 'plugs', 2 each of brocolli, cayenne pepper and rocket.

This time I've written myself a note of what's where.

Yesterday I potted three cucumbers, one tomato and planted a windowsill tray/trough with mangetout. And ripped a bunch of ivy off the garden wall.

Still have some tomatos and cucs to repot but couldn't be arsed today.

Have also taken some pics of the garden so as to get some advice on what I should do where.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 20 April, 2011, 09:41:00 pm
Watered the pots as they were looking really rather dry.
Cut the asparagus crop. That's two spears then.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 23 April, 2011, 04:16:46 pm
Bought a 55 litre trug and drilled some holes in the bottom, a bit of gravel and then rather a lot of compost and I've got some carrots sown. Got fiddly with spacing the seeds so it turned into more of a sprinkle and I'll just have to thin once they germinate (hope they do germinate).

Not sure if I've drilled big enough holes and not sure if the net curtain draped across the top of the tub (to prevent the neighbour's cat taking an interest) is blocking too much light but will wait and see.

One or two more trips to B&Q and then I've got to stop buying things or this will be the most expensive veg ever  :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jules on 25 April, 2011, 07:29:14 pm
Put in a couple of strawberry plants to fill gaps in the strawberry bed. Realised I  had a few self-seeded  potato plants from last year coming up so let them be. Planted a 4x4 cluster of sweetcorn, two sweet peppers and weeded the blackcurrent bushes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 27 April, 2011, 05:09:05 pm
Watered the pots as they were looking really rather dry.
Cut the asparagus crop. That's two spears then.



You practising to be Nutty?   ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 27 April, 2011, 09:09:48 pm
Carried on earthing up the potatoes.
Erected the support for mangetout.
Planted out some more sweetcorn.
Tied in the raspberry canes.

Watered things with a weak comfrey feed. This stuff is potent !!

Dug out horsetail and bindweed.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 27 April, 2011, 10:57:37 pm
Watered the pots as they were looking really rather dry.
Cut the asparagus crop. That's two spears then.



You practising to be Nutty?   ;D

There's only two crowns and they are only three years old and haven't had as much attention as they probably need to be more productive. Nutty with spears sounds dangerous.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 28 April, 2011, 10:13:26 am
Carried on earthing up the potatoes.

Ah.

*thinks of chitted spuds and prepared raised bed which are yet to be brought together*

maybe next week, when I'm back from camping, eh? ;)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 28 April, 2011, 01:15:53 pm
Started clearing and levelling the ground for the bed ...

Delayed by a bout of  :sick:, the bed is now built and filled with compost (2 trips to Homebase @ 1 mile pushing 120 litres of compost lashed to the back of the Marin with half an old 9mm climbing rope).

Discussions with Dr RJ about precisely where to put what in its "spacious" 1.8m2 are currently interrupted by Work  ;)

Will sort tomorrow (but basically:  lettuce; chard; rocket; a few peas; a couple of sunflowers; space for a few french beans; and a sprinkling of pot marigold - herbs in pots around the outside).

That's Plan A, anyway.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 28 April, 2011, 10:00:25 pm
Damn, potatoes got a little frosted last night. Have tucked up the sweetcorn for tonight.
Put up some more mangetout supports.

More horsetail and bindweed dug out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 29 April, 2011, 07:33:36 pm
Planted some mint, sunflower and squash seeds.

Had some small plants outside for a bit to harden them up.

Earthed up my potatoes slightly, didn't completely bury the current growth.

And purchased a small (1.5mx45cm) polytunnel for £1. Along with a few other bits and pieces, yay for Poundland.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mike J on 29 April, 2011, 07:40:06 pm
Will be doing some work on our new plot on Sunday (the old plot is too big for us and is totally overgrown with couch grass - tried cultivating the plot and it's just not working).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 01 May, 2011, 07:28:00 pm
Pulled out as much bindweed and couch as I could be bothered with.
Earthed up some potatoes
Did lots of watering.
Nuked the bindweed and couch around the edges of the plot, and on the bed that I'm going to 'getaround to digging soon'.
Eat cake
Drank fizzy pop.
Watched the cloudless sky. (And very quietly wished for rain..... but only at night)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 01 May, 2011, 08:58:55 pm
Earthed up potatoes, sowed some sweet pepper, spring onion and cress.

And found one (out of two) lettuce in the otherwise empty veg bed has been eated (I assume by slugs), which is annoying as it was protected (so I thought) by a plastic bottle cloche.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 01 May, 2011, 09:59:06 pm
Sowed some rocket, beetroot and some mangetout to fill in the gaps where the first planting hasn't come up. 
Watered things with a weak comfrey feed.
Lettuce and kale at home in greenhouse doing well, as are the various beans and squashes I've planted.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 02 May, 2011, 01:06:39 am
Did a hell of a lot of weeding...  :-\

Had the first of the lettuces from the polytunnel to accompany dinner.  :thumbsup:

Radishes are coming on nicely - and the beets aren't far behind.

But my aubergines are looking a bit forlorn...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SandyV on 02 May, 2011, 01:05:30 pm
Today we planted a lychee tree, a red pawpaw (papaya) and a passionfruit vine.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 02 May, 2011, 03:34:56 pm
Today we planted a lychee tree, a red pawpaw (papaya) and a passionfruit vine.


Ooh - which sort of passionfruit?  We used to have several banana passionfruit vines in the garden in NZ and one of my abiding memories is passionfruit that's just been picked...  :P
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mike J on 02 May, 2011, 05:17:41 pm
Started work  on our new plot yesterday - it's relatively easy to de-weed (unlike the old one).

Planted potatoes, garlic, onions and rhubarb.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Kathy on 02 May, 2011, 07:55:19 pm
Planted out all the peas and sweet peas.

Forgot that there were edible ones mixed in with the ornamental ones.  :facepalm:

Guess I'll have to wait until they flower to see which are which.  ::-)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 04 May, 2011, 01:49:48 pm
Pulled out as much bindweed and couch as I could be bothered with.
Earthed up some potatoes, and admired the broad beans.
Did lots of watering.
Nuked the bindweed and couch around the edges of the plot, and on the bed that I'm going to 'getaround to digging soon'.
Eat Lidl blueberry muffins
Drank fizzy pop.
Watched the cloudless sky. (And very quietly wished for rain..... but only at night)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 04 May, 2011, 09:24:46 pm
B****cks, my sweetcorn has succumbed to the last couple of cold nights (and windy cold days) despite being fleeced up. Still, I knew I was risking it putting it out so early.
Got a few still in the g/house to go out and planted some more seeds today.

Everything else looks OK though, the potatoes will recover.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 05 May, 2011, 07:12:50 am
Thinned out the lettuces that are absolutely flourishing in the polytunnel.  Which meant last night we had a large salad for tea...

Unfortunately, the hot dry conditions means that my aubergines may be goners...  :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 07 May, 2011, 10:07:02 pm
Well - over the last couple of weekends we've got most of the seeds in, repotted the old herbs and potted up some new ones (rosemary, more chives and some replacement thyme), plus a geranium.  Just french beans to go in and build the wormery, which could be an excuse to get a couple more plants ('cos we got to carry the last lot home in a tray just made for replacing the base of the boxes I've got for that project).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 07 May, 2011, 10:19:10 pm
Cleared a lot of weeds with TGL, and planted some spuds.  Not sure how much chance they will have, as I disturbed an ants nest which seems to have been established in the bed since I built it.

Discovered the pumpkin shoot has been eaten through.  I think this was slugs rather than ants, though :(

Beans, carrots and onions are doing particularly well. :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SandyV on 09 May, 2011, 01:23:35 am
Today we planted a lychee tree, a red pawpaw (papaya) and a passionfruit vine.


Ooh - which sort of passionfruit?  We used to have several banana passionfruit vines in the garden in NZ and one of my abiding memories is passionfruit that's just been picked...  :P

I had to check.  It's called a Panama Red but the picture looks like the ordinary purple ones to me!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 14 May, 2011, 10:36:38 pm
Weeded.

Inspected fruit trees. I reckon we'll get loads this year. Ditto nuts from the walnut and hazel trees.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 14 May, 2011, 10:42:10 pm
Today I squished 5 lily beetles until their guts came out.

Repotted a bamboo that was utterly potbound, the roots had whizzed round and round the pot so I mixed potting compost 50-50 with horticultural grit and planted it in a much larger pot than the one it's been in for ten years. I used the same mixture to do lavender and rosemary cuttings, I went to a garden show at the Norfolk Showground last weekend and they were selling farty little lavender cuttings 3 inches tall for £2.45. I thought "Sod that" and did 450 cuttings. If half make it...

On another gardening forum I read about a chap who had a couple of acres and some poly tunnels near a main road. Last year he did enough heather cuttings to sell £60k worth, working full time. Classic FM on, cup of tea, snip, prune, tear off lower leaves, dip in water, dip in hormone rooting powder, carefully plant, repeat 300,000 times. Not a bad life, eh?

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spokenword on 18 May, 2011, 06:13:21 pm
Harvested the first potatoes of the year. Just enough for the 3 of us on one root.
The first ones are just devine, dug up and in the pot within `10mins.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 18 May, 2011, 08:44:40 pm
Topped up some of the paths with newspaper and chippings.
Birds have had all my gooseberries. Serves me right for failing to net them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 19 May, 2011, 10:11:11 pm
We have had no rain for 100 days. I drenched some honeysuckles trained up the garage wall but everything is parched and no rain's on the horizon.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si on 21 May, 2011, 09:13:15 am
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm first new pots of the year.  didn't mean to harvest them but they just fell out the sides while I was earthing up.  Now I remember why I go to all this trouble to get spuds.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 21 May, 2011, 09:36:44 pm
My spuds are just coming up.  Well, the one in the bean bed is storming away, but the ones in the potato bed are just coming up.

Carrots are getting nice & big on the shoulder, but are still very pale.  Parsnips are finally growing.  Cabbages are doing OK and lettuces are doing well.

But we didn't do much with the edible stuff today.  Instead, we borrowed our neighbour's lawnmower and strimmer and hacked away at the towering grass to find we do actually have a lawn.  She then mentioned that the ivy growing on the wall was causing her concern when she was driving out on to the road, so we set to and pulled it all down, and pruned back a pretty much dead tree.  No idea at all how we are going to get rid of the piles of ivy, but it felt good to have helped someone in return for her generosity. :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: RJ on 23 May, 2011, 10:00:09 am
Potted some plants.  Started building the wormery.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 28 May, 2011, 12:45:29 am
Everything looks very battered with the wind. Some of my beans have had their leaves ripped off. Time to plant some more.
Put straw round the strawberries and netted them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 28 May, 2011, 11:41:59 am
Planted three rows of swedes (note for northerners and jocks: not turnips).

Never had any joy with them before but try and try again and all that.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: tiermat on 28 May, 2011, 01:18:25 pm
Over 4 weeks ago I planted:

Garlic chives
Red Basil
Butternut Squish
Broad beans
Runner beans
Tomatoes

All as seeds.

Looking round the garden this morning I have, growing:
1 squish
5 tomato plants
3 garlic chives
a metric shitload of weeds....

Maybe I should have planted weed seeds, in the hope I got wild tomato, squash and beans growing?

Today I have planted some spuds in bukkits.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: corshamjim on 28 May, 2011, 03:01:31 pm
I had some seeds planted in bog-rolls filled with compost on the kitchen windowsill, but they got a bit mouldy and smelly.   In the interest of matrimonial harmony today I inexpertly self-assembled a flat-pack cold frame from the local garden centre so the seedlings can all go outside.

Tomorrow I plan to move the compost bin from the garden to the allotment which will make room for the cold frame.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: graculus on 28 May, 2011, 06:23:21 pm
Built a brassica cage from pieces of old aluminium tent pole, re-used plastic tube (redundant from a previous project of my Dad's), some old clothes line and some plastic mesh. Feeling highly pleased with the result. Followed up by planting out cabbage, cauli and kale seedlings.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 28 May, 2011, 10:04:26 pm
Rotovated most of the empty ground and planted celery plants. Courgettes, pumpkins and french beans will fill the rest, with lettuce wherever they will fit.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Charlie Boy on 28 May, 2011, 10:09:36 pm
Put up guttering around my shed in the pouring rain and installed new water butt. Guttering leaks, butt still empty.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Speshact on 29 May, 2011, 07:46:50 pm
taken down some wood and used growbags, and brought back paint (Kennington People on Bikes: unskipping with joy (http://kenningtonpob.blogspot.com/2011/05/unskipping-with-joy.html)) and Mrs Speshact transplanted her purple Pak Choi and advised her neighbours on options for planting their asparagus crowns. Picked another shed load of strawberries and some rasperries and elephant garlic.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 03 June, 2011, 10:52:49 pm
Planted some climbing bean seeds.
Transplanted some kale and beetroot.
Topped up my paths with chippings.
Watered everything.

Had my first strawberry  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 03 June, 2011, 10:56:00 pm
Weeded

got sunburnty
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 05 June, 2011, 07:08:37 am
Weeding is on the cards today  :-\

The bit of dampness last weekend means that every weed on the allotment has come to life and it now looks very green - but with the wrong stuff.  I shall be spending the day on my knees...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 05 June, 2011, 07:36:04 pm
Two thirds of the allotment duly weeded  :thumbsup: - it did take about 5 hours  :(

I also took a trug full of lettuces and radishes to the WeightWatchers meeting tonight. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: corshamjim on 05 June, 2011, 08:13:56 pm
Don on the plot next to me yesterday asked me if I would thin out his lettuces and I could take the seedlings so I duly did.  I ended up with dozens of little lettuce seedlings though - not wanting to waste any I planted them all on my plot so I've ended up with lots more lettuces than Don now.  I hope he doesn't think I've been greedy!  ::-)  I did some weeding while I was there too though.

I can see I'm going to have to visit the allotment pretty much daily now.  Stan (over the fence) explained to me how 20 minutes after work can easily turn in to a couple of hours.  I hope I'm not turning Claire in to an allotment widow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 06 June, 2011, 06:49:03 am
It's raining  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 15 June, 2011, 11:05:35 pm
Squeezed in some leeks wherever I could.
Spread grass clippings round the spuds.
Have now run out of space.
Ate some strawberries.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 18 June, 2011, 09:12:39 pm
Salad this evening - lettuce, spring onions & grated carrot - all from the garden.  Wonderful.

Also: Thinned out potato plants (better success rate than I expected, given the fox & cat digging that goes on) and planted betroot seedlings out.

I should have put some mange tout and french beans in, but I forgot where I put the pots :-[
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 19 June, 2011, 04:30:57 pm
An hour and a half of fruitpicking and an hours weeding. Plus the only bits of yoga I know.

Off back there now for some raspberries, ran out of tupperware.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 19 June, 2011, 10:07:19 pm
Had a meal largely made up from allotment produce.
Lettuce, radishes, rocket, potatoes, grated turnip and grated raw beetroot (especially good) with quiche and lashings of balsamic vinegar followed by strawberries.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 19 June, 2011, 10:59:26 pm
More broccoli and some leeks in today.

Harvested the garlic - and some of the onions.  The rest of the onions should be ready in a week or so.

The garlic is a nice size - and some of the onions are massive.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: arry_b on 20 June, 2011, 02:27:53 pm
Spent an hour with my Lidl flame gun giving the weeds some love and attention.

It's nothing like as effective as a hoe, but far more fun.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: LindaG on 20 June, 2011, 02:53:08 pm
I admired my nearly-ready cucumber. My first ever. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 20 June, 2011, 10:55:24 pm
Harvested a lettuce from the allotment yesterday that weighed 1.1kg!  :o  :smug:

Also had the first of the new potatoes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 22 June, 2011, 11:08:45 pm
Love digging up potatoes, it's like discovering buried treasure.

Also sauteed some tips of broad beans which were delicious, not as strong a taste as spinach.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 23 June, 2011, 11:19:33 pm
More onions harvested today.  I reckon the rest will be ready in the next two weeks.

The garlic is almost dry.  I shall have to practice my plaiting...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 24 June, 2011, 04:53:12 pm
Killed greenfly on lettuces. I doubt I got 'em all.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 24 June, 2011, 04:55:21 pm
I had a go at the blackfly yesterday. 

I planted out some peas and mange-touts to feed the slugs now they've just about finished the first course of runner beans and peas :(

And I had a poke at the parsnips to see how they were shaping up.  Getting fatter :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: arry_b on 24 June, 2011, 09:27:52 pm
Harvested a potato grobag of Maris Pipers. The dry period in May seems to have reduced the yield compared to last year.

But boiled in their skins and served with a little butter, omm, nom, nom nonetheless.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 26 June, 2011, 11:08:26 pm
Dahlias are going mental after the rain. Buy some tree lilies. That's all I'm saying. I planted one I bought in Poland two years ago and this year it's a 6 footer with 16 buds. I watch tv in the front room and people who walk past swivel their head 180 degrees.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: corshamjim on 26 June, 2011, 11:15:05 pm
Watered everything today - it needed it!  :thumbsup:  And scoffed a couple of raspberries because they were there.

Marvelled at how well everything is growing ...


... on everyone else's plots!  :-[
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 03 July, 2011, 06:55:00 pm
Done 6 and a half hours today, mostly playing with the new chainsaw onna stick they've bought for the hedges.

Am bitten, scratched, stung and tired but happy I've done my bit. A couple of people said how nice my plot was looking for a new boy which cheered me up as I think it's one of the scruffier ones.

Might have the opportunity of a new to me shed and a couple more beds from next doors plot. We're allowed a fire up there even though it's written in the official rules it's forbidden. Came home with panniers full of edibles.

A very good day! . .  despite getting nettled right in the face, a lot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: border-rider on 11 July, 2011, 03:54:28 pm
We had a power cut this afternoon so I couldn't do any work.  I gritted my teeth and started the War Against Ragwort.  Long sleeves, long trousers, wellies & a 20 litre backpack sprayer. Geeeez it was hot & sticky :)

Loads and loads of cinnabar moth caterpillars were helping; I felt a bit guilty about depriving the stripy fellows of dinner but I'm sure I missed plenty.  They'd made a proper meal of quite a few plants  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: arry_b on 15 July, 2011, 11:00:35 am
Garlic lifted and drying in the shed. Some of the beetroot pulled, washed and in the pan. Weeds beheaded and added to the compost bin. Lots of watering and feeding for the tomatoes, squashes and French beans in pots.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 16 July, 2011, 10:33:03 pm
Bit of tidying to make it toddler proofish and grabbed some vittles between the showers.

Just checked the forecast for tomorrow - it's changed and doesn't look so ideal for a picnic. Wellibob job then.

Rellies have taken over a cafe (http://www.bridgeviewcafe.co.uk/l)* recently and the local "wherever  . . .  in bloom" judges have booked a five course evening meal with them and have requested local produce. Was planning on offloading some edibles onto them and cadging a lift home tomorrow but might just cut some for us and run.

I'm spending roughly equal amounts of time gardening and cycling - not enough of either, but enjoying both.

* not been round the museum but the cafe owners are great.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: border-rider on 26 July, 2011, 05:06:19 pm
We had a power cut this afternoon so I couldn't do any work.  I gritted my teeth and started the War Against Ragwort.  Long sleeves, long trousers, wellies & a 20 litre backpack sprayer. Geeeez it was hot & sticky :)

Loads and loads of cinnabar moth caterpillars were helping; I felt a bit guilty about depriving the stripy fellows of dinner but I'm sure I missed plenty.  They'd made a proper meal of quite a few plants  :thumbsup:

Round 2  today; it's a long process but it seems quite effective - the ones I nuked last time look well-nuked, and there are not that many new ones.  I might start on the other fields tomorrow if the weather holds

If we can eradicate the ragwort then we can borrow some sheep to keep the fields in order for us :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 12 August, 2011, 10:10:16 pm
Not been to the plot, but when I got home today there's an official looking letter saying I have been "highly commended" in the annual plot competition for the area. Invite to awards night and photo opportunity. I'm well chuffty. Any tips on my acceptance speech? I'll try not to blub.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 04 September, 2011, 12:44:04 pm
Well done TEC  :) I'll be surprised if a couple of folk near me don't get prizes, they reckon it's a good do at the awards night but won't get told until november.

Just a bit of pottering and giving away of produce to my neighbours today. Very pleasant couple of hours.

Did dig this beauty up, almost 800g.

(http://i53.tinypic.com/wuovhi.jpg)

There's another four more like it but a wee bit smaller that I didn't photograph.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: corshamjim on 04 September, 2011, 04:00:33 pm
Wow.  That's a spud and a half!

The only potatoes I had this year were some stragglers left by the previous tenant of the allotment.  I'll have a go at planting some next year.

Today, I finally got around to doing some hoeing.  Wow!  If I'd have known how easy and effective it was I'd have got started on it ages ago.  At least part of my allotment is finally looking a bit cared for now - especially with a cheerful sunflower in the middle of it which just happened to decide to grow there.

I guess I need to start planning what I'm going to do next year now.  It feels a whole lot less daunting now after one season of experimentation and lots of super help from the neighbouring gardeners and plot holders.  My Mum gave me some gardening vouchers as a  thank you for fixing her computer the other day, so I'm going to the garden centre during the week to get a huge compost bin (yes I know I could make one but I'm lazy and there's too much other stuff to do).  I've already filled the two plastic bins on the plot so I'll see if I can get a nice big wooden slatted one.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 04 September, 2011, 09:26:30 pm
I did my first ever onion (and shallot) plait the other day!  It looks pretty cool :smug:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: border-rider on 08 September, 2011, 02:47:58 pm
Ate the first apple from the trees I planted in the spring.

The damn squirrel got all the cherries & the mirabelles :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: border-rider on 23 October, 2011, 07:11:22 pm
Yesterday there was a take your apples to work apples day in Trellech. very good - the Gwent Wildlife Orchards officer was there and they're going to come along and help us develop a plan to recreate some local-species low-density orchards :)

They're also going to have a poke about at the rest of our wilderness and see what's worth managing, and how.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Dinamo on 23 October, 2011, 08:23:29 pm
Picked approx. 15 kgs of white grapes from my vine.
Hopefully the wine will be ready for Christmas  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: corshamjim on 23 October, 2011, 09:23:13 pm
I'd not thought about planting a grape vine.  Good idea!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mike on 31 October, 2011, 07:52:05 pm
finally picked the beans!  MrsMike had planted these without telling me they were a bit odd...

(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/mikes99mail/MRT_0626.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 04 November, 2011, 09:00:56 pm
Great looking beans those, what sort are they?

Me, I had a strawberry today off the plot. Didn't taste too bad either, I thought it was going too be horrible.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Canardly on 04 November, 2011, 09:14:19 pm
I have just rediscovered slow cookers and am messing about with lentils and green things.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 05 November, 2011, 06:51:10 am
finally picked the beans!  MrsMike had planted these without telling me they were a bit odd...

(http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a19/mikes99mail/MRT_0626.jpg)

Beans or penguin eggs?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SandyV on 15 November, 2011, 10:07:38 am
37degreesC here today and it's still 2 weeks until summer.  :o
Aircon at work gave up so came home early and soaked the garden which is suffering.  The mangoes and peaches are in for a bumper year if we can keep the water up and the flying foxes (bats) away.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: corshamjim on 24 December, 2011, 10:35:45 pm
I took a trailer load of composting stuff to the allotment today, my first visit for a few weeks.  Thankfully not too many new weeds.  I did find that my neighbour, 80 year old Don, bless 'im, has laid some more path.

Now Don used to be a railway worker.  As a result he likes to lay paths around the allotment like they are railway tracks, so they're all made using a stout timber frame filled with gravel ballast.  These tracks paths are all exactly the same width designed to be just wide enough to take a normal sized wheelbarrow.  In one way this is great because it makes use of the thousands of stones we're digging up all the time.  Unfortunately these paths are all just a bit too narrow to take my bicycle trailer.  :facepalm:  I really don't have the heart to tell Don that actually his labours are making life more difficult for me, so will just have to work around it for the time being.  Don is a massively generous chap (he even built me my bean canes last year) so I'm sure he won't mind if I park my trailer next to his plot whenever I visit.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 24 December, 2011, 10:42:49 pm
Today I picked (plucked? dug up? harvested?) a test parsnip - just to be sure all's OK for the big dig tomorrow morning.

A bit worried to be honest; first parsnip was all of two centimetres long. Second (of two) was average parsnip size. Not the JCB-requiring whoppers I usually seem to get.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 25 December, 2011, 04:31:30 pm
Well they were a bit undersize by usual standards but when roasted up by Mrs P they were bloody delicious.

Maybe next year all or veg well be garden grown.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 25 December, 2011, 11:57:29 pm
David brought in one of the last tomatoes of the season; there are still a few that look like they'll ripen...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spokenword on 06 January, 2012, 02:08:01 pm
Getting busy now.
Cabbage seelings (Hispi) sown last week are through, and today I bought Maris Bard and Charlotte seed potatoes from the nursery at Enderby whilst out on a ride. Yesterday I sowed salad leaves in the unheated greenhouse and ordered more of that seed as it's on offer at T&M for 49p a packet. They also have Sungold tomato seed at 20p, and last year they cropped from early July to late Nov with 13 trusses on the vine. 
It's about time to sow the broad beans and sweet peas in the greenhouse.
I'll cover over a deepbed, destined for the early crops, with a sheet of plastic to keep the worst of the rain off.  I think that's safer than putting the big cloche out in view of tyhe wind we have had over the last few days. That can go over the bed at the end of Feb
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: border-rider on 21 January, 2012, 06:49:08 pm
Started clearing the head-high brambles where our new wood is going. Unfortunately a broken hitch pin on the tractor stopped play, but I've found another that I *think* will fit, so back at it tomorrow.

I did a dormouse check first. They're about, but hopefully not where I'm clearing.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: cyclone on 23 January, 2012, 08:55:20 am
More digging of veggie plots (in an area less prone to having springs appear when it rains  :-[) Also a bit of fallen timber logging...just got to decide where its going to store for 2 years....
MV what trees are you thinking of planting??
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: border-rider on 23 January, 2012, 09:04:14 am
 biodiversity woodland; fairly low density assorted native species.

We also plan on some apple trees, but that's in a different bit of field.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: a lower gear on 23 January, 2012, 09:18:11 pm
Finished cutting the garden wall foundation trench through the old poplar tree roots. The biggest root was 15" diam. Beneath it was ground made entirely of solid roots and big stones, the molecules of soil having been squeezed out by the mass of roots, leaving only rocks. Couldn't use the axe much for fear of blunting it on stones; couldn't get the saw in due to roots being inter-twined and stones; couldn't get the spade in for the stones. Desperate stuff! Took three half days to cut this particular two linear feet of trench about 18" wide x 30" deep. The other 45 feet were a dawdle in comparison - merely boulder clay overlying shale.  ::-)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 01 March, 2012, 10:21:18 pm
Firmed up my blackberry supports which had come a bit wobbly.

Dug up the last of my parsnips, and some leeks.

Dug in some of the green manure I'd sown last Autumn.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 12 March, 2012, 06:03:03 pm
Saturday I put in the wires for the blackberries, moved some raspberry canes, moved some sage and chopped the other bushes back, did a load of digging and generally mooched. Great day.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 12 March, 2012, 07:49:53 pm
Mowed the lawn. Guess that's what I'll be doing every weekend for the next 9 months, then.

@TECharlie - planting blackberries? Don't you have bramble patches and hedgerows where you are then?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 12 March, 2012, 09:31:37 pm
We do, but the berries don't seem to form and besides, being next to roads, I'm not sure I'd eat them in any case. Leave them for the birds.
The ones I've planted are thornless.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: tiermat on 18 March, 2012, 10:40:29 am
Assembled new lawnmower.

Cut the lawn.

Planted pumpkin, tomato and chili seeds in seed trays and placed them on the kitchen windowsill.

Now just need my brother to come around to sort out price and timing for replacing a fence and building a second deck.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 20 March, 2012, 05:07:14 pm
Sunday.

I actually planted something.  Early potatoes gone in.  Finally, we are using the allotment.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 23 March, 2012, 09:29:46 pm
Dug in some more green manure planted last autumn (Hungarian rye grass). It had grown very well so should add lots to the soil.
Pruned gooseberries.
Planted early potatoes, laid them on some comfrey leaves for an extra boost. Haven't done this before so will see how it works.
Planted some lettuce seeds in greenhouse at home. And split loads of snowdrops and transplanted some primroses.
Great day, best of the year so far. I would have gone on a bike ride, but I'm saving myself for the weekend.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 24 March, 2012, 04:48:17 pm
Planted spuds. Worried that I didn't get a chance to feed the soil - piled a mountain of leaf mould on top afterwards instead. Hmm.

Dug over other beds and piled on leaf mould.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 05 April, 2012, 10:57:11 pm
Did a spot of brick laying, to repair the steps and replace some bits of wall that were propped up to hold stuff back when we moved in. Sometime soon I might have to do something with plants.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 07 April, 2012, 10:54:37 pm
Today I built a couple of small decking platforms, with stakes hammered into the ground to support, to act as steps up to an existing bit of decking and the wendy house. This replaces the unfinished bouncy "walk the plank" effect of the original (not my work), who just let some of the deck extend in the general direction of hard ground. (our garden slopes quite steeply).

I moved a few plants that were going to vanish under all this, so I did indeed do something with plants.

My hands ache now.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 15 April, 2012, 09:02:08 pm
Since I'm going to be busy working on the flat I'm leaving half the plot covered this season, got some onions and broad beans on the go last week. Today Ms P and I put the potatoes in and planted borlotti beans (looking forward to making soup with those in the autumn).

Cherry tree was in blossom. I guess it's been there about six years now, damn thing is one and half times my height already- and about the same wide. Expecting huge cherry crop.

Picked some sprouting brocolli today, just made a risotto with it. Wish i'd planted more last year- fairly small crop from a half dozen plants. First time at it though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 20 April, 2012, 07:38:03 pm
Late starting on the plot this year.  During the week, I bought plug plants, sets and seed potatoes, all carried home by bike trailer.

A couple of days ago, I started clearing one of the four raised beds, and began digging a bed for the first early spuds.

Today, I dug out the compost from the bottom of the bin.  Really good this year, I think.  Proud of that.
I finished digging that bed, and planted the spuds.
Cleared the other beds (with Butterfly's help).  We found that some of our plants have been late starters, so we have celery and lettuce growing, both of which we'd given up on as a dead loss last year.  Theremaining cabbages had bolted, so I removed them.  The beetroot, which had also been laggardly, we harvested.  Not in any way record breaking, but it was the first time I've grown them (not put any in this year).
Also planted:
(more) celery
red cabbage
carrots
parsnips
runner beans
french beans
onions
shallots
garlic
spinach
tomatoes
strawberries

Just need to dig another bed for the maincrop potatoes now, and we're ready for the season.  Transformed the garden :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 21 April, 2012, 11:13:11 am
Today, I dug out the compost from the bottom of the bin.  Really good this year, I think.  Proud of that.


One of those jobs that is so much more satisfying than you imagine it will be.

I put some of my compost over my borlotti beans last week, lovely dark stuff it was.

And I found the vegetable peeler in amongst it- its replacement wasn't as good so I was extra pleased.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 21 April, 2012, 12:13:18 pm
Just done the same, a large compost pile turned. people had been putting way too much grass cuttings in and they'd made a dense slimy stinky mat, I raked everything out then reloaded the pile and stuck a fork into the lumps of material and jiggled the fork over the pile so they separated and will rot down quicker, Mr Robin hopping around by me. The heap's freshly turned and after another 5 boxes of grass cuttings mixed in along with plenty of woody matter it will heave and then slump down, get the anaerobic activity going on.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 25 April, 2012, 07:43:56 pm
Nothing, again. Raining.

Perfect excuse not to work the plot, plus the potatoes are going to get fat.

On the downside I've had four soakings in less than two weeks while commuting.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 25 April, 2012, 08:56:39 pm
I had planned to plant the spuds today.

I deferred it.

I didn't even move the tarp which has blown across the root veg. :-[
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 27 April, 2012, 07:04:45 pm
Over the last few days I've planted mangetout, more broad beans, climbing beans, moved strawberries around and dug out some bindweed and horsetail which was showing. Also put shreddings on most of the paths. Looks great now.
Took some rhubarb and made a crumble, pernod in the rhubarb and white chocolate in the crumble, delicious.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 27 April, 2012, 08:48:42 pm
Am I a bad person for putting me spuds in the bed that had toms last year?

I only have two beds left now. Toms and TBD.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris N on 08 May, 2012, 10:54:51 am
Loads over the weekend:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 08 May, 2012, 11:03:02 am
I weeded the raised beds, counted the spud plants coming up, retied the bean canes, sighed at the poor performance of the beans, and laughed at the size of last year's celery.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris N on 13 May, 2012, 04:46:27 pm
More today:

I just wish it would all hurry up and grow so we can start eating it.  Only had radish thinnings out of the garden so far.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: a lower gear on 13 May, 2012, 06:40:51 pm
After spending yesterday slightly advancing a foundation trench through tree roots and dense subsoil, today I was more sensible and went for a nice cycle ride with the smaller gears.  :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 14 May, 2012, 06:55:11 pm
Strimming all weekend. I now have a terribly bad back.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 16 May, 2012, 08:18:14 pm
Cleared an old bed of wild garlic and ground elder,planted dahlias, hostas, irises and euonymous, sowed about 500 seeds of flowering annuals in nine seed trays, turned the compost and sanded down the garden furniture ready to paint. I love May.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 22 May, 2012, 09:24:18 pm
Planted some lettuces, to replace those which were swamped & chilled.

The rocket's doing very well, though: been eating it for a week. And the chard seems to be unkillable.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 03 June, 2012, 04:20:14 pm
Front garden:

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9bKgDDP4UlY/T8kE5XdvDPI/AAAAAAAAAoo/9wTrZFbgHlw/s640/Olympics%252031.3.2012%2520022.JPG)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RtoAIUSh2PE/T8kFJp-VLwI/AAAAAAAAAow/5syNOIYwacw/s640/Olympics%252031.3.2012%2520023.JPG)

I put lavender in the gravelly bit in front of the window, a hydrangea petiolaris to the right of the window, behind the acer seiryu is a square of box I grew from cuttings I nicked from the gardeners in Wencelas Square, Prague, the tree lily on the right is now four foot tall, 3 years old.

Hydrangea "Annabelle" on the right.Busy and crowded.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 30 June, 2012, 09:00:21 pm
I've moved some logs about (dead trees have been chopped down), made a little bug house from some, repotted the kids seeds that have survived and built a couple of compost bins, all with the help of Miss Dan the Younger and Older who had become bored helping Mrs Dan with the weeding (there's a lot of it).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 02 July, 2012, 03:27:39 pm
Cut the 4-foot-high grass and nettles back with a sickle. Very satisfying.

Cut grass and weeds along the edges of allotment fencing with same.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 03 July, 2012, 10:06:06 pm
Planted some more salad in the windowsill pots. It's not doing well this year. About one pot out of three is failing. Got enough lettuce & rocket to eat for the moment, though.

Ate my first home-grown potatoes of the year last night. I love digging a potato out of the soil. And I love the earthy smell of a fresh potato.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 08 July, 2012, 07:10:29 pm
First day on the new allotment (£50 a year, to be shared between us & our next door neighbours).

Pretty overgrown. Turns out that the previous tenant died of a heart attack. His widow soon decided she couldn't cope, & it's been vacant since late last year. Long grass, brambles starting to encroach, nettles, etc., but they left a lot of useful stuff behind, including three sheets of heavy-duty black plastic, plywood, carpet tiles, a double compost bin with well-rotted compost, five bottomless bins, some other bins, cold frames, netting, fleece, several raised beds, a chair, bricks for weighting down the plastic sheets, two green cones (neither dug in, one without a lid), assorted pots, bits of timber, baskets, & some lino.

The bare area where the plastic sheets & carpet tiles were is now dug over, with a green cone dug in to a corner, & the compost dug in to another part. A single tomato plant has been planted there. The encroaching brambles have been cut back to the hedge,

The compost bin has been refilled with green stuff cleared from some of the raised beds, as have some of the bottomless bins. The plastic sheets, plywood & carpet tiles are covering those beds, with some parts deliberately left uncovered because there are plants which are wanted. The complete green cone is full of bits of bramble, in the hope that it'll get hot enough to kill it all.

Overall, a good start. We felt an immense sense of satisfaction & well-being as we left, dirty, sweaty, tired, hungry & thirsty (chocolates, some cereal bars, water & flasks of tea all gone).

Oh yes - and we annoyed a toad. We were, of course, careful not to harm it. Welcome to stay, & there's plenty of vegetation left for shelter.

What it looked like before we started work -

(http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/Bledlow/IMG_0431.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: LEE on 08 July, 2012, 10:43:15 pm
Started work on a new greenhouse as a feeder for the raised beds.

(http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u249/freddered/Home%20and%20Garden/IMG_2816.jpg)

Would have been easier if the 8'x6" greenhouse was actually 8'x6' as advertised rather than about 4" bigger all round.  That meant I had to enlarge an existing 8x6 hardstanding.

Anyway, just the polycarb glazing to go in and I can hand it over to my wife (the green-fingered one)

Note.  Don't be fooled by the sunshine, that was a brief sunny period between rain.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 09 July, 2012, 08:30:14 am
I still have raised bed envy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 15 July, 2012, 08:11:33 pm
Best harvest of the year, so far:-

(http://i48.tinypic.com/zya535.jpg)

Nice to get/eat some results. Makes it all worthwhile.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 16 July, 2012, 10:10:03 pm
Started a bit late this year as I only really got going last Sunday :-[

Did start 8 strawberry seeds of a few months ago but they gradually died and then the last two blew away in the wind  :'(

Still, started a bunch of toms, potted up four chillis that a coworker gave me and got a few other seeds going. Onl the toms and basil have sprouted well. Not sure if the mint and spring onions are just being slow or deaded.

Need to get outside and clean all my pots and gravel trays from last year but we've not had much luck with the weather. I guess I should HTFU and get out there but is easier to have another cup of tea in the warm  ::-)

Still a start is a start and just have to make suyre I do better next year.

I've put up my little greenhouse that I got for my Birthday but is currently in living room as contrary to what I understood from the box it doesn't come with the fixing to wall mount it. I see a trip to B&Q in the week.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 17 July, 2012, 05:20:05 pm

(http://i45.tinypic.com/spj4w3.jpg)

My harvest so far. Not as good as other years, the slugs have been horrendous this year, but that's life I guess.
Broad beans are superb at the mo, such a great taste.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: LEE on 17 July, 2012, 06:29:12 pm
My work here is done.  I'll have an official ribbon-cutting ceremony this weekend after which my Wife can take full ownership of the whole production-line.

(I do need to make more net cages like the one at the end though).

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gvDyGR_KzIY/UAWeXWz2sZI/AAAAAAAAAOY/-LYJgO5Z33s/s912/IMG_2827.JPG)

Update on the garden plot.  The Greenhouse is now rammed with tomato plants, lots of flowers and the start of some tomatoes.

The difference in growth between tomato plants outside (see raised bed next to greenhouse) and inside is extraordinary.  5x the rate of growth for the plants inside I'd guess.  This shouldn't come as a surprise I suppose but it's still amazing that you can almost see them growing (5-10cm a day on some days !).

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ta7iMGHq74s/UDyVTAe9QYI/AAAAAAAAAT4/A47YgWF0YoA/s912/Tomatoes%25203jpg.jpg)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DLcAUd9NbPI/UDyVTLdUHfI/AAAAAAAAAT8/b5XTu1_iEpw/s912/Tomatoes%25204.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 23 July, 2012, 10:20:55 am
Yesterday afternoon:

Cleared more brambles & some lesser growth; filled the remaining bins with compostables; planted out the tomato plants I had in pots for lack of anywhere to plant them in the garden (may get a small crop from them, & the alternative was composting them); planted my remaining radish seed; planted dwarf beans on the rest of the patch I dug over last time (green manure if too late for any beans: at least, they'll get some nitrogen into the soil); started digging a new patch; planted out some leeks in it (thinnings offered by a neighbouring allotment holder); found some lino & more old carpet & laid them out on new ground to kill the weeds; laid down some of the big rectangular plastic bins (what did he use them for?) inverted for the same purpose.

Found the baskets from the two green cones that the previous tenant left. One's buried, but the cone had become separated from it, & the other was hidden by plants that had grown over it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 24 July, 2012, 08:44:46 pm
Picked gooseberries and have just had some stewed with yoghurt.

Picked a load of strawberries, broad beans and dug some spuds. Had a few raspberries aswell.

Blackberries looking good. Dwarf beans not so good, slug damage.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 27 July, 2012, 10:21:59 pm
More digging, more clearing of weeds. Got a big pile of vegetation now.

Found the top of the second green cone, by treading on it, buried in the undergrowth. Now they're both complete.

Planted some daikon (japanese white radish). We should have a crop for the autumn.

Found a clump of thyme, by smell, when raking up weeds hacked down last night by Mrs B (she enjoys that job). Removed the weeds from around it & marked it for keeping.

Got ickle babby tomatoes now. The plants are thriving on the allotment. They get more sun there than anywhere in our garden.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 02 August, 2012, 11:13:35 pm
Found blight on the biggest, most fruitful tomato plant in my garden, which now has one fewer green tomato on it.  :'(

I haven't had the heart to dig up the whole plant. It has loads of lovely looking - but unripe - tomatoes on it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 11 August, 2012, 09:29:53 pm
Mrs B & I started digging over a bed which we'd previously not touched except to hack down the worst of the undergrowth, & found potatoes! No plants showing above ground (perhaps Mrs B missed 'em when she cleared the weeds: I'm pretty sure she did that patch), but half a bucket of small taters turned up by our digging.

We've dug up a hell of a lot of hardy geranium roots over the last couple of weeks. Shoving 'em in the green cones, in the hope the heat kills 'em. I'm not averse to leaving a few, perhaps under the overhanging tree & along the top edge, but they'd taken over a large part of the plot, & had to be got out. They take some digging to remove.

The daikon is looking good, as is one lot (I planted out two lots of self-sown plants dug up from my garden) of tomatoes. I successfully moved one of the small trees which were in the middle of a bed, to a less inconvenient spot, & propose to move the other.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 13 August, 2012, 06:47:10 pm
Pulled some beetroot. Two sorts, one has red and white rings, very decorative.

Pulled some spuds, I'd forgotten that they were black and at first I thought I didn't have any as they were hard to see, but have just had some fried for tea.

(http://i46.tinypic.com/1zbcnea.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 14 August, 2012, 12:52:12 pm
Not today so a bit OT, but on Sunday we held an open day to raise a bit of awareness- the allotments are under threat of being developed-upon. I'll probably start a thread about this later.

Anyway afterwards there was a bit of a get-together. It's amazing the range of alcoholic stuff plotholders have made! homebrew beer (yup- from hops), rhubarb wine, even runner bean wine.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 14 August, 2012, 01:28:26 pm
I'm thinking of giving up half of my allotment - I can't keep the weeds down at the moment & we are not eating all the veg it produces.  :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 14 August, 2012, 04:44:47 pm
I could often do with a bit less plot as well- this year definitely. It's already a bit smaller than many other plots on the site since some of it was taken to build a service road a few years back.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 16 August, 2012, 10:45:19 am
I think I'd be a bit overwhelmed with a full sized plot, so (apart from her idiosyncrasies) sharing my next-door neighbour's plot is ideal.

Looking at the map of the site, one can see that several of the plots have been split, but there are still some very large ones, bigger than ours, & their tenants all seem to struggle (or in one case, completely fail) to keep on top of them. The smaller plots are mostly much better tended.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: LEE on 28 August, 2012, 11:14:56 am
Then..

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gvDyGR_KzIY/UAWeXWz2sZI/AAAAAAAAAOY/-LYJgO5Z33s/s912/IMG_2827.JPG)

Update on the garden plot.  The Greenhouse is now rammed with tomato plants, lots of flowers and the start of some tomatoes.

The difference in growth between tomato plants outside (see raised bed next to greenhouse) and inside is extraordinary.  5x the rate of growth for the plants inside I'd guess.  This shouldn't come as a surprise I suppose but it's still amazing that you can almost see them growing (5-10cm a day on some days !).

Now...

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ta7iMGHq74s/UDyVTAe9QYI/AAAAAAAAAT4/A47YgWF0YoA/s912/Tomatoes%25203jpg.jpg)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DLcAUd9NbPI/UDyVTLdUHfI/AAAAAAAAAT8/b5XTu1_iEpw/s912/Tomatoes%25204.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: madcow on 12 September, 2012, 01:05:29 pm
Thats a very tidy raised bed and greenhouse set up. :thumbsup:
 Does the garden get plenty of sun?  Do you control the temp in the greenhouse just by opening the door?

Courgettes in full flow at present. Too many to eat ourselves , but still  cutting them to encourage new flowers. Although they seem to take up a lot of space all summer,I would always find space for one or two courgette plants. They are also easy to grow in containers .
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 14 September, 2012, 09:55:26 pm
Mrs B & I paid a brief visit today to do minor tasks such as clearing up fox crap, & while we were there I looked at the daikon (Japanese radish - big white things) I planted in late July, with the idea of deciding whether more thinning was needed (a little bit is, I think), & discovered that any thinnings should be just about big enough to eat.  :thumbsup:  Never planted it before, but it's flourished with minimal care. The bigger ones are approaching the size of those sold commercially. Almost ready. Only the taste test left.

Mrs B is thrilled. At the price charged for mooli in Tesco the packet of seeds I bought has paid for itself a few times over from the two short rows of plants currently growing, & we should have a steady supply from spring to late autumn next year from the rest of the packet, plus plenty to give away.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: madcow on 17 September, 2012, 09:46:30 am
Very late sowing of dwarf green beans (14th July) is now producing reasonable qty of small beans. Took a picking yesterday afternoon, some went in the freezer,  some were eaten straightaway.
 By picking small beans you avoid the stringiness and toughness that comes with maturity.
There seems to be enough for another couple of pickings as well if weather keeps reasonable.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 29 September, 2012, 06:16:46 pm
Watched Mrs B pull up this -

(http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/Bledlow/IMG_0498.jpg)

It will be sliced, lightly salted in the traditional Japanese manner, & served as a side dish with dinner tonight. Yum!

Any excess will be grated into a salad tomorrow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 06 October, 2012, 11:32:47 am
Mrs B popped up to the allotment yesterday & got our first harvest of komatsuna. Japanese greens a bit like spinach, but IMO nicer.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 06 October, 2012, 03:14:21 pm
Cleared a patch ready to put some garlic in.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 06 October, 2012, 05:26:38 pm
Went up there today for the first time for a while to find that Mrs B 'weeded' a lot of green manure yesterday.  :facepalm:

Ah well, she chucked it in the compost, so all is not lost.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 09 October, 2012, 12:50:43 pm
So our allotments are under threat from development, which means I get to go to lots of meetings with allotment holders. They tend to be a bit older than me, at least the ones that go to meetings are.

About a year ago a storage unit made out of a shipping container appeared on the allotment. In the last week we've found out that it's for our use and we have a key. So, the meeting was asked, what do we use it for?

"tea" was the first answer.

"sex" was the second.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 14 October, 2012, 06:10:30 pm
Planted garlic while Mrs B harvested pak choi for dinner.

She's just admitted that she picked too much.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Welsh Man on 27 October, 2012, 12:37:13 pm
Planting my new mini orchard this afternoon , Apple , pear and plum tress.

 ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 29 October, 2012, 06:49:01 pm
Garlic all in now.

Not much left to do for the rest of the year - except dig everything over and put it all to bed for winter.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris S on 02 November, 2012, 11:02:37 am
Not much left to do for the rest of the year - except dig everything over and put it all to bed for winter.

If the local farmers are anything to judge by, you need to tip huge amounts of shit all over it, and leave it to fester for a while before digging it in.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 10 November, 2012, 01:39:14 pm
Went up there yesterday to pick some komatsuna (Japanese greens) & found the garlic was sprouting. Is that good, or is it too early & making it vulnerable to the winter cold?

Last daikon lifted, along with the last of the late planted chantenay carrots. Only stuff still pickable is pak choi.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 08 December, 2012, 07:58:55 pm
I was re-arranging storage to optimise use of the plot (i.e. putting it under the trees where nothing thrives, thus freeing up the good bit under where it is now), when the French bloke on the next plot offered me some of his surplus raspberry canes.  :thumbsup:

More than I have room for, in fact. I've offered the excess to the next door neighbour.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 08 December, 2012, 08:43:54 pm
Not much left to do for the rest of the year - except dig everything over and put it all to bed for winter.

If the local farmers are anything to judge by, you need to tip huge amounts of shit all over it, and leave it to fester for a while before digging it in.

Which is largely what I tend to do as well! If I'm lazy, it's leave mould from elsewhere in the garden. If I'm energetic with the barrow it's the Real Thing from a stable down the road. But it's time consuming and tiring so the garden often goes without. I quite often think of buying a cheap bike trailer purely for this purpose.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 10 December, 2012, 01:13:05 am
Ate some of the late tomatoes, still ripening on the vines despite plants dying back. They are much more tasty than the bland pulp of the early season.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wascally Weasel on 10 December, 2012, 02:17:02 am
Lost it.  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 10 December, 2012, 08:04:51 pm
I pulled some parsnips and leeks and have just had them for tea. Parsnips both mashed and roasted and leeks steamed.
Still find it hard to get ALL the soil out of the leeks though. No matter how much I was them, some crunchiness always remains.

Put some more chippings down on some of the paths, much more to do yet though.

Tomorrow it's gooseberry pruning time.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 14 December, 2012, 01:24:48 pm
Over the last couple of days I've planted the donated raspberry canes, finished moving all the storage & the assorted junk the previous tenant left behind to its new location, repaired a raised bed with some skip timber (declining the offer of other stuff from the skip), burned a load of brambles, including roots, lifted the old carpets which were under the old location of the storage (discovering in the process that the path had encroached on the plot a bit), dug in a log to help mark the edge of the plot a bit better & started marking out the new locations for paths & beds now the storage is sorted out.

On schedule for getting everything ready in time for planting.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 27 December, 2012, 12:25:28 pm
Really struggled to get parsnips out of the ground before Christmas. they have gone down into the very heavy clay, and the top 'spit's worth' is so waterlogged and sticky that it offers no leverage. I still have 2 rows (10 metre rows) of them to dig as well as 2 rows of carrots.  :-\

Yesterday I managed to burn up all the tree & shrub clippings I had built up down at the allotment (2-3 cubic metres of them) using Christmas pressie boxes & wrapping to get it going.  :smug:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 26 January, 2013, 09:31:51 pm
Busy busy busy!

After weeks of being ill on & off but mostly on, & only being fit to do anything for a couple of days, then it all being covered in snow, fine weather coincided with wellness, at last.

Marked out the new beds & paths on my plan. Roughly dug one bed & mulched it with the heap of vegetation I piled up last summer (rotted enough - the worms can finish it off). That'll be for potatoes, which shouldn't mind the rough digging & incompletely rotted mulch. hacked down the green manure on another bed which was prepared last year, to start getting it ready for planting. Started digging another new bed, half of which was previously under carpet (the previous tenant was very keen on carpets) & was packed down hard. Filled with stones (garnered from vegetable beds) a hole in a path which filled with water when it rained heavily. Laid a couple of old strips of left behind carpet on paths, after scraping off all the stuff growing on & through them, & the earth adhering to them. That'll provide something to walk on that isn't mud until I can sort out a more permanent covering.

After that lot I felt a bit tired, so gave up. I may be restored to health, but I've lost a lot of fitness.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 30 January, 2013, 04:43:33 pm
Checked on the rhubarb which I started forcing two weeks ago. The stalks are appreciably bigger than the uncovered ones already.
Saw there had been a delivery of wood chippings, so nipped down and got in early to grab a load for the paths.
Tidied up the rear of the plot and tied some pallets together to make two more compost bins. I'll earmark one of these for leaf mould as there is a huge pile of leaves which the council have delivered.
Love mornings like that, lots achieved in really windy weather.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 31 January, 2013, 10:55:11 am
Of the three new beds I decided to make (that part of the plot had been neglected long enough for boundaries to disappear, & part of it had been used for storage which I've moved under the trees at the site boundary, hence new plots were needed), two are done, & the third is cleared of all the carpets, marked out & half dug. Digging's a bit slow because of all the roots which need to be got out. There were lots of nettles there. Stones, too, which are going to paths.

Buried a dead rat, in case it had died of poisoning. I'd not like a cat or fox to suffer from eating it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: graculus on 02 February, 2013, 02:13:04 pm
Went up there for a couple of hours this morning as it was the first time being free and good weather had coincided for a couple of weeks.
Split some chunks of the rhubarb root for friends who want some and my Dad (whose existing clump had all but died).
Cut down autumn raspberry canes from last year and pruned blackcurrant bush.
Dug up the remaining leeks - mostly pencil sized, they didn't do at all well this year.
Picked a few kale leaves.
Surprised that there was only one other person on the site given how sunny it was.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 02 February, 2013, 03:14:56 pm
Rescued a flower bed from overwinter neglect and early brambles. There are very few flowers I actually appreciate so this bed will soon be filled with more edible and productive greenery. As it's next to the "formal" lawn, I'll make some nod towards appearances by maybe making it a herb and strawberry patch.

My job for this afternoon (ie now - the rugby's on in 50 minutes) is to chainsaw off a tree branch. I've been procrastinating as I really don't like chainsaws.

If I don't post again, it'll be because I've lopped my arm off and am unable to type - or I've just died from bloodloss; expired out of sight of the house.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 02 February, 2013, 04:20:34 pm
My job for this afternoon (ie now - the rugby's on in 50 minutes) is to chainsaw off a tree branch. I've been procrastinating as I really don't like chainsaws.

If I don't post again, it'll be because I've lopped my arm off and am unable to type - or I've just died from bloodloss; expired out of sight of the house.


Back safe. The tree lost the limb, as intended, and I have retained all mine (also as intended). Still really don't like chainsaws, though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 17 February, 2013, 09:05:53 pm
Over the weekend, I've harvested the last of the leeks and parsnips and also dug as many carrots as we need. The cleared ground has been rotovated. I also planted a couple of rows of broad beans.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 18 February, 2013, 10:21:11 pm
Almost finished Mrs B's pond. Tomorrow I'll finish it. Let's hope that the frogs & toads find it.

This'll clear the way for digging over the last & smallest of the new vegetable beds, the extra one I realised I could fit in after measuring up around the pond. I've not decided yet what to put in it this year. All the old raised (or at least, plank bordered) beds have been refurbished, though some new timber wouldn't go amiss in a few places. Not much left to do in the way of clearing, new beds, new paths, moving stuff, etc., & almost all the digging's done. Mostly tweaking round the edges (there's always some of that) & planting, for now.

The allotment looks very different from the overgrown wilderness we took over last summer. I spotted some little hardy geraniums springing up, though. Have to keep an eye on them. They were all over half the plot before our campaign of elimination began (Mrs B is a very enthusiastic & effective destroyer of weeds - the difficult part is keeping her from devastating crops), & obviously (& unsurprisingly) some bits of root were missed.

Carrots & some radishes planted. The neighbours with who we share the plot have planted broad beans. Rhubarb's looking healthy, as is the garlic. The leeks planted last year (thinnings given by another allotment holder) are still a bit small to harvest. Of the three currant seedlings obtained last year, only the blackcurrant seems to have survived, which is annoying. I have blackcurrant cuttings a-plenty, & I wouldn't have cared much if it had died. I wanted the red & white to thrive.

The council hedge trimming revealed that the occupiers of one of the new houses backing on to the site have been throwing their grass clippings & leaves over the fence. Gratefully received & put where they'll rot down, but I wish they'd be tidier, & chuck 'em over in a slightly more convenient place. I have a big plastic bin left behind by the previous tenant. Should I put it up against the fence with a sign saying "Grass clippings and leaves in here, please"?  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 06 April, 2013, 07:55:49 pm
Thiose radishes,  & the winter peas I also planted, are coming up, albeit slowly. No signof carrots. I'll assume them lost.

Lovely day. Several people on the allotments.

I fixed the deficiencies of the pond I made for Mrs B, & took a chance on some planting. Fingers crossed!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 April, 2013, 09:32:15 pm
When it was briefly warmish, in the dim & distant past, I planted some carrot seeds. Since they were well overdue, no signs of life at all after several weeks, I decided a few days ago that sometime next week I'd hoe those rows & re-plant.

But today, Mrs B & I paid a brief visit to the allotment - and they've sprouted! Oh frabjous day!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 12 April, 2013, 09:36:08 pm
Maybe my parsnips are still alive as well, then.

I'll be out there tomorrow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 13 April, 2013, 11:58:06 pm
I am now a member of the East Reading Horticultural Society.

Search engines don't believe in it, so here's the URL - http://www.erhs.org.uk/index.html (http://www.erhs.org.uk/index.html)

Bizarrely, the large allotment site where it has its trading shed is only half-used despite having 30 people waiting for plots. The uncultivated part was abandoned by the council in 1990 when demand for allotments was low, & a few years ago the council decided it would pay people to manage the whole of the abandoned section for wildlife (BTW, it's next to a wildlife reserve which is larger than the entire site) rather than bring any of it back into use for allotments.

Although managed by Reading Borough Council, the site is in Wokingham Borough. In Earley, the part of that borough which includes the site, the waiting list for allotments was closed when it reached seven years. So, we have a half-used allotment site with a waiting list of over a year, surrounded by people who want allotments.  When Earley council asked Reading if it would be willing to discuss handing over the site, the response was "there were no current plans to transfer the management of the site because all of the plots were in use and there was a waiting list". When Earley asked about re-opening the currently abandoned part of the site, Reading first said it didn't have a budget for that :facepalm: Somehow, it couldn't connect the two requests. Eventually, at a meeting at the request of the Earley voluntary group trying to get access & Earley council, Reading said that if someone else came up with a plan & funding it might consider it. Are these people thick, or just deliberately obstructive? Why wasn't that the first response?

OK, maybe this should have been in the rant thread.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 15 April, 2013, 08:47:35 pm
Finally planted something - broad beans. These are usually in around a month ago. Guess they'll catch up though.
Also put some shallots in.
Did a bit of weeding, amazing how dandelions grow so well even when it's so cold.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: nuttycyclist on 15 April, 2013, 10:35:22 pm
Bailed the water off the plot.    Weeded (sort of).    Emptied compost bin onto plot.


Some point this week I'll dig it all in and see if I can get some seeds in.   Hadn't done them earlier as I was waiting for the frosts and rain to stop.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 27 April, 2013, 08:11:43 pm
First decent weekend day when I haven't been committed to something else.  I have been busy. Three fifteen minute hits of weeding in the veg bed; edged the front lawn, edged the veg bed; strimmed and flymowed the back lawn; tidied the green house (including harvesting the 'Christmas' potatoes);  pricked out loads of seedlings; run the weed wand over the patio; and moved the furniture back up onto the lawn.
Then we decided it was warm enough for a drink sitting on said furniture!   :smug:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: a lower gear on 29 April, 2013, 10:20:31 pm
The smallest gear (age 13) has started the Scouts smallholder badge (http://members.scouts.org.uk/supportresources/596/smallholder-activity-badge/?cat=7,64,172&moduleID=10), going for this option: 1. Cultivate an area of garden or an allotment for a period agreed beforehand with the leadership team;  2. Grow successfully ... eight types of plant; 3. Discuss the work done and the results achieved.

So on the Saturday we rolled back part of the the silage sheet that has covered my veg patch these last few years and dug 150 ft2, raked, traded, raked, and planted short rows of : carrots, beetroot, salad leaves, radishes, onions, peas, broad beans, one wigwam of runner beans, and three potatoes (sprouty ones from the bottom of the kitchen vegetable cupboard).

Some of the seed was pretty old so he may have to replant ones that fail to come up. No idea how the potatoes will do. Its an interesting experiment and there's plenty of time to replant with newer seed if necessary.

He's keeping a diary augmented by photos - will post a couple of images when he downloads his camera.

It was good to introduce him to veg gardening.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 02 May, 2013, 10:40:56 am
I haz liddle tater plants. None showing on Monday, one on Tuesday, two on Wednesday.  :thumbsup:

And the second lot of komatsuna is showing already.  :thumbsup:

All three of the currant bushes I bought last autumn (red, white & black) are now sprouting merrily, as are all the raspberry canes I got from a neighbour. I thought some of both had died.

The new pond is now teeming with small invertebrates. Lots of little crustaceans, a few water beetles, & a couple of snails. Plenty of algae & a bit of pondweed. Apart from the pondweed & the snails (donated by a neighbour) they all made their own way to it.

Life, life everywhere!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 11 May, 2013, 10:12:23 pm
Now I haz loads of tater plants, loadsa runner beans, & the first dwarf French beans showing. And of the four types of Japanese veggies which I put in pots in the airing cupboard, three have germinated with success rates of 85 to 100%.

Got to cut the grass on the paths, though, & no sign of the fourth lot germinating. Also, I mixed up the aubergines & cucumbers, so I'm not sure which lot have succeeded.  :facepalm: I think I may have cucumbers, from looking at pictures of seedlings.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ferret on 12 May, 2013, 05:31:09 pm
One of my customers has a rather splendid pond, however it has been invaded by blanket weed,
does anybody have any suggestions on how to clear it, all I know is to use a stick or rake and pull it out by hand.
It is a large pond fed from a land drain so plenty of nutrients getting in that way plus it is silted up a bit so the water warms up and the other plants like lilies & rushes aren't that established, I'm thinking it needs a lot of the sediment taking out then regular raking to get the blanket weed out allowing the other plants to get established and therefore out compete the blanket weed, how does that sound.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 19 May, 2013, 10:12:44 pm
Managed six and a half hours today, it's looking fair tidy, not getting cocky but it's nice to see where the hard work has gone.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: IanDG on 19 May, 2013, 10:19:21 pm
Finished the raised beds (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151679921898092&set=a.10151679921383092.1073741825.571753091&type=1&theater) with Josh (son#2) and he planted the first one up.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 19 May, 2013, 11:04:01 pm
One of my customers has a rather splendid pond, however it has been invaded by blanket weed,
does anybody have any suggestions on how to clear it, all I know is to use a stick or rake and pull it out by hand.
It is a large pond fed from a land drain so plenty of nutrients getting in that way plus it is silted up a bit so the water warms up and the other plants like lilies & rushes aren't that established, I'm thinking it needs a lot of the sediment taking out then regular raking to get the blanket weed out allowing the other plants to get established and therefore out compete the blanket weed, how does that sound.
Sounds about right to me, but I'm no expert.

AFAIK blanket weed grows like mad when there are loads of nutrients & not enough competition & grazers. The RHS says summat - http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?PID=162 (http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?PID=162)

So far, the algae in my little pond seems to be kept down by snails (their grazing leaves tracks on the pond liner), & perhaps the hordes of Daphnia visible in the water.

After a little skip diving, I had enough timber (nearly new roof timbers, from a house which had been built bigger than its planning permission & is being partly rebuilt) to edge the upper side of the last bed that needed it, & the lower side of the last bed with nothing to stop its soil from sliding down the slope. Did I mention the plot is on a slope?

It's now pretty much fully terraced, with all the beds brought up to at least the level of the path - well, when they're filled up. Some of 'em need more soil, &  the main need is for organic material. There's clay mixed with sand only a little way below the surface. Compost is being made as fast as possible, leaves are stacked up & mouldering (with more to be added, come autumn), & humus being dug from the bottom of the waste heap in the not-part-of-any-plot corner of the site, handily adjacent to our plot. Some people throw away anything woody, or with a weed root in it, or which won't fit in their small compost bin - & several years later, it's turned into nice crumbly brown stuff.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 20 May, 2013, 09:59:44 pm
Netted my gooseberries.
Thinned out the broad beans and used the transplants elsewhere.
Added a level to a raised bed as part of my master plan to give extra protection to the sweetcorn when I transfer them from the greenhouse to the plot.
Planted parsnips into sieved soil.
Put up some netting for the mangetout to climb up.

All in all, a good day.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 31 May, 2013, 11:03:55 am
Planted out sweetcorn (although they are still under glass).
Mulched and netted more gooseberries.
Planted beetroot and more parsnips into sieved soil.

Mangetout coming up nicely now.
Broad beans looking good.
And the odd climbing bean poking its nose out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ferret on 31 May, 2013, 10:36:13 pm
five hours of weeding, in fantastic sunshine, bring it on !!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 11 June, 2013, 03:45:57 am
Parsnips growing now, sweetcorn coming on apace. Lettuce plumping up well.
Planted some mangetout plants out to clamber up a frame.
Strawberry and gooseberry crop looks promising. The plum trees also have a good number of plums developing, which is great as last year I didn't get one.

Pleased with my Hungarian rye grass. I use it as a green manure and, as the seed is quite expensive, this year I've left some to seed. They have developed ears (exactly like corn) and are over six feet tall. They look lovely when swaying in the wind. It'll be a while before they are ripe enough to harvest though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 11 June, 2013, 12:07:28 pm
In the last couple of days I've put up some poles for my runner beans to climb, added taller pea sticks because the peas were outgrowing the first lot, & transferred the cucumbers & tomatoes to bigger pots, from which they'll go into the ground before long. And weeding.

Lots of stuff growing. We've been eating radishes & komatsuna for a while, as well as assorted salad leaves from the window boxes. Had to plant more parsley. Pea pods a-plenty, but it'll be a while before they fill out.

I'm tempted to fiddle around under the biggest potato plant to see what's there. Maybe some tasty new taters. Big, bushy, & flowering nicely.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 11 June, 2013, 12:55:32 pm
Pleased with my Hungarian rye grass. I use it as a green manure and, as the seed is quite expensive, this year I've left some to seed. They have developed ears (exactly like corn) and are over six feet tall. They look lovely when swaying in the wind. It'll be a while before they are ripe enough to harvest though.

I'd be very interested to hear how you get on with this if you don't mind keeping us informed.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 11 June, 2013, 10:34:57 pm
Found that 50% of my squashes are growing. Had abandoned them thinking they'd succumbed to cold.but starting to clear the bed, I find them
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 June, 2013, 12:32:17 pm
Flower buds on some of my onions & garlic. What to do?

It seems that it may be due to the late cold spell. It may have fooled 'em by resembling a second winter.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 12 June, 2013, 05:33:00 pm
Unless someone has a better idea - we just nip them off.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 12 June, 2013, 10:22:42 pm
Pleased with my Hungarian rye grass. I use it as a green manure and, as the seed is quite expensive, this year I've left some to seed. They have developed ears (exactly like corn) and are over six feet tall. They look lovely when swaying in the wind. It'll be a while before they are ripe enough to harvest though.

I'd be very interested to hear how you get on with this if you don't mind keeping us informed.

Will do, longers. I can't see why it shouldn't work and am looking forward to harvesting with my sickle !! Or a pair of scissors.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 13 June, 2013, 12:15:03 pm
Unless someone has a better idea - we just nip them off.
That was my first thought (& I've now done it), but I found suggestions that it might not be wise. What the hell. If I don't snip, I expect I get puny bulbs because everything's gone into flowering,.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 16 June, 2013, 06:54:05 pm
Thinning out cabbages yesterday. Ate some as greens - & they were a grave disappointment. Flavour OK, but too tough. I wonder why.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 19 June, 2013, 05:42:46 pm
Bledlow, are your cabbages really that advanced? Mine are nowhere near and the leaves on them are the tough outer leaves. Were you trying to eat these?

Everything is growing well now, just need to keep the pigeons, birds, mice and slugs at bay.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 20 June, 2013, 11:57:03 am
They seemed ready for greens.

Perhaps I didn't trim enough outer leaves off. I'll let 'em grow longer & make sure that next time we only use the hearts. I've not grown cabbages since I was a child, & helping my grandparents, so I'm having to re-learn stuff.

I've been advised that the outer leaves are best cut up into small strips & stir-fried, or used for wrapping things (as in stuffed cabbage leaves).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 22 June, 2013, 08:18:34 pm
Picked my first peas. Just a couple of pods, to see what they're like. Very sweet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 23 June, 2013, 07:48:17 am
Apart from rhubarb, I've only had lettuce and broad bean tops from my plot so far this year. Everything will catch up though.
I'd say Gooseberries are only a week away, everything else a good while longer.

My plan planting parsnips into sieved soil seems to be working, they are growing well and hopefully the roots won't fork.

Need lots of sunshine to make the sweetcorn grow. I suspect it'll be like other years where the time runs out and I end up with nothing from them, which, given the care and attention I've lavished on them, will be disappointing.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 24 June, 2013, 06:45:37 pm
Some of the garlic leaves were turning yellow, so I thought I'd lift 'em & see what I've got.

White rot.  :facepalm: I think I'd better lift the lot & see what can be salvaged. The third & fourth plants I lifted showed no sign of it, & had big healthy bulbs, looking ready to eat, so I may still get a respectable crop.

Ah well, now I know where to transplant the cabbage & kale thinnings to.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 29 June, 2013, 07:10:55 pm
Debbie next door has enormous turnips.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 06 July, 2013, 06:54:53 pm
We ate our first strawberry of the year. Half each.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 06 July, 2013, 10:33:05 pm
We have a steep garden (matches our 3 storey house) and the retaining walls / terracing are a bit iffy, or even missing, in places. It hasn't been helped by some over enthusiastic weeding of grassy "weeds" that were holding the soil together. Mrs Dan the Misses Dan are away this weekend, so I'm starting on some new, timber, retaining walls to add to and replace the existing ones. Today was a bit hot really, but found me digging round old roots, chalk and flits to put new boards into the soil and hammering post holders into the same ground. I went and hid indoors for most of the afternoon - as well as being steep the garden is also south facing!
One post is rather wonky but not coming out and progress hasn't been as fast as I hoped, but there's soil being held up the hill that wasn't this morning. You can pencil me in for a similar post tomorrow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 10 July, 2013, 08:19:16 pm
I have great hopes about my sweetcorn this year. Compared to those of anyone else, mine are much more advanced so my idea of raising the wood around the raised beds, allowing me to keep the glass on that bit longer may have paid off. Fingers crossed.
The lettuce under the sweetcorn is fantastic aswell. Already had several heads.
Gooseberries are days away from picking. Those not netted have gone but I have plenty more.
The globe artichokes are developing well. the beast of a plant is about 7 foot by 7 foot. I was going to dig it up this year, but didn't have the heart.
Strawberry plants are not good though, I think I need to replace them. This time least year I had loads, I thought I had replaced some with newer plants, but perhaps not.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 17 July, 2013, 06:58:05 pm
Yesterday picked some cherries and made some jam.

Maybe the last crop of cherries- barring a legal challenge the allotment will be redeveloped. Might get another season out of it if lucky.

Potatoes doing well, borlotti beans, broad beans, onions, plenty stuff growing. I'm going on holiday next week but would almost rather stay home and potter around.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 18 July, 2013, 09:26:38 am
Picked my first outdoor grown cucumber* yesterday. A Japanese variety: short & a bit spiky. Mrs B was pleased.

[Edit - 5 days later]
*My first ever home grown cucumber. Now ripening at the rate of at least one a day, with enough growing to keep us going for weeks. We've started giving 'em away, along with lettuce.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 20 July, 2013, 05:50:53 pm
I just put some chili plants with little fruits on into my window boxes, so I hope the good weather holds enough for them to grow and ripen.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 22 July, 2013, 09:45:20 pm
Had a super meal of shallots, broad beans, mangetout and lettuce the last couple of days. So good to be able to eat so fresh.
I had it with samphire and squid (not from the allotment!!).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 18 August, 2013, 02:42:34 pm
Just picked six cucumbers.

Picked eight on Friday, four on Wednesday, & so on for the last month. Even Mrs B can't eat that many.  I've not noticed neighbours hiding when they see me coming with cucumbers yet, but it may yet happen.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 21 August, 2013, 09:04:10 am
My tomatoes are turning red at last!

I was starting to worry that my Japanese variety needed hotter weather than we get here.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 21 August, 2013, 09:18:08 pm
First sweetcorn yesterday. It was a little under ripe, but so tasty nonetheless. Hopefully many more to come. They really are worth the effort.
The Hungarian rye grass needs harvesting and then dehusking.
Loads of French and climbing beans gathered, love them.
And about six huge blackberries, very very tasty. When they're that good, I don't even mind the pips getting stuck between my teeth.

Cleared a bed and planted some lettuce, should get a few leaves from them.

It's our allotment show in a couple of weeks, need to decide what I'm going to exhibit.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 22 August, 2013, 01:58:52 am
My tomatoes are turning red at last!

I was starting to worry that my Japanese variety needed hotter weather than we get here.

Our tomatoes appear nowhere near redness. There again, I was feeding Giraffe home-grown tomatoes just before the last AUK AGM.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 28 August, 2013, 05:58:35 pm
We started eating our garden tomatoes yesterday, & today went to the allotment to do some watering & pick a few things, & found the tomatoes affected by the dread B word.  :( Slight so far, but now it's a race between ripening & death. We picked a few ripe ones.

Picked a load of runner beans to give away, & a Savoy cabbage to eat.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 11 September, 2013, 06:06:43 pm
Saturday was the area allotment show. I've never shown anything before but thought I'd have a go this year. Entered three beetroot, two sweetcorn, a vase of dahlias and five plums. Hardest thing was getting them to the scout hut intact on my bike.

The sweetcorn won second prize and the plums third !! So if you want to see a picture of prize winning sweetcorn, here they are (very tasty when I ate them later in the day aswell)

(http://i41.tinypic.com/2eci5x1.jpg)

It was good fun entering and I really enjoyed it, some people take it really seriously. Next year I'll go for the "comical vegetable" award (this year various deformed parsnips and carrots were the entries).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 17 September, 2013, 10:30:48 pm
Dug up some taters today (I like tater-digging. I love the buried treasure aspect). Two varieties: Charlotte, & Rocket. The latter should really have been dug up earlier, despite going in late, but I've had too many, so left a lot in the ground - to the delight of the slugs, as I found today. :(  Only a few ruined, but quite a lot of superficial damage.

The Charlottes, on the other hand, are in excellent shape.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 23 September, 2013, 10:00:24 pm
I also dug up some potatoes, big ones. Had jacket potatoes a few hours later with roasted veg (tomatoes, onions and courgettes from the allotment and peppers and mushrooms from Sainsbury's).

Harvested the Borlotti beans I'd allowed to dry in their pods.

Had to clean up a lot because I've not been for a while. Found out we have huge pumpkins and a few good sized squash. Also some late raspberries, some apples- a trailer full of produce today.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 03 October, 2013, 04:41:08 pm
After harvesting my Hungarian Rye grass, which I'd let develop, (rather then digging in in April), I had some of this ..
(http://i44.tinypic.com/20qhp1j.jpg)

After dehusking and blowing out the chaff, I've got some of this...
(http://i39.tinypic.com/rjkr3t.jpg)

Now I need to plant to over-winter in the spare ground I have. I can't see any reason why it shouldn't work.   
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: longers on 05 October, 2013, 09:05:32 pm
Looks good that does. Will have to have a go ourselves and see what yield we get. Thankyou.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 07 October, 2013, 09:28:45 pm
I went to put some stuff in the compost bin today. As I took hold of the bit of old carpet on top of the compost, I felt heat on my hand, & when I lifted it off, I could feel warmth on my face. Really cooking in there.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 22 October, 2013, 03:09:30 pm
Decided I hadn't planted enough garlic, & thought that since the supermarket garlic I planted last year tasted so good (much better than originally - maybe it's the freshness), it'd be nice to plant some of that. But a small patch of the bed had suffered from allium white rot, so I didn't want to risk putting any of it in the ground, even the apparently unaffected bulbs.

Easy answer: plant some in pots of compost. I now have a row of pots on a windowsill, where they'll get the most sun.

First sproutings from the autumn onion sets. Last lot sprouted early as well, & came through the winter well.

Still getting some runner beans! Cabbages & kale yielding well, & leeks coming along nicely, so no worries for greens. Mrs B is very pleased with the flavour of the Durham Early cabbages (which weren't ready early!).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: nicknack on 04 December, 2013, 03:24:07 pm
Planted 30 trees. Another 60 to go. Back is complaining already.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 06 December, 2013, 07:32:43 pm
Ripped out rotten plank on a raised bed & replaced it with the old roof timber that's been sitting around for six months waiting for a tuit.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: woollypigs on 27 December, 2013, 11:30:01 am
Not me but dog, she started to nibble our last remaining wild strawberry, just as it was nearly ripe.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 05 January, 2014, 03:05:22 pm
Yesterday I started the annual 'I'm going to be more organised next year so I don't end up with hundreds of pots to clean in the depths of winter' cleaning of the pots.
Whilst doing this I found some bulbs which are beginning to sprout and some seeds.
So today, as well as continuing with the 'I'm...cleaning...', I have sown some honesty seeds (supposed to be done in autumn but I'll give them a go and planted the bulbs.
And I have ordered seeds: chillies, tomatoes and cucumbers.

I am going to be more optimistic about the garden this year, whatever the weather does to it!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 11 January, 2014, 04:31:59 pm
Grabbing the opportunity of a dry day at a weekend in January!
We have some steps going up from our patio to the lawn. When we moved, these were framed by a cherry tree and a leylandii-type conifer. The latter went very shortly after we moved in, and to keep the sense of separation between the two areas, we put an arch in with a rose climbing over it. The arch lasted a few years and was replaced (they've both been fairly light metal structures as MrsC doesn't like things to be too solid-looking in the garden). The second arch has now come to the end of its time and, rather than replace it, I've removed it and trained the rose into a wild pear nearby. It's made quite a difference to the way that bit of the garden looks. We'll have to see whether we like it or not come the summer.
Good to be outdoors and dry!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 January, 2014, 11:16:29 pm
Up to yesterday . .
Moved rhubarb. That was hard work. Big hole needed (with plenty of muck in it), & the roots were bigger than I expected. But now it has its own bed, with (I hope) enough room.

Pruned overhanging oak trees, to let a bit more light into one corner, especially to the hedge between the plot & the git whose garden backs onto that bit.

Spread a load of rotted leaf mould onto one bed as a mulch. Hope it's taken down by the worms by the time I want to plant.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: oddballdave on 13 January, 2014, 06:19:55 pm
Have you moved your garlic pots outside? They (like rhubarb) like a bit of frost, which is why we plant on shortest day.

My garlic bed was nice and sparkly yesterday morning.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 13 January, 2014, 08:14:01 pm
My garlic has never been inside, & is flourishing. Most is on the allotment, but I have some in pots as a backup, in case of the dreaded allium white rot which affected part of the crop last year. Planted in a different bed this year, of course, & all bought-in fresh stock, no re-using old cloves, but better safe than sorry.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 21 January, 2014, 04:20:06 pm
Pruned some of my gooseberry bushes. Boy, those thorns are vicious.
Dug over some of the beds and tried to get the horsetail out when I saw it. I know it'll be back.
Spread manure and leaf mould over a large part of the plot.
Knackered.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 23 January, 2014, 12:33:34 pm
One of the overhanging oak trees I pruned is now a stump. I thought it was on the boundary, but the council tells me that it's (just) the other side of it, & the owners of the two houses whose land it was on the boundary of jointly cut it down, because it was shading their gardens too much.

It's been there for decades. The houses were built in 2009. Gits.

Ah well, maybe the hedge will grow thicker now it's no longer shaded by the tree.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 23 January, 2014, 07:24:55 pm
Demolished an old compost heap that had sort of burst, the stuff was rich and dark and crumbly so spread it over the kitchen garden about three inches thick, the worms will do the rest. It was warm enough to do the lawns so that's three big boxes of grass clippings mixed with chopped up leaves to get the new heap off to a good start, I lasagnered it with some of the old compost and some topsoil.

(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2845/12106694263_16c88b8abb_m.jpg)

(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3717/12106806024_ea4e88e801_m.jpg)

(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2884/12107102126_cc342641fe_m.jpg)

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5507/12107126176_9d44f7b4f4_m.jpg)

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7342/12106802053_485282c778_m.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 12 March, 2014, 10:28:48 pm
Allotment dug:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/99498418@N05/13109041504/lightbox/

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 15 March, 2014, 05:15:41 pm
Last weekend: Dug beds, spread mulch, cut back overgrowth, mowed lawn.

Repeat for 9 months...

(Which is fantastic by my book).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 16 March, 2014, 05:55:06 pm
Sowed loads of seeds today: mostly salads and half-hardy annuals.
But just nice to be able to work outside after so long. I even ended up wearing shorts!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 16 March, 2014, 09:23:09 pm
Today's score:


Mahonia 0, Human 4
Compost 0, Bags 15

And, in a game that went to extra time after  being tied at 5 all, Bamboo 6, Human 7

I are knackered

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 20 March, 2014, 05:11:16 pm
Planted some taters.

Onions & garlic looking good. Hoping for a good crop this year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 10 April, 2014, 09:39:02 pm
Allotment is about 3/4 planted up.

1st early taters are just through.

Took grandson down there to plant some french beans and mangetout peas yesterday:

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/wobblyjohn/P1080301_zps41a8e966.jpg)

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/wobblyjohn/P1080302_zpsb5f43a7c.jpg)

He's two and a half years old - start em young.

 :smug:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 12 April, 2014, 05:57:28 pm
Tore tons of ivy off the back wall and let a lot more light in, tulips and Forget-Me-Nots:

(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2892/13801940084_d840f7e4e8.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 13 April, 2014, 06:09:06 pm
1st early potatoes flourishing. Daikon & radishes just showing. Peas sprouting, but had to be protected from slugs. Some early cabbages showing - ditto. Onions & garlic growing very well.

After a leisurely ride, took a lost frog to the plot (there's a pond, plenty of cover, & abundant food there), & found it looking dry, so did a lot of watering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris N on 26 April, 2014, 09:06:45 pm
Planted broad bean, pea and French bean seeds. Got the potato patch ready so I can get the Charlottes and Desirees in tomorrow. Need to pick up some sweetcorn seeds and some tomato plants to full the rest of the garden.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 27 April, 2014, 09:45:32 pm
Replaced one of the retaining "walls" (planks) in the hanging gardens of Dan for something more substantial and less held in place by old pipes. In the process one of the beds got a good dig!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Chris N on 11 May, 2014, 07:15:27 am
Planted a block of sweet corn yesterday - that's all of the big spaces in the garden filled. Just waiting for some tomato plants to go in the raised beds then I'm done for the year. The peas and broad beans have started to sprout already. As have last year's potatoes. ::)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 May, 2014, 06:40:54 pm
Last few days:

I had a lot of celery seedlings crowded together in a square food container, so I transplanted them into fibre pots so when they're a bit bigger I can plant 'em outside without disturbing the roots again.

Put my tomato plants into bigger pots.

Planted shiso & choi sum.

Put in some sticks for the peas, because they're getting big enough to need it.

Weeding.

I also have some of last year's potatoes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 15 May, 2014, 06:59:38 pm
My garlic has rust.  >:(

Nothing I can do about it, apparently, except hope that I can still harvest a reasonable crop. Most of the plants are pretty big, & have been for quite a while, so I may still get decent sized bulbs.

I also have a few in pots at home, & they're unaffected - and huge..

Doesn't seem to be bothering the onions. According to the RHS there's a good chance they'll be unaffected. But I won't be transplanting any leeks to the currently bare patch next to the garlic.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 26 May, 2014, 04:25:26 pm
Yesterday I finished the hanging gardens of Dan (our garden rises to 3rd storey height in about 25m and I've been putting in wooden retaining walls for the terraced bit in the back half). The parts that I did last year have weathered in a bit and look better than the newer sections. Today we put some plans in and I got the bits to make a small pond, though by the time I got back I had lost enthusiasm for mucking about in the mud.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 01 June, 2014, 10:20:11 pm
Shed at the top of the garden taken apart and taken to the tip. Whoever put it up had laid it on a few old bits of slab and some sand. Inevitably one corner had ended up below the soil line and rotted beyond salvage. I've been keeping it at bay since we moved it, but now its time for a new shed. In the process many spiders had to find a new home and we found a collection of snail shells and old charcoal that I presume rats had collected.

Also put a planting tub in the garden as a little pond.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 02 June, 2014, 12:23:54 pm
Pigeons had started getting at the cabbages, & I'd seen white wings fluttering around 'em, so I thought it was time to give them some protection.

I had some tanalised battens recovered from a neighbour's bathroom rebuild, & lots of netting left behind by the former plot holder, so I knocked together some frames to hold the netting. Plant ties to fasten bits of net to each other (the only piece of the fine stuff anywhere near big enough had been bagged by the neighbour we share the plot with for her currants & gooseberries) & the frames, a few pegs to hold down edges, & voila! Cabbages covered, & not a penny spent. The nails & plant ties cost, of course, but they've both been sitting around for ages (at least 10 years, for the nails).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 03 June, 2014, 06:14:25 pm
found this in the back yard:

(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2923/14284592546_6d22690438_b.jpg)

Giant hogweed. Scary stuff. NSFW and horrible:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=giant+hogweed+burns&safe=off&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=XwKOU-DgFfKY0QXeyIC4AQ&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=635
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 12 June, 2014, 03:55:42 pm
Cleared a bit more of the overgrown beds and planted some stuff that could have done with going in ages ago, but we'll see what happens.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 13 June, 2014, 11:43:06 pm
Weeded.

Cut away some of the grass which had put roots into the pond, which should slow down the loss of water from it, so we don't have to top it up so much. We'd left it until now because it was providing cover for the frogs & toads. They have less now, but I think it's still plenty. I hope we didn't disturb them too much. Avoiding disturbance was another reason for not cutting it, but they seem used to us now, from us topping up the water. They usually hang around while we do it. Middle toad goggled at us from the middle of the pond while we did the grass clearing, but stayed in place.  :thumbsup: Pot the frog had come out earlier, but hopped off in a huff when Mrs B started cutting back the grass. Didn't see Notpot the other frog today, or either of the other toads. They seem to keep away from the pond.

After weeding, put cages over the sorry remnants of the choi sum. It was looking pretty damn good a few days ago - & then pigeons happened. Stripped every plant of most of its leaves in one day. I've planted some more in little pots at home, in case the stripped ones don't recover.

The feathered rats went for the neighbouring radishes while they were at it, but didn't touch the shiso. That's looking healthy, as is the other batch of radishes.

Celery's been planted out for a while, & is thriving. Onions are getting admiring comments: some of them are huge. Ate one tonight, & it made my eyes water. Quite potent. Had a look under a potato plant to check progress, & got a few baby new potatoes, but not enough to do any more.

The Japanese turnips looked very miserable after being transplanted (they'd been in a big pot), but have almost all perked up now. One of the Japanese cucumber plants has died. I think it got overheated when I had them under plastic. Should have taken if off earlier. The others are flourishing, though, shooting up.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 15 June, 2014, 08:36:47 pm
Went to pick my strawbs. Found them all gone.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 15 June, 2014, 08:42:58 pm
Went to pick my strawbs. Found them all gone.

I think they broke up in 1980.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 17 June, 2014, 04:43:29 pm
Part of the disunion?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 17 June, 2014, 04:44:56 pm
I went out and pruned back the tree that's keeping the rain off the veggie beds.  Then I pruned back the tree that tries to block our access to the back garden.  Then I poured myself a cup of tea.  need to clear the last of the branches and water the plants later.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ruth on 18 June, 2014, 07:14:14 pm
I've planted up some pots and hanging baskets in my back yard.  The baskets were here when I came, but I've replanted them for this summer, really just with a few random annuals so the yard didn't look too bare.  I brought the pots from my old house, again they were just quickly planted up with flowers as I didn't know when or where I would be moving house.

I've just seen this page http://www.deborahsilver.com/blog/tag/nicotiana-mutabilis/ and it's made me think I might like to be a bit more adventurous in my next container garden.  Again, my new place has a back yard I'll be able to sit in, but this one will accommodate my car (off street parking is good!).  I'm thinking I might even try to make some screening with trellis or something to section off the parking.  It'll all have to be containers though, the ground is all concrete.  Some really beautiful containers might make it something really special though. 

(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5535/14429913996_7fa8b70cde_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nZ85GC)IMG_1246 (https://flic.kr/p/nZ85GC) by ruthturner3 (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

This is now.    Sunshine in the morning in the summer, very private, very quiet, but on a Tuesday evening you can hear the bellringers practice at St Cuthbert's down the hill.  I love that.

I was thinking it might be nice to paint the metal furniture - maybe something mad, like bright pink.  Do hammerite do pink?  It's all a bit rusty now, more gris than verdi, so it needs done.  My new yard has white painted walls as well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mcshroom on 18 June, 2014, 07:47:11 pm
There's a couple pink ones on here.
http://www.hammerite.co.uk/products/direct_to_rust_metal_paint_smooth_finish_colour_mixing.jsp

Don't know if either are bright enough.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ruth on 18 June, 2014, 07:49:36 pm
I just saw that site M, I like the way they've mixed up different colours in their sample pictures.  I wonder if B+Q or Wilko''s would order some funky colours in for me?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 18 June, 2014, 09:30:48 pm
I cleared away the bits of tree I hacked off yesterday and trimmed back some brambles.  Then weeded the cabbages and watered everything.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 22 June, 2014, 11:15:39 pm
Dug out the bolted daikon. All gone to pot. Nothing edible. In the compost. But we're eating delicious lettuce (assorted), coriander, parsley, rocket, radishes, garlic, onions & new potatoes, & a few raspberries & strawberries. We'll have edible cucumbers & peas soon, & Japanese turnips (like big white mild radishes). We plan to eat our first shiso (a Japanese herb) tomorrow.

Mrs B decided to use the wheelie water butt (inherited from previous tenant) as I'd intended before noticing the crack in the bottom, i.e. filling it at the tap, wheeling it around the plot & dipping into it for water to pour on the beds. Much easier than trekking back & forth with watering cans (hoses verboten). She thought the crack was small enough that it'd hold water long enough - and she was right!  :thumbsup:

The plot has had a good watering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 08 July, 2014, 04:54:56 pm
A very busy, if Quixotic, 24 hours.  I've been weeding and watering, of course, but planted some potatoes which had sprouted in the cupboard, and some broad beans from the community allotment we hadn't got round to eating quickly enough.  We'll see if they come up, though I suspect they won't.  Then I earthed up the spuds we planted earlier in the year.

I moved the strawberries into the sunshine in the hope of ripening the fruit before the snails get it.  And cleared some more of the fourth bed, though the brambles looked up at me with puppy eyes and I spotted the blackberries coming on nicely.  Maybe I'll leave it till the fruit is over.

Today I got out our tiny strimmer, and, thus armed, went into battle against the hayfield which has taken the place of our garden.  With a degree of success, though my hand is still buzzing twenty minutes later.

Beans and tomato are flowering.  Spuds and cabbage growing well.  Garlic putting out roots.  Pansies being a splash of colour.  Shallots coming up.  Onions making slow progress.  Celeriac...well, I think it might be doing OK, but I don't have a good record with root crops. :-[ 

I think we've been pretty lucky this year, considering we've had two years without being able to do anything, started late this year, and have had to do the gardening around the needs of a very curious bairn.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 08 July, 2014, 08:24:53 pm
Just been out feeding all the containerised plants plus the tomatoes in the greenhouse.
That used to be part of a weekly ritual; every Monday evening. 'Feed and Fettle'. Tie in the tomatoes and anything else which needed it. Remove side shoots. Feed.
I used to really enjoy that. But somehow, like others have been finding with regard to bikes, the 'mojo' isn't quite there anymore.
I mean, there's lots to do out there, but I'm in here wittering on the computer.

Suggestions?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 08 July, 2014, 10:15:03 pm
No idea.  Personally, I'm scanning negs at the moment, so, while it's doing, I pop out and do something.

We had the first decent amount of produce today - chard.  It was nicer than I expected.  :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 10 July, 2014, 01:02:35 pm
We've had a few meals with chard. We're doing well with greens, what with the chard, (Japanese) turnip & radish greens, & komatsuna.

Had some peas, but a disappointing crop this year. Hoping for better from the beans. Lots of flowers on them.

Onions & garlic are very sucessful, having to give away cucumbers, & we've started on the potatoes.

Lots of baby tomatoes, so fingers crossed.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: peliroja on 14 July, 2014, 01:24:32 pm
I'm still astonished at how well our little yard-en (see what I did there?) is growing. My mum set us off and is now jealous of our little pocket of green and colour. We have herbs, potatoes, courgettes, wild strawberries, a cherry tree, nasturtiums, lavender (four types, in fact), cosmos, snapdragons, a freaky purple-and-yellow South African daisy that looks like it's fallen off a Dr Who set (Woolly got it free off the market), and lots of other colourful plants whose names I have failed to learn. Indoors, our chilli plant has almost reached the ceiling and is making an escape attempt out of the kitchen window.

We just need to find a use for the dark creeper-corner where the coal shed used to be. The ivy and honeysuckle are not doing well there as they don't see much sun.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ruth on 14 July, 2014, 09:31:20 pm
Pictures please Vicky?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: peliroja on 15 July, 2014, 12:24:57 pm
Ooh, there's an idea. I'll take some when the yard(en) isn't full of washing. :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 16 July, 2014, 07:19:51 pm
Yarden is Hebrew for Jordan...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 17 July, 2014, 02:54:33 pm
Yard & garden are from the same root. Variants of the same word.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: clarion on 23 July, 2014, 08:49:45 am
So Yardies and Gardai need not conflict? ;)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 27 July, 2014, 08:17:59 pm
Took this picture of Allotment Fox.
(http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq48/Bledlow/Gardening/IMG_0816.jpg) (http://s432.photobucket.com/user/Bledlow/media/Gardening/IMG_0816.jpg.html)
It was quite a long way off lotsa zoom), watching & waiting for us to leave.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 28 July, 2014, 05:28:23 pm
You got Cabbage White caterpillars Bledlow? They're all over my nasturtiums. I don't mind 'em.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 29 July, 2014, 11:03:31 pm
It's not my plot.

There are a few nasturtiums growing wild in corners of my plot, but I've not noticed any caterpillars on 'em. My cabbages are netted for protection.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 02 August, 2014, 04:10:02 pm
Picked my first ever home-grown celery.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 23 December, 2014, 06:29:32 pm
Asked David to pick a few cherry tomatoes.
There are others, still ripening on the vine.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 29 December, 2014, 07:22:50 pm
Dug up parsnips, scorzonera and salsify. Not had either of the last two before so look forward to trying.
Saving the Jerusalem Artichokes for when I'm alone.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 02 January, 2015, 12:10:41 pm
Used the fishing net to scrape out dead leaves and pond weed from the pond, tipped two buckets of stinking black sludge on the compost.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Moleman76 on 30 March, 2015, 04:59:16 am
Harvested collard greens, as the plants were beginning to go to seed.  Washed the leaves, bagged to give most away to friends - far more than we can eat.

Finished weeding the asparagus patch - many shoots 1 inch high, one up about 8" (and had been visited by slugs)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 13 April, 2015, 10:56:05 pm
Seedlings are dragged out into the sun:

(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8729/17109516282_3d147a84e0.jpg)

Next batch stacked in the greenhouse:

(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/16903667077_97f359085c.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 14 April, 2015, 12:45:12 pm
Is that a cat seedling? When do you plant them out?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 19 April, 2015, 09:32:40 am
Garden - planted some hardy annuals, godetia, nemophila, and alyssum. The plum trees have a mass of flowers which bodes well for later. I still have plums in the freezer from last year!!

Allotment - carrots, spinach, chard all planted. Broad beans coming along nicely. The four apple trees I planted a month ago as cordons are all sprouting. Gooseberry bushes all developing fruit.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 27 April, 2015, 12:14:18 pm
Dug my first plot in well over 15 years. I'm now looking forward to re-starting a huge veggie garden.

It's taken a four day bonfire to clear the patch and a good day to get it ready for planting, but it's been worth it, as it's transformed the garden and I can see the house now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 27 April, 2015, 03:05:49 pm
Yesterday.  Wandered over to have a look at my broad beans.  Did a little half hearted and rather unnecessary hoeing.  Buggered off to the pub.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 02 May, 2015, 01:46:21 pm
Put some plants in our little pond (been meaning to do that for a while). Later I shall water the veg.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 02 May, 2015, 05:41:50 pm
Allotment: planted out some runner beans & sugar snap peas which were in pots. Pulled up lots of weeds & threw 'em in the compost bin.

Lots of taters on the way. Pulled leek for lunch (Japanese fried noodles).

Home: dug up old woody carrots, creeping buttercups, dandelions etc. Hacked back ivy. Compost! Re-potted peppers & cucumbers - they'll be going outdoors under plastic later. Planted some more lettuce seeds in pots for window ledges.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: CAMRAMan on 10 May, 2015, 02:14:32 pm
In the garden I made a pot for my upside down cherry tomato experiment and got it set up on a bracket. Time will tell. I planted three other tomato plants traditionally. I put some of the remaining sunflowers in a tub. Ever since I set up the irrigation system last week it has poured down, but the new additions above will need watering separately.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 16 May, 2015, 08:08:19 pm
Picked some spuds ... that were growing in the compost heap  :-[
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 27 May, 2015, 08:36:58 pm
echiums gone mad:

(https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7791/17895799599_2d2f07dc21_z.jpg)

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 01 June, 2015, 09:34:50 am
I planted out my cucumber plants yesterday. Under plastic for now. The ground was soaked from the rain earlier, so they should be OK without watering for a little while.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SandyV on 01 June, 2015, 09:47:25 am
Picked some bananas and split off two young plants for a friend who gave me eggs as a thanks  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: tiermat on 14 June, 2015, 03:40:47 pm
Yesterday, removed a rotten,  tatty, fence panel to reveal a tatty block work wall. Today I took the bits of fence panel to the tip then went to B&Q to buy decking boards to build a vertical planter to cover up said tatty wall. Am now 1/2 way through building the planter, but my electric screwdriver had run out of electrons.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: woollypigs on 14 June, 2015, 04:02:49 pm
The plan was to liberated two, which then turned out to be four small trees, from a pot that had a dead thyme plant and some other random things growing. We think they are sycamores. They are now living in small pots, until we figure out something. Might make wooden pot for them each to live in. I like trees me :)

Then I put into a bigger pot a loganberry plan/bush we got yesterday.

Counted four worms, found six-seven bulbs of unknown origin. So I think I have done my share of green fingering for this month.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 26 June, 2015, 11:01:04 am
Last night we ate our first (for this year) home-grown kabu (Japanese turnip-like but more radish-flavoured vegetable), & our first home-grown onion of the year, along with home-grown lettuce, rocket, basil & coriander.  :thumbsup:

Garlic's being lifted. Currants are ripening. There are red raspberries, & pea pods, & little peppers forming, & new potatoes,
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 08 July, 2015, 06:41:36 pm
I have just harvested my first ever crop of broad beans. 
OK. Not the foot long things I see in the supermarket, but some damn good efforts.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 20 July, 2015, 10:22:36 pm
I bet your broad beans are vastly more tasty than the supermarket ones. I started picking mine about ten days ago and have had them every meal since, they are one of my favourite dishes. They are one of those crops which always do well on the allotment, regardless of the weather.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 22 July, 2015, 10:59:31 pm
We've eaten a couple of home-grown cucumbers so far, & more will be ready soon. Garlic, onions, spring onions, spinach, chard, kabu, daikon, tayberries (from the empty plot next door) & raspberries all eaten so far, & first leeks ready. Maize, cabbages, french beans & runner beans coming along nicely.

Birds have stripped one blackcurrant bush & most of the redcurrants, though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tail End Charlie on 16 August, 2015, 07:08:23 pm
Beans, beans and more beans, love `em.

Blackberries will be picked shortly, I'll have a bumper crop and I netted them this year.

Carrots are great, and the pak choi from my greenhouse has been great. I eat really well at this time of year. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: woollypigs on 20 August, 2015, 04:17:12 pm
Tree golf ball sized potatoes from one potato from aldi.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 20 August, 2015, 11:10:28 pm
French beans, potatoes, cabbages, chillies & leeks eaten, & more ready to eat. Chilli is strong & delicious. First runner beans ready. Steady flow of cucumbers. Sweetcorn looking good, but won't be ready for a while. Lots of chard.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Moleman76 on 07 October, 2015, 07:09:16 am
Harvested /  brought in to storage the winter squash.

From 2 plants, 9 Red Kuri
From 2 plants, 10 Kabocha
From 3 plants, over two dozen Delicata.

I think we will be eating squash every night until March.

This was also the year for cantaloupe.  On a whim, bought a 12" peat saucer with melon starts in it at the farmers' market.  Cut holes in the bottom to  give the roots a way to escape.  Probably 20 two-person sized melons.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Planet X on 19 October, 2015, 10:11:19 am
Used one of 6 celery plants for my Ragu sauce for Saturdays spag. bol.
They're small but full of flavour.
They were bought just for fun but I might grow them next year.
A veg we use every week.
Compost heap put to bed for the winter. It's a new build with pressure treated wood. 1.8m X 1.4m approx. I've easily got a cubed meter of compost going on. Carpet on top now and with my new Bosch shredder I've taken the garden apart 😂.
Alot of urine has gone into it.
I've six raised beds to top up. Mostly 12' by 6'.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 20 October, 2015, 02:37:51 pm
Just ate some home-grown sweetcorn. Ate home-grown Japanese cabbage, onions & garlic last night.

Just tidying things up for winter, picking the last sweetcorn & cabbages, & leeks (planted too many!), & kabu (Japanese radishy-flavoured but bigger & white vegetable). Celery is going strong, providing plenty of leaves for flavouring soups, etc.

Time to think about planting garlic.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: runsoncake on 21 October, 2015, 10:29:58 pm
Rescued a couple of windfall apples before the wildlife made inroads, eaten one absolutely brilliant. Adams Pearmain if anyone is interested, ripens Novemberish with a flavour you wouldn't believe.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 21 October, 2015, 11:14:12 pm
Late season, tree-ripened apples are indeed wonderful. I really love November Bramleys if they can stay up that long.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 21 October, 2015, 11:33:18 pm
We don't have an apple tree but we're eating various allotment apples, for some of which we traded excess vegetables. At least six different varieties, all good, all different. There are still some unpicked, which I think we can have a few of. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 09 November, 2015, 11:21:03 pm
started the winterisation on Sunday, tender cuttings etc into the greenhouse, one of the display benches and the less hardy bonsai followed.

The remaining bonsai or future bonsai will follow as they drop their leaves.

Leeks earthed up, chard still cropping surprisingly well, cima di rapa looking ready to start picking.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 10 November, 2015, 10:38:33 am
We're also still getting plenty of chard.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 10 November, 2015, 12:16:30 pm
Late season, tree-ripened apples are indeed wonderful. I really love November Bramleys if they can stay up that long.

our little Bramley has held its fruit (all 16 of them about 10lb weight not bad for a 5-7 year old tree) until yesterday when a few fell off, so given high winds I picked the rest. The flavour is absolutely marvellous, crisp, sharp  :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

As for what doing, as we`re partly bordered by woods and larch trees it`s sweeping / raking / blowing up leaves, leaves, leaves, more leaves each day  ::-) don`t know whether it`s best do a bit each day or wait until whole lot off !! So far about 15 large barrow loads but very good leaf mould in 2016  ;D ;D .

 Planted out 50 garlic a week ago and will space out purple broccoli (what`s left after caterpillars...) later this week
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 10 November, 2015, 12:38:40 pm
Ooohhh, we planted out 50 garlic about a month ago! Good luck to us both then!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 15 November, 2015, 08:57:13 pm
Put a layer of partly broken down compost on a vacant bed in the hope it'll be in the soil when I plant.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 15 November, 2015, 09:17:57 pm
we haven't had a frost yet, the nasturtiums are going crazy ape and trying to escape from the garden. Mahonia's in flower and there are bees or wasps or something buzzing round. Crazy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 20 November, 2015, 09:06:15 am
Ooohhh, we planted out 50 garlic about a month ago! Good luck to us both then!

garlic now popping up ---as is a MOLE in the veg plot, but s/he will soon encounter a tunnel trap :demon: and will be an ex mole ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 21 November, 2015, 01:31:16 pm
My autumn garlic has not done well.  :(

Winter broadbeans planted in October now through the soil and doing well, leeks and hamburg parsley also doing well and cropping now.  Cima-di-rapa ready in a week or so I think.

Now the trees have lost their leaves, I can get the rest of the bonsai in the greenhouse for the winter.

Uncharacteristically I'm home during the week so may get a chance to do it in bits and pieces.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 December, 2015, 05:30:18 pm
Still cropping chard amazingly.  Cima-di-rapa coming on well as well.

Starting to harvest the smaller leeks now as well and the thinning of the Hamburg parsley continues.

Winter broadbeans well established.

As it's been bonkers warm down here in Fenland, I've noticed one asparagus crown pushing up a new shoot and a fresh green bud on a rhubarb. Hope they don't get hammered by later frosts
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 10 December, 2015, 05:34:58 pm
We are eating the last of our tomatoes; well it's only a fortnight to Christmas Eve...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 11 December, 2015, 12:04:51 am
Got a hollyhock side shoot in flower. Freaky.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 24 December, 2015, 02:00:59 pm
We are eating the last of our tomatoes; well it's only a fortnight to Christmas Eve...

We still have a few tomatoes ripening.

It is Christmas Eve...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 03 January, 2016, 05:32:48 pm
After WEEKS chasing mole tunnels (and digging up significant amounts grass and veg plot) I saw mole digging his way around a trap a week ago and tried to obliterate it with a spade  :demon:

Don`t think I got it though---however did some more reading up on `art of mole trapping` to discover best way forwards. So armed with knowledge about main tunnels , feeding tunnels etc had a systematic approach and located two main tunnels and set 4 traps

AND caught the blighter  :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

No more mole to destroy my veg patch
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 07 January, 2016, 10:13:17 am
rats in the compost heap  >:(

I blame next door deconstructing some sheds that used to house chickens and putting up new sheds.  I think they've just relocated.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 28 January, 2016, 10:55:22 am
Cut down autumn raspberries and massacred pruned hard an old apple tree---it was getting choked out some have put `some` extra light into centre thro` extensive pruning  :facepalm:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 01 February, 2016, 09:27:08 am
that reminds me - need to do my raspberries as well.

Leeks coming on well, chard still going.

Bought some seed for this years planting.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 12 February, 2016, 08:54:16 pm
An echium seed has germinated in the front garden and is now a foot high. To my knowledge no echium has matured and set seed in the front garden for 15 years, and the soil hasn't been disturbed. *reads thread title* oh.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 14 February, 2016, 07:06:23 pm
Cut some broccoli (actually all the sprouting heads) to go with Valentines DIY meal (garlic and lemon chicken avec rice avec home grown runner beans from freezer)  with OH at home  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 14 February, 2016, 08:24:26 pm
Lifted the last of the leeks. Changed the oil on the rotovator and rotovated all the clear area of the allotment (about 15 pole) most of it had been done in the autumn, but I decided it was worth churning it up to let the frost in.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 18 February, 2016, 07:52:54 am
Still got lots of standing leeks to harvest.

Need to clear some parts of the veg plot for the early sewings though.

This morning before the wife left to take daughter out for breakfast I finally got round to pruning the grape vine, fig tree and cutting down the autumn fruiting raspberry canes.  By the time I got to that my fingers were too cold and wet to feel their prickliness.

Still need to prune the gooseberries and blackcurrants.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 27 February, 2016, 06:05:41 pm
We have started a custom of placing a suitable plant over the ashes of our deceased pets (we've lost two of our three cats in the past eighteen months).
The first was quite straightforward. Dolly died on Michaelmas day and MrsC found a Michaelmas daisy called Dolly.
Wes (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=42883.msg1959755#msg1959755) went just before Christmas. He proved a bit more difficult. Nothing suitable called 'Wes' or 'Wesley'.
In the end we've gone for this  weigela (http://www.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/all-other-seeds-and-plants/shrubs/weigela-black-and-white-large-plant/t66523TM) as he was black and white (officially a 'tuxedo').
So far, so good.
"But where is it going?" asks I.
"Well, that flowering currant's past its best and a bit in the way..."
It took over an hour with a fork, spade, crowbar, two pruning saws (breaking one in the process) and an axe...

To get a quarter of it out....

The beer will taste good later I suppose.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 28 February, 2016, 07:13:30 am
slightly off plot -- but cut the lawns yesterday pm to remove the flush of grass grown during mild December; first opportunity of ground being dry enough since then too. Last cut was late November
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 28 February, 2016, 08:32:19 am
Haven't even contemplated the lawn yet, but I know I must.

General tidying up this morning, nice cold crisp morning.  REmoving last years dead stems in the borders, pruning the gooseberries, tidying the veg plot, a bit of weeding.

Pulled up last years chard plants, still growing, but making room for this years plantings. In any case I'll have nice chard omlette for lunch.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 28 February, 2016, 12:57:54 pm
"Well, that flowering currant's past its best and a bit in the way..."
It took over an hour with a fork, spade, crowbar, two pruning saws (breaking one in the process) and an axe...
To get a quarter of it out....
The good news was that the next half of the thing was much easier to deal with. The original bole had died back entirely and had largely rotted away, and the smaller piece in front of that came out quite easily. We've decided to leave the remaining quarter as it's in a sensible place at the back of the bed.
Then we attacked one of the ponds. Very smelly!
And this afternoon will be the first grass cut of the year and the first with my new lawnmower, bought this morning.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 04 March, 2016, 01:31:02 pm
last of the leeks harvested

Brussels and parsnips sewn.

Dahlias dug up ready to split and move.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mcshroom on 05 March, 2016, 06:04:08 pm
A quarter of the garden is no longer gravel as I've now bagged it. More to do tomorrow
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ruthie on 05 March, 2016, 06:14:50 pm
A quarter of the garden is no longer gravel as I've now bagged it. More to do tomorrow

Wow!  That must have been a heck of a workout.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mcshroom on 05 March, 2016, 06:27:00 pm
A quarter of the garden is no longer gravel as I've now bagged it. More to do tomorrow

Wow!  That must have been a heck of a workout.

I'm still in the shallow end, so it'll get harder as I work down the garden. My arms are a it sore though. I'm currently thinking of plans and seeing how much of the bottom of the garden I really need to clear.

After I've moved the gravel, it'll then be the small matter of digging over the compacted, stone embedded garden underneath :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 05 March, 2016, 10:49:17 pm
A quarter of the garden is no longer gravel as I've now bagged it. More to do tomorrow

Wow!  That must have been a heck of a workout.

I'm still in the shallow end, so it'll get harder as I work down the garden. My arms are a it sore though. I'm currently thinking of plans and seeing how much of the bottom of the garden I really need to clear.

After I've moved the gravel, it'll then be the small matter of digging over the compacted, stone embedded garden underneath :-\

 That's where I was ten years ago. After 8 years of digging in compost and grit, last year I went from sub-standard clay soil that I was struggling to get much out of, to raised beds with good friable, nutritious topsoil.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 06 March, 2016, 05:43:45 pm
More planting - PSB outdoor sowing, cucumbers and courgettes in pots to germinate.

Pruned the tree hydrangea - I give it a hard hack every couple of years - and tidied up around it, fallen leaves etc and removed the stalks of last years perennial chrysanths and geraniums. 

Then the hail started

Spring is still just around the corner
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 06 March, 2016, 05:49:27 pm
I've blitzed the garden this week - between icy frost and showers of rain/hail/sleet. No amazing progress or milestones - just clearing beds and doing the stuff I was too busy to do last Autumn (too busy for the last decade, actually).

Did first mild cut of about a 1/3rd of the lawn today. Not ideal conditions but I'll be absent shortly and cannot risk leaving it until after my return.

It's been fantastic to be able to start gardening jobs knowing that I can complete them tomorrow. Or the day after. Or however long it takes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 09 March, 2016, 12:51:39 pm
Thought about planting out some what may be onion sets (ie very very small onion bulbs from seed in 2015 which I gathered and have stored dry) but as it`s just 3c , raining and a gale decided to delay.

Nevertheless under a plastic tunnel cloche placed for onion bed found a couple onions left over from 2015 sprouting up; so added some dried chicken manure, hoed it all over put cloche back and plan plant next week. Worst that can happen is they`ll fail best is actually get a crop of sorts  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 11 March, 2016, 11:36:49 pm
Fixed up a raised bed in the one patch that still had a slope. Planted some carrots of a variety that's supposedly resistant to the depredations of carrot fly. Did some digging.

Our allotment site is being devastated this year. On one side there's a road running across the top of an 18th century dam which holds back a lake in what is now the grounds of the university. That dam has been deemed by the Environment Agency to require reinforcement, lest it collapse & unleash a flood over eastern Reading. The road is expected to be closed for about four months.

So the allotments along that side must be temporarily vacated, half their topsoil scraped off & piled up on the other half until the work is done. Two other plots are also being taken over to provide working space. Recently vacated plots have been kept unlet to provide land for the displaced tenants to store stuff, including temporarily transplanted fruit bushes. A patch left overgrown for assorted reasons has been cleared of brambles (our blackberry source is lost & gone forever, along with poor allotment fox's hidey-hole) & will be given to the one tenant whose plot will be permanently lost, but for the time being he just has enough ground to heap up his stuff on. He'll lose a fine old apple tree.

Our plot isn't directly affected, because of where it is (we wouldn't even be flooded if the dam went), but everything's going on around us. One bloke who's been on the verge of eviction for ages for neglect of his plot (he's never really got the idea that one's supposed to grow things, & keeping the plot tidy with lavish applications of weedkiller doesn't really count as looking after it) has realised that lending half of it to one of the displaced for her to cultivate will earn him yet another stay of execution. The newly cleared patch borders us on one side, & the biggest storage area on the other.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pancho on 12 March, 2016, 07:32:19 am
Don't worry, the brambles will be back. I'm fighting a perpetual war with the things. Post apocalypse, the world will populated with, we're told, cockroaches feasting on a diet of blackberries.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 12 March, 2016, 10:34:52 am
Don't worry, the brambles will be back. I'm fighting a perpetual war with the things. Post apocalypse, the world will populated with, we're told, cockroaches feasting on a diet of blackberries.

The two most pernicious weeds in my garden are the brambles, shat out by the birds and the ivy from the previous owner's attitude to ground cover.

The brambles I'm just about keeping on top of, but it's taken me 5 year of serious effort to remove the worst of the ivy from one patch
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 March, 2016, 01:06:31 pm
Don't worry, the brambles will be back. I'm fighting a perpetual war with the things. Post apocalypse, the world will populated with, we're told, cockroaches feasting on a diet of blackberries.
No, that patch will be a new allotment for the bloke whose plot is being turned into hardstanding. He's quite keen, so I don't see him allowing it to turn into a tangle of brambles again.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 12 March, 2016, 03:45:59 pm
Good news: mowed both lawns, the back one for the first time this year.
Bad news: I 'did' my back earlier in the week and getting the lawnmower out of the garage, past the trailer tent, up onto the lawn, back down, past the trailer tent again, up onto the back lawn and back down into the garage involved a certain amount of hurt.
More bad news: the back lawn really, really needs some serious TLC this year. Seeds or even turf will be involved.
More good news: I found the two missing perspex panes from the greenhouse. They'd not blown away but had obviously been found and put somewhere safe by the builders.

I suppose I should go back out while it's dry and still light.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 12 March, 2016, 07:25:26 pm
I planted parsnips and carrots.

Since spotting that the grounds from the coffee machine at work were being chucked in the bin, I persuaded them to save them for me to use in the garden - I'm bringing home about 10 litres of coffee grounds a week!

As an experiment, I planted the carrot seeds in a bed of coffee grounds.

If it works, I should not only be able top see in the dark, I'll be up all night to make the most of it.  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 12 March, 2016, 07:38:50 pm
I planted parsnips and carrots.

Since spotting that the grounds from the coffee machine at work were being chucked in the bin, I persuaded them to save them for me to use in the garden - I'm bringing home about 10 litres of coffee grounds a week!

As an experiment, I planted the carrot seeds in a bed of coffee grounds.

If it works, I should not only be able top see in the dark, I'll be up all night to make the most of it.  ;D

ICBA with carrots this year, never had them work.  Coffee grounds though, very good, I've had them from Waitrose in Ely before.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 12 March, 2016, 07:43:08 pm
We have also FAILED big time with carrots and parsnips.
Can't be bothered to keep trying.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 12 March, 2016, 07:51:22 pm
I managed carrots in the Bourneville garden many years ago and was reasonably successful.  Only trouble was, that when they were cropping, carrots were about 3p a ton in the local green grocers.  Seemed a bit pointless and I've never bothered since.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 12 March, 2016, 08:42:50 pm
Yes, I tend to go with whatever I know we'll eat masses of, or stuff you can't get in the shops easily.

Oddly, although carrots have been a major failure, parsnips and hamburg parsely have done pretty well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 12 March, 2016, 09:51:18 pm
We are on a heavy loam, so germination of things like parsnip and carrot is a bit dodgy - early season can be either wet cold, or dry and it sets like concrete. If they do germinate, crops are usually big - "A pound of carrots? - it seems a shame to cut one in half!"

Anyway, freshly pulled carrots taste sooooooooooo much better than shop bought.  :P
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 March, 2016, 11:54:09 pm
Yeah, that's why I try to grow 'em. Same with potatoes (though I grow relatively expensive varieties), onions, leeks, cabbages . . . .  It's not the price, it's the flavour. Some of what I grow is stuff that's hard to buy, such as kabu & other Japanese vegetables.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 March, 2016, 02:30:37 pm
more general pruning of the fruit trees, plus some tree cuttings in the nursery bed, they've made good growth in three years.  The apple, gages and cherry I put in two years ago look like they'll produce this year. 

Topped the lawn off as well, hopefully  abit of sun will get in there so I can give it another go during the week
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 13 March, 2016, 05:44:17 pm
Tomatoes, caraway and clary sage seeds sown and in propagators or cold frames as appropriate.
(Which wasn't bad seeing we had friends calling for a walk down to the local stately home for a look round and some lunch, and I managed to watch the rugby)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 17 March, 2016, 09:47:35 pm
First courgette of the year has germinated  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 18 March, 2016, 10:37:32 am
Planted out onion sets and mixed salads seeds outside under plastic cloches on Wednesday, when it felt quite pleasantly Spring like  :thumbsup:.

Last night it was -2c so I`ll have to see what happens now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 29 March, 2016, 02:22:00 pm
a load more stuff sewn into the outdoor beds over the weekend.
Chard, beetroot, lettuces, rocket, beans
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 29 March, 2016, 03:46:18 pm
Very short back and sides to the raspberry canes.
Yes I know I'm a bit late.  I'm late with everything in the garden this year.  It will be a write off veggie wise, but that was more or less planned.
The only thing I managed to do timeously over the winter was pruning the fruit trees and espaliers.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 03 April, 2016, 08:20:18 pm
Potted up sweetcorn seeds, some onion sets and shallots. And planted some potatoes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 04 April, 2016, 09:24:10 pm
Things coming up! Tomatoes & chillis indoors, taters outdoors.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: woollypigs on 04 April, 2016, 09:29:20 pm
A potato, some rockets and some peas. Along with some random wild flowers in various empty pods. Oh and a wee tree into a old walking boot, just for a laugh.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 05 April, 2016, 10:09:03 am
Things coming up! Tomatoes & chillis indoors, taters outdoors.

Haven't started my toms or chillis yet, best get off and get some seeds
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: woollypigs on 05 April, 2016, 11:52:38 am
fecking heck, I'm going back to the supermarket.

Grow your own food they said, it will be fun they said.

I'm bloody starving, planted stuff for a great potato salad yesterday and there is nothing to eat today ... ;)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 19 April, 2016, 07:56:38 pm
cut lawn (third time in 2016); trimmed lawn edges; put cloches over spuds to protect from forecast Artic blast :( ; Rounduped ground elder ; had small bonfire; dug out dandelions ; thought about what`s OK to plant with a forecast of a cold spell and cold Spring...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 19 April, 2016, 08:43:19 pm
Managed a half hour out there this evening.
Front lawn mown and edged, ten minutes of weeding done (barely scratched the surface!), closed the cold frames down for the night, sorted some pots in the garage.
Nice to get out there again. Now just have to make a habit of it!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 22 April, 2016, 12:07:36 pm
this year there are tons of weeds where it grows on the soil like a rosette then a stem shoots up with white flowers. It's everywhere.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 29 April, 2016, 07:40:16 pm
probably Shepherd Purse, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsella_bursa-pastoris  quite easy to pull out though as shallow rooted
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 02 May, 2016, 05:13:38 pm
Planted out the onions and shallots that we started in pots three weeks ago.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 03 May, 2016, 07:00:08 pm
dug dandelions out of lawn, 4 bucket full so far  ::-)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 11 May, 2016, 02:09:00 pm
dug dandelions out of lawn, 4 bucket full so far  ::-)

When I dig up borage roots I don't want to waste the goodness so I smash them with a spade and leave them in a bucket of water for a few weeks. It's like rocket fuel as compost tea watered down but the smell is utterly disgusting and may get the murder squad knocking on your door. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 May, 2016, 10:59:18 pm
Planted some fennel & a Japanese salad green thing which I can't remember the name of. I'll have to ask Ms. U to write it in hiragana for me.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ruthie on 13 May, 2016, 07:59:18 am
Yesterday I re-potted my honeysuckle and put some jasmine plugs out.  Hoping the slugs don't notice 'em before they establish.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 15 May, 2016, 11:48:21 am
planted the courgettes out last week thinking the last of the frosts had gone.  They got hammered by the rain instead. Just made some backup direct sowings.

Resowed the Cos lettuce after the local cat had a play with the germinating seedlings. Also resowed chard and beetroot which I think got hit by the late frosts.

Plus a bit of general pruning of the rambling rose, fig tree and a couple of shrubs.

It's hot out there already, having a rest before lunch now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 15 May, 2016, 10:30:27 pm
Planted out cabbage seedlings & put a big frame covered in butterfly & bird proof netting over them. Emptied out lovely rich compost from the bottom of a bin.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 20 May, 2016, 05:22:16 pm
Planted out courgettes on compost heap / potted up Vampire chili plants into big pots >> conservatory / potted up 6 tomatos into big pots >> conservatory / reconstructed larger cloche of polythene for lettuce, salad greens / put 50 runner bean plants out in shed to harden off / removed a few of remaining dandelions  ;) thought about cutting grass :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ruthie on 21 May, 2016, 05:18:32 pm
Removed the cat poo from the planters with the little jasmine plants in, and replanted the one that was completely dug up.  I hope it survives.  Put some big stones over the bare soil to discourage further activity, I'll have to move the stones again when the sweet pea plants arrive from the growers but that's all right.

I can't decide whether to plant some sweet peas to intertwine with the honeysuckle by the back door.  They're perennial sweet peas, with no scent, but the honeysuckle is scented.  I wonder whether the sweet peas might overwhelm the lonicera *ponders*
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 21 May, 2016, 08:46:30 pm
Cleared (first pass) about 150 sq m of this

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D-Z7g73Yylg/V0C62wAScgI/AAAAAAAA3TM/hWzyb7y-wSo3epy03yG3luRlBAPEHrM8QCCo/s640/IMG_20160520_123547.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 22 May, 2016, 08:32:27 pm
Finally got some of my gardening mojo, if not properly back, at least within reach.
The tomatoes are planted, ten plants in five grow bags along by the garage and seven (I've no idea why it's seven but that's what I grew last year) in the greenhouse.
The greenhouse also has closer to the correct number of panes of glass/perspex in it.
And all the plants which overwinter in said greenhouse are now back outside.
Doesn't sound a lot when written down like that but it does seem to have taken most of the day.
This obviously has nothing to do with the very nice meal with very nice drinks we had last night.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 29 May, 2016, 08:42:56 pm
I had some fun cutting the grass. Some areas of the plot- especially the edges- had really long grass. I didn't fancy tackling it with shears. Considered buying a strimmer but I remembered someone on here- probably on another thread- suggesting a scythe*. That seemed a bit much so I bought a japanese sickle.

First time out with it and I did the plot plus the pathway leading to it. Didn't take long to get the hang of it and I've still got all my fingers.


*this must've been it, actually suggested a sickle.
I chose the sickle for a similar reason, I didn't want to walk through a busy residential area carrying a scythe- especially if the football was on, the jokes about DEATH would be too much.

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3588.0 (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3588.0)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Palinurus on 29 May, 2016, 08:53:54 pm
Not sure how much more allotmenting I'll be doing though, this week the government have approved the disposal of our allotment for development. It is in a pretty central location only 15 minutes walk from the town centre.

Might get another one, not sure yet. When we got this plot (Ms P is the plot holder) about 12 years ago we lived in a one-bed flat with no outside space. Now we have a one-bed flat with a small garden, not big enough to grow large quantities of stuff to eat but it does provide some pottering opportunities. Currently growing some carrots in a container, some radishes, some tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 30 May, 2016, 08:46:33 am
Not sure how much more allotmenting I'll be doing though, this week the government have approved the disposal of our allotment for development. It is in a pretty central location only 15 minutes walk from the town centre.

I was musing on this yesterday with another plotholder. My end of the allotment site is prime building land with potentially good road access and several overgrown plots.
The two plots to my left are untended (although one is currently let) the one to my right has a tenant who turns up once in a blue moon, and the one opposite hasn't has a tenant for about two years. There are several other vacant plots nearby, so I do wonder how much longer we've got.
Anyone want an allotment in Leicester?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: TimO on 05 June, 2016, 06:30:20 pm
Cleared (first pass) about 150 sq m of this ...

Not quite on the scale of Ham, but I've been progressively trying to get my back garden back to a state where I can do something useful with it.  I just had another hack away at the growth, and sprayed some herbicide deeper than I could before, since I can now get there!  Zev is not amused, since I've closed her access to the garden tonight, to minimise her exposure to it.

I found that I have some garden furniture that I did not know existed!

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/stuff/small.php?size=256&file=IMG_20160605_173944_adj.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/stuff/IMG_20160605_173944_adj.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 05 June, 2016, 10:51:57 pm
Not sure how much more allotmenting I'll be doing though, this week the government have approved the disposal of our allotment for development. It is in a pretty central location only 15 minutes walk from the town centre.

I was musing on this yesterday with another plotholder. My end of the allotment site is prime building land with potentially good road access and several overgrown plots.
The two plots to my left are untended (although one is currently let) the one to my right has a tenant who turns up once in a blue moon, and the one opposite hasn't has a tenant for about two years. There are several other vacant plots nearby, so I do wonder how much longer we've got.
Anyone want an allotment in Leicester?
Can you deliver it to Reading?  ;D

There's a bit of a shortage of plots round here.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 08 June, 2016, 12:11:15 pm
Blasted garlic has blasted rust. Realise I done it by putting too much manure in the solid prior to sowing last September. Fool! Should I strip as much of the blasted leaves off, and still leave in the ground do you think?

(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b176/Riggers_1956/Allotment2_zpsyorh22dx.jpg) (http://s19.photobucket.com/user/Riggers_1956/media/Allotment2_zpsyorh22dx.jpg.html)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rogerzilla on 08 June, 2016, 07:24:08 pm
The grass seed I raked in on Saturday teatime was up this morning.  It's amazing how quickly it germinates in the heat - if you can keep the soil moist.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 04 July, 2016, 11:51:21 am
Done a bit of tidying-up. Mowed some of the blasted grass walkways we've inherited, from our absentee landlady, who now resides in France, but still has the allotment in her name. Tackled a few weeds that have been encouraged by the seemingly incessant rain and mildish-warmish weather masquerading as an English Summer.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 04 July, 2016, 01:26:20 pm
Blasted garlic has blasted rust. Realise I done it by putting too much manure in the solid prior to sowing last September. Fool! Should I strip as much of the blasted leaves off, and still leave in the ground do you think?
My garlic had rust. I pulled it all up last week, & the bulbs are fine, mostly ready to lift anyway.

We have one bulb left of last year's garlic, so it's just in time.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 05 July, 2016, 11:36:28 pm
The daikon is bolting, so I pulled up the most affected. The roots are small, but very tasty. Mrs B is very pleased with the flavour.

Lifted some kabu as well, & it's also pretty good.

Potato leaves are looking sorry for themselves so I rummaged around under a plant & came up with my first tater of the year.

Got up all the autumn planted onions. Spring planted ones are coming along nicely.

Ate our first home-grown cucumber of the year.

More rhubarb than we know what to do with.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 08 July, 2016, 11:17:38 pm
Not sure how much more allotmenting I'll be doing though, this week the government have approved the disposal of our allotment for development. It is in a pretty central location only 15 minutes walk from the town centre.

I was musing on this yesterday with another plotholder. My end of the allotment site is prime building land with potentially good road access and several overgrown plots.
The two plots to my left are untended (although one is currently let) the one to my right has a tenant who turns up once in a blue moon, and the one opposite hasn't has a tenant for about two years. There are several other vacant plots nearby, so I do wonder how much longer we've got.
Anyone want an allotment in Leicester?

I'd say yes, but I'd have to be an absentee tenant, and the MIL is a bit past it these days
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 09 July, 2016, 08:43:47 am
 The right hand tenant has obviously had a letter from The Committee, because when I called in yesterday he'd strimmed everything down to ground level.
I'm seriously wondering about asking about taking on the other plot, but putting it all down to orchard/fruit as a relatively low maintenance way of keeping the plot in production and keeping (some of) the weeds off my veg.


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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 09 July, 2016, 10:15:06 pm
Picked some very nice raspberries today.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 10 July, 2016, 08:13:56 am
Picked some very nice raspberries today.
Fresh raspberries from the bushes we inherited on our plot were a complete revelation to me. Heavenly nectar.


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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 11 July, 2016, 09:55:00 am
Stamped out about 25lb of cut-comb honey from the super I'd taken to Hull and sold it at Avenues Open Gardens.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 11 July, 2016, 09:25:08 pm
I went to see the plot steward about the overgrown plot next to mine - he's given the current tenant notice, which will expire at the end of the month.
He's delighted that I'm willing to take it on, and is happy with my outline for fruit bushes and low growing trees. Once I've taken tenancy of Plot2 he'll arrange for a couple of trailer loads of wood chippings to be delivered to the plot for me to use as mulch, and will let me have more if up I need them.
And it looks like I get another shed, and a falling-down-shed too!
All in all, a very successful visit to the site. (Assuming the current tenants don't suddenly get all enthusiastic)


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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: woollypigs on 11 July, 2016, 10:16:25 pm
Yesterday we harvested our bumper crop of two pea pods.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 19 July, 2016, 02:13:27 am
Picked 2 out of 6 rows of dwarf french beans, approx 1/100th of the beetroot, a few rhubarbs and a punnet of mange-tout - I should have taken the trailer...

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/wobblyjohn/crops%20July%2018-16_zpsxt1ahtz7.jpg)

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/wobblyjohn/bike%20july_zps12bkizec.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 19 July, 2016, 11:57:22 am
 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 19 July, 2016, 11:54:26 pm
I went to see the plot steward about the overgrown plot next to mine - he's given the current tenant notice, which will expire at the end of the month. ....
All in all, a very successful visit to the site. (Assuming the current tenants don't suddenly get all enthusiastic)
There's a bloke on our site who's been clinging on by a whisker for ages. He's been given notice, put in a short burst of activity, been allowed to stay. Rinse & repeat. And he complains that he shouldn't be hassled, because he keeps it tidy. :facepalm: He doesn't seem able to grasp that turning up occasionally & dumping weedkiller on his plot, or planting some widely spaced maize which he never harvests, is missing the point. The plot is for growing things, not hanging on to for the sake of it.

It might be different if we had different management, but it's a small site directly run by the council.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: woollypigs on 21 July, 2016, 06:23:00 pm
Nothing but I got told about the politics in allotment up keep. Two people whom I have never seen before let me know that the councils are up to no good. The road - that I walk the mutt up to get to the green - is the access road to the allotments which is cared for by the county and the allotments are over seen by the town. The county have just put up a gate and is planning to block vehicular access. The road is about 200 yards long up hill and ends in a car park, room for 2-3 with further 5-6 inside the gate to the allotment. Sooo why are they blocking access and calling it a path, when there is speed bumps and signs that they are about to resurface - I was asked. Along with a moan about the upkeep of the grass - well weed - verges, they - the councils - never come up here. Where shall we park, how can I carry 5 x 100 litres compost up that hill, the neighbours would moan if we park at the bottom, the councils never talk together, already spend £1000 on the gate/bollard thing* etc etc.

From the posters at the entrance and the headline on the local rag I take it that there have been a meeting today and they weren't best pleased.

* Which they have done in a crap way. We looked at it about two weeks ago and quickly figured that if you drive a car through it you would have to go off the tarmac and over time that would just make a major mess. Oh yes they left a little gap on the side for wheelbarrows, though I do think that most of the wheelbarrows I have seen up on the allotment would struggle to squeeze though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 21 July, 2016, 11:04:37 pm
We don't have vehicular access & never have had, but we should be getting a vehicle gate & enough hard standing for one truck later this year, opened for deliveries by prior arrangement.

Done today - watering! And picking two cucumbers.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Marmitegeoff on 29 July, 2016, 04:53:12 pm
I have just got a small plot and so have started looking here.

today finished the first rough dig,  (I think the first in about 5 years ).
Planted out some leek plants that I was given, as well as some beetroot seedlings.  See how they go.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 29 July, 2016, 05:42:13 pm
I had a very quick visit to the plot today on my way home from my volunteering job on the canal - picked three courgettes, and barrowed three more loads of wood chippings from the communal pile onto my heap.


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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 31 July, 2016, 09:22:41 am
Yesterday we managed a good session - officially told we could take on the adjacent plot, so I did a monumental amount of strimming, and sprayed far too much glyphosate (yes, I know). There's all sorts of cr@p underneath the growth, which will need to be removed.
Picked some spuds, courgettes, broad beans, raspberries, blackberries, onions (that the slugs had had the tops of) and sowed some swede and turnip in a couple of new raised beds.


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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Marmitegeoff on 05 August, 2016, 08:06:39 pm
Not really down at the plot,   but I sowed some seeds of spring cabbage, as well as some kale and put them in the greenhouse at home.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rogerzilla on 08 August, 2016, 08:38:49 pm
Cut and watered the lawn.  I shudder to think what my water bill will be (I'm on an evil meter; my work colleague has been watering his new turf 24/7 at no cost because he isn't metered) but a new lawn seeded at the start of June really needs to be mollycoddled.  It's looking pretty good - there are a few small bare patches still but it should be thick and complete by the end of this month, which is about right.

I'm also having to look after the rear lawn at the rented house in the town centre, which is empty until the 19th.  The front garden has small ornamental beds which are a mess of weeds and litter.  I occasionally spray the weeds with glyphosate but it doesn't work on the litter, which is just as bad after 24 hours if cleared up.  I'm sure the do-as-ya-likeys next door just fling their used baby wipes from the car (a giant Brokeback Mountain pickup) onto the garden, as well as using our wheelie bin for their overflow fag packets and pizza boxes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 08 August, 2016, 10:48:15 pm
Picked four cucumbers (& there'll be more in a couple of days - time to start finding people who like Japanese cucumbers to give some away to). Fennel's coming along nicely. Plenty of French beans, komatsuna & radishes ready to eat. First japanese cabbage ready! No more cabbage buying for a long time, considering how much further behind many of them are. Some of the leeks could be eaten now.

Chugging along nicely except for the disappointingly green tomatoes. Plenty of 'em, but green, green, green!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 13 August, 2016, 06:55:08 pm
We brought home a big bunch of roses and gladioli. We got some huge blackberries from the bush bordering the top of the plot, a few raspberries and some measly strawberries. The last of the broad beans are now out.
I've made some more temporary 'roofing tile raised beds' and put salad stuff in them.
Plus the usual weeding.....
Most importantly I've staked out where seven of the fruit cordons are going on the second plot, in advance of digging holes to prepare the ground for the trees; I'm also confident that I know where two of the bush trees are going. But, the bottom end of this plot is turning into a problem - full of buried 'treasure' - mostly string, plastic and odd bits of wood, it's also much more uneven than the other end, so it might need the winter to sort it out.


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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 13 August, 2016, 09:28:52 pm
Picked french beans for dinner (tasty - eaten half an hour after picking), & a cucumber, radishes & kabu for tomorrow.

We ate the first cabbage two days ago & none of the others are quite ready yet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 23 August, 2016, 05:43:40 am
Have been able pick loads Runner beans, so far about 15lb from nearly 70 plants at locations across garden and same to come. After early blossom end rot courgettes doing well and steady supply; tomatos indoors all ripened now---a very warm conservatory  :thumbsup:  Masses of Vampire chillis coming on  two large plants---raised from last years seeds of an F1 strain so slightly surprised that they`ve fruited so well, over 100 pods present

Slight downside of ravaging attack on broccoli and purple sprouting broccoli by caterpillars, one day plants were OK next stripped of leaves. Have tried combination of flicking caterpillars off, and spraying with dilute washing up liquid which has reduced numbers but fear a lot of plants destroyed :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 04 September, 2016, 02:29:18 pm
Having been away for the past five weekends (including a two week holiday) I've finally got out into the garden.
So far I have pruned the cherries and plums (well overdue), sorted the tomatoes, tidied the pond a bit, cut a hazel in the front garden back down to the ground (I'm trying to get rid of it the lazy way and failing), pruned the summer raspberries, and done a bit of weeding.
Both lawns need mowing, there's a load of weeding which still needs doing...
And MrsC has decide the herb garden (mostly raised beds and pots on the patio) needs a good sorting out this autumn.
I suppose I should get back outside really.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 06 September, 2016, 08:13:04 am
Greengages. We've always had two greengage trees on our allotment plot, but there's three more (plus saplings) on the second plot. Over the last five days I've brought home eight bucket loads of greengages. That's without going up the stepladder.
Yesterday I cut down the saplings that had no more fruit on them and cut out some of he dead / crossing branches - I've now got two huge bonfires building nicely for the 1st October (when we're allowed to have incendiaries on our plots) - I think they'll be visible from space.
The second plot now has a good path along the edge topped with wood chippings, and weed control fabric over where most of the fruit trees are going. The bottom end of this plot is looking more problematic than I expected due to the amount of buried crap I'm finding (cans, plastic, metal objects, wood) which needs digging out before I can use it.
I've cleared out the two sheds I've inherited - no treasure, just more crap.
The free horse muck I got, that I mulched the potatoes with was the worst stuff ever - it contained super-charged couch grass, that all now needs digging out. I think that's a fallow area for next year.
The small raised salad beds made with roofing tiles are proving a big success, best salad I've ever grown - I wonder if the concrete tiles are heating up in the sun enough to give a little warmth to the bed.


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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 08 September, 2016, 07:01:14 pm
The cucumber glut is in full swing, & now the tomato glut strikes!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: matthew on 08 October, 2016, 01:32:57 pm
Strawberries planted though I'm probably 4-6 weeks late and they may not make it through the winter. Another bed had been prepared for gooseberries redcurrants and raspberries which have been ordered and should arrive in 2 weeks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 08 October, 2016, 06:25:40 pm
Picked what I think is probably the last cucumber. Those still on the plants don't look as if they'll get big enough to eat.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 08 October, 2016, 07:57:14 pm
Another bonfire!
Mrs M planted 35 of her rooted strawberry runners, and I put in a few broad bean seeds to overwinter.
Picked a few beetroot, and probably the last of the squash.
And digging, and more digging.
I've had a rethink with the second plot, and am going to putt six more stakes in for the fruit trees.

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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: matthew on 09 October, 2016, 07:55:24 pm
Installed all the eyebolts and wires ready to support the Raspberries and the gooseberry and redcurrent cordons.

Tasks left are to dig in manure in the beds and then plant in the new plants when they arrive in a couple of weeks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 10 October, 2016, 04:46:35 pm
Picked crabapples

We planted a tree 18 months ago, didn't harvest any fruit last year. What a mistake and waste.

This year was a bumper harvest. MrsC decided she's going to make crab apple wine and we set to harvesting. 23lbs from one little tree!

I tried eating some, they are actually really sweet and juicy, I'd assumed they would be too tart.

They've all gone into the freezer now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 14 October, 2016, 06:14:26 pm
 Helped seven other plot holders tale some trees and bushes down on a hedge-line that had gone rampant. How no-one got seriously injured I don't know. Last time I get involved in amateur hedge hacking (and amateur chain-sawing).


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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: matthew on 16 October, 2016, 05:43:16 pm
150 litres of manure dug into the beds ready for planting the soft fruit in a couple of weeks. I have another 100l ready to mulch the plant once they are in.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 25 October, 2016, 10:18:36 am
Planted the garlic last weekend, hope they'll be more successful than in the past.  A "hard necked" variety called Red Duke, supposedly a really pungent one.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 25 October, 2016, 11:35:32 am
Prepared my rose bed and am now waiting for the last of the flowers to die before I move the shrub roses which I propagated from cuttings into it.

Have also mulched with a lot with Beech leaves and started coppicing and pollarding the Beech and Wych Elm.

Once that's done I'm going to plant a new 2 acre coppice with Hornbeam and Oak which I grew from seed and hedging it with thorn mix to keep the deer out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 26 October, 2016, 12:12:47 pm
Picked a couple of Laxton's Superb (https://www.orangepippin.com/apples/laxtons-superb) from the tree just before getting in the car for work.  Truly the best apples ever!

Still getting a handful of delicious raspberries in the evenings when Junior gets home from nursery.  Since we finished the fruit cage (5mx7mx2.2m) last weekend, we've got high hopes that next year's soft fruit (raspberries, currants, gooseberries, blueberries, strawberries) won't all get nicked by the birds.

The netting on the top is removable so that it won't tear under snow loading, and the sides are chicken wire up to about 80cm and down beneath the soil surface to prevent/deter ingress by our geese and the neighbourhood rabbits.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 08 November, 2016, 12:53:44 pm
4 varieties of garlic in the allotment now.

172! That's right! Whether they'll all grow – who knows!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 08 November, 2016, 01:47:48 pm
My garlic bulbs (not as many as you!) including the Elephant Garlic are all sprouting already. I'm told this is not a bad thing.


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Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 17 November, 2016, 07:40:40 pm
Made a leaf pile. Every year the council sweep the road and tons of leaves go to landfill, breaks my heart, so I wheeled the garden wheelie bin down, raked up a load, wheeled them back and piled them up. Did the same last year and filled a bed about fifteen feet deep and six wide and the leaves just..disappeared. By July they'd pretty much gone so this year I'm making the pile about 20 inches deep. Did you know leaf mould can hold up to 300% its weight in water? Marvellous stuff.

(https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5586/30679087540_aa5aba6ecf_z.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 19 November, 2016, 10:14:38 pm
Emptied one of our 3 compost bins out to mulch the roses, then transferred the contents of a second into it. Now my wife ha an empty bin to fill. The third one will sit for a couple of years.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 20 November, 2016, 02:31:52 pm
Planted three new white, single shrub roses "Kew Gardens" from David Austin roses, beautiful bare root plants. Pricey but worth the money.

Planted 30 6-8 foot Beech whips in the new 2 acre coppice......only another 200 to go after I've cut what's there and dug the whips up. That should keep me busy for a couple of weeks before the frost comes and I can start cutting the Birch coppice.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 22 December, 2016, 03:36:09 pm
Dunno if you'd call it 'the plot', but due to pressure from the landlord I had to do stuff on mooring on Sat.
   
So

After due consideration I agreed with his assessment that mooring pole needed resiting. Unfortunately that meant digging it out (it was only half-dug in due to flood washing out bank). Dug new hole for it to go in three feet further up bank. Dug down next to pole/concrete.
   
This is a 6" square steel pole, which I thought was only 6' long, 3' in concrete, 3' sticking up. I was wrong. It was 9' long. So I dug, and dug and dug. Then I dug out my new home for it some more.
   
Got farm jack out (I love that farm jack) and started jacking up pole - the pole is attached to a 7meter steel beam. This is all attached to a steel pontoon and a 20ton barge. Oh, and I rigged a rope to another pole on the bank and winched that tight, so the whole lot wouldn't fall over when I jacked it up. This didn't go quite as smoothly as I'm making it sound, the jack slipped off a few times, jammed on it's linkages a few times and there were a few fboab words said. There was the stage when all of it was swinging in the air and I had to scrabble in the hole and scratch a bit more soil away.

But finally it dropped into place. Job's a good-un.

I did have offer of help from someone else who had a boat on adjacent pontoon, but I'd only just met them and this sort of stuff is very prone to going wrong - make a mistake and people get very hurt. I don't want to be responsible for someone losing teeth (common accident with farm jacks slipping or handle kicking back) or getting crushed by hundreds of kilos of steel falling on them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: jamesld8 on 28 December, 2016, 07:54:19 am
Planted the garlic last weekend, hope they'll be more successful than in the past.  A "hard necked" variety called Red Duke, supposedly a really pungent one.

I`ve given up on garlic growing now after 2 years just getting small chestnut sized bulbs.

Over last few days have cleared up last of leaves--a big pile now going to mulch, cut lawns on Xmas Eve  :facepalm:, did more firewood from the increasingly large `leftovers, hard to split etc pile`, and pruned apple and pear trees.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 28 December, 2016, 10:24:02 pm
Digging.

Odd about the garlic. Summat missing from the soil, perhaps? I had some pretty small bulbs this year, but also plenty of decent size ones.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 05 January, 2017, 09:49:54 am
Pruned the two small apple trees and cut back the bastard bamboo again. MrsC said she'd get me better secateurs [translation; she doesn't like me abusing hers] but she didn't. Bastard bamboo is a bastard to cut.

I don't like pruning. Too worried I'll get it wrong.
Title: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: HeltorChasca on 07 January, 2017, 04:46:57 pm
8 shrubs transplanted (fruit) and 22 trees (mostly fruit) and roses pruned. I'll leave transplanting my summer raspberry canes till tomorrow. All organic. Off for a sarnie and cider.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 07 January, 2017, 06:30:43 pm
inspired by this thread I planted some Garlic in Oct or Nov. It is now poking it's heads above the soil. The local allotment has some plots to rent and I was very tempted. I then thought about how I am not keeping on top of my home garden, so to take on more garden would be silly. I decided that this year I would try to make best use of the small plot and Greenhouse I have at home and keep on top of the rest of the garden. If that goes ok then I could take on a half plot next year.
I sowed some chilly seeds which are now keeping warm in the airing cupboard. Last year I had good success with some seedlings that I bought in Tesco. I had some seeds that I'd saved so thought I'd sow them to see what happens.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 07 January, 2017, 10:13:25 pm
Digging.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 17 January, 2017, 10:46:25 pm
Cutting back a 40 year old privet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 17 January, 2017, 11:07:21 pm
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/513/31929717710_0b65033c51_z.jpg)



(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/670/31971795110_6e57e7b6de_z.jpg)

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 23 January, 2017, 09:35:15 am
I cut back effing bamboo.

Anyone have any suggestions for dealing with the stuff? Cutting it off at ground level results in little razor sharp stubs all over the bed.
I was wondering about slates dug in vertically to stop it spreading.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 25 January, 2017, 10:35:49 am
Depends on the variety (is it 'running' or a more slow-growing variety) but it'll come down to dig it up. If it starts to come back – dig it up. It's amazingly resilient, and yes, it isn't easy digging up a 'clump' that's been there for years. I've seen a seemingly insignificant piece of rhizome (which looked gnarled and dead) spring back to life.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 25 January, 2017, 10:39:44 am
Checked my 172 garlic last weekend, and not all have been successful, but we'll just have to see how the rest do. Haven't counted what remains.

Found a couple of bed supports (with metal bars) which I rescued from a street, and now up the Lotty. When supported vertically, will make a splendid ready-made framework for growing green beans, etc.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 27 January, 2017, 05:46:44 pm
I cut back effing bamboo.
We have been living in this house for sixteen and a half years. MrsC objected to the bamboo in our first summer here. I am still digging the wretched stuff up and cutting it back when I find it.
My next door neighbour dug a trench and lined it with slate to stop the bamboo appearing in his greenhouse.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 27 February, 2017, 11:51:59 am
Yesterday, mainly pruning of shrubberies including the tree hydrangea and fig tree, plus general tidying up of all the standing seed heads etc from the winter, picking up leaves and whatnot.  Pulled out as many brambles as possible.   Filled the green bin.

Decided to get rid of the grape vine as it is simply not consistent enough with the warmth we get.  Will relocate the lavenders below it to a sunny patch and turn that area into a herb bed as it's just outside the patio door.

Today started the indoor plantings, now in my office to propagate.
- 2 varieties of courgette
- cucumbers
- harlequin squash
- 2 varieties of chilli
- Brussels sprouts
- Some Gazanias and some yarrow for the flower beds

Will do a bit more clearing of the veggie patch as well this afternoon and see if I can get the parsnips in.

Need to get out and buy a few more packets of seeds as well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 27 February, 2017, 03:36:59 pm
Bloke down the pub reckons you sow sunflowers indoor on St Patrick's Day. I planted some plug lobelia in a Belfast sink in a sheltered bit but if we get a frost it will probably do them in. £3 for 24 in Wilko.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 27 February, 2017, 04:16:09 pm
parsnips did not go in.

I spread the compost from one of the heaps on the veggie beds and then the heavens opened, wind, hail, rain.

I beat a retreat and have been inside since
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Marmitegeoff on 01 March, 2017, 04:27:31 pm
A bit more digging and planted 1 row of garlic, and 3 rows of shallots.  A bit late but we will see what happens,  we have the plot just to the north of the boundary hedge, so I am not that hopeful.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 04 March, 2017, 04:26:16 pm
Nice and warm in the sun today down at The Plot. Even warmer after I'd done some digging, and some more digging.
Mrs M has almost finished cutting down the Autumn fruiting raspberry canes. We've had another good bunch of daffodils. The new redcurrant bushes on the second plot are starting to show some leaf growth which is heartening.
I've put some beetroot in - maybe a bit early, but I'm an optimist.
I'm trying some 'temporary-semi-raised-beds' this year - about six-eight inches depth of mixed composted-wood-chipping/old-grow-bag mixture/soil/old cow muck edged with planks - the beetroot have gone into one of these. It's the same arrangement that the garlic are successfully growing in (without the cow muck). The hope is that it will ease weeding, make harvesting easier, and add some roughage to the heavy clay base soil.
Oh, and a bit of a bonfire too.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 06 March, 2017, 07:02:22 am
Put the wild garlic in a pot prior to relocation
Direct sowing of parsnips and beetroot, after grubbing up last years chard which yielded up enough for a meal
Also indoor showings of some brassicas, tomatoes and cucumbers, and some early beans and peas in peat pots in the greenhouse
Indoor sowing of some pretty flowers selected by swmbo

My new office seems to be very good for propagation, the other cucumbers and some flowers are up after less than a week.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 09 March, 2017, 08:31:59 am
can't believe the effectiveness of an east facing but quite light office with the boiler in it as an incubator.

All my courgettes, squashes and cucumbers planted 10 days ago are through and romping away as are gazanias and yarrow.  Chillies which have always been slow are just peeking through.  The batch that are going great guns through are the cosmos that I sowed last Sunday and were germinating by Tuesday and are now up to 2" tall already
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 10 March, 2017, 03:47:24 pm
Hairy bittercress everywhere, seeded all over any bare soil. Millions of them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: T42 on 10 March, 2017, 03:57:34 pm
You could probably flog them to a health-food shop.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 March, 2017, 07:04:48 pm
Mowing
Trellising
Moving Bonsai out of the greenhouse
Started creation of the new herb patch
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 11 March, 2017, 06:59:47 pm
Today? too much digging  :'(

I cut back effing bamboo.

Anyone have any suggestions for dealing with the stuff? Cutting it off at ground level results in little razor sharp stubs all over the bed.
I was wondering about slates dug in vertically to stop it spreading.

When I removed ours a while back, I resorted to a kango....

This is the stuff you need (http://best4garden.co.uk/root-barrier/bamboo/rhizome-barrier/) - you dig it in before you plant, leaving the edge an inch or so proud,  and keep an eye out for the little bugger climbing over the top

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 11 March, 2017, 07:34:17 pm
MrsC decreed that the patio was a mess and needed dealing with.
So we now have about a dozen fewer pots on it, including the ones which did have the ivies, a rather tatty sage and an even tattier rosemary. I will need to drive to the tip at some point as there's no way we can get all of that into the compost heap.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 21 March, 2017, 12:13:49 pm
As I said earlier, not all the garlic I put in has risen (fair enough) but did notice that the ground around the garlic seems to have fewer weeds than other areas of the lotty. The area where the garlic grew last year is similarly denuded of weeds, so assume the garlic acts as a weed inhibitor.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 25 March, 2017, 06:39:42 pm
Cleaned the green algae off the greenhouse, planted 3 white lupins and about 100 anemones after they'd soaked overnight. My neighbour has got a fantastic display of anemones in a window box that get less than 2 hours sun a day. She planted hers in November, mine should be out June. Painted the garden furniture, got the seed trays ready. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 26 March, 2017, 05:53:54 pm
Must have done loads, I'm knackered.
Lots of weeding, emptying and refilling one of the ponds, pruning one of the holly trees, doesn't seem a lot when written down but it has taken most of the day.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 26 March, 2017, 06:05:56 pm
Mowed the lawn (AGAIN!).  Cut back all the dead stuff in the borders.  Continued to de bramble the brambly area.  A little light weeding. 
My weeding philosophy is little and often, so that it doesn't feel like a chore.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 26 March, 2017, 06:21:33 pm
I mowed the back lawn on Friday evening. I have not mowed the front one as I assumed, wrongly, that it wouldn't need cutting again so soon.
I'd like to get the weeding to 'a little and often' but at the moment it's 'a lot and all the time'.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 26 March, 2017, 10:43:42 pm
After getting home from a bike ride, I dug out some compost from the ready bin & plonked it where I'm going to plant this year's cucumbers. Watered where I've planted seeds as it was looking a bit dry.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: matthew on 27 March, 2017, 12:15:52 am
planted 10 raspberry canes.

Unfortunately I have missed the window to plant the red currents and gooseberries I wanted to after the nursery failed to deliver the plants and refunded me without communication.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 28 March, 2017, 01:32:42 pm
Today? too much digging  :'(

I cut back effing bamboo.

Anyone have any suggestions for dealing with the stuff? Cutting it off at ground level results in little razor sharp stubs all over the bed.
I was wondering about slates dug in vertically to stop it spreading.

When I removed ours a while back, I resorted to a kango....

This is the stuff you need (http://best4garden.co.uk/root-barrier/bamboo/rhizome-barrier/) - you dig it in before you plant, leaving the edge an inch or so proud,  and keep an eye out for the little bugger climbing over the top
Looks identical to the stuff you use for flashing at the edge of a roof. I wonder if it is the same stuff, rebadged and sold for twice the price?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: matthew on 01 April, 2017, 09:40:53 pm
Replaced 3 fence posts, two had rotted with one having failed in the high winds a few weeks back. I was away and the neighbours only told me two weeks ago.

I managed to snap the third whilst trying to get the panel back in when the first post wasn't quite right.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 01 April, 2017, 10:10:53 pm
Today? too much digging  :'(

I cut back effing bamboo.

Anyone have any suggestions for dealing with the stuff? Cutting it off at ground level results in little razor sharp stubs all over the bed.
I was wondering about slates dug in vertically to stop it spreading.

When I removed ours a while back, I resorted to a kango....

This is the stuff you need (http://best4garden.co.uk/root-barrier/bamboo/rhizome-barrier/) - you dig it in before you plant, leaving the edge an inch or so proud,  and keep an eye out for the little bugger climbing over the top
Looks identical to the stuff you use for flashing at the edge of a roof. I wonder if it is the same stuff, rebadged and sold for twice the price?

Not impossible, it's much thicker/stiffer than any flashband, but there may be a type of pvc flashing I haven't seen.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 02 April, 2017, 08:31:32 am
Hacked back some very old lavenders.  Found that they had plenty of growth at the base so moved them to where I want lavenders.  Gave them a good soak and fingers crossed they'll take
Burned a load of stuff in the incinerator, kippered myself and singed the fence in the process  ::-)

The old lavender patch will become a new herb patch.

Lawn mowing today, some direct sowing of early lettuces as well I think, and maybe a row of chard
Title: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: HeltorChasca on 02 April, 2017, 08:47:34 am
Hacked back some very old lavenders.  Found that they had plenty of growth at the base so moved them to where I want lavenders.  Gave them a good soak and fingers crossed they'll take
Burned a load of stuff in the incinerator, kippered myself and singed the fence in the process  ::-)

The old lavender patch will become a new herb patch.

Lawn mowing today, some direct sowing of early lettuces as well I think, and maybe a row of chard

Good luck with the lavender. Interesting plant. It puts down an essential oil where it has been growing and effectively poisons the soil around it so other plants can't compete. It's worthwhile replacing with other 'sterile' topsoil if you can. As you will be putting herbs in there isn't too much point in feeding the soil with compost or anything.

I need to get myself a bonfire tan. It's a good look.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 02 April, 2017, 03:41:57 pm
Took the lid of the barrel that feeds the pond and found a foot of stinking black sycamore sludge that I bucketed out and tipped on the compost heap. The pond needs draining cos I bet there's the same at the bottom of that but it's alive with tadpoles at the moment and they're doing a pretty good job of cleaning round the edge.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 02 April, 2017, 03:42:32 pm
If you poke the bottom of the pond with a stick bubbles come up and are disagreeable.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 02 April, 2017, 04:52:09 pm
We've turned the pump/stream/waterfall back on in the pond.
Both lawns have been mown.
I've done more weeding.
I need to water things before dark, but I'm having a rest by making bread instead.
(I would have done more but I've been out in the car three times to get 'emergency' supplies of one sort or another as well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: David Martin on 03 April, 2017, 10:56:37 pm
Cleared out the greenhouse. Replaced the missing pane of glass. Planted out 5 tomato plants and one pepper in growbags,  and a dozen strawberries in two window boxes. SWMBO carried on the good work getting seed sown (courgettes etc.) and potatoes chitting.
Shredded the remaining dry stuff including the very prickly rose stems.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 05 April, 2017, 11:41:57 am
Today? too much digging  :'(

I cut back effing bamboo.

Anyone have any suggestions for dealing with the stuff? Cutting it off at ground level results in little razor sharp stubs all over the bed.
I was wondering about slates dug in vertically to stop it spreading.

When I removed ours a while back, I resorted to a kango....

This is the stuff you need (http://best4garden.co.uk/root-barrier/bamboo/rhizome-barrier/) - you dig it in before you plant, leaving the edge an inch or so proud,  and keep an eye out for the little bugger climbing over the top
Looks identical to the stuff you use for flashing at the edge of a roof. I wonder if it is the same stuff, rebadged and sold for twice the price?

Not impossible, it's much thicker/stiffer than any flashband, but there may be a type of pvc flashing I haven't seen.

See also; raspberries coming up all over our fruit patch - all through the gooseberries, currants and blueberry bushes...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 05 April, 2017, 08:47:53 pm
There's a border I haven't touched for years apart from cutting a giant rosemary back and the wild garlic has gone mad, dense clumps of it that make your hands smell.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 05 April, 2017, 11:06:19 pm
Having been away this week, I have Instructed youngest and swmbo to open/close greenhouse an water seedlings as required.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 08 April, 2017, 04:24:07 pm
Youngest helped me today, canes for beans, posts and net for peas, planted out and protected from late frosts with a length of fleece pegged to the uprights and held down with bricks at ground level.  They were just getting too big for the greenhouse.

She then helped me create a hawthorn bonsai group
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 27 April, 2017, 03:39:39 pm
Put the bird-netting up over the top of our fruit cage, since the currants have emerged and the gooseberries are just beginning to swell.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 30 April, 2017, 10:43:36 am
Planted out squash, courgettes and outdoor cucumbers, brocolli and sprout seedlings as well.

Sewed more letttuce and beetroot. 

Fleece off the beans and peas but over the brassicas to try and discourage the caterpillars
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 30 April, 2017, 09:39:17 pm
Fed both robins!

There's been a half-tame robin hanging around recently that was obviously feeding another one.  Depending on the person, he'd get pretty damn close, following any digging or other activity which might turn up anything edible (one plot-holder has him diving on turned-over soil while it's still on the spade he's holding), filling his beak & flying off. I've thrown cockchafer larvae a few feet to where he can conveniently pick them up, & he's grabbed 'em while I watched. We assumed Mrs R was sitting on eggs, & he was feeding her.

Late this afternoon Mrs B & I paid a brief visit to the allotment. He arrived, & Mrs B turned over some ready-to-use compost for him. He started fishing around - then another one joined him! I've always thought of 'em as fiercely territorial, but they seemed totally amicable. No. 2 was slightly slimmer & definitely more cautious of us, & only took food near us when no. 1 was already there. Looked very much like Mr & Mrs, collecting grub for the youngsters.

They love ant larvae. Presented with a load from a nest under black plastic, Mr stuffed his beak. There was a row of little white grubs sticking out of the side when he flew off.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 04 May, 2017, 10:19:47 pm
Male and female robins look alike, so your pair was probably Mr and Mrs
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 05 May, 2017, 10:52:27 am
Yes. That's what I said. Mr & Mrs collecting food for their chicks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 06 May, 2017, 05:46:12 pm
After missing 3 weeks due to gallivanting round the Mainland of Europe today's visit to the allotment was always going to be a 'surprise'. It was seriously depressing how much grass can grow in such a short space of time, but thankfully not too many weeds have taken root in the beds - but not too much has germinated in the beds either. We must have had a touch of frost as the tips of my potatoes have just been burned off.
A good session with the strimmer, a while crawling around pulling out weeds, and a fair bit of earthing up the tatties seems to have made it look a whole lot better.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 14 May, 2017, 11:19:34 pm
Last week was big in weeding, this week big on planting.

All the flowers raised from seed went out today, cosmos, gazania, yarrow and mixed daisies. Also split and redistributed a mahhooosive clump of red hot poker.

That's almost everything out now. The courgettes were protected from the recent cold by a fleece tunnel, but it looks like the outdoor cucumbers have had it, but I ha e a couple of spares. Tomatoes still to plant into the greenhouse.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: runsoncake on 30 May, 2017, 12:56:20 pm
Was on hands & knees pulling up weeds from the path by a raised full of chives in flower. My face was only a few inches away from about 30 bees of varying shapes, sizes and colours.  It a delightful experience until the scent from the chives became too overpowering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 30 May, 2017, 01:28:38 pm
Just had some home grown icicle radishes with lunch. More, & some kabu, to go with dinner. The first lot of Japanese spinach is pretty much finished, but more has been planted. Planted some ordinary radishes & did a lot of weeding. Everything's growing like mad. Mange-tout, green beans, komatsuna, potatoes, Japanese cabbages & leeks looking good. Garlic looking weedy, which is a pity. Got some in pots in the garden which is flourishing, but not enough to make up for a poor allotment crop.

Time to plant out the cucumbers, I think. They're starting to outgrow their pots.
 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 03 June, 2017, 07:36:21 pm
Today I planted out > 200 things.

What a difference a year makes

One year ago
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5MTR-rKe5ig/WTMA1MQpNsI/AAAAAAABBP8/8-XjLLnWdgUvcE52m9ejDDdwPj0jTy1ugCKgB/s800/IMG_20160520_123547.jpg)

Today
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IhK-aPekyUY/WTMAjiO5jdI/AAAAAAABBP0/ovJdlixKawEWiGtoiayoDBJeCbj4WLQCQCKgB/s800/IMG_20170603_182310.jpg)

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 17 June, 2017, 06:50:43 pm
Just found a huge clump of lemon balm in the garden, had some with my salad, and then on my fruitsalad of strawbs, raspberry and apples  with double cream, yummy
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: alexberry on 17 June, 2017, 10:07:07 pm
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170617/9b0d22a67f05b2eed3a9020af7e4cc6c.jpg)made this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 19 June, 2017, 01:13:23 pm
Today I planted out > 200 things.

What a difference a year makes
Wow!

Mrs Legs and Andrew harvested about 2lb of redcurrants yesterday morning.  Nommy!  There are stacks more coming.  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 20 June, 2017, 12:17:02 pm
Just found a huge clump of lemon balm in the garden, had some with my salad, and then on my fruitsalad of strawbs, raspberry and apples  with double cream, yummy
They get huge unless you wage war on them. I have one which the council once complained to me about because it was sticking out over the pavement.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 22 June, 2017, 07:53:14 pm
Today, I haz set up a trial website http://watering-exchange.co.uk

No idea if it is a good idea or bad, anyone interested in setting up a section for their own allotments, let me know.

Oh, and if a kind mod would point the way to disabling the point count boxes or whatever they are under the username as here, please let me know. I've managed to get rid of the newbie/super user etc groups (what Alt-255 was made for)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 25 June, 2017, 10:53:26 am
glyphosated a huge area of ivy, smothering everything in its path.  Plan is knock it down chemically, and then deal with the regrowth using a blow torch I've just bought

Harvested blackcurrants, gooseberries - looks like a big crop this year, and more rhubarb - may make some wine with that.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 25 June, 2017, 05:08:55 pm
All this week I've been barrowing wood chippings. Our allotments can have as much of the stuff as they can deliver. Trouble is it's always delivered a fair way from my plot. But I saw the bloke delivering some a couple weeks ago, and asked him (nicely) to drop a load next to my plot - which he did. Trouble is, I've now had another load (possibly a load and a half) dumped at the end of my plot - and it has been blocking the access for other plot-holders (it's between the fence to the real world, and my muck-heap) - so much shifting has been called for.
I'm mainly using it on top of the weed barrier in my 'orchard' area, and on paths, but I am experimenting with various ways of composting the stuff as well (with mixed results to date).


Tapatalk puts this signature here, not me!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 25 June, 2017, 05:09:57 pm
While Mrs M was picked vast quantities of raspberries, (huge) strawberries, redcurrants and gooseberries


Tapatalk puts this signature here, not me!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 27 June, 2017, 08:37:33 am
I have a fairly large shrubbery that grows down the side of the house, and is a haven for bees in the summer, but does tend to get a bit above itself growing across a path and blocking light to the veggie patch. I started its 2-3 yearly prune yesterday.  It tends to grow nice straight, long stems, almost like coppicing, so I also tend to get some pea/bean supports out of it.

Also finished up relocating the water butts to be able to link them, which I finished this morning, just ahead of the rain.  A bit of a lash-up but let's see how it holds.

Some very nice thinnings of broccoli and home grown courgette to go with my venison sausages yesterday.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: runsoncake on 08 July, 2017, 07:19:59 pm
Harvested some new spuds, growing them in reuasable bags, 5 seed potatoes per bag. Magnificent foliage but roots seem a bit overcrowded. will reduce to 4 per bag next year. The actual taters are lipsmacking tossed in butter 'n chives.

The bag method is less backbreaking than growing in the ground, AND no sign of the blight we are usually plagued with.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 08 July, 2017, 09:59:12 pm
Mrs B gave everything a good drenching, while I cut the grass on the paths & made a start on hacking back the hedge* which separates our plot (& the rest of our side of the site) from the outside world. The council used to send someone to cut it back once or twice a year, but that's stopped.

*Privet with hawthorn, brambles, a bush I don't recognise & a small oak tree.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 July, 2017, 08:14:18 am
Courgettes are now romping away and cucumbers and runner beans starting to produce.  Peas just about done.

Spent some time yesterday and today tidying the greenhouse staging and shed, in particular the pot collection, rationalising and giving a bit of order to it, and throwing quite a few un-useful sizes and broken plastic pots into the recycling.  Also did a bit in terms of tidying shelving, rationalising chemicals and tidying the kindling heap.

My Robinia Pseudoacacia bonsai, that I grew from seed 20 years ago is definitely dead.  The large cloud shapes bonsai pot that it was in was replanted yesterday with a collection of drought loving plants, an aloe, a couple of cacti and some crassulas that I've been growing from cuttings.  Looks quite good with gravel top dressing and a couple of small smooth polished rocks collected from one holiday or another.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 25 July, 2017, 10:45:08 pm

As above, a few weeks later, what a difference a year makes

(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-91jf6pt_m7I/WXe5cq69z_I/AAAAAAABBs0/Z8JBYlXaLigJDp7DiUtEgTnZj3HospFjACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG-20160716-WA0000.jpg)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lt3HmuWnURU/WXe5ch7ZqJI/AAAAAAABBs0/N8-ZAH72dNoekS-qONvH1bZoOExm6MLxwCKgBGAs/s800/IMG_20170725_183144.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 01 August, 2017, 05:55:58 pm
mowing, weeding, pruning, hedge trimming, sewed a few second crops of lettuce and beetroot

thinking - going to move some stuff around in the winter to make a Japanese-style area using some of the trees I'm training as bonsai, but are currently in the ground or in training pots.

Also picked the first raspberries of the year, early for the variety I grow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 August, 2017, 08:32:18 pm
Fig tree is heavily laden, and lots ripe already. Cucumbers, chilli's, Tom's in the greenhouse all going great guns. Brassica massacre - caterpillars have moved in whilst I was away. Chard going well as well.

Spent about two hours today hacking at a pyracantha that was infested with bramble. Had to reduce it by about three quarters to get to the base of the brambles, some as thick as my thumb. Also removed a lot of deadwood from the pyracantha, but it should sprout back easily. Plenty of wood now for the next barbecue
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 15 August, 2017, 10:32:00 pm
Something's been eating cabbages, but no sign of caterpillars. Snail trails on leaves. Still, plenty are thriving. We've just eaten the first one.

The cucumbers seem to have died! They were doing very well, cucumbers galore, then the plants started shrivelling up. Now they've all gone. What's gone wrong? Disease?

Leeks looking good, dwarf french beans yielding well, & the old daikon seeds I chucked in en masse because they were well past their use by have germinated far too much. I've had to compost loadsa seedlings for lack of space to transplant them to.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 26 August, 2017, 07:18:44 pm
Tom's, cucumbers, courgettes, chard, runner beans all going like the clappers

Bumper crop of fruit this year and all early, figs, raspberries, apples, pears. My raspberries are an autumn fruiting variety, but in full production now and the apples are not far off.

I've pressed two big supermarket bags of apples from mils garden today and have a gallon of cider on the go, should be pretty strong as well if it ferments out, good sugars in the fruit already
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 29 August, 2017, 08:18:16 pm
Tomatoes are blasted by blight. Bugger! There are a couple of plants with a house between them & the rest that are untouched so far, but the rest are done for. I've got a few tomatoes off then, & I'm holding off ripping up the least blighted plants for a little to see if I can get a few more. We've had perfect blight weather. Luckily we got a decent crop of potatoes before it struck.

The cucumbers finished early. The plants wilted & died. A disease, I think, but what? I'll plant as far as possible from that patch next year. Ah well, we had a lot for a short time.

Japanese cabbages are flourishing, but Mrs B thinks they don't taste as good as last year. Daikon is looking good so far, but it has a while to go. I'm worried about the leeks. Looks like the beginnings of rust.

I'm not happy. Why is everything diseased this year?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 29 August, 2017, 11:43:15 pm
The only time I had any success with outdoor tomatoes was in a courtyard garden with plenty of sun, in growbags. Every time I've planted into soil I've had blight. All my Tom's are now under glass.

How tf does this correct growbags to brisbane ffs?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 03 September, 2017, 11:02:03 am
We're lucky with tomatoes. There is a gully between our garage and our pond, so the tomatoes (in grow bags) have a south facing brick wall behind them, and are protected in front, but the ends of the gully are open, so there's usually a bit of a breeze. Seems to keep them fairly blight free. I do have some in the greenhouse as well.
The only thing I managed in the garden yesterday was to paint three fence panels. Needed to do it yesterday as the weather here is horrid today.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: De Sisti on 03 September, 2017, 11:59:03 am
Put chicken manure pellets all over my lawn to improve its quality and that of the soil. Worked well last time I applied it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 06 September, 2017, 10:48:40 pm
The only time I had any success with outdoor tomatoes was in a courtyard garden with plenty of sun, in growbags. Every time I've planted into soil I've had blight. All my Tom's are now under glass.
I've had more than I knew what to do with some years, but not this. Ah well, the few we have taste good, & there are still two plants, the last two to go out (makes superstitious gestures).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 11 September, 2017, 08:31:50 am
disposed of the last of the pyracantha massacre into the green waste bin this morning, and while I was out there, pruned all the most recently planted fruit trees.  They've been there about 4-5 years now and starting to develop lots of fruiting spurs, so looking good for next year.  Need to get a ladder out to take the vertical leaders out of two of them.

Found an unnoticed courgette over he weekend, of marrow like proportions.  Stuffed it with mince, with the tomatoes from the greenhouse, sage and thyme from the herb patch, baked in the oven. All very tasty.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Quisling on 12 September, 2017, 10:29:14 am
Sunday we pressed a load of russet apples and left the juice to stand for 24 hours to settle out.  Russet juice is very fibrous and experience shows it's worth not bottling it straight away.  Yesterday we filled and pasteurised 31 old wine bottles full.  It normally keeps for a year if required but rarely avoids being consumed before that long!

Next job, gather in the pears and some bramleys and make some mixed juice and/or perry.

Last night we also "did the sciencey bit" of making the rhubarb wine.  Should turn out around 12.5%, and jolly tasty if it's like last year's batch.  Which strangely has all gone...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jakob W on 12 September, 2017, 05:19:33 pm
Looks like we'll be getting a small plot at the allotments down the end of our street next month; apparently it's all rather overgrown, but we shall see. Not being a gardener myself I'm a little apprehensive, but we shall see what happens - I suppose I'll have the winter to prepare...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 September, 2017, 08:49:41 am
Sunday we pressed a load of russet apples and left the juice to stand for 24 hours to settle out.  Russet juice is very fibrous and experience shows it's worth not bottling it straight away.  Yesterday we filled and pasteurised 31 old wine bottles full.  It normally keeps for a year if required but rarely avoids being consumed before that long!

Next job, gather in the pears and some bramleys and make some mixed juice and/or perry.

Last night we also "did the sciencey bit" of making the rhubarb wine.  Should turn out around 12.5%, and jolly tasty if it's like last year's batch.  Which strangely has all gone...

How do you pasteurise?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Quisling on 14 September, 2017, 10:04:47 am
Sunday we pressed a load of russet apples and left the juice to stand for 24 hours to settle out.  Russet juice is very fibrous and experience shows it's worth not bottling it straight away.  Yesterday we filled and pasteurised 31 old wine bottles full.  It normally keeps for a year if required but rarely avoids being consumed before that long!

Next job, gather in the pears and some bramleys and make some mixed juice and/or perry.

Last night we also "did the sciencey bit" of making the rhubarb wine.  Should turn out around 12.5%, and jolly tasty if it's like last year's batch.  Which strangely has all gone...

How do you pasteurise?

Fill the bottles and stand in a deep saucepan (preferably on a trivet so the glass isn't touching the bottom of the pan). Heat until the juice hits 70C and keep it there for 20 minutes.  Screw the bottle tops on and lay the bottles down, and the hot juice then sterilises the caps.
Our digital thermometer packed up though, and I fear I may have overcooked some of the juice.  The flavour normally "softens" a bit when pasteurised (making Bramley's drinkable as juice), but the Russet juice has a hint of caramel about it so some of the sugars might have been affected by excess heat.  I've not had problems in the past though, and the juice tastes fine to me. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 19 September, 2017, 06:56:40 am
Had the scaffolding out to hand shear the high Beech hedge I planted 8 years ago . It's now 4' thick and 10' high in a south facing garden and conceals the house nicely from the gawpers.

I love clipping a hedge with shears, it's such a beautiful sound.


Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 19 September, 2017, 01:21:54 pm
200 tulips planted. £4 a kilo in Wilko, about 33 in a bag.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 25 September, 2017, 06:42:25 am
lawn mowed.

I was just about to go back over one section when BANG, GRAUNCH as the mower height adjustment rod sheared and sent the spring through the mechanism. It's 20 years old, but the bits still seem to be available.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 25 September, 2017, 08:14:16 am
Mostly slipping about on the Nostoc commune that's infested our driveway...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 26 September, 2017, 08:49:35 pm
Harvested leeks for dinner. We also had home-grown daikon (AKA mooli).

Home-grown tatties with lunch, & yesterday we had home-grown cabbage with dinner, & the last home-grown sweetcorn afterwards.

Plenty more cabbages, leeks, potatoes & chard.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 29 October, 2017, 03:33:31 pm
Mowed the leaves up for the second time and made a few piles around the garden for the birds to root around in over the winter.

Mowed the small wildflower meadow and am going to sow Yellow Rattle to keep the grass down for next years display. Hopefully it'll just get better and better as the Yellow Rattle does it's thing on the grass.

Thinking about coppicing more Downy Birch for next years firewood. Hopefully I'll get 30 cubic meters of it cut this year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 29 October, 2017, 04:19:34 pm
Mowed the lawns yesterday for the first time in far too long.
Today I have moved all the tender plants into the greenhouse for the winter, moved the lawn furniture onto hard standing, played with my new (very antisocial) leaf vacuum and started this years collection of leaf mould, planted some cyclamen, and sown some sweet peas.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 03 November, 2017, 07:23:19 pm
At the allotment where I volunteer somebody had sown a whole packet of leek seeds in a raised bed. The leeks have come up well but needed thinning. That was my job today and the unwanted leeks have been transplanted to my patch.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 11 November, 2017, 06:21:45 pm
Planted some garlic cloves in-between the Leeks planted ^^.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 12 November, 2017, 09:30:08 am
Removed the covering from a bed I'd foolishly covered with free horse muck, dug it, and it's still full of viable couch grass roots.
Dug yet more potatoes from my raised bed experiment (although some are getting a bit manky now - wood lice I think).
Tried unsuccessfully to have a bonfire (too wet)


Tapatalk puts this signature here, not me!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 29 November, 2017, 08:36:56 pm
8 bare root roses arriving any day now from David Austin.

3x Jude the Obscure
2x Alba maxima
1x R. Complicata
1x Crown Princess Margareta.
1x Charlotte

Jude The Obscure, Crown Princess Margareta and Charlotte are for the front and the big brutes for the bank round the back.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 30 November, 2017, 09:12:29 am
Did a bit on Monday, mostly winter pruning of the fig tree, and a bit on the apples/pears and cutting back to ground a bed of Japanese Anemone, about 2ft deep by 10ft long, the last of those patches.  Also took out a few more stems on the pyracantha I massacred earlier in the year, and reglyphosated the remaining brambles underneath it. 

All really prep for the winter project of creating an area as a small Japanese gravel style garden using some of the trees that I intend to train as bonsai later on. I'd like to get some of them out of pots to reduce maintenance.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 06 December, 2017, 02:28:08 pm
Pulled up some leeks, a cabbage & some big white radishes yesterday. Leeks with dinner last night, cabbage tonight.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 12 January, 2018, 02:11:56 pm
Pruned hacked the garden fig tree - a truly hateful job due to the sap and the weight/density of the branches. This year it's had a lot taken off - nothing seems to affect its productivity!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 14 January, 2018, 07:41:15 pm
Stomped all over the emerging snowdrops whilst admiring the bright red dog rose hips, dopey git.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 13 March, 2018, 07:15:17 pm
First camellia flower's out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 23 March, 2018, 10:44:27 am
Pruned hacked the garden fig tree - a truly hateful job due to the sap and the weight/density of the branches. This year it's had a lot taken off - nothing seems to affect its productivity!

I do ours every year, it's still triffid-like
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 23 March, 2018, 10:47:09 am
unfleeced my favourite bonsai. It's too big to get through the greenhouse door.   Always the first in flower (I believe the Japanese use cherry blossom as a sign of spring), and I should have taken the fleece off earlier, but for the BFTE.

This is actually the reverse side - of the three trees this one always flowers first. A bit of extremity die back but not too much.

(https://i.imgur.com/uB90MIt.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 28 March, 2018, 08:56:05 am
Lovely stuff ElyDave.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 28 March, 2018, 09:25:39 pm
Thanks,

I've had those for about 19 years, always grown as a group and only ever styled by pruning, never wired.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 15 April, 2018, 02:10:25 pm
Out in the garden today, managed to get quite a few jobs done

- completed the support structure for the raspberries, 1" stakes, bracing and two levels of wires
- general tidy up of the veg plot and removal of the weed cover
- direct sewing of some beetroot, chard and salad crops, sewed some brassicas in a seed tray
- potting on of some nasturtiums
- a couple of other pottings.

Had planned on more potting of stuff but ran out of compost
Next big job is to create a Japanese-ish area of some trees that I have in pots as potential future bonsai, it's got a nice slope to be able to graduate from pines/conifers down to deciduous
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 15 April, 2018, 04:17:32 pm
Laid turf around the raised beds. When did turf start coming in 1sq m rolls? When harvested from Chilterns clay after a wet spring, the rolls are both quite heavy and very slippery!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 19 April, 2018, 12:55:57 pm
Pulled up loads of groundsel.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 19 April, 2018, 07:44:08 pm
Wild garlic is taking over, dirty great clumps of it. If soil's moist you can pull a load up and the bulbs come with them, otherwise you just rip them and your hands stink even through the gloves.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 21 April, 2018, 11:41:19 am
Bought some bedding and ground cover, to go out tomorrow
Planted out some early lettuce - a tray from waitrose at £1.10 of little plug type plants, ideal.

Pruned a few bonsai to direct future growth and took a few cuttinsg from the pomegranate that had gone leggy over the winter

Tomorrow will be a day to get at it with a plan to move around a lot of my trees into one place and replant other areas as more traditional flower beds
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 21 April, 2018, 02:47:12 pm
Drank beer on the lawn.....fell asleep.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 25 April, 2018, 08:12:44 pm
from this, dug up out of the garden at 7am

(https://i.imgur.com/0J3SnUk.jpg)

via this

(https://i.imgur.com/EjujNq7.jpg)

and this

(https://i.imgur.com/xPvx7JP.jpg)

to this, by 9am

(https://i.imgur.com/QfnV688.jpg)

some tidying up to do, but its looking good alongside another one I did on Sunday

(https://i.imgur.com/ROQZdyW.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 26 April, 2018, 10:54:55 am
unfleeced my favourite bonsai. It's too big to get through the greenhouse door.   Always the first in flower (I believe the Japanese use cherry blossom as a sign of spring), ...
Oh yes. Along with drunken parties under blossoming cherry trees. Parks can get rather lively in sakura season.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 26 April, 2018, 11:42:45 pm
Those Wilko tulips that went in last September:

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/861/26742690627_5b9fbab8d1_k.jpg)



Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 27 April, 2018, 08:39:30 pm
Tidied up the shuttlecock ferns Matteuccia struthiopteris ...

(https://i.imgur.com/3Vn990A.jpg?1)

And inspected the Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus minor seedlings in the wildflower patch. They may be small, but they are essential to creating a wildflower meadow in grassland.

(https://i.imgur.com/xR7k0TV.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Si S on 13 May, 2018, 05:26:03 pm
Taken about 8' off the hedge from hell. I reckon I know how Sisyphous felt. I'd planned to do this today last week and nearly put it off after WVM had a moan about it being too overgrown to drive down the alley on Friday but it looks like someone has spilt a bag of nails down there.  :demon:
 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 17 May, 2018, 07:43:41 pm
Due to being away cycling I thought that I missed the best time for sowing seeds. I saw today that now is still good for sowing runner beans outside. I bought some new canes and now have a Wigwam ready for some of last years saved beans to shoot up, hopefully.
While I was at it I also potted up some tomato plants in the G'house. They are in their final positions now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 27 May, 2018, 07:49:10 pm
Planted out the sweetcorns, and split and inter planted the red cos lettuces in between them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 29 May, 2018, 07:46:09 am
all veggies now in their final positions.

yesterday, some major pruning on a shrubby/bushy/tree-ey thing that get seriously out of hand if you leave it.  Then decided that that I was finally going to do something about the compost heaps and the raised bed layout.  Said shrubby thing overshadows and dried out the raised bed next to it, compost heaps in a corner that is hard to get to with a wheelbarrow, so decided to swap the two.

So, build compost heap number 1 (rat resistant prototype, mk2 mods already in mind).
Start dismantling existing heaps, spread well rotted compost out in the base of where the raised bed will go
Temporarily move the rhubarb, raspberries and buxus cuttings out of the raised bed into a loose pile in the corner.
Dismantle raised bed from the outside and reposition (fits almost exactly)
Start moving dry topsoil to allow room for new compost heap, position and fill heap
Move all remaining topsoil
Replant

Got about ten minutes help from daughter, about an hour from wife. About 5 hours in total from picking up the fist piece of wood for the new heap, to heading in for dinner having also watered everything that needs it. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 03 June, 2018, 06:58:13 am
Fruit cage constructed today.  Needs a bit more work but sufficient for now.

Next task, find a new pane of glass for the greenhouse.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 11 June, 2018, 01:14:25 pm
Put the roof over the fruit cage yesterday evening - it's a 2-person job so we had to wait until the little people were asleep.  Pulled out a ridiculous amount of couch grass, buttercups, docks, nettles, rosebay willowherb and errant raspberries over the weekend, but we've still got about 3/4 of the fruit patch to weed...  Picked the first ripe strawberry - hurray!  Loads more coming if we can keep the slugs at bay.  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 16 June, 2018, 08:07:17 pm
Not my plot, the next door neighbour's.
Their garden is completely overgrown and has fecking leylandii at the bottom perimeter.  Last time I spotted the landlord visiting I asked him if it be all right if I lopped them a bit.  He agreed readily,  so today was spent precariously perched up a ladder with a saw.
Took about 5 feet off them.
I'll be doing it every year now. I consider the permission to on going.   And they'll get shorter every year.  :demon:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 18 June, 2018, 12:56:39 pm
Went up the lot late yesterday afternoon, to do some 'damned good watering', as it hasn't rained for at least a couple of weeks, and find the blasted garlic is developing rust spots. Damn. Serious infection can inhibit or completely stop the bulb growing, and it's an air-bourne fungus affecting alliums (so can affect/infect onions and leeks too).

Just read up about it this morning, and somebody suggests pulling off/cutting the affected leaves and getting rid of them, making sure you wash your hands and implements (such as scissors or shears used) so the infection isn't carried over to over plants, and the garlic should still be able to photosynthesise and continue developing! I'll try it!

'They' also suggest it's helpful to water during the day, rather than in the evening, so the plants have a chance to dry out rather than remain damp overnight, because the 'rust' likes damp warm air.

Some of the garlic leaves are yellow as well, and you think: "Too much water? Too little?" Gawd.

Also some bastard insect has been enjoying the onion leaves. Bastards.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 19 June, 2018, 07:15:56 pm
Bastards, kill them all Riggers.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 20 June, 2018, 12:48:14 pm
Bastards, kill them all Riggers.

The bastards always flee the scene of the crime unfortunately.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 20 June, 2018, 08:03:49 pm
Urinated on the roses which were showing signs of iron deficiency.

I figured that if there was a trace of iron in urine, this may cure the problem.....Am I misguided ?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 21 June, 2018, 09:18:27 am
Scythed the lawn for the first time with my new blade on a stick and I like it, nice and quiet.

The grass is now drying in the sun, waiting to go on the compost heap.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 22 June, 2018, 06:58:41 pm
Urinated on the roses which were showing signs of iron deficiency.

I figured that if there was a trace of iron in urine, this may cure the problem.....Am I misguided ?

Male urine has some very good hormones for plant growing. My cucumbers and tomatoes seem to like it  :D

For me, just replacing a broken pane in the greenhouse.  The whole frame seems to have twisted.  I'm thinking the ground has moved beneath it due to lack of water, it's not even July and my water butts are almost empty
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 24 June, 2018, 12:41:33 pm
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1821/42931069432_44af9cbac4_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/28pEXfh)

Fed the veg with Ultra Stinky Nettle Soup™

Now watching a herd of Small Whites lay eggs all over the sprouts  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 25 June, 2018, 11:25:30 am
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1821/42931069432_44af9cbac4_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/28pEXfh)

Fed the veg with Ultra Stinky Nettle Soup™

Now watching a herd of Small Whites lay eggs all over the sprouts  >:(


Looks very picturesque!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 02 July, 2018, 06:19:53 pm
David has planted the rose bush we were given at last night's party.

The garden fork has broken in the process. I thought I'd bough a good quality tool (Stanley IIRC)

I am not impressed.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 08 July, 2018, 12:29:56 pm
I've broken at least 2 forks in the past, fatigue, abuse, heavy clay soils etc all take their toll.

For me over the last few days, finished trimming next door's leylandii hedge, he's supposedly taking it out but he's not made much progress so far. It'll take me a few rounds of green bin collection to get rid of it all.

Yesterday, repotted two bonsai and mowed the lawn - only a littlle trim as it's not growing quickly at the moment, still needing the sprinkler on the more fragile bits of the new lawn. 

Today,  bit of pruning on the greengage, keeping the structure nice and open.  Thinned/spaced the brocollis and cabbages adn netted them against the butterflies.  In the greenhouse the tomatoes are starting to ripen and both the peppers and cucumbers are really taking off.  Outside is a bit different, lettuces doing well, courgettes starting to pick up, but the relocated raspberries are looking a bit touch and go.  Waterbutts both empty, which is a record this early in the year, I think
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 17 July, 2018, 03:09:26 pm
Lifted the onions to break the roots, and left them on the bed to dry out. Another warm dry week forecast, so should get them started nicely. We coul£ have had our first picking of chard, were it not for the fact we’re eating salads everyday!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 26 July, 2018, 06:44:53 am
Watered
Before that watered
Before that watered
I'll tell you what the difference in quality of compost and water retention is vast. The stuff last year that sieved the water got well mixed with compost I'd made myself. Well the clever worms and bacteria needs watering every three to four days. Some of my pots and raised beds need daily soaking
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 01 August, 2018, 01:21:47 pm
waterin, and more watering. Apart from the lawn which I will now mow.  This morning however I spent chopping back the shrivelled adn brown leaves of a 10ft long bed of Japanese anemone which should be in full bloom right now, and picking up lots of small fallen pears and apples.

Salads doing well, tomatoes nearly finished already and cucumbers adn courgettes starting to produce.  Spotted two cabbage whites underneath my net, ba$tards!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 05 August, 2018, 04:54:34 pm
Dug over and then dug in loads of manure in the area I have identified as where I shall attempt espaliers.  Not sure what I'm going for yet.  Possibly a pear and a plum.  Not sure which ones exactly.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 05 August, 2018, 05:32:27 pm
Also very pleased with this year's hanging baskets.  Constant watering and feeding have led to two veritable giants.

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/859/43147834694_cbf327d704_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/28JPW1o)
20180805_172028 (https://flic.kr/p/28JPW1o) by Basil W (https://www.flickr.com/photos/153328377@N08/), on Flickr
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: madcow on 06 August, 2018, 08:59:57 pm
First sweetcorn of the season. Not bad for North Yorkshire.
 These are the super sweet type, grown from seed. They are so easy to grow that they would probably do well as a patio plant.
https://flic.kr/p/29Ndp63

Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 17 August, 2018, 12:43:12 pm
figs, figs and more figs, it's a bumber year both in size and number this year.  Looks like there may even be a few second crop that reach ripeness if the weather remains warm.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 17 August, 2018, 05:46:56 pm
Our neighbours' first crop figs finished about 3 weeks ago. I presume you are only one degree north of here...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Quisling on 21 August, 2018, 10:37:22 am
Pressed more apples for juice last night and pasteurised some first thing this morning.  More to do later.  Thats 27 litres so far and we've not got to the Bramley and Russet crops yet.  I think I'll mix those for a natural cider when we get back from holiday.

Harvesting giant courgette/marrows, and lots of cucumbers and small tomatoes.  We grew a bush tomato variety this year which are rather floppy but otherwise (apart from watering) subject to zero maintenance and provide reasonable yield.  Plenty of spuds but yield down on last year due to the dry weather - although less rotten spuds eaten by sluggery folk.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 21 August, 2018, 11:30:22 am
Big effort on the veg patch this morning before heading into the office (at home).  Mostly trying to dig up the thistles, roots intact after having pulled up the dead peas and tidied away the netting.

Lots of cucumbers outdoors getting big, the small crystal apple cucumber in the greenhouse is finally fruiting.  Harvested the first of the early sowing radicchio, some chard, courgettes and a few windfall apples, Lady Hollendale. Also planted out a few strawberry runners.  My tomatoes were also a bush variety this year and already mostly done.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 September, 2018, 06:44:31 am
tidied one of the decorative beds, mostly weeding self-seeded things I don't want there, keeping on top of the bindweed and removing the dead trees that I thought were a long-shot to take in the first place. 

The patch has a backdrop of a nice conifer and maple, and I'm using it as a sort of Japanese influenced bed to keep and maintain bonsai stock.   Yesterday I also planted out into there a small shrubby thing wth red summer flowers to give a bit of alternative colour to the backdrop, some harts tongue and Japanese painted ferns and moved some self-sown verbena to form a screen and movement against the fence that forms the the other side of this. 

Also created two new bonsai, winter jasmine, took a load of cuttings of that, some verbena cuttings and some root cuttings from the sea-kale.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: madcow on 17 September, 2018, 11:11:54 pm
 Harvested this lot a few weeks ago and have just finished topping and tailing them.
I had sets and home grown seedlings side by side. The seeds produced bigger bulbs and grew on for longer.
Beginners luck as I have never grown onions before .My allotment gets twice the amount of sunshine compared with the house garden.
it's heavy soil and these took a lot of watering.
 (https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1862/44664317871_c28558fc9a_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2b3QiC4)

Picked these this weekend.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1860/44733187401_aa1ea60583_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2b9Vh8K)

Also started the winter digging as I am expanding the allotment and need to get it dug over before it gets wet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Aunt Maud on 19 September, 2018, 07:18:43 pm
Nice.

Chopped the long stems off the Jerusalem Artichokes coz we're in for a bit of blustery weather.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 20 September, 2018, 07:09:51 am
Good crop MC, my butternut squashes have produced lots of greenery but no fruit this year. Courgettes have been poor as well. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 21 September, 2018, 07:24:38 pm
Two bonsai repotted.  One is only into a temporary pot - three trees to shuffle pots.

The other one is a Japanese black pine, grown from seed in 1997, into a bonsai pot for the first time.  Still got a lot of styling to do though
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 21 October, 2018, 02:58:16 pm
Removed the last of the outdoor tomatoes. Planted out 12 purple sprouting broccoli, 24 leeks and 24 kale plants. We only have 5 small raised beds, so any planting is in small quantities.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 19 November, 2018, 09:09:28 am
figs, figs and more figs, it's a bumber year both in size and number this year.  Looks like there may even be a few second crop that reach ripeness if the weather remains warm.
I've just noticed this (from August, sorry) - we had two, yes 2, figs this year. Normally - here in Leicester - we have so many we don't know what to do with them. I think it was the dreadful Monty Don that said that the hot dry summer (I think I remember that) made the fig trees think they were in the tropics, and they lost the main crop and produced a huge number of buds for a later crop. I spend a happy hour or two removing bucket loads of thumb sized figs off the tree over the last couple of weeks to try and encourage next year's crop.
We missed out on our poached figs in Cassis this year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 19 November, 2018, 09:18:41 am
I've spent an inordinate amount of time at the allotment plots this weekend.
I've constructed a small wildlife habitat out of a couple of old boots I found in shed number 3, bricks with holes in, bits of old bamboo cane, roofing tiles and hazel cuttings. It looks a bit pathetic at the moment, but hopefully it'll become home to a few bugs/ mammals.
I've managed to get a few new 'semi raised beds' made that will be at a  height that Mrs M can get to to weed - unfortunately they are in the area where she has been planting flower bulbs for the last few years, so as much as I construct the beds I'm digging up perfectly salveagable bulbs that need to be replanted in the new beds - but the new beds aren't as big as the old patches ('cos of paths between them) so I may have to find a way of repurposing the old bulbs, possibly just dumping them in a trench in plot #2. And more importantly I need to stop Mrs M from buying new flower bulbs for at least 12 months.
Plus I've been able to do a fair bit of weeding / hoeing done - it's astonishing how well the weeds are growing at the moment!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: madcow on 21 December, 2018, 05:03:07 pm
  The sprouts are already boiling so I thought it was time to lift a few parsnips for roasting on Christmas day.
This year I thinned them quite hard as in previous years I have had lots of small roots.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4902/46357528082_c3c2a9a690.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2dCss2y)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 21 December, 2018, 06:22:09 pm
I've managed to get out into the garden for the first time in what feels like months. Only for half an hour or so before it got dark, but I did manage to get the Braeburn apple (which has cropped wonderfully this year) upright again. It has been gradually leaning over all year and once the fruit started to swell the extra weight got it nearly horizontal. It now has a fairly hefty stake holding it up.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 31 December, 2018, 10:46:48 pm
Not done anything for a while, but last week I, Mrs B & Mrs B mere were walking beside the river near where my mother in law lives, in a suburb of Tokyo, & passed some allotments, which I (but oddly, not Mrs B) had seen before. We paused to look, & a woman who was there greeted us. Turned out she was the administrator (an unpaid voluntary post), & she showed us round. Very well organised. Very neat. They have a little office in a shed. Oh, & no fence around the site. Wide open.

They have a scheme to donate vegetables to a local special school, for cheap meals for the kids.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 29 January, 2019, 01:22:26 pm
Sunday, too windy to be out on the bike, so went with one of my son's carers plus son to the garden centre to buy seeds for this year's veggies. 

Today, cleared the veg plots and greenhouse of the remnants of last years crops adn weed in preparation, put the cold frame over the remaining pak choi in the hope that they'll give a spring crop.  It was good to get out there, both from a horticultural and injury recovery POV
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 02 February, 2019, 04:19:56 pm
We have a very vigorous almond-leaved wild pear, given to us as an engagement present. When it arrived, it was basically a twig. Sixteen or more years later and it's now getting towards 20 feet. It is also very spiky. Today's job, weather permitting was to prune it. Which I have done. I've not finished sorting all the bits which have come off as my hernia is grumbling which means it's time to sit down for a decent interval, but I am pleased to get that 'winter' job done.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 03 February, 2019, 08:06:46 am
I have a lot of pruning still to do, including a still very vigorous fifteen year old fig, a large buddliea, and need to remove a couple of espaliered pear trees that I want to replace with heritage varieties.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 14 February, 2019, 06:57:02 pm
The last of the allotment parsnips are out, and the first of the allotment daffodils have been brought home.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 18 February, 2019, 08:45:32 am
Two 14 year old pear trees out - wood drying for use in barbecueueueues later in the year.   The replacement trees were delivered much quicker than I expected, two new heritage variety pears and two new heritage variety apples from the East Anglia Apples and Orchards Project. The pears are from Norfolk and Suffolk as they had no pears from Cambridge, but that's the bordering counties, so close enough.

Ground prepped and canes up for the new trees.  I have one remaining cox's apple as an espalier, I'll plant the new ones as cordons either side that, apple in the middle, pears either side and apples outside of those.  Looking at the new trees, some already have the bigger furry buds on them so if lucky may get a few fruit this year
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 18 February, 2019, 07:44:10 pm
Although I must admit to being a bit of a fairweather gardener, I love the early days of spring (OK, we can kid ourselves!) when I can get out and prepare the raised beds for the year ahead.

Dug over four beds - pretty easy, as they'd mostly been under cardboard for the winter. I'll uncover the others as I dig them.
Moved the framework for the brassica 'cage' to follow the rotation; the netting (scaffolding net) goes up when the plants go in.
Broke some new ground for a couple of long narrow beds to be used for raspberries and runner beans. Off to the woodyard later to buy timber for framing and supports.

The sap is rising!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 09 March, 2019, 09:15:02 pm
Balmy February having given way to wet, cool and windy March, my progress has slowed somewhat.

Long beds for raspberries and runners now almost ready, just need to fix the uprights and support frames.  Inspired by Monty 'The Don' on Gardeners' World last night, I pushed in 5 short rows of broad beans across the raised beds. Potatoes now chitting ready for planting next month. Will be sowing salad stuff, leeks soon, and am itching to get the onion sets in. Finished pruning apple tree and gave grass its second trim of the year.

Followed by a quick burst on the turbo - but that's another plot altogether.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ginger Cat on 17 March, 2019, 03:39:53 pm
On the allotment:

Checked polytunnel pegs and guylines (again). Gave the grass on the pathway around the plot the first cut of the year. Put some peas and dwarf French beans into a space in the polytunnel. Picked some purple sprouting broccoli, watered the polytunnel beds (carrots, winter radishes, onions, various winter greens) from the water butt, trimmed the flowers off the bolted Pak Choi (bolted thanks to the unseasonal warm spell). Planted a nicely-sprouted comfrey cutting.

At home:

Sorted out my propagator, cleaned the trays, made up a compost/vermiculite mix and sowed tomato and chilli seeds, put them on the windowsill on the heated propagator. Cleaned up the "indoor garden" units that I use to bring on the seedlings so they are ready once the tomato/chilli seedlings are up.


I have rationalised this year to planting stuff I really like and that does OK. Tomatoes- you cannot have too many tomatoes, eating them sun-warmed straight off the bush is best. All the varieties I am planting this year are indoor/outdoor, and I am including the variety that was my Most Favourite last year (a yellow cherry "Galina").

This years "new thing" is Oca tubers, currently they are in the salad drawer in the fridge, will plant them in a couple of weeks. Other "new things" to try this year are amaranth (leaves and grain variety) and Calloo.

GC
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 17 March, 2019, 04:01:21 pm
One row of broad beans into the ground midweek

This morning with my son, got all the squash and courgette seeds into 4" pots, tomatoes and chillies also into same size pots to propagate and prick out later.

Into 24-cell seed tray inserts, various flowers for the borders lettuces, pak-choi and cavolo nero.

Cucumbers and french beans will get done in a couple of weeks
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 17 March, 2019, 04:03:16 pm
With the only spare day out of this weekend and the next two, I've pruned the hydrangea (which is one of those season critical jobs), sowed some more seeds, pricked out the indoor tomatoes, and weeded, and weeded, and weeded. And MrsC weeded. And it still doesn't really look like anything has been done.
I am now looking forward to the end of the month, when the clocks go back and I will be allowed to lift heavy things again (and incidentally get back on the bike, seeing this is a cycling forum). Then I will be able to mow the lawns (I may need to borrow a goat the way things are growing), move compost bags around, start sorting our dying fence out, and various other heavier jobs.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 18 March, 2019, 03:04:57 pm
Spent an hour or so on Saturday afternoon, while Jr Jr was having his nap, cutting down the plum tree next to our oil tank and outbuilding.  Said tree had developed a nice 2' split down its trunk from a fork, and was twisting threateningly in the wind.  So I had to stand on the oil tank in 40mph wind, taking off the branches that I could, before we felled the bugger.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 12 April, 2019, 02:21:49 pm
Repotting a patio peach, I rescued a shaggy old thyme from the pot, and did this

(https://i.imgur.com/aiZBcRo.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 13 April, 2019, 10:31:12 pm
Enjoying the bonsai, though not much left for the pot :)

The last two days, I’ve taken up our rotting decking, and it’s even more sponge like bearers. Then we abandoned the idea of putting in new decking, and instead I levelled and turfed the patch.
I also put up a piece of pergola to replace a bit of fence that had fallen apart.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 14 April, 2019, 08:19:22 pm
Planted potatoes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rogerzilla on 14 April, 2019, 09:37:33 pm
Fairly savage hedge pruning to keep it under control (the green wheelie bin is now stuffed - I had to jump up and down on it a few times).

Planted the hanging baskets with ivy-leaved geraniums pelargoniums.  They can sit in the conservatory until May.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 19 April, 2019, 05:24:16 pm
Sowed a couple of rows of radish over the potatoes as a catch crop, plus a row of parsley in another bed. Cleared the winter cabbage and planted out the sprouted onion sets. Other jobs for the weekend include pruning the armandii, plus adding wires to train it. Repotting a small acer. Clearing (and cooking for the freezer) The chard before it bolts. Planting sweet corn seeds in the greenhouse. And finding a home for a revived Rosa mundi somewhere.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 23 April, 2019, 05:05:05 pm
Managed quite a bit over the weekend.

- weeding a few patches
- planted out impulse bought marigolds and verbenas - tray of ten for £2
- cuttings from and planted out a few Cape Daisies
- plated out courgettes and squash that were getting a bit lanky in the greenhouse
- direct sowed some lettuces adn beetroot
- sowed some more flower seeds in modules, and some chard as well
- couple of bits of prunings
- sewed soem kumquat seeds for No1 son to look after

Beans and cucumbers are coming on well, tomatoes OK but need to pull their socks up, chillies doing OK.  Some of the tray-sown veg are looking a bit spindly and may need redoing as direct sow. They have this week to sort themselves out
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 26 April, 2019, 11:26:22 am
This afternoon and weekend I'll hopefully get a couple more rows of radish sown on the potato bed as the first two are nicely sprouting. I'll need to get the sprinkler out too as the garden's getting quite dry and the promised rain hasn't materialised. Put rose feed around all the roses before the watering, and some blood, fish and bone on the sweet peas, clematis and wisteria, which are all getting into their stride. Plus water the potted acers before our water butt runs out of rainwater.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ginger Cat on 28 April, 2019, 01:51:45 pm
Yesterday I had an emergency trip over to the plot to repair my polytunnel before the wind took it. (Another allotmenter was over there, saw it and phoned me- got there just in time to stop the torn cover turning into shredded cover). Taped up the damage with a roll of black tape. Saved it (just).

Off back over there now to do a bettter repair which includes a clear tarp to cover the damaged area and a roll of clear polytunnel repair tape to hold it all down.

GC
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: matthew on 28 April, 2019, 06:06:23 pm
Weeded and mulched the raspberries, dug over the fallow bed and planted some bedding plants for summer colour. I still need to sort out the bed on the other side of the garden.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 28 April, 2019, 11:41:48 pm
Earthed up the potatoes for the first time this season

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using Tapatalk

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 25 May, 2019, 09:08:36 pm
Potted on 45 sweet corn, and a dozen each of “Big Daddy” and “Gardeners Delight” tomatoes, plus a couple of a tumbling variety, all to the backdrop of bluetits in our nesting box. Plus re-trained the “Creme de la Creme” rose on our arch.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 09 June, 2019, 04:20:33 pm
Planted out the sweetcorn, and inter-planted climbing French beans, so hopefully the sweetcorn stalks will provide support for the beans. I’ve done it successfully with borlotti beans in the past so it should work.

Side-shooter the Big Daddy tomatoes, and put the tumbling ones into a raised tray on the potion.

Cut the grass.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 29 June, 2019, 08:10:56 pm
Mostly keeping the weeds down.

in the greenhouse both tomatoes and cucumbers doing well, setting flowers and producing embryos, chillis adn peppers poised to spring into growth I'm sure

Outside all going well.  Embryo courgettes apearing, leafy green stuff going well, including the seakale thongs that I was worried about.  Sucession sowings of lettuces/greens. Netted the soft fruit and the brassicas.  Had half a bowl of early blackcurrants the other day - superb.  Started cropping the lettuces as cut and come again
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hellymedic on 05 July, 2019, 04:00:11 pm
David has just brought around 5kg of potatoes in from the garden; that's about two months' supply and our fridge is full of Other Foods...

This abode has no cool storage areas and it's HOT in Londonton right now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 17 August, 2019, 08:30:22 pm
Four hours at the plots today (including time spent hiding from severe downpours). The main veg plot is looking like a jungle, and I'm convinced I could see the grass growing before my eyes after the rain.
I snaffled just about the last of the wood chippings to put another layer on the main path to ease Mrs M's passage - the supply of chippings at our site is very spasmodic, so it's a case of 'get as much as you can, when you can'.
Picked a bag full of potatoes, three decent cauliflowers, a cabbage, a few carrots (some of them had split - presumably the dry/wet/dry this year hasn't helped), and .... more bloody courgettes. Raspberries are starting again - that's good! Good neighbour gave us a couple of cucumbers. Mrs M brought loads of Gladioli, and dahlias home to brighten up the place.
I had a feel of the sweet corn, but decided to leave it for another week before I pulled the first one. The apples and pears are looking very good, but no where near ready - and of course, the squirrels have had all the hazel nuts.
Lots of hoeing, and weed pulling - I've culled a lot of the borage that's been invading the main path, the trouble is now, that there's borage seedlings springing up everywhere.
Absolutely kkkknakkered!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 27 October, 2019, 07:46:18 pm
A fairly short session at the allotments today when I failed to get a fire going.
Picked a splendid head of calabrese, and a bit of lettuce. Mrs M picked a margarine tub full of raspberries.
The carrots, beetroot and parsnips are looking good, but there might just be only enough brussels for Christmas lunch.
I staked the wilting pear tree and covered the old flower bed with cardboard ready for a good go at digging in early next year.
All the rhubarb leaves have died back, so they've been cleared away.
The mice have had all the sunflower seeds I was saving.
Sunday late lunch was homegrown cabbage, spuds,  roasted carrots, leeks, parsnip & beetroot, and a chicken from the Coop.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 27 October, 2019, 08:16:59 pm
Zilch; far too wet today. Early this week I returned home after 3 weeks away, during which time it seems to have rained much of the time, and the garden is beginning to resemble a rain forest. Dry weather is forecast for the next few days, however, so maybe I'll get a chance to wrest back control before winter sets in.

in the meantime I'm keeping out of mischief decorating the spare bedroom  :( .  Did manage 3 hours on the bike this morning, though  :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 21 November, 2019, 07:13:02 pm
met a friend at her plot today as she had some unwanted Jerusalem Artichoke tubers. I have heard some good things but don't think I have ever tasted these before. Will have some with my b'fast tomorrow am. I'm forecasting tomorrow may be quite windy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 30 November, 2019, 03:42:59 pm
They make a good soup, and also a gratin with cream and whole grain mustard is good.

As today was actually dry (well, not raining) I took the opportunity to prune down 4 clematis, moved the Rosa Munda to a more appropriate location, and planted my wife’s Christmas present, a Vibernum Judii, in the front garden alongside the path. Hopefully both will survive, and the Vibernum will complement the Daphne in the front for scent.

Also prepped a couple of beds for garlic planting tomorrow, and started to remove the dead Clematis Armandii. It’s thrived for 15 years, but has suddenly died. We suspect honey fungus again  :-X.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 30 November, 2019, 04:16:16 pm
Got out into the garden for an hour or so this afternoon. First time for a month. I've started to remove the leaves from the hellebores and have moved all MrsC's auriculas into the cold frames for the duration. I'm not sure they really need it, but that's what she prefers. 
I will need to get back out there tomorrow as soon as I can (having wrapped up warm) as there is a lot more to do.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 30 November, 2019, 04:22:10 pm
Built a compost bin from pallets. The rest of our allotment is just too wet to do anything much
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 30 November, 2019, 09:00:46 pm


. The rest of our allotment is just too wet to do anything much

We went down to ours for a couple of hours today. The soil was very heavy, it might just have been digable if I'd have put my lazy mind to it. I was having too much fun trying to get the bonfire to get going to bother with the fork.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 09 December, 2019, 01:40:11 pm
Another dry weekend, so Saturday was spent pruning the "Rambling Rector" on the pergola. Thumbs up for the cheapo Chinese made pigskin gauntlets!  Sunday I took the rose trimmings to the tip, cut back the choysia (Mexican Orange) to let a bit more light into the garden, and then pruned the quince. I also put the Christmas lights up on the front of the cottage, but they'll not be turned on for a couple of weeks yet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 18 January, 2020, 05:08:13 pm
I finished coppicing the large hazel in our shade bed (the north-facing one).
That has taken me most of last weekend and most of this afternoon. The coppicing itself has been done. The lawn is now pretty well covered in twiggy bits and there is a large pile of not so twiggy bits to be cut up to feed campfire in the summer. No idea when I'll be able to finish the job, though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 12 February, 2020, 11:33:17 pm
Bright yellow crocus are out and geraniums in sheltered spots are still flowering, crazy.
I wouldn't say it's spring yet but stuff is starting to happen.

I did some gardening work for a mate and the client wanted a border filled with shrubs for £70. Border's about 40 feet by 6 feet deep. Obviously it's a cheeky price but I was thinking if you had the space for a polytunnel and a moderately-stocked garden you could do it easily. Just about every garden has choisya, rosemary, lavender, box, hydrangea, dogwood etc etc. All an absolute piece of cake to propagate.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 18 February, 2020, 07:17:35 am
Sweet peas and tomatoes sown last night. Always makes me feel a bit more optimistic.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 22 February, 2020, 09:27:34 pm
Chillies and toms sewn into pots last weekend, germinating in the spare room, just starting to come through when I looked last night.

My bonsai cherry trees are in fine flower, despite the wind
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 29 February, 2020, 01:47:00 pm
First aubretia flower's out:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LduyXcqqcGtBqj2EA
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 15 March, 2020, 03:43:03 pm
COurgettes and cucumbers into the propagator today, along with soem early lettuce, pak choi and cabbages
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 16 March, 2020, 02:14:46 pm
It's still pretty cold though, 3 degrees at night, I think this time last year was much milder. Very first tulip's out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 17 March, 2020, 10:02:17 pm
If you kneel down close and squint you can see tiny weeny wispy grass seeds shooting from the 23rd Feb seed:

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SGa86rVqSPfgMosZRDwLM0SK-iB6qP5Icjh631zYSIQ5NCSiBA99eDUhNMVIoI4JbBTf5NVPoqcSwX6XT36_ev2A6why_U7R7E0HruqlvTP7pTlvrvqpcsqB1tPGRw0QN6fl-VGAM4EUUFWX7itcu8ypowUzB4NU7BaPtJbPtz7XNgWn2z4ggJUyUeQ8bJE-vs5kGhNH5idpD2e6i9Ey0wMiBAoGbmgkjzNuC6DIWG_lQYM1cdaLep74qd5sWrQzDN9wLdH6CCMeKEY_r0tcJuk7xvs3OrPrT9DYfHVHh74bE-sjiNwgn3MURzbfuAnTRMJtA-VIL_1eg6YvNWSdJ4AN6zvg5H7_LqBV9-zm37bYhvsSDw6ImUc2WeUUvRIxIJjaxAhb1naKfZZqBDPaDJ9pAy_7nObCWWaW9ajWVJP5VNZR9ZlpIsJHSZS_qDVHKBgFlfspeSNZr29p90C_RzdqKW9uBEBZq4eFv9cxLIbWhH2wgQbe-AMz-DXUQjBQhr4mhDoHWSIhWteI3-VRVlSq5XttrSg4nB3OhKiVtDSiqGxQ95uHe38OcHS_qNeZ_tyc9nfUR9A9GgYx-b6n3HYSfNqR4Mey0ULDiy4kiVfF4MAkknLZ6dloAzD_zyjZFo5XayDkhVKp8XYtewuadiimJcJJ9HQT_XmA06mQQwNyAExD0wms6-ofwIHh=w784-h588-no)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 22 March, 2020, 01:15:41 pm
Finally got around to planting up the Charlotte potatoes into bags and putting them onto the sunny side of the garden. Pruned a Vibernum, tied in some climbing roses. Oh, and lubricated the greenhouse sliding door.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 22 March, 2020, 05:19:15 pm
anybody know what this is ?

I bought it about 18 months ago as a possible bonsai, no label, cheap at the local garden centre.  Didn't do anything at all last year, this year it's come out with these big daisy-like flowers about 2" across. Out for a walk this afternoon, I saw another one at the edge of a drive as a very large shrub covered in flowers.

(https://i.imgur.com/LnwUo4W.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 22 March, 2020, 05:23:34 pm
My wife says “Magnolia Stellata”.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 22 March, 2020, 05:51:30 pm
cheers, Magnolia did spring to mind, but it was the flowers that threw me.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 22 March, 2020, 07:01:49 pm
cheers, Magnolia did spring to mind, but it was the flowers that threw me.

Yes, we saw one of those yesterday in someone's front garden. Looked beautiful, especially in the spring(?) sunshine.

Busy few days on the veg plot, trying to make up for lost time due to the wet winter.
 Cut down an old and rather ratty apple tree - soon to be replaced by a new one in its place.
 Re-jigged the plot rotation a bit, which meant transplanting a load of strawberry plants.
 Dug over 4 or 5 of the deep beds; a couple of them a still a bit soggy and compacted, so 'fluffed them up' to allow drying out.
 I'll need to fork them over at least once more, and maybe add some compost, before they're fit for seeding.
 Spuds are chitting nicely in the spare (cold) bedroom.
 Sowed numerous seeds (lettuce, leeks, tomatoes, and other salady things) in trays to be kept in the sunny porch.
 Moved sprouts cage to a new bed in line with rotation (they need a cage to avoid being used as a pigeon cafeteria). 
 Much tidying and re-arranging, with the garden beginning to look ready for a new cropping year. 

Even with the current situation, this first surge of preparation does lift the spirits. I hope we can be a bit more self-sufficient this year - and it may help to cut down the shopping trips.  Couldn't help thinking of the wartime slogan "Dig for Victory".

Oh, and I even managed and hour or so on the bike in the warmth of the afternoon. Great.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 22 March, 2020, 07:26:18 pm
Well, I'm still using our spuds and (frozen) beans. Think this year allotmenteering will be beneficial on many fronts. It is possible, also, that theft becomes more of a thing, too :(  ::-)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 22 March, 2020, 08:26:00 pm
Yesterday I cut up a large tree for an elderly neighbour - it had fallen during the storms, and the people who were supposed to be coming to sort it weren't. She had planted it when she moved in 50 years ago.

I went to the allotment today - cut the grass on the paths, weeded around the garlic onions, broad beans and asparagus. Planted a few asparagus in some spaces that had formed in the beds.

The frost hasn't broken the heavy soil up this year, so I'm going to try starting stuff in modules, that I would normally plant seeds straight in the ground. Beetroot, carrots and parsnips now sewn in micro-modules (510 per tray) in the greenhouse.  :o
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 24 March, 2020, 09:35:10 am
Yeah looks like a magnolia. I have one and it's flowering currently as well.

Keeping this a grown up conversation what are peoples thoughts on going to the allotment during this lock down. I can easily stay away from others it's just it is 3 miles from my house and not sure if covered by new rules
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 24 March, 2020, 10:07:15 am
exercise? Food shopping?

Doens't seem unreasonable to me

If I had an allotment I'd be there

EDIT, and now I can't go an buy any flower seends or bedding plants, will need to see what I can do online
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 24 March, 2020, 10:22:38 am
Done some googling and apparently Gove has said allotments are fine.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 24 March, 2020, 11:05:17 am
The National Allotment Society has been issuing guidelines, which it seems sensible to stick to: https://www.nsalg.org.uk/news/covid19-information/

I saw the Gove interview this morning, and he seemed keen that continuing to use an allotment was good so long as guidelines were followed.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 24 March, 2020, 11:16:59 am
I am a little worried that in 3 or 4 months when they're is actually stuff growing on the allotment people may help themselves as my allotment isn't a gated one. I think when I go ill avoid the toilets as that's the only communal area. Take a bucket and make some compost activator

Going to expand the garden veg area as a back up
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 25 March, 2020, 09:35:01 am
Got contact from our allotment association. It's open but the toilets are shut and strict instructions on use of communal mower and restricted visitors/helpers

Means I'll go up without kids for a while...... I could take them  but they tend to go for a wander around the allotment site seeing what's going on which isn't ideal and I'd also like some space
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 25 March, 2020, 08:37:17 pm
Our site committee sent an email to everyone saying that the site's open, but we should only walk or cycle to the site* - I can imagine they caused some raised blood pressure with that!
*Mrs M being disabled will ignore that
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 25 March, 2020, 09:20:13 pm
I painted the pallet built shed today, it looks rather fine.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: spindrift on 26 March, 2020, 07:29:22 pm
Wouldn't call it a lawn exactly:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SF9sdU6MUMVgN3A4A
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 28 March, 2020, 11:20:40 am
Up the allotment this morning. Beautiful morning and till not long before I left absolutely deserted. Took my Chillington hoe and a hand towel which covered most bases while being easy to carry on the bike.

Got quite a bit planted but will need to start watering soon as it's getting dry which is hard to believe after the winter we hsd. Beans I've planted in bog roll inners at home are doing well but these may go in the garden patch.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 28 March, 2020, 11:52:16 am
Yesterday.
First row of peas in. Second row will be 3 weeks later.  Broad beans will go in front of them today, hopefully.  Bed for carrots, beetroot and kale prepped and readied.
Pinched out the tops of the sweet pea seedlings that I sowed late February. They're still in their pots in the utility room window, and will be for some time yet.
Later today, second lawn mower of the year. Again, hopefully.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 28 March, 2020, 12:26:55 pm
Most of the heavy work done, only one more bed to dig over. Which is just as well because tendons in my wrist are suffering. Now waiting for the soil to warm up a bit before sowing/planting frenzy can begin.

Road riding does my wrist no favours, so may have to turbo, which is OK by me with the renewed chill in the air ;)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 28 March, 2020, 07:00:22 pm
Lawn mown today and cuttings used to mulch one of the veg beds, try adn get the soil warmed up a bit.  Also did some more remohal of red-hot pokers and a sprin prune of the standard fuscia that hadn't lost its leaves over the winter as it was so mild

Haven't planted anything else yet, will wait til week after next when I'm off work. I'm going to need to buy flower seeds online I think his year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 28 March, 2020, 07:20:20 pm
I'm going to need to buy flower seeds online I think his year.
I'm lacking broad, French and runner bean seeds, but online sellers seem to have largely run out, or can't promise delivery soon. Reluctant to go to shops (those that are open), so will ask around neighbours, or even at local allotments to see if I can scrounge a few.  Have most other things, though.
Still a bit chilly out there for sowing much.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 28 March, 2020, 09:44:29 pm
yes, that's why I'm not bothering too much, will focus on clearing and structural changes for now.  In my experience later sewings tend to catch up eventually
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 28 March, 2020, 10:17:11 pm
I went to the allotment and planted early potatoes (Chalotte) and more broad beans - I saved a large bucket full of seed beans from last year as they cropped heavier than I had time to pick.

I'm going to struggle with dwarf beans, as the variety I have found best is Safari, which our local pet & gardening shop (Brands for those that know Ely) sell by weight from a bulk bag - except they didn't have any last week when I tried to get some, and say they probably won't have them. I could have saved some from last year, but the pods go really hard and sharp when they dry, making it diffucult to shell.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 29 March, 2020, 09:26:47 pm
Erected an old flexible plastic cold frame over part of one of my deep beds, like a super-size cloche.  Nothing in there yet, but it should help to warm up the soil a bit before sowing stuff.  Most of the original pegs supplied to hold down the 'skirt' had either got lost or rusted away, so I searched for something else. Tried an old spoke bent over at one end, but the recently-dug soil did not hold it - and windy weather is forecast.  Bit more rummaging in the garage turned up some tatty mudguards saved for, er, a rainy day. Realistically, I'll never use the guards again, but 'Eureka', the stays were just what I wanted: double pronged pegs long enough to hold the plastic firmly! Managed to find 6, so the job's a good 'un.

With sore wrist tendons, and a low tolerance for the biting nor'easter, that was enough for today, so I went indoors and put the kettle on . . .
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 01 April, 2020, 07:41:31 pm
I have turned the compost heap! Or, to be slightly more truthful, I have moved the compost from the middle bay to the left hand one, as it is all ready for use.  One of tomorrow's tasks will be to move the contents of the right hand, collecting bay into the middle, hopefully mixing it up as I go.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 01 April, 2020, 07:59:01 pm
I'm going to struggle with dwarf beans, as the variety I have found best is Safari, which our local pet & gardening shop (Brands for those that know Ely) sell by weight from a bulk bag - except they didn't have any last week when I tried to get some, and say they probably won't have them. I could have saved some from last year, but the pods go really hard and sharp when they dry, making it diffucult to shell.

I cleaned an did some work on my 'potting shed' (as mentioned on the fettling thread), and discovered I had half a carboard gravy tub of dwarf bean seeds from 18 months ago.  :D
I hope I can get some to grow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 01 April, 2020, 08:32:47 pm
BTW, I'm on a couple of Facebook groups for allotments and 'Growing your own', and am getting fed up with all the newbie stupid questions. I'm sure most of the answers are on t'interweb already.

Todays gem, was someone asking how they get seeds out of the potatoes they had bought...  :facepalm:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 02 April, 2020, 06:44:13 am
I think you make potatoes waffles and the seeds are the bits where the holes push out?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 02 April, 2020, 07:00:16 am
BTW, I'm on a couple of Facebook groups for allotments and 'Growing your own', and am getting fed up with all the newbie stupid questions. I'm sure most of the answers are on t'interweb already.

Todays gem, was someone asking how they get seeds out of the potatoes they had bought...  :facepalm:

Possibly related to yesterday's date? No? Oh well.

As it happened I stuffed some in the ground yesterday (as well as preparing the bean bed).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ginger Cat on 04 April, 2020, 05:59:36 pm
Had a good couple days on the plot.

Yesterday I spent an hour or so having a general tidy.

Today I had a good session over there. Weeded all the beds, hoed a little to loosen the soil (I work on no dig and never walk on the beds), planted some extra raspberry canes from home, built a cage/fence/thingy from canes to support the canes in the raspberry patch (the plot is windy- can see the Mor Hafren from the plot- so the canes otherwise end up horizontal which hs not good for picking fruit). Transplanted some strawberry plants from a friend's plot to mine. Sowed a couple of rows of chard. Watered in all the transplants/seeds.

Watched a big bumbly bee fly into a tunnel into the soil and marked the spot with a tag so I don't inadvertently dig up Ms. Bumbly's nest. Watched lots of other bees enjoying the borage patch. Noticed the Mobile Fan (police helicopter) patrolling around down towards the Island. Sat and had a think about what I will put where and how I can cover the polytunnel frame without having access to horticultrual supplies (I have  an idea involving pallets and a large clear builders' tarpaulin- which I already have).

Was good to be out in the spring sun. Allotments are healthful things in many ways.

GC
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 04 April, 2020, 06:26:24 pm
Last Oct a friend gave me some Jerusalem Artichokes which i added to various meals and were good for my digestion, I think. I kept some JA tubers for planting, which I did mid Feb. Unfortunately i didn't use any canes to remind me exactly where they were planted. I am worried that if i weed something that i don't recognize as a weed it will be a JA. I know they grow very tall but won't know when it is just breaking above the soil.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: HeltorChasca on 04 April, 2020, 08:03:37 pm
Last Oct a friend gave me some Jerusalem Artichokes which i added to various meals and were good for my digestion, I think. I kept some JA tubers for planting, which I did mid Feb. Unfortunately i didn't use any canes to remind me exactly where they were planted. I am worried that if i weed something that i don't recognize as a weed it will be a JA. I know they grow very tall but won't know when it is just breaking above the soil.
I can take some photos tomorrow. Here in SW England, they are just emerging. Pretty easy to identify and actually hard to get rid of too. I have some that have split paving slabs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 05 April, 2020, 08:17:09 am
Working through the beds in the garden, weeding and tidying. A few more things in modules to germinate in the greenhouse.

Beetroot, chard, asparagus kale, runner and French beans, squashes and some flowering plants for the borders. Also been moving some things around for aesthetics, and took some root cuttings of sea kale.

Today will be lawn mowing and edging, more weeding and control of overgrowth, and dealing with the parsley. Its gone mad. Probably some pruning of the bonsai as well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 11 April, 2020, 07:17:07 pm
Loads done in the garden this weekend including building a secure covered run for the chickens after having a big fox caught on wildlife camera earlier in week. Also moved the baths I use as raised beds. Took a lot of emptying before they were light enough to shove. Then emptied the plastic compost bins into the baths and the stuff that needs to rot down more went into the bigger compost bins I built our of pallets

Also got up the allotment this morning to any my earlies and give it a water. Highlight was the black bird that was so tame it took worms out my hand.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 11 April, 2020, 07:36:18 pm
Went to the allotment today, picked rhubarb and some of the remaining parsnips. Did a bit of hoeing, but it was really too hot to be doing much.
The water still hasn't been turned on to the troughs, so I'm hoping for a bit of rain to help the seeds along - the special rain that helps plants but not weeds!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 11 April, 2020, 08:54:05 pm
We could do with some of that rain here too.

Planted a couple of 10 metre rows of leeks and lettuce, from trays of plants grown from seed. I needed to water the rows before and affter dibbing them in.

Had the first 'bait' (possibly an East Angian term) of 'sparrow-grass' from the allotment.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 12 April, 2020, 04:52:28 pm
Luck you, too heavy in my garden for asparagus.

Been getting stuff into trays, germinating nicely, taking cuttings of herbaceous things which will hopefully work this year.

Continued pruning stuff but nowhere to put he trimmings at the moment.Other general tidying, tying in of the fig tree, lawn edges, distributing  snowdrops from the large clumps. Also built a new raised bed sized for the cold frame to drop on top of it. Pruning/shaping of the bonsai and a couple of repottings.

The prunus cerasifera that I put in the garden to recover after its top suffered die back is going like the clappers, to the extent that I'll probably pot it tomorrow. 

One more big patch of weeding to go.  Good news that not ringing many brambles this year, or much bindweed so far. Previous efforts clearly working.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 12 April, 2020, 05:11:20 pm
I have a few seedlings coming on in pots/trays, but last night's close inspection revealed none of the seeds sown directly into the ground had emerged (bit of a slow start following the soggy winter).
Absolutely delighted this morning therefore to discover lettuce, radishes, spinach, broccoli and rocket had all burst through. Lots more to follow.  This year particularly, the emergence of new life is an exciting moment.

Our planned May/June holiday in France is almost certainly off, so will enjoy the enforced stay at home nurturing my crops. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 13 April, 2020, 11:06:01 am
Attacked the over grown raspberry area on the allotment. We only took it on last autumn. Managed to hack most of it down and get permeable membrane over most of it with the raspberries allowed through. Disturbed a slow (sloe?) worm which I moved to compost bin.. Wish I don't this job Saturday as was cold and windy making the sheeting difficult.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 April, 2020, 12:43:12 pm
Playing with a couple of bonsai today and a bit of weeding.  Now in best Forth Bridge tradition will be starting going back round again, only problem is no-where to put anything at the mo with refuse site closed, and green waste bin full.  Some of this stuff I don't want to put on the compost heap.

This was the Myrobalan Plum (prunus cerasifera) that I've grown from a pencil thin cutting, over 15 years ago.  It's been in the ground for a couple of years recovering from some winter dieback.  Despite 2-3 years in the ground, it went back in its original pot fairly easy.

(https://i.imgur.com/znjyVbj.jpg)

Deciding on the "front"
(https://i.imgur.com/Z4CpxOU.jpg)

New front is actually the opposite of the original front
(https://i.imgur.com/KPVHHQQ.jpg)

Long branch to the right will be gradually shortened to give the right silhouette
(https://i.imgur.com/9RvrZUY.jpg)

Also repotted this from a rectangular pot that I didn't think really suited it (it's in the background above)
(https://i.imgur.com/oDXlpKt.jpg)

This one is next (wife was complaining it was scratching the cars, it wasn't  ::-) gonna take a while to dig out though)

(https://i.imgur.com/rSmhIJZ.jpg)

Remember that bit in Jaws, "we're gonna need a bigger boat?" I "think" i have a pot it "might" fit in
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 13 April, 2020, 03:00:26 pm
I saw some bonsai in er the bark for the first time last year and was amazed by it. I'd ways assumed they were special small trees not normal trees kept small. The oak tree was particularly amazing
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 April, 2020, 04:26:10 pm
My largest is a group of three plum trees I've grown from seed for about 20 years, they now stand about 1.2m tall, similar span - I'll dig out a pic of them in full bloom, quite spectacular. I can only just move that one on my own.  The pine is also grown from seed, planted in 1997. 

The most common size of bonsai is 1-2ft tall, just about the right size to be easily moved around.  They also go down to mame size which are essentially palm or fingertip sized.  They need attention every day, soemtimes several times a day as they can dry out so easily.  I just couldn't keep any of those with my travel, it's a chore for my wife or kids to water them when I'm away in the summer as it is.

This is also one of my favourites, by one of the top bonsai masters, an 11-tree group, one for each of his grandchildren. He named it Goshin "protector of the spirit"  The man in the pic is the creator John Naka, who died in 2004 aged 89.

(https://i.imgur.com/2ztWTl6.jpg)

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 20 April, 2020, 06:48:16 am
Oops forgot about my main crop seed potatoes which were under the stairs and have chitted through the net bag. Will have to try and get them in this week but feel a bit bad going to allotment after work as the wife has had the kids all day while I'm at work and I normally take over to give her a break.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 23 April, 2020, 07:59:27 am
A couple of early morning trips to the allotment for watering. Need to try and remove a very low wire fence the previous plot holder had as its allowing grass and stuff to grow through but it's half buried so can't just pull out
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 24 April, 2020, 10:27:22 am
Got  lot of the stuff that was in seed trays and pots in the greenhouse out into the veg beds today.  Need to get the supports up for the beans, cucumbers and tomatoes and they'll go out as well.  I've had to resort to filling one of the water butts from the hose as it's been so dry here, filling the butt will allow the chlorine to dissipate.

Most of the flower cuttings I took are going well, but not ready to plant out yet - I've still not got the packet seed I ordered 2 weeks ago, they've taken my money already of course.

Ride this afternoon, and then tomorrow will be some more general tidying, trying to get some of the bindweed out mechanically befroe I need to nuke it, and the weekly lawnmowing. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 25 April, 2020, 01:23:12 pm
Repaired the last of the scaffold plank raised beds with proper pressure treated timber.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 25 April, 2020, 05:14:58 pm
Got my main crop spuds in. Earthed up the earlies that are just starting to come through and ripped out the fence. Neighbour plot said he will strim the grass where the fence was when he does his which saves me dragging my Strummer up there. Gave it all a good soaking as well

Hightlights were hearing a wood pecker and seeing a fight between buzzards. Looked like 2 v 1 but hard to tell as one wasn't as much involved. Feathers flying mid air
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 25 April, 2020, 07:15:53 pm
Planted two 10 metre rows of mange-tout peas and 2 rows of parsnips. Because the frost didn't break the soil down enough to make a decent seed-bed, I started beetroot, carrot and parsnips in micro-modules. My back ached by the time I was half way through the pasnips. as I had been hoeing and moving cold-frames before.

I am taking 30 litres of water down there twice a day for watering in the trailer behind the bike.

Planted more Mange tout pea seeds in the freed-up modules from the ones I planted.

I had been having trouble getting dwarf beans to germinate. I thought it was because I only had old seed, but now have it sorted using a propagator on a heat-mat. I'd expect to plant about 5 rows of 50 plants a row, so need to get lots going.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 25 April, 2020, 07:26:19 pm
My courgette seeds did ok 4/5. When the first came up I thought that it looked a bit strange. Then when the second came up I realised that the first one was upside down i.e. roots up first, I have not seen this before. Anyway, I replanted it the right way up and seems to be doing ok. I have not grown courgettes before but have heard that they can take up some space. Might grow 2 outside.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 25 April, 2020, 07:35:12 pm
I planted 5 courgette plants out yesterday, and covered them with a cloche. The 5 I had under the cloche previously now have no cover. I probably have a dozen plants still in the greenhouse.  :o

Potatoes started to show through yesterday.  :thumbsup:

I had aspagus and pizza for tea  ;D - I'm cutting asparagus every couple of days at the moment!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 25 April, 2020, 09:31:56 pm
Planted out the myriad sweet peas my wife had grown.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: matthew on 25 April, 2020, 10:27:50 pm
Over this last week I have dug up a stip of lawn 600mm x 10m as it was mainly moss and dandelions. Today I dug in well rotted manure into the heavy clay soil, mulched the raspberries and planted 144 bedding plants into the new bed and the one on the other side.

Now it will just be the weeding and watering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 25 April, 2020, 10:34:41 pm
One bed dug over and several rows of zinnia seeds sown.
Courgettes planted in the patented knackered old tyre towers.
Runner beans planted.
Sweet peas planted.
(All plants grown from seed.)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 26 April, 2020, 06:07:09 am
My packet seeds finally appeared yesterday, so planted as a family activity with my son, three seed trays in the greenhouse germinating.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 26 April, 2020, 08:24:06 am

Courgettes planted in the patented knackered old tyre towers.


How does that work? they droop down the sides?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 26 April, 2020, 08:37:29 am

Courgettes planted in the patented knackered old tyre towers.


How does that work? they droop down the sides?
Exactly. Keeps them off the ground and away from the slugs.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 27 April, 2020, 10:23:16 pm
I'd noticed that one of my water butts had a slow leak round the tap, so took the opportunity while it was just about empty to fettle it. The rubber washer had split, so I was pleased to find a replacement in my lav cistern spare parts box. Replacing the tap involved wriggling down into the bottom of the water butt, which has a rather narrow opening at the top; just as well I'm more racing snake than prop forward.  Inelegant, but effective, the job was done in about 5 mins, just in time for the promised rain . . . which has yet to arrive!

Also dug out one half of my double compost box, and distributed the 'good stuff' over three of the deep beds, partly to 'earth' up the potatoes.  Now for a rain dance . . .
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 28 April, 2020, 06:32:28 am
It worked, first decent rain here for weeks, hopefully my butts will be full by the end of the day
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 28 April, 2020, 07:42:49 am
I planted out a row of beetroot (about 100?) and a row of carrots (about 200?) micro-modules yesterday, so they will be watered in, and I won't have to haul the normal 30 litres of water down there this morning.

I still have about 1000 carrot micro modules to plant out, but it looks like several of the earlier planted ones have fallen victim to something (ants are the main suspects).

The rain won't be enough to fill my IBC water butt (1000 litres) from the small shed on the allotment!

It's gonna get the weeds growing though.  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 28 April, 2020, 08:11:29 am
I haven't done it yet, but I'm building up the courage to empty the garden compost bin. Courage? Yes! In the past the bins at the bottom of the garden have been the residential quarters of rats. This bin has been sitting staring at me for a couple of years, so they've probably got themselves quite cozy in there.
Currently chucking buckets of water into it to warn the blighters that I'm coming.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 28 April, 2020, 10:23:07 am
I stand mine on galvanised wire mesh, which seems to keep them out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 28 April, 2020, 01:13:24 pm
I stood mine on mesh. They ate their way in through the sliding door. I find shooting them works fairly well though
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 28 April, 2020, 01:22:04 pm
Tried making mine out of a frame lined with chicken wire, didn't work.

Some git of a slug has eaten one of my greenhouse tomatoes, lucky i have spares
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 09 May, 2020, 04:51:49 pm
The area between the greenhouse and the compost heaps is tidy.
As a result, I've found four bags of leaf mould ready for use. They will just get used as a mulch, but I was getting a bit short of material for that, so a good thing.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 09 May, 2020, 06:22:06 pm
Loads. Up the allotment this morning to earth up potatoes, hoe and water before it got too hot. I'd always assumed allotment folk were early birds but was there at 9 which is later then usual for me and deserted. A few more about when I left.

Then planting and weeding a plenty in my own garden including making one of the raised beds that are repurposed baths into a flower bed for the wife as its now by our patio

Had a slight moment. Our compost bin is on the other side of our stream. This is the only part of the garden without ground eldar so the wife and kids are under strict instructions not to put any in compost heap.............. I did though so had to get it out again
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 May, 2020, 02:41:12 pm
I know what you mean on the compost heap, I have bindweed in the garden, which is progressively dug out as I get to it, picking over the soil for the smallest bits of root I can see, which only goes in the green waste bin as they will get to a high enough temperature to kill it.

Not much doing here other than a back breaking but rewarding task of trying to create a new bonsai. In this case it's from a yew that has been in the garde since the house was built by the look of ot, in 1985.  I'd been topiarising it into a cuboid about 3ftx2ftx2ft, but the wife kept complaining about it scratching her car.  Last yeat I cut it back on one side to reveal a very good branch structure as well as a trunk about 6" diameter at soil level. 

I've been slowly trying to excavate it over the last month or so with combination of spade, fork, pick, rake and loppers, and am not far off getting it out now.  About a spade and a half down is heavy clay, which I think ahs made it put out lots of nice shallow roots. Now I've found my small folding camping spade I think I should have it out tomorrow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 10 May, 2020, 02:49:46 pm
Pricked our the little gem seedlings into a module tray. Our first batch of seeds germinated in a yogurt pot greenhouse, a top tip from Beechgrove Garden. Then, because they were starting to look a bit yellow, potted on the Gardeners Delight into their final “long tom” pots, and moved the Big Daddies and Tumblers into the next size up pot. Then potted on the sweetcorn seedlings. Then had to find room in our 6x4 greenhouse for them all because of the very cold next few nights.l

ETA Itcwas like gardening in a snowstorm - strong north easterly is stripping all the blossom off the hawthorn by the greenhouse.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 10 May, 2020, 02:53:00 pm
Just a bit of tidying so far, but later today will be the vital job of earthing-up and otherwise protecting the spuds against the forecast frost. One small raised bed is bursting with sprouting spuds so tall and vigorous that there simply is not enough room to earth up much more, so i'll be covering in straw and adding fleece or some other membrane to keep it in place while the frost threat lasts. 

The rest of the veg look healthy, including tomato and bean seedlings which are too tender to plant out yet, but may be in need of potting on in a week or so.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 10 May, 2020, 02:57:36 pm
Another bed dug over. Zinnias covered with plastic to ward off the possible frost. A set of cosmos and sunflowers transported from the spuds to the newly dug over bed.

The damson/greengage is heaving with fruit. Never seen it so loaded.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 10 May, 2020, 03:02:55 pm
I had planned to spend an afternoon on the allotment, after a week of rebuilding the shed, and deorating, but it's windy and rainy, so I'm not going to bother hoeing round the peas, beans and alliums (garlic, shallots and onions).

If it dries out a bit tomorrow, I'll be down there planting.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 10 May, 2020, 03:11:42 pm
Our greengage is developing loads of fruit. It's in its second year and from whatever the name of the pound shop we have in town is.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 May, 2020, 09:11:13 pm
I fleeced the courgettes, the kale, tatsoi, beans and beets will have to fend for themselves.  Hopefully the outdoor cucumbers will be OK, if not I have seed to resow. All else back into the greenhouse
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 11 May, 2020, 06:47:56 am
I did break up a bale of barley straw and insulate my beans as is down to around 3c overnight a few times this week. Brought the kids sunflowers in as well. Hopefully everything else is small enough to survive with the heat in the soil
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 11 May, 2020, 03:39:26 pm
looks like one of the cucumbers has gone, everything else looks OK though. 

Today I finally managed to get the yew out of the ground by the edge of the drive, it was about another 5 hours of heavy manual work and nearly broke me.  MY shoulders are aching like hell, but it was worth it.  The trunk is 11" across at soil level

(https://i.imgur.com/sYwIcwN.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/NFu6T3V.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/0weO5H9.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/G1GQ4Nk.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/3zFzsIp.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 11 May, 2020, 08:29:32 pm
An impressive bit of excavation, ED! 

I've done a fair bit of tree removal (notably bloody leylandii!) and grubbing out of hedges over the years, and enjoyed it in a destructive sort of way.  However, you add something creative with the bonsai-ing (?).  Don't you ever feel sort of guilty, though?  OK, much/most gardening has a touch of the fascist in its intolerance for 'weeds' and the desire to control, but bonsai takes it to extremes . . . but with often stunning results.  Perhaps you also talk to them ;)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 12 May, 2020, 07:58:16 pm
I did break up a bale of barley straw and insulate my beans as is down to around 3c overnight a few times this week. Brought the kids sunflowers in as well. Hopefully everything else is small enough to survive with the heat in the soil

No straw here, I was thinking about the shredded cardboard packaging around my new bonsai pots today, but then realised the perfect frost protection - all of the dead dried leaves of the red-hot pokers from my tidying up activites
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 12 May, 2020, 08:58:39 pm
At the plot today:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 May, 2020, 05:44:38 am
At the plot today:
  • Cut up the remains of the plum tree that got blown over in the strong winds.It was a self seeded one and had grown through some steel mesh which had weakened the trunk near the ground.
  • General tidying up.
  • Built a study support for runner beans.
  • Planted a row of mange tout pea plants and covered them with steel mesh (scavenged from a skip - they were protection for strip lights in the sports hall).

Do you still have the stump of that plum tree? Any roots attached?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 13 May, 2020, 06:42:12 am
The straw is a bonus. A work colleague gave it to me last year as bought it in for seats at a garden party and I have chickens so could use afterwards. Miraculously it's still around the beans after the winds on Monday. Looking at weather forecast hopefully when it warms up again at weekend that'll be the frost risk gone for the year as was a light frost out on my run this morning.

Going to possibly take advantage of the slight relaxing of advice and take my kids to allotment but they've already been told they need to stay on my plot as normally go a visiting or for an explore and nature's call must be answered at home as our plots by a footpath and the comunial toilets are closed
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 13 May, 2020, 08:44:12 am
At the plot today:
  • Cut up the remains of the plum tree that got blown over in the strong winds.It was a self seeded one and had grown through some steel mesh which had weakened the trunk near the ground.

Do you still have the stump of that plum tree? Any roots attached?

There was some newer growth from the root, so I've left that to see what recovers.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 May, 2020, 08:52:24 am
If you decide you don't like/want it, let me know.  I've already got a few plum / cherry bonsai, and would happily have more
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 14 May, 2020, 07:28:39 pm
I have not grown courgettes before but have 4 plants on the go (all grown from free seed). I plan to have 2 in the greenhouse and 2 outside. Today I potted the 2 g'house plants in their main growing pots. The outside ones can wait til June. The runner beans have come up well 7/8 and will also be planted out in June.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 14 May, 2020, 09:36:11 pm
Last week my neighbour fitted new wardrobes and I scrounged the large sheets of cardboard, which mainly kept the frost off my potatoes. I've covered them with it again tonight. Hopefully that will be the last frost this spring, here.

I lifted most of the remaining leeks (I didn't use as many this year) as they were going to seed (keeping half a dozen to provide next year's seed) and planted sprouting broccoli.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ashaman42 on 14 May, 2020, 10:32:49 pm
Yesterday but I poked some more mangetout seeds into my planter. Of the dozen or so I planted a few weeks ago only two sprouted so I've made some new holes to attempt round deux.

And ordered some wee plastic supports for the ones that have sprouted as I have only mushy rotten bamboo cane and no desire to go to B&Q.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 15 May, 2020, 06:41:16 am
I have a willow stump down my garden which keeps me supplied with supports. Do need to leave it good 6 months from cutting to ensure it's dead or you just plant willow saplings
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 15 May, 2020, 06:46:11 am
The wind fallen plum tree will supply most of the pea supports for me.

I already have 6 rows (about 40-50 plants per row) of mange tout, and probably enough plants almost ready for one more row!  ;)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 16 May, 2020, 07:16:41 pm
Seems to have got away with the frost, just one cucumber plant, one bean, and one already sickly courgette lost.  I've filled the gaps of bean and cucumber with direct sewings, no courgette seeds left, but I still have 5 plants between a family of 4.

Put the Really Red Deer Tongue Lettuce in the ground, will sew some more for sucession.
Tomatoes coming on well, but will wait to end of May to plant the outdoor ones.

Also gave a couple of hedges and trees an annual trim, and a bit of work on another bonsai.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 16 May, 2020, 09:41:43 pm
Tool the girls up the allotment for first time since lock down. Was also there first time in a car in two months. They loved that it had changed massively in the time but I've done a lot of time and early mornings up there. Earthed the main crop spuds. Did hit one patch of soil so compacted I couldn't get my spade into it and didn't have a fork. Got the parsnip in and watered everything well as hadn't last week at all as so cold overnight
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 16 May, 2020, 09:42:40 pm
Final row of mange tout planted, 4 more rows of dwarf bean plants and some runner beans.

I have moved the wire mesh protection from the peas to the dwarf beans, and covered them with some old gazebo side panels to give them a bit of overnight protection.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 19 May, 2020, 01:37:33 pm
Went up the allotment before work to give it a good soaking. Need to do something to protect the chard as I thi k it's pigeons are hammering it. Also got peas to go in which will need some protection or will go the same way I fear
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 19 May, 2020, 01:47:25 pm
Dug over 2/3 of a bed that was covered in foot high grass.

I quite enjoy a completely mindless task once in a while.

Meanwhile Mrs h got all manner of stuff done.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Gattopardo on 21 May, 2020, 04:26:37 pm
Is it too late to plant out some courgette plants on to a balcony.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 21 May, 2020, 05:20:03 pm
Mrs h popped some courgette seedlings into the bed last weekend, if that helps.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 22 May, 2020, 06:46:01 am
no, not too late, plant out courgettes after the last frost is the general guide.  Mine went out last week in April, probably a bit early
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 23 May, 2020, 11:58:08 am
Whole family trip to allotment for first time in probably 10 to 12 weeks. Trying to put a netting hoop over the remnants of the chard, some weeding watering and started attacking the soft fruit area which was there when we got the allotment as is overgrown.

The nets will hopefully work for a while but need to build something better or consider a poly tunnel or one of those net tunnels but the cost is a bit prohibitive
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 23 May, 2020, 01:19:39 pm
Dug in a bed's worth of paving slabs on their edge to stop adjoining plot's grass ingress.
Emptied the killing bin (where we drown nasty plants).
Planted and caged next March's purple sprouting.
Dug a bit more of the bed I was working last weekend.
Lots of watering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 23 May, 2020, 07:52:34 pm
Dug out one of the compost bins (almost a cubic metre!) and spread it on cardboard covering the ground where I will be planting more courgettes and butternut squash out.

I've been taking almost 100 litre, of water, a day, down there in the bike trailer for the last 3 -4 weeks. We has a short sharp shower this evening, but it's already dried up!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Gattopardo on 23 May, 2020, 11:44:58 pm
Courgettes have been removed from propagator to bigger plastic pots with covers of cut in half 1.5 litre bottles for protection.

Germinating some red basil, lambs lettuce and rocket. 

The basil is coming along....

Stick some photos up shortly.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 24 May, 2020, 08:28:01 am
bastard blackbirds have been at it.  A month or so back I mulched one of the rasied beds with grass clippings for moisture and warmth, and the blackbirds loved it of course.  OK So far, but now the buggers have gone and pulled up the two outdoor cucumbers that were in that bed. 

One might be salvageable, the other is a goner.  Some new seed sewn in-situ
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 24 May, 2020, 02:24:22 pm
Freshly dug potatoes with Sunday lunch today!  :smug:

(https://i.ibb.co/rpDp0XQ/taties-2020.jpg)

These were 'volunteers' (self sown) from the heap where I put weeds and potato tops last year.  :demon:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 25 May, 2020, 03:37:47 pm
Yesterday dug up the chard from, and weeded one of the raised beds, and planted out the sweetcorn. This (according to my wife’s diary) is 2 weeks earlier than last years, but I had a business trip to Japan and a long weekend in Bury St. Edmonds this time last year.

Today I cleared another bed. Dug up the parsley, and sacrificed some of the garlics. Then planted out 9 “Big Daddy” tomatoes. Then planted out the Little Gem lettuces at the cool rear of both of those beds. Oh and put some dwarf bean seeds in amongst the sweetcorn.

Next is to sow some more chard (into modules) and try yet more parsley (maybe in a seed tray) as germination has been poor this year. Oh and we’ve sown another tranch of lettuce.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 25 May, 2020, 05:33:42 pm
That reminds me, save some seed from the self-sown parsley.

Over the last few days, sucession sowing of lettuce and pak-choi, outdoor tomatoes into their bed, a mix of Orange Banana, Galina and Feo Di Rio Gordo, cabbage seedlings need to go into their bed as well.   Chilli into their greenhouse positions, one in my son's room for science.

Flowers are coming on reasonably well, but sowed some more marigold and cosmos after finding loads with their heads missing! Found, and relocated the bastard snail!  Also potted on the verbena cuttings, 9 out of ten had taken with very good rootage.  Picked up hald a dozen impatiens for 75p and a bag of gladioli bulbs for £2.50 at Wilko's and they went in random lodations in the beds, soem fo the glads in a pot at the front door
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 25 May, 2020, 05:57:50 pm
It's been a day of potting on: squashes, peppers, cucumbers, tuberoses, dahlias. Then pricking out some basil. And finally sorting out a basket display of primulas which we won in a raffle back in the winter. They have looked lovely, but have now stopped flowering. I got 21 plants out of the one display which can only be about 12x5".
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 25 May, 2020, 06:17:35 pm
Planted out 1/2 a row of dwarf beans, and about 20 courgette plants (through compost on top of cardboard). Potted on lots of peppers and toms to refill the green house, but used soil from the bottom of the 'compost bin I have been filling with weeds for about 3 years'.

Going back soon, for the 3rd time today with about 45 litres of water on the bike trailer.  :o

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 25 May, 2020, 09:22:17 pm
Wobbly from the above I'm guessing you do no dig?

Cycled to mine tonight and gave it a good soaking. The water trough I use was fairly slow in refilling so had to draw from a few different ones. The plot was waterlogged over the winter due to the sheer volume of rain and is now like a desert where I've not watered
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 25 May, 2020, 10:04:20 pm
It is absolutely dry as a bone here, the lawn looks like the serengeti already.  Wildebeest anyone?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 25 May, 2020, 10:36:22 pm
Wobbly from the above I'm guessing you do no dig?


Nope, It's clay so would set like concrete. I'm just borrowing the technique to try to retain moisture and reduce weed growth on a small (10 x 3 metre!) area.  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 25 May, 2020, 11:18:48 pm
Ho-ho-ho-ing. I was given 8 tomato plants yesterday, and a courgette. They are in the ground now. My first runner bean showed its cotyledons. I also weeded the patch where I sowed the radishes. And this evening I took a photo of the hedgehog who seems to live in a large pile of dead 3-cornered leeks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 26 May, 2020, 10:29:37 am
Spent yesterday up the allotment, ostensibly to water, but in the end, building defences around our onions that have come in for some harsh treatment from what can only be, Mr Bastard Badger. Previously, we’ve seen signs of exploratory digging in parts of the allotment, and been perplexed as to what could have caused it. But a fellow allotter said it’d’ve been a badger. He’s indiscriminately chewed on some, trampled them, pulled up some. Bastard. So we managed to find sufficient chicken wire to put round that area. As far as we know, Badgers don’t like onions.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 27 May, 2020, 12:36:54 pm
Not strictly what I did but nearly did and can't now. Was considering a second allotment. When watering mine from troughs Monday night went to a distant trough as my nearest two were slowly refilling. Spotted a wild flower meadow which I thinks meant to be a plot and when we took on our plot in late autumn had a choice of about 15.

Email newsletter from the allotment organisation today and there is now a waiting list. It's amazing what uncertainty does for allotment up take. Just before the credit crunch a load of people I knew got allotments and had a choice of which ones. There is currently a five year wait on that site.

I might however get a second one in a year or so when people realise they can be quite hard work and need regular attention
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: madcow on 27 May, 2020, 02:45:59 pm
We had 3 allotments occupied this time last year. Now we have 7.
Only one is what I would call a corona virus decision.

In fact ,occupied is a bit of an overstatement as they all started out as an arable field  that was full of docks and couch.
Nobody has refused a bit of chemical assistance in clearing the weeds.

My neighbour, the only farmer left in the village,gave us some cow  muck and another neighbour (who works on the farm) gave us a load of topsoil that he was clearing out of his garden.
Everyone has gone for raised beds , with two trying no dig methods.
The soil is medium to heavy but structurally knackered as it sits wet in winter .
Great for brassicas and onions , crap for everything else.

This winter the parish council secured lottery funding for water troughs so compared with two years ago, this dry spell isn't too difficult.

The only plants still to go out are my second lot of squashes, some tomatoes (9  plants out already) and some late sown kale and PSB which will hopefully be the winter greens.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 27 May, 2020, 03:08:15 pm
our village has pretty full occupancy, but then there are people that have 5 allotments themselves, so the rest of us don't get a look in
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 27 May, 2020, 05:26:33 pm
our village has pretty full occupancy, but then there are people that have 5 allotments themselves, so the rest of us don't get a look in

...and here in the next village North, the parish council tell people there is a waiting list, despite there being a few vacant plots, and two that have now become 'the car-park'  >:(

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 27 May, 2020, 07:12:01 pm
A lot of the problems is how they monitor cultivation. I had to get an allotment in the nearby village rather then the town I live in but its only 3 miles away. The one in my Town has lots of plots that I can only assume are paid for but not cultivated

Where I have my plot there is a cultivation policy but when we took ours on were told it's hard to enforce when there are empty plots.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 27 May, 2020, 10:15:04 pm
Our site is an odd one. It's owned by the City Council (but located outside their boundary) but managed by t'committee.
There is a twice-a-year joint inspection by the council & committee.

As I understand it the committee have to agree to an aggregate percentage (possibly 75%) of the let plots being in cultivation, and that 'degree of cultivation' is agreed by both parties at each inspection.
If your plot is looking unkept after a couple of inspections I gather you get a warning letter, and get turfed off if it's no better at the next visit.
I'm pretty sure that the committee use their discretion when they know about illness / other extenuating circ's

Our site is huge* having around 120 full sized plots, plus a few communal areas, car park, shed-shop, toilet, water troughs etc. We've got maybe half a dozen vacant plots as far as I know.

*The site used to be huger but it was split in two when the middle of the site was sold for housing in the early 70s. The two (split) sites are managed by one Committee with waring factions from each part of the whole.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 31 May, 2020, 08:54:57 pm
Yesterday and today.
The outdoor tomatoes are in their grow bags where the cold frames used to be.
The plants which were in the cold frames are out waiting to be planted.
The remaining tender plants from the greenhouse are now in the cold frames, which have been moved round the corner to the west facing side of the garage. Squashes and tuberoses which will be planted next weekend or thereabouts.
And I mowed the lawns.
Doesn't sound like much, but it seems to have taken most of the weekend.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 31 May, 2020, 09:17:48 pm
Finished digging the bed I didn't quite finish last weekend. Planted a whole bunch of cavalero nero (?) kale seedlings.

Mrs h planted a new set of runner beans (the last lot failed spectacularly), masses of weeding, and planted a set of tomato plants from our plot neighbour.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 01 June, 2020, 08:43:02 am
Up the plot before work to give it a water..... Heard a rumour on the wireless of water coming from the sky later this week
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: De Sisti on 01 June, 2020, 09:53:23 am
Have just cut the lawn.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 04 June, 2020, 08:50:54 am
What's a lawn? There is a dead brown thing over some of my garden. The wheat from under the bird feeder is doing well though

Up allotment to water before work again. Please let it rain
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 04 June, 2020, 09:20:30 am
Last weekend I filled a header water tank with soil (from bottom of weeds compost heap) and planted carrot seeds, in the hope that it's height will deter carrot fly.

I might go down later and plant another row or 2 of carrots in the ground to use some of the seed up (16 grams for 79p goes a long way!).

Aspargus now finished, broad beans now cropping. a few potatoes on flower, but you can tell from the size of the tops, that there's not much below yet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 04 June, 2020, 12:38:55 pm
Well, Badgers don't like onions I guess, but Wood pigeons certainly like Brussel Sprouts. Chewed every leaf of the 36 plants I'd lovingly grown from seed, into small children, and released into the nursery of our allotment. Initially, could not fathom out what the hell could cause such devastation, then a friend we share the lot with, came up to spot Mr. Bastard Wood Pigeon, finishing off the last leaf of the 20 Kale plants we've got had in the allotment.

Have now, retrospectively netted as much as we can, to see if any will rally. But I'm not hopeful Just disappointed.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 04 June, 2020, 01:54:00 pm
yes, pigeons are bastards for pecking at stuff, I always net teh salads adn brassicas these days.

Thsi year, blackbirds have been driving me ccccccrazy since I mulched one bed with crass clippings to warm it up and get some moisture in it, buggers just keep digging it up and seem to have a thing for pulling out my seedlings as well for soem reason
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 04 June, 2020, 04:59:42 pm
You can now add Beetroot leaves to their list of tastes. Bastards. Actually, now it's become Mr Fucking Wood Pigeon!!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 05 June, 2020, 10:36:16 am
Well, Badgers don't like onions I guess, but Wood pigeons certainly like Brussel Sprouts. Chewed every leaf of the 36 plants I'd lovingly grown from seed, into small children, and released into the nursery of our allotment. Initially, could not fathom out what the hell could cause such devastation, then a friend we share the lot with, came up to spot Mr. Bastard Wood Pigeon, finishing off the last leaf of the 20 Kale plants we've got had in the allotment.

Have now, retrospectively netted as much as we can, to see if any will rally. But I'm not hopeful Just disappointed.


Wanna borrow an air rifle?

The Bastard Pigeons have eaten all my early strawberries.

I've got two courgettes in - I've got my first flower today.  Three tomatoes (including a Black Globe) are growing madly and beginning to flower.  The second tranche of pak choi, lettuce and spinach are in.  First and second plantings of French breakfast radishes are coming on well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 06 June, 2020, 12:52:33 pm
Firstly we rescued a black bird that was caught in the netting on another plot. Good job I put gloves on as had a bloody good go at my fingers. Suppose it didn't really know I was actually helping it

Then some weeding and harvested a load of Swiss chard as also got growing in garden.

Dug the last bit but then the welcome rain arrived and the kids were getting a bit ratty so called it a day
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 06 June, 2020, 01:38:51 pm
Cleared the bed that had become the dump. Lots of grass grown through the black plastic cover stuff. Lots of weeding.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 06 June, 2020, 10:51:37 pm
The tip had opened, so I took a couple of car loads of garden rubbish there. We now have bags to put stuff that won't compost in again.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 07 June, 2020, 07:18:03 pm
During lockdown I decided to give me g'house some TLC. First I brushed off all the dust and fallen leaves which made a big increase to the brightness inside, the auto window opens earlier too. I then scraped all the rubbish from the gutter. I am now thinking about a water butt and how best to channel the rainwater to it. I do have some unused house guttering and pipes so will be using these.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 07 June, 2020, 07:28:16 pm
We went to Jekka MacVicar's open day on Thursday, which meant I had a load of herbs to pot on. Most of them were pretty root bound. And following that I planted up five big (20": or thereabouts) pots. three with dahlias and two with tuberoses. That necessitated a trip to three garden centres before I found one with compost.
And finally I potted on the last of the the basils I've been growing. I split up one of those going herb pots from the horriblemarket. You get loads of plants out of one of them. A bit of TLC and they look fine.
Now all I have to do is go back outside and water everything.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 07 June, 2020, 07:29:38 pm
A bit of hoeing and counting the pea and broad bean plants that are showing. It's raining gently so I shan't do any watering tonight.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 07 June, 2020, 08:53:37 pm
Picked broad beans, the last few asparagus spears, and the first few mange tout to go with Sunday lunch.

Yesterday - pea sticks, cut from remains of the fallen plum tree. (I have 7 10 metre rows of mange tout)

A bit of hoeing and counting the pea and broad bean plants that are showing. It's raining gently so I shan't do any watering tonight.

Don't bother counting mine - I have 10 rows of broad beans - the last 2 thickly sown.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 14 June, 2020, 07:33:18 pm
Loads today

Started by weeding some of the raised beds made from old baths. Gave up on spinach as went straight to seed which is extra annoying as I let the older stuff run over as thogut I'd have fresh again.

Lots of hacking down/pulling up of weeds and nettles. Then moved the gooseberry Bush as has massively overwhelmed the support I had built for it. It's now trained against a wall.

Quick dash with kids to allotment to water it and get some garlic for this week. Really need to build the tool store up there so can cycle without having to strap all the stuff onto bikes

Then home and after dinner took down my neighbours little wall planter the previous owner put up. Changed the soil and put some flowers in as its between our front doors. Did. Make me laugh when I asked her if we could she didn't even know what pot we meant!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 14 June, 2020, 07:59:44 pm
Yesterday. Planted out all the butternut squashes I've been going. 15 seeds in the pack, 14 germinated and all fourteen survived to be planted out. Running out of space!

Today. I tidied and weeded the greenhouse. With the lockdown, it's had more in it than for quite a few years, which is nice.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 14 June, 2020, 09:13:11 pm
Yesterday. Finished clearing the 'dumping ground' bed and dug about three quarters of it. Mrs h weeded (a lot) and planted six strawberry plants from our lovely plot neighbour. Harvested some self-sown rocket, some spinach and all the sweet pea flowers. Tidied the shed and watered the courgettes in tyre towers.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: graculus on 14 June, 2020, 09:56:39 pm
Yesterday. Planted out all the butternut squashes I've been going. 15 seeds in the pack, 14 germinated and all fourteen survived to be planted out. Running out of space!
You will run out of space come harvest time! We usually have two plants on our plot and those yield around a dozen squashes of 2-3 kg each.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Riggers on 15 June, 2020, 12:03:40 pm
Well, Badgers don't like onions I guess, but Wood pigeons certainly like Brussel Sprouts. Chewed every leaf of the 36 plants I'd lovingly grown from seed, into small children, and released into the nursery of our allotment. Initially, could not fathom out what the hell could cause such devastation, then a friend we share the lot with, came up to spot Mr. Bastard Wood Pigeon, finishing off the last leaf of the 20 Kale plants we've got had in the allotment.

Have now, retrospectively netted as much as we can, to see if any will rally. But I'm not hopeful Just disappointed.


Wanna borrow an air rifle?

The Bastard Pigeons have eaten all my early strawberries.

I've got two courgettes in - I've got my first flower today.  Three tomatoes (including a Black Globe) are growing madly and beginning to flower.  The second tranche of pak choi, lettuce and spinach are in.  First and second plantings of French breakfast radishes are coming on well.


Thank you for the offer 'Reg', but I really don't think I could shoot one. Even though they are bastards. Add to the list: Goosegogs. Yep, they've eaten those too.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 15 June, 2020, 01:12:38 pm
Picked 3 carrier bags of broad beans, 5 small punnets of redcurrants, and 4 'bunches' of rhubarb to go on my daughter's home veg stall.  :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 15 June, 2020, 04:12:10 pm
Probably more successful then my daughters plan. I cleaned the chickens out on weekend and shoved the straw and poop into a old feed bag to take up the allotment.

Somehow they've got into their head this is worth a fiver abag so apparently the chickens have been cleaned out twice today
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 15 June, 2020, 05:32:28 pm
I splashed out on a 'trailcam' for the allotment to see what was visiting our wildlife pond.
Nothing!   :-X

I put it up on Friday evening and have been excitedly visiting the plot under the pretence of watering stuff.
It's picking up the movement on the next plot, but no wildlife whatsoever.
I did bag a couple of cats on the patio in the dead of night when I first got it and tried it in the garden.
Mrs M says I need to be patient - No! I want wild beasts.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 15 June, 2020, 07:21:51 pm
Yesterday. Planted out all the butternut squashes I've been going. 15 seeds in the pack, 14 germinated and all fourteen survived to be planted out. Running out of space!
You will run out of space come harvest time! We usually have two plants on our plot and those yield around a dozen squashes of 2-3 kg each.
Last time we grew any the two packs of seeds produced three viable plants, one of which produced on reasonable sized squash, one two small squashes and one nothing at all, so I wanted to be sure. If we get too many we have plenty of friends locally!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 15 June, 2020, 07:45:04 pm
Yesterday. Planted out all the butternut squashes I've been going. 15 seeds in the pack, 14 germinated and all fourteen survived to be planted out. Running out of space!
You will run out of space come harvest time! We usually have two plants on our plot and those yield around a dozen squashes of 2-3 kg each.
Last time we grew any the two packs of seeds produced three viable plants, one of which produced on reasonable sized squash, one two small squashes and one nothing at all, so I wanted to be sure. If we get too many we have plenty of friends locally!
Previously I've got 3-4 butternut squashes per plant - last year I put 5 plants in and got 15-20 per plant!  :o
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 16 June, 2020, 02:12:31 pm
I've had no sucess with butternut squash, but last year got 6 football sized pumpkins from 2 plants.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 17 June, 2020, 08:42:52 am
A few years ago a BNS grew out of where my compost bin had been. Had loads of little squash on it. One ripened off so gave it away. The rest all died so didn't get any

On my plot today I went and watered it as the storms they keep threatening keep not happening so is bone dry again.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 19 June, 2020, 08:21:12 pm
I harvested my first taters today. I had a feeling it was too soon, but since the first row I put in (on April 20th) were a "bonus" row from sprouters in the Riverford box, they don't really owe me anything.

As it happens, we had just enough from one plant to feed 4 of us. I have read conflicting reports concerning when you should harvest 1st earlies - some say when the plants are flowering (ours are), others say after 70 days in the ground. 20th April is 64 days ago, but of course May was very sunny and I gave every plant a drenching pretty well every night. Two nights ago we had 32mm rain, so a few more days in the ground will quite probably make a significant difference. The above-ground bit of the plants has grown very vigorously over the past couple of weeks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 19 June, 2020, 09:40:38 pm
Flowering is normally taken as a sign that first early potatoes are ready. Many people carefully move some earth from around one to see if the tubers are large enough. Some varieties are said to be ready in as little as 6 weeks from planting, in ideal conditions.

On my plot, I lifted elephant garlic yesrerday, and planted kale in it's place. today I put a few pepper and tomato plants into bigger pots, as moving the kale out, gave me a bit more room.

I picked a handfull of cherries and raspberries to snack on while I was down there.

Tomorrow morning I will be picking broad beans, redcurrants and rhubarb again for daughter's veg stall. even with ten 10 metre rows of broad beans (although the two later planed ones are only just on flower) , and a dozen redcurrant bushes, I can't keep up with requests!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 23 June, 2020, 07:46:55 am
Yesterday morning to the allotment to water on way to work but had forgotten needed to get diesel on way to workso didn't have too long up there but soaked the spuds.

Last night at home tied up my toms. Dug out the spinach that had bolted and cut back some of the chard and sowed new chard to replace. Then sowed some more lettuce in the salad bed and some carrots where the spinach had been. Note to self grow perpetual spinach next time

Then back to allotment this morning to finish watering and weed a bit. It's mostly just to get some out doors before being stuck in office all day.

Picked some raspberries for snack and have a lunch of salad from garden today.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 23 June, 2020, 08:08:10 am
Watered yesterday evening. Looks like that's going to become a bit of a routine over the next couple of weeks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 24 June, 2020, 08:11:53 am
out this morning to water, and moved the second sewing pak-choi into the main bed from the seed-bed, will use the thinnings for salads for now.  Same with the lettuce, only planted a half row initially, and thinned those, now supplementing the other half of that row and harvesting the now very decent looking big letuces.  A bit of infill on the red chard and beetroot from the left over seedlings that I planted amongst the courgettes for salad leaves.   It gets a bit tricky when you only have 3 8ftx6ft beds for the veg
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 25 June, 2020, 08:17:59 am
Up the plot last night. Planted out two pumpkin and two squash plants with a bit of chicken manure buried to hopefully give them a boost. Two large tub trugs of weeding with a few onion tops accidentally hoed off.

Harvested some more chard which some of was delivered to mum on way home and a few raspberries. Then gave it all a good soak which took ages as the trough I usually use wasn't refilling quick enough and the next nearest one was being used by someone else so had to explore the allotment for other troughs. Don't normally have this problem as in the mornings I only ever have passing dog walkers or joggers for company
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 25 June, 2020, 10:17:01 am
Yesterday we had new potatoes, lettuce and the first of the beetroot with dinner. The beetroot was a bit hard as it needed cooking for linger than I anticipated.

Yesterday, I dug a few sq metres I had used as a temporary home for cloche materials, old timber etc. and rotovated this and a couple of other areas crops had been cleared from to plant more beetroot and lettuce.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 25 June, 2020, 07:30:40 pm
Not a great deal tbh, too bloody hot!  Watered last night, tied a few tomatoes in tonight. And admired our garden arch, coming in to its own after 3 years.  There are sweet peas, a clematis, and a climbing rose, Creme de la Creme.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50044790862_6a3470295e_4k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jfhCML)Arch (https://flic.kr/p/2jfhCML) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 25 June, 2020, 07:36:51 pm
Watering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 26 June, 2020, 12:09:54 pm
Should probably be in wows tribute it's raining page but this morning I did nothing on the plot or in the garden. Woke to glorious rain so got an extra 45 minutes at home rather then a quick breakfast and going to plot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 29 June, 2020, 03:52:35 pm
Tied in all the outdoor tomatoes and removed some of the sideshoots.  Planted out the last of the cucumbers.  Cropping the lettuce quite well now, strawberries also producing.  Courgettes will not be far behind.

Also took arrival of my new Niwaki Japanese right-handed weeding hoe, 'tis a thing of beauty indeed.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 02 July, 2020, 07:35:06 pm
blackcurrants today, about a pound so far and half a bush left.  Gooseberries almost ready.  The blackbirds have found a way into the net
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: madcow on 02 July, 2020, 10:47:28 pm
So far we’ve had new potatoes, lettuce and strawberries. Mostly consumed fresh.
Garlic was disappointing,not sure if it was the dry weather or heavy soil.

Today the first gooseberries, which had turned a nice shade of purple, were turned into jam.
Peas also going in the freezer, along with some broccoli. Plants still in situ so will get some secondary florets.

Plot is almost full but I’ve still got some savoy and winter broccoli plug plants on the way from Sutton’s.
Hoping that the first peas will be cleared leaving room to plant those.

I did have a cracking row of shallots ( first time that I have grown from sets). Unfortunately,my neighbour was a bit free with the glyphosate and wiped them out. The next row of onion sets,just inches away were untouched.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 04 July, 2020, 05:17:36 pm
had an idea ping into my head the other day whilst I was making a list of wood needed to replace some raised beds.  I had been planning to also buy some posts to go at the corners to drape netting over.  Then I remembered that I had a coil of 15mm PE pipe in the shed leftover from some work, and a bought-in fleece cloche with the fleece now ragged, but the wire supports OK.

Result of half an hour's work, drilling holes at the required intervals, tubes held down/straight with pegs. Need some new netting though as the stuff I have now is a bit ragged

(https://i.imgur.com/4pDsCyo.jpg)

Much easier to get into to weed as well, and can also hold a fleece for winter protection.  I have enough for another one as well, which will be all out of pipe, as a portable structure. 
Genius if I do say so myself
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 04 July, 2020, 10:50:41 pm
Weeding and more b weeding.

While Mrs M picked oodles of blackcurrants, raspberries, goosebumps (autocorrect), tayberries, loganberries, broad beans & peas.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 05 July, 2020, 05:11:12 pm
We have had a man in to mend the steps going from the patio to the lawn and the brickwork of the raised bed next to said steps.
This weekend we have been planting the bed up with various herbs.
Today I have been sorting those herbs which we do not want in the main beds into their permanent pots, four different mints and some comfrey.
The pots are quite big, 16-18", so take a lot of filling. I use a mix for permanent plants, based on that used at Kew Gardens in the palm house, as recommended by James Wong in the  Guardian some time ago. This is equal parts of composted bark, loam, grit and perlite. We, of course, did not have enough of any of this. So, three garden centres later...
And I have used all the perlite I bought along with most of the grit.
And I'm knackered (although this morning's 10k run may have contributed to that).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 05 July, 2020, 09:51:57 pm
Went to dig out earlies. Disappointing yield despite regular watering. Couple of the regular and helpful allotment folk wandered past and said that the rocket spuds I'd planted weren't a very good variety so will plant a different early next year

Got a good tub of raspberries and probably the same again eaten by my children while collecting them.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 July, 2020, 05:40:33 pm
picked the rest of the blackcurrants, another 400g, went into the freezer.  Around 750-800g total from the one bush, but whilst doing so noticed that the blackbirdss have got inside the netting and stripped the gooseberry bush - bastards.

Bought a new lawnmower yesterday, went with a Stiga, owners of Mountfield, but historically sold in Europe. Battery model, battery interchangeable onto other tools like a hedge trimmer, electric chainsaw etc.  Used it today, cuts very well and clears damp grass much better than the old one - bigger chute area and better flights on the blade.  Much easier to push about as well without that lump of an engine and being made of plastic.  Half a battery charge took care of both lawns.  With wheels only, its stripology is not quite as good vs the roller, but you can't have everything
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 01 August, 2020, 08:13:53 am
more farting about with poly-pipe and nets to keep the butterflies off the brassicas.

Resorted to mid-day sprinkling of water around the greenhouse, veggie patch and bonsai over the last couple of days, not to water, but to lower the temperature and give a bit of humidity.  It's looking like a much better year this year for the edibles.

Tomatoes in the green house are now hitting the roof, and the fruit are getting bigger by the day, but not ripening yet. 
Cucumbers fruiting prolifically, first jar of pickles made this week. 
The outdoor stuff is now producing well. The tomatoes are so vigorous I've largely given up on trying to keep them as cordons, but it looks like we have some very good fruits coming on. 
Enough runner beans for a family meal yesterday and plenty more to crop next week.
Courgettes cropping well, left one on long enough to get to stuffing size for today's dinner.
Beetroot now reaching a good size and all the greens going well.  Sowed another tray of pak choi in plugs, will have those as both salad leaves and leave some for main crop.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 04 August, 2020, 09:35:02 pm
Only had brief spells recently but got up allotment for a couple of hours tonight. Loads of weeding and then giving the desert, sorry the plot a good soak. I might set my strava to see how far I walk watering

The main crop spuds look ready from the foliage dieing back but still got lots of earlies to eat so don't really want to harvest them yet. Found my kids has sown all the cauliflower seeds in about a 4 inch line.

Parsnips poor germination. Only got about 8 from two rows. First pumpkins starting to form so probably should consider feeding them and the squashes but buried some chicken bedding and poo under them when I planted so soil should be good and rich.

Could have harvested some more chard if I'd remembered to take a bag with me but with the hot forecast I'll be up there a few days before work soaking it so can get some then
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: andyoxon on 07 August, 2020, 03:39:50 pm
Watered my 12 tomato plants.  Can almost see the tomatoes turning orange/red before my eyes...    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 07 August, 2020, 09:12:16 pm
Picked plums and greengages. I've never seen a tree with so much fruit on it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 08 August, 2020, 08:02:11 am
Cherry toms are now cropping daily, the plum toms starting to ripen in the greenhouse. Beef tomatoes just getting bigger by the day! Some of the outdoor plants are now head height.

Runner beans now cropping heavily as well, as are the cucumbers and courgettes.

Whilst my plums and greengages are not ready yet, I'm taking half a dozen perfectly ripe figs off the tree every day.  You've never lived until you've had a freshly picked warm fig with greek yogurt and a few chopped nuts.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 08 August, 2020, 01:26:00 pm
Wife and kids went and watered the allotment before it got hot while I went for a cycle early for same reason. Came back with some rather large beetroot. I'd completely forgotten about them and thought it was chard which I also had growing next to it
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 August, 2020, 05:29:55 pm
The daily fig harvest at the moment

(https://i.imgur.com/s2ctgjK.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 16 August, 2020, 11:34:47 am
Trimmed back some of the huge leaders on our rambling roses, so we can get down the garden without being snagged and then soaked by the sodden foliage.

Cleared out some of the lower leaves on the Gardeners Delight and Big Daddy tomatoes we’re growing outdoors this year. The first of the cherry tomatoes are starting to turn. Unearthed some Big Daddy trusses I’d not really noticed before. Hope they ripen!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50231486273_debc4c7293_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jwMuQa)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jwMuQa) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

Weeded under the toms and the sweetcorn. After coffee I’ll feed them, plus the ever spreading spaghetti squash. We have a small plot. 5 2.4 x 1.6m raised beds. You have to grow at least 4 squash to be successful. Yesterday I read EACH plant can run 5m!  It’s a bit of a jungle on and around that bed, and they’re bloody prickly! 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 16 August, 2020, 05:36:44 pm
I know what you mean re the squashes.  I have two plants, one of which is running down the walkway between greenhouse and 8x6 ft raised bed, which was where i'd planned on walking to harvest my beans. I now need to step carefully to avoid getting my legs scratched to pieces.  Goog looking tomatoes, mine have gone mad and I think I need to take out some of the very small immature fruit and new flowers to allow the existing fruit to ripen properly.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 20 August, 2020, 08:35:01 am
Greengages have gone from being rock hard to soft and splitting open in lesss than a week. I blame this weird hot/wet/hot/wet weather we are having.  They taste bloody good though, a local heritage variety called Cambridge Gage, the plums Wallis' Wonder are a bit behind them.

Anyone else had a significant amount of fruit rotting on the trees in this weather?

Wasps gorging on the over-ripe split figs
(https://i.imgur.com/o78FJRs.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/fq7KdV1.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 24 August, 2020, 08:25:10 pm
I'm not sure on the rot but def a good year for wasps. Need to plan better next year as my allotments running pretty lean now. Got pumpkins, squash, carrots and kale left with some onions leeks and parsnips but lots of space which I'm going to put green manure into but need to improve my succsessional sowing and having plug plants ready for gaps. Pretty pleased though with it having been my first year

One thing I did find annoying my wife went to two garden centre/nurseries. Ones a small local one and one was a wyevale. Neither knew what my wife was after when she asked for green manure seeds. I was starting to doubt myself as had only read about it. Walked into farm shop I get my chicken feed from and they keep a few gardening bits which is handy as it's 2 minutes from my plot and they had green manure seed packs
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 26 August, 2020, 10:32:19 am
One thing I'll be doing this evening, when I get home, is (hopefully) resurrecting the "Big Daddy" tomatoes. Despite being staked and framed in canes, the wind took all 9 down last night, and they're lying horizontal on the ground  :(. My wife says they look ok, so it's fingers crossed. And just as they were starting to ripen too.

ETA: No chance of resurrection, the whole support frame with all the 9 5ft tall plants was horizontal. We tried to lift them but they were individually too heavy, so we salvaged what fruit we could

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50271804152_df5414e5fd_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jAm8W1)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jAm8W1) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50270963023_655a097bc5_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jAgPTM)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jAgPTM) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50271628626_57542579bf_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jAkeKG)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jAkeKG) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

And this is what’s left  :'(

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50271804347_a3d8dc9640_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jAm8Zn)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jAm8Zn) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

Next year I’ll molish a frame out of 2x2!







Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 26 August, 2020, 09:01:41 pm
Bugger! I was worried about mine as well, the Feo-de-Rio-Gordo are my beef tomatoes this year, just starting to ripen as well.  Luckily I have a slight windbreak of a shrub, otherwise it would be a wind alley, and the canes for these and the runner beans held up.

Get them inside in the warmth and they should start to ripen, perhaps throw a banana in as well
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 29 August, 2020, 10:57:28 am
change in wind direction to the north last night, and bloody blowy as well, one end took the brunt of it.  Not as bad as Richard F above, but enough trusses and stems broke to need to rescue some of them.

(https://i.imgur.com/WGrlHml.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/9VfqHxu.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: madcow on 01 September, 2020, 02:49:55 pm
more farting about with poly-pipe and nets to keep the butterflies off the brassicas.


I used microfleece for the first time this year. I put it over some Savoy plug plants and it gave them a microclimate that they seemed to thrive in. From plugs to complete ground cover in 3-4 weeks. It was getting a bit muddy from constant handling to water the plants so it got put in the wash at 30 degrees.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 01 September, 2020, 09:16:23 pm
I put horticultural fleece on the washing line and wash it with the hose pipe!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 02 September, 2020, 03:23:44 pm
My tomatoes went mad when we had the hot spell at end of July and collapsed. Decided to leave them to it as already damaged the plants but tomatoes growing well although with the weather cooling off don't know if they will all ripen or not
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 11 September, 2020, 05:19:54 pm
Cleared away the Gardeners Delights as they had blight. Took the remains to the tip, and scored 6 heavy duty plastic sack a couple of ladies were going to dump (log bags from the local farm shop).

Also sorted through the Big Daddies ripening nicely in the greenhouse


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50330511441_a86b8222a0_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2jFx2yD)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2jFx2yD) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 12 September, 2020, 04:00:09 pm
Beginning the autumn clearance. Wild sweet peas and a clematis removed from the front of the house, and the bay bush pruned back. Then onto the patio at the back, again a clematis down, and a bay pruned. That’s 7 full sacks of stuff to go to the tip Monday evening.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 12 September, 2020, 07:04:28 pm
Dug maincrop 'Rooster' potatoes.

They have got wireworm badly.  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 22 September, 2020, 10:13:49 am
Anyone have any idea what the culprit is for this damage to the roots of my swiss chard? I noticed the same when harvesting a few beetroot.  There are slugs about as evidenced by leaf damage (until the beer traps took care of them) but i've never seen anything like this before.

I'm thinking rabbits, but I've never seen any in the garden

(https://i.imgur.com/YkgUlpY.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/5r5vkoK.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 10 October, 2020, 04:42:58 pm
The seasons change. Yesterday and today I have removed all the tomato plants and cleared away the grow-bags from the outside ones. The next stage is to sweep up where the grow-bags were and put the two cold frames there. (The cold frames will have to wait until the chap doing the hard-landscaping job has finished.) And I need to wash the greenhouse down. Changing to 'winter'.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 10 October, 2020, 05:30:41 pm
Grease banded the fruit trees.  Dog! That stuff if difficult to wash off your hands.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 10 October, 2020, 05:32:43 pm
Last of the spuds dug. Tomato plants uprooted and composted. Courgette and cucumber plants ditto. Courgette/cucumber tyre towers refilled with manure and covered. Runner beans cleared. The last of the zinnias, dahlias and sunflowers cut. Still a lot of clearing to do.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 10 October, 2020, 05:35:32 pm
I picked some more French beans and cut a cabbage, but the soil is too wet at the moment to do much. Hopefully we will get a few days' dry weather soon.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 October, 2020, 10:02:36 pm
My runner beans are still going, though the outdoor toms need to come down, a few have succumbed to blight with the change in weather. Indoors still OK, but I now need room for winter lettuces. Some good tat soi coming on though
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 17 October, 2020, 09:21:15 pm
One of the wooden retaining walls on our (stupidly steep) garden had rotted - boards and two of the posts. One post I dug out to arm depth, then got bored and put a big lump of rock in the hole. Then added a temporary set of boards and posts from the spare wood collection. Temporary because they’re a bit mismatched as I’ve been unable to buy either met posts or fresh treated wood this week - apparently there’s a shortage of fence posts.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 18 October, 2020, 06:08:39 pm
I encountered a shortage of potting grit yesterday,  ended with something more gravel than the kind of stuff you'd use on alpines.  It goes in my potting mix for bonsai
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 19 October, 2020, 04:37:27 pm
A very pleasant autumn day today Not especially warm, but this has been a cool October round here.

I jut spent half an hour preparing the ground and sowing a double row of Aquadulce broad beans. I will probably sow another tomorrow morning.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 07 November, 2020, 04:51:20 pm
Lovely day today, so I took the opportunity to cut the lawn, although “cut” and “lawn” are somewhat ambitious descriptions. The Flymo ripped off the small amount of grass mixed with dock, daisy, buttercup and moss in the area where my wife doesn’t grow anything else. The wet autumn has turned it into a mass of worm casts.

I also planted three bare root roses - Rhapsody in Blue” - that arrived this week. Then cut down the phlox, chopped off some day lily foliage (my wife’s limited mobility after tearing her gluteus medius badly enough to need a ambulance trip to A&E has stopped her doing a lot of the autumn jobs) and cleared back the foliage along the path to the shed. All in all a good couple of hours work in pleasant conditions.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 07 November, 2020, 05:13:55 pm
I've also been doing the autumn tidying up.
The dahlias have been dug up and are currently drying in the greenhouse, along with the tuberoses. The dahlias have been lovely this year. When we've tried them before, they've all been eaten, but this year they have not only survived, but thrived.
I've also cleared a space in the front garden for some primulas which we won in a raffle last winter.
And the tulips are potted up.
Oh, and a little weeding as well.
Still loads to do, but it was beginning to get dark. .
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 10 November, 2020, 11:51:13 am
Had planned a good visit to the allotment today having looked at the weather forecast and it being predicted to be dry but after a few days of very heavy showers instead had to make do with a quick trip to spread some chicken manure and harvest some leeks and kale which has turned purple after a few frosts last week.

It turned ridiculously warm again so lots still growing. Need to plan much better next year with us just completing our first year on the allotment as have lots of unused space. I also need to get some covers so can grow brassicas without them being devoured by pigeons or caterpillars.

Also need to improve the soil and possibly lime it as my squashes did poorly and Bob Flowerdew on GQT said to a correspondent that could be the cause.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 13 November, 2020, 09:27:40 am
Ditto re lawn, was getting long and with the rain hard to get to. The new battery powered mower is far more effective at clearing damp grass than the petrol one was though, so managed to give it a once-over. Again, lots of wormcasts.

Cleared the remaining tomatoes and put some lettuce seedlings in the greenhouse bed, may get some late salads

Pruned the fig tree for direction, took a few cuttings of cape daisies, rescued a self-seeded acer campestre from the garden and potted as a potential bonsai as it has a winged bark mutation and a potentially interesting triple trunk formation.

Then it started raining again!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 14 November, 2020, 07:01:27 pm
I lifted the Jerusalem Artichokes today. Planted 5 tubers which have produced a good crop. Will sort out a good way to store them and also take some to the Allotment, where I volunteer, to grow/give away.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 15 November, 2020, 02:00:49 pm
Dig dig dig.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 21 November, 2020, 02:17:19 pm
Now that the hard-landscaping job has finally been finished1, I have been able to move the garden to its 'winter' set up. The cold frames are where the outdoor tomatoes were, and they have been filled with the appropriate plants for overwintering. The left over bits and pieces from the hard-landscaping have been moved, ready for reuse or disposal. The three figs in pots have been moved to their new home. The lawn furniture has been moved off the lawn to its winter location.
I will get out there again in a while to carry on with the general tidying up which is needed at this time of year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 21 November, 2020, 02:26:05 pm
Dig dig dig. Sunk four paving slabs edge down to keep the neighbour's couch grass out. I'm slowly working my way along the whole border.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 23 November, 2020, 07:26:00 am
Mowing, a bit of tidying, and potted up a oak that had been in the garden to try and deal with a nasty reverse taper on the trunk, took a few cuttings of verbena for next year.   

Can't believe how  much is still growing, roses still flowering etc. Only our second frost of the winter this morning, so good job I moved the potted olive tree back into the greenhouse for the winter yesterday
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 28 November, 2020, 04:04:45 pm
Dig dig dig.

Looking good. Only a couple of beds to go until we have the place under control (ha ha).

Target for next weekend is the 'dumping ground' bed. If all we achieve is to sort through the stuff I'll regard that as a result.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 20 December, 2020, 12:12:29 pm
some general tidying over the last couple of days, claering dead annuals, removing fig embryos that'll not amount to anything, planning next year etc. Green waste bin now full, to go out next week.

Also working on a composting solution to be as rat proof as possible, the idea being a base perimeter of light foamcrete blocks, on which a frame of verticals and feather edge board will sit with no gaps between the boards. The front of the two boxes I'll make will be reclaimed and slot in vertically.  I might even add another layer of blocks on the vertical up against the outside of the base of the boxes as further deterrent from getting underneath. IT'll cost <£100 all in, vs >£100 each for pre-made square wooden composters which will still need the deterrence around the base. I may line it with plastic at the base as a further deterrent.

Finally, showing how weird the weather is right now, during my weeding efforts I noticed that the daffs are already 2" above the ground
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 20 December, 2020, 01:05:24 pm
Last weekend. More digging, and more paving slabs on edge to stop the neighbour's couch grass working its way through to our side. Only about six more to go at one end of the plot but about 20 at the other. At least I've worked out a much more efficient way to get them in. I can do four in about half an hour now.

Mrs hatler delighted at how far ahead we are. Purple sprouting is going good guns ready for February. Sprouts went in a bit late but are thriving. Broad beans coming on well. Kale producing food. Dahlias covered up. About four beds have been dug over, manured, cardboarded and manured on top ready for whatever we do next year.

Next task is to clear the mess around the shed and de-bramble the shed's surroundings.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 20 December, 2020, 02:25:27 pm
Ely Dave
To keep rats out of your compost bins, you really need to put weldmesh under them and a bit all round at ground level. the inverts etc can get in, but not the rats and voles.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 20 December, 2020, 02:35:42 pm
That was the idea with the breezeblocks, set them into the ground and stop the little bastards tunnelling under. Have tried chicken wire on the base previously but the mesh may have been too big 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 20 December, 2020, 03:45:55 pm
Main task today has been cutting the autumn raspberries back to the ground.
That will give me a chance to weed and mulch in a vain attempt to deal with the bindweed.

Just have to prune the blackcurrants, the gooseberries, the apples, the pears and the roses now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 21 December, 2020, 04:43:37 pm
Gooseberries - tick
Blackcurrants - tick
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 21 December, 2020, 05:08:58 pm
Wood, breeze blocks and mesh for the new compost heap.  Two trips in the X-Trail, could have probably done it in one, but it's the first time I've used it for load lugging and I didn't quite get it right for the first load. It's a very impressive completely flat load bed with everything folded. Managed to get 2.4 m lengths across the diagonal.

Wood was absolutely manky. sopping wet, but I've cut the bits to size that I needed to and it's all in the shed doing a modicum of drying until I can get to the construction.

Plan will be mesh under the breezebollocks, extending up the edges to the first board - hopefully that will stop the little barstewards. Won't stop them going over the top of course
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 24 December, 2020, 07:47:16 am
Did not get quite as far as I wanted on this so far.   I've built three short sides of 75mm sq posts with the FEB up the sides to 1m high, those will be connected together with more FEB to form two compost bins.  Yesterday I started on prepping the position for it, but first had to move a pile of loam made this year from old turf, put that onto a plastic sheet to protect the slabs it went on. Then moved one existing compost heap, a large yew tree I'm trying to rescue as a bonsai, and tried to get a flat base to work from.

Then the heavens opened and I gave up.  An hour of digging and shovelling and my shoulders and back feel like they've had a decent workout.

Also noticed yesterday that some little git of an animal has systematically dug up and eaten the roots of my red chard.  I always look forward to that keeping going giving me fresh greens over the winter.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 24 December, 2020, 03:08:19 pm
Bit late replying:
I think we used something like quarter inch weldmesh under our compost bins.
It's a constant battle against the unwanted wildlife - anything we want to grow has to be surrounded by chicken mesh, but it's a shame that it also excludes the hedgehogs.  (Managed to catch one of our undersized juveniles on Sunday night - now in care for the winter so it doesn't hibernate as it would not have the reserves to wake up again)

When we grew flowers for sale, we surrounded the beds with 4in mesh electric fencing.  The rabbits learnt to put their ears down, and take a flying leap to get through.  Pinks were irrisistible and they always ate the most highly scented varieties first, even before they flowered.  They don't tell you stuff like that on GQT....
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: fruitcake on 25 December, 2020, 04:22:06 pm
There's a theory about not leaving uncovered kitchen scraps on the compost pile where pests can sniff them out, but rather burying them deep in the centre then covering them, if necessary adding extra cover material. It's extra work each time you add material to the bin but it may conceal the kitchen scraps from slugs and snails too, which is a bonus. So next season I'm growing some wild grass just so I have a source of cover material. 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 25 December, 2020, 07:16:53 pm
Out in the sunshine to pick some sprouts - of course, it's Xmas innit?

Tidied up a lot of yellowing sprout leaves and put them in the current compost box. Mindful of the threat of squatters, I probed throughout the compost with a long metal tomato stake to deter - or eject - unwanted lodgers.  Measures to prevent them getting in in the first place have mostly failed, so my strategy now is frequent poking, banging and twanging.  Satisfying in an odd way. At least, it will be if it works!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 25 December, 2020, 10:28:10 pm
On the 'plot' today.
Went down and looked at it.

That's it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 26 December, 2020, 03:07:33 pm
I used to have weld mesh under my darlek compost bins but the rats just ate their way in the door. I find you get them whatever so use traps or shoot them which is obviously a lot easier in the garden then the allotment

As for doing anything on the allotment if its anything like my garden it's gonna be far far too wet to do anything on
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 29 December, 2020, 06:48:45 am
Not strictly on the plot but yesterday morning hauled out the wood from two sections of the log store, one of these was virtually empty and what was in there was damp due to a leak on the roof of it.

Stuck the damp wood at the back of a dry section and then chopped, split and stacked a fairly sizable pile of wood. Having a saw horse that holds the chainsaw so you can safely feed wood in with the other hand makes such a difference.

Then swept up the sawdust and shovelled it into one of the chicken runs as these are absolutely saturated and cos of bird flu they aren't allowed into the garden currently
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 30 December, 2020, 07:55:04 am
I used to have weld mesh under my darlek compost bins but the rats just ate their way in the door. I find you get them whatever so use traps or shoot them which is obviously a lot easier in the garden then the allotment

As for doing anything on the allotment if its anything like my garden it's gonna be far far too wet to do anything on

I'm under no illusions that I'll stop them getting into the heaps completely.  What they've been doing up til now is to gnaw away at the lower levels of one of these square wooden slot-together compost heaps, burrow underneath and throw the compost everywhere in doing so.  It's the fucking mess that really gets on my wick.  The intent here is to stop them getting underneath and up into the heaps, but with no expectation that I'll stop them getting in at all.  The new heaps are designed as twin cells 1.2x1m, with a relatively open front. Stuff loaded to the back of the cell, if I need to I'll place more planks across the front as the cell fills up.  Open access to turn regularly which should help stop them thinking about it as a "safe place".  Fill on the right, turn to the left once ready and use from the left.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 30 December, 2020, 01:17:55 pm
And here it is

(https://i.imgur.com/WZN7ezj.jpg)

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 30 December, 2020, 02:06:14 pm
Yeah they can move a fair bit of stuff from the heaps, that's a rather neat looking compost bin. Mines ramshackled from pallets
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 31 December, 2020, 12:48:15 pm
Looking good.  You might need lids?  A rat will easily climb in otherwise.  We put removable slats in groves in the front so usually the bin was entirely enclosed. Only took them off for turning, compost removal.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 31 December, 2020, 03:36:58 pm
Rats will get in anyway, unless the base is concrete. They burrow into our plastic compost bins regularly.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 31 December, 2020, 04:10:21 pm
One of our local gardening geniuses reckons that not putting a lid on your compost is the best way to keep rats out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 31 December, 2020, 04:30:46 pm
It was quite a hard frost here in the Cambridgeshire fens, and I headed to the allotment at about 9.30 to rotovate.

It went better than expected, but the last section, where I had mustard, green manure to turn in got very messy, and it took a long while to clean the rotovator and my boots up.

Many of the sheds at the other end of the allotments had been broken into, and quite a bit of my time was spent raising the alarm and talking to other plot holders who had come to investigate whether they had been targeted.  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 31 December, 2020, 04:35:26 pm
Rats will get in anyway, unless the base is concrete. They burrow into our plastic compost bins regularly.

The base is 1/2" mesh, on which I've laid a ring and middle pier of concrete blocks. The wooden bins sit on that. The mesh wraps up on all sides and is secured to the slats of the bins using the offcuts as battens.  The only way in is over the top, unless they burrow and chew through the mesh.  We'll see.

Personally I think a lid will just make a nice cosy environment.  In any case I intend to use the heap as growing space for squashes this summer as a nice moist space.  Maybe a cucumber or two as well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 01 January, 2021, 11:41:21 am
If the weather stays dry for a few more days may go to the allotment and dig it a bit but fear it'll rain before I get a chance. Need to get some garlic and get that in and hope for some more frosts
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 17 January, 2021, 04:44:51 pm
Yesterday: pruned the conifer at the top of our drive. I'd really like to get rid of it, but it very popular with the local sparrow population as a winter roost and I'm pretty certain I saw a nest in there last summer, so all I have done is raised the crown a bit. It will make access to the base for weeding possible, so worth doing.
Today: not long after we moved in here, twenty-plus years ago, we were given a stick in a flowerpot. This is now a wild pear tree, unfortunately not producing edible fruit, which is about 20 feet high and very vigorous. Today was its annual hack back. We have a rose which climbs up into it and that has been tamed a bit as well, although I may well have another go at that.
Once I'd removed one of the main branches, the rest of the job was sufficiently low energy that I had to come into the house and find some warmer trousers 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 18 January, 2021, 10:53:42 am
I cycled past my plot yesterday but as was on a local tour of floods and ford's it's safe to assume its still too wet to do anything much
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 21 January, 2021, 09:11:48 am
Dry and windy predicted for next 5 or so days here and two of those are sunny if cold. Hopefully will dry the plot out enough to be able to get up there Sunday and do a bit of tidying up..... Just need the garlic to arrive now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: exilefromkent on 21 January, 2021, 05:37:08 pm
I got a shed for free recently and a dozen paving slabs, do you think it'd be okay to out it on the soil, perhaps with some bricks underneath too? I don't have a car and so getting sand would be a bit difficult. Any suggestions on ways to make it stable? When I did jobs like this at home i got loads of sand or hardcore delivered/given but that's pretty difficult at an allotment
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 21 January, 2021, 05:44:29 pm
Only ever done two shed builds, and both times we set a number of paving slabs on a mix of sand and cement, then popped the shed onto the slabs. Both sheds haven't moved since (and one's been in place for well over 10 years).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 21 January, 2021, 06:54:47 pm
Absolutely nothing really since Christmas other than a but of winter pruning ahead of spring growth.  It's just been too wet to turn a spade

In compost news, no sign of any furry friends yet

On the shed front, I'd try and make sure there's an air gap underneath it to try and stop the floor rotting?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 21 January, 2021, 08:01:24 pm
As in lay the shed on the slabs? Might be better off using the slabs as something to lay beams on and then put the shed onto the beams so it's not sat directly on floor. Oh and saw your quite new so welcome to the madhouse

Edit oh yeah missed that you'd already got replies but I think we largely agree
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 21 January, 2021, 08:34:27 pm
I'm with you JF, NOT directly onto the slabs
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 06 February, 2021, 04:56:58 pm
Pruned the russet apple and the pear trees.
The only winter pruning left is the roses, but seeing there are about a dozen of those there's still plenty to do.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 14 February, 2021, 03:47:50 pm
Hoping as the weather warms this weeks to get to the allotment. Walked past it yesterday and was frozen solid but really need to get the garlic in soon
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 15 February, 2021, 08:59:46 pm
The broad beans that I sowed last Nov are not looking happy after last weeks cold. I'll be surprised if they recover. The good news is that the later sowing that are still inside the house have today started to show. The second sowing are in small pots.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 19 February, 2021, 01:04:54 pm
Popped up the allotment this morning. We have long metal pigeon protection covers and took some old plastic dust sheets to cover these with to try and dry some of the plot out  as need to get garlic in. The soils actually drier then I thought it would be so barring overnight rain going to head up there tomorrow

Bonus was some leeks I'd forgotten about which we need for a recipe

Double bonus the girls cycled with me with no problem at all. Round trip of about 10km and they still had energy to climb trees on way home
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 19 February, 2021, 01:45:24 pm
The broad beans that I sowed last Nov are not looking happy after last weeks cold. I'll be surprised if they recover. The good news is that the later sowing that are still inside the house have today started to show. The second sowing are in small pots.

My broad beans (Aquaduce) were completely flattened by the last frost, but I went down to the plot yesterday, and most of them looked as if they had fully recovered. I have 100 more planted, and just starting to show, in the greenhouse at the allotment, and will be starting more (Green Windsor) off this weekend.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 20 February, 2021, 12:56:05 pm
I've not tried broad beans for a few years, but I've also had the recent cold knocking back my kale and cabbages that had started to sprout.

Planting plan for this year is done, and veggy plot tidied ready to go.  Rhubarb is sprouting already and looking good.  Mowed the lawn today to try and let it dry out and get some light in.  It's been so damp that it's covered in wormcasts and the edge next to the fence is almost pure moss.  Nice and boingy underfoot.

Will start planting chillis and tomatoes for the greenhouse next week, but I also need to get some structural elements sorted first.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 20 February, 2021, 05:42:40 pm
Had a three hour session at the allotment today.
Pulled the last of the sprouts, had a splendid bonfire and got a bit of digging done.
Mrs M weeded one of the flower beds, and snaffled some of the manky looking purple sprouting broccoli.
We brought home a small clutch of daf's.

Some snowdrops I put in maybe three years ago have finally shown up.

I've never had any success with overwintering Broad beans.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: perpetual dan on 20 February, 2021, 07:24:15 pm
I dismantled one of our two composters today, sifting usable compost from not. The other one can happen tomorrow. They’re wooden, starting to rot and need to shift for putting up a new fence. I can probably assemble one out of what’s left in a better place in a few weeks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 21 February, 2021, 11:27:51 am
Finally managed to do my November jobs of pruning the rambling rose on the pergola, and cutting back the water shoots on the quince. The pergola is in a parlours state, rotted through at the base of 2 of the 4 supports, but then it was here when we moved in 22 years ago!  Some concrete “grandfathers” will be on the shopping list soon, but for now the rose is holding it up well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 22 February, 2021, 12:42:12 pm
Sometime ago I acquired a large wooden box. Ive repurposed it to be a storage box at allotment but its not actually got as far as the allotment with it being a two person lift and with what's been going on getting a second person wasn't easy. However Saturday I spotted my neighbour had a sack barrow abandoned beside their shed. Borrowed this and Sunday took the box up to the plot. After unloading it and strapping onto the barrow I saw a van drive down the footpath/access road to the allotment which has a locked bollard. Turned out to be a fence company who were doing some work on the site so I could have driven to end of my plot instead of wheeling it on the barrow. Just need to get some chain to lock my tools up with (not leaving anything decent) and then can stop strapping tools to my bike when I go to the plot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 27 February, 2021, 02:51:03 pm
Just sowed my sweet pea seeds into seed trays.  I always do this in the middle of February and I've only just realised the date.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 28 February, 2021, 08:00:53 am
Bonus! I found some parsnips that I hadn't dug.
Also took leeks, sprouting broccoli, and daffodils home.
Digging. Bonfire.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 28 February, 2021, 03:49:37 pm
All the roses are pruned.
We have started to tidy and weed the front garden.
I have trimmed what I can off the beech which shades my greenhouse (but belongs to the house over the back, so I am limited in what I can do about that).
Added to a 10k run this morning and I am feeling properly tired.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 28 February, 2021, 03:58:39 pm
Taking advantage of the glorious weather Saturday took some old tools to the allotment to go in the storage box so drilled that and put a deterant chain. If someone wants it then they have they stuff but it's gonna stop someone just walking off with them



Then dug enough to get three rows of garlic in. Think that Kings sent us the wrong garlic. Twin bulb pack and the cloves in each are totally different but I needed to get in so planted. Let's see what comes up

Then lots of tidying in the garden including tidying the hedge before the birds start nesting
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: graculus on 28 February, 2021, 07:23:13 pm
Cut down last year's raspberry canes - didn't even need to take them home as another plotholder had a use for them.
Planted broad beans and put the stakes up for when they need support strings.
Moved the brassica cage to this year's location and dug out the few remaining cabbage and kale plants.
Found some parsnips that had been hiding, one of which was consumed at tea time.
A productive morning spent in glorious sunshine.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 09 March, 2021, 12:29:52 pm
My day off work and the sunny weather for the week combined so after dropping the monkeys at school loaded the Thorn with a few small garden tools (so much easier now I have semi secure storage on the plot) some cake a friend dropped round last night and my Stanley flask and headed off to the allotment

Surprisingly quiet but then always is. I'm sure some plots are maintained by pixies as put mine to shame but never see anyone on them

Dug a strip around 3 metres wide the width of the plot and raked it then got some onions and beetroot planted. Would have got some more in but after being lapse last year with labeling at times I'm using marker string till things show through and ran out of the string I had made using all the bits of string that presents were wrapped in at Christmas

Bonus was a big parsnip I came across which will go with tea tonight
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 March, 2021, 08:28:25 pm
At the weekend, general pruning, tidying and weeding on the pretty beds.  Got the structure up in the greenhouse for toms/cucs/melons and planted some early lettuce, radish and pak-choi in the greenhouse bed. 

Plan was to get some chard into modules one lunch time, but it's been a crazy week so far - lunch just did not happen today as an example
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 20 March, 2021, 07:48:57 pm
On my 10 metre wide allotment - planted:

5 rows of potatoes
9 rows of carrots
4 rows of beetroot
3 rows of parsnip
2 'double rows' of broard bean plants

Ache now.  :facepalm:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 20 March, 2021, 09:04:33 pm
Well done. We had our first visit today since before Christmas. A quick check over to work out what needs doing and the retrieval of some purple sprouting and some forced rhubarb.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 21 March, 2021, 09:10:46 pm
I have been toying with possibly planting in the G'house border rather than pots but the border soil is very dry and looks and feels like sand. I have lived here for 19 yrs and never planted in it. Anyhow I thought I would experiment by sowing some radish and lettuce seeds. I did mix in some compost first and have watered well. The radish have appeared which I am pleased with.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Beardy on 22 March, 2021, 08:35:55 am
Is it too late to plant sweet pea seeds? Should they go in pots in the shed first or straight out into the earth?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 22 March, 2021, 03:43:16 pm
I think you're about three months late for sweet pea seed planting. Pondering here whether they go in this weekend or not.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 22 March, 2021, 04:05:43 pm
I sowed my last batch of sweet peas this weekend. They will flower later than the others but I thought it worth a go.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 22 March, 2021, 04:11:39 pm
I always plant my sweet peas in seed trays on the third week of February and then sit them on window sills.
Most are coming on nicely now, but one tray has done nothing at all.  I'm beginning to wonder if I actually put any seeds in.  :facepalm:
Certainly not too late for you to sow indoors, but don't hang around much longer.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 31 March, 2021, 05:46:08 pm
We've had a fairly industrious day.

All the taters are now in, and I've sowed parsnips and a band of Autumn King carrots. I put in another double-row of broad beans, and tried to weed the broad beans and autumn onion sets I put in before the really wet weather began last October. our garden is infested with 3-cornered leek, an invasive species which is edible, but a real faff to use as the plants are so small. Also, those poor onions had to put up with a load of goose grass which has appeared over winter. I don't recall seeing any sign of that last year.

I think I'm winning the war on brambles and bindweed - I have been quite industrious at removing the roots of those when I find them.

I think our soil is pretty good. I had a message from my Shropshire brother today bemoaning the lack of rain. His soil is very sandy ours is clay-based, but the topsoil is not too heavy at all. It's breaking up nicely after the digging I did about a month ago.

Everything that has gone in is at least a month earlier than we managed last year. ISTR planting the potatoes on 7th May (Google Photos suggests this is true).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jurek on 01 April, 2021, 03:56:04 pm
Scythed the lawn for the first time this year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 01 April, 2021, 03:59:25 pm
Only on yacf .....
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 01 April, 2021, 04:29:13 pm
Had a couple of visits to the plot this week. Got most of otndugnover know and have piled the big grassy clods up on some manure and will try and break that down a bit for when my squashes are ready.

Got loads planted and quite excited as celeriac seedlings at home are going great guns. Hopefully the predicted cooler weather doesn't get too cool and could actually do with a bit of rain soon. We did have a little I think overnight but that appears to have been mostly sand judging by the state of my car
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 11 April, 2021, 01:14:56 pm
3 rows of man-get-out peas (about 160 plants) planted and netted

2 rows of lettuce (72 plants) planted and cloche covered.

This afternoon's aim is to prick out a few hundred Petunia plants...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 13 April, 2021, 09:28:25 pm
Almost finished digging & raking everything, ready for seedlings. Planted some cucumber, maize & french bean seeds to be kept indoors until ready to plant out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 21 April, 2021, 08:21:33 am
Mrs Pcolbeck retired (well from her full time job she's still doing a couple of days a week in her friends shop) and wanted to do more proper gardening now she has time. So my project the last couple of months has been to start sorting out the garden we flattened a couple of years ago (under her direction I just build stuff I don't know anything about gardening).
This is the results of the last six weekends or so of work:

Project greenhouse nearly complete (need to adjust the doors still and connect the water butts) and project raised beds completed.

(https://user.fm/files/v2-62b8d9e49fd96da73c10f64aced7b3ee/garden.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 23 April, 2021, 03:56:12 pm
Trimmed the roadside verge with a sickle.

Nobody blinks seeing someone using a sickle or scythe here. I've seen someone cutting hay on an entire croft with a scythe, raking and stacking into decent stooks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 23 April, 2021, 08:38:49 pm
More seeds sown. Komatsuna, shiso (both red & green) under cloches, other Japanese greens I can't remember the name of, & daikon, today. There are cabbage & cauliflower seedlings already in the ground, potatoes starting to sprout, onions coming up, garlic planted last year looking very good, carrot & radish seeds sown, french bean seedlings flourishing indoors & the first cucumber plants sprouting. Sowed some Romanesco cauliflowers, having eaten it for the first time last year & Mrs B announcing that she loved it.

Raspberry canes in the garden look healthy, but those on the allotment are suffering from too much competition. Clearing around them is the next job.

Very dry, so I'm having to do a lot of watering. Gave everything a good drenching today.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 29 April, 2021, 05:28:48 pm
Good job the plots looking respectable as they are going to re start the cultivation policy inspection which didn't happen last year. I don't think they are very strict but as far as I aware is a waiting list so may be a tad stricter

Cycled up there today and raked over areas I had previously dug. This actually produced clouds of dust so after getting some more seeds in gave the plot a good soak

Will need to build another compost bin soon as nearly filled the first one
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 30 April, 2021, 10:30:31 am
My peas (both the Early Onward and the Mangetout) are beginning to sprout.  The red onions are beginning to sprout as well - the white are taking a little longer.  I've got peashoots and salad greens going under cover as well. However, I need to replace the two tomato plants that the frost got.

The strawberry plants are growing nicely, with the first signs of budding on the earlies.

I've got to tidy up the herb troughs and plant out some bronze fennel, Greek oregano and Black peppermint.  The peppermint is lovely - you only have to brush the leaves to get a strong scent.

I'm going to try and get hold of some wild garlic as well, and plant that out.

Now I just need to decide what to put into the 1.5 raised beds that going spare...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 30 April, 2021, 10:36:23 am
Apparently wild garlic is very slow at germinating from seed. Indo have a packet ingot free with some normal garlic but managed to get a club from a friend which will hopefully spread
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 03 May, 2021, 04:41:46 pm
Dug over an entire bed and removed a bucketful of mare's tails. Erected the runner beans frame. Sorted the shed out. Mrs hatler set about planting all the stuff that's been growing at home the last few weeks (though I think I may have lost track of exactly what was in the list); sunflowers, sweetcorn, sweet peas, zinnias, marigolds. She also cleared the kale.

Slightly worried about the potatoes, they've been in three or four weeks and there's not a sign of them, but apparently this is the same across all the plots, due to the cold (at least that's how the thinking goes).

Next door plot had recently become the home to four bee hives, but there are six there now. The apiarist was there today (husband of the plot runner). I haven't met him before. Fascinating stuff. The two extra hives are because his bees produced two swarms in the last fortnight, so he caught them and housed them. There's a note out with the local beekeepers' association offering them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 03 May, 2021, 06:38:54 pm
Sorted out the water butts for the new greenhouse. Go them connected up just as it started to rain and since its been siling it down all afternoon they are probably half full by now.
Still need to refit using some silicon sealer as the greenhouse guttering endcap / downpipe connector is dripping but that will have to wait for a dry day.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 04 May, 2021, 10:21:47 pm
Slightly worried about the potatoes, they've been in three or four weeks and there's not a sign of them, but apparently this is the same across all the plots, due to the cold (at least that's how the thinking goes).
Our potatoes have been very slow to come up, but they're starting to show now. I think cold is probably right.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 05 May, 2021, 02:48:34 pm
Mrs Pcolbeck retired (well from her full time job she's still doing a couple of days a week in her friends shop) and wanted to do more proper gardening now she has time. So my project the last couple of months has been to start sorting out the garden we flattened a couple of years ago (under her direction I just build stuff I don't know anything about gardening).
This is the results of the last six weekends or so of work:

Project greenhouse nearly complete (need to adjust the doors still and connect the water butts) and project raised beds completed.

(https://user.fm/files/v2-62b8d9e49fd96da73c10f64aced7b3ee/garden.jpg)

Are you available for hire?   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 09 May, 2021, 03:26:10 pm
Mrs hatler's not here this weekend so I took the chance to do some tidying.

Shed area is a bomb site. Bamboos on the ground, bamboos on the garden bench, two or three pallets slowly rotting away behind a bramble outbreak, a whole pile of badly bundled up plastic ground cover. Aghh. It hurts my eyes.

Cleared the brambles, stacked the pallets up for later assessment if there's anything we can do with them, folded all the plastic so it fits into about a tenth the volume (safely tidied away in the shed).

And masterstoke of all (what with the local tip being appointment only, and me not being organised enough to sort that out), I realised that two worn rims will make the perfect basis for a vertical bamboo pole store. Stakes prepared, zip ties acquired, all I need now is agreement from Mrs hatler as to the precise location for it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 09 May, 2021, 07:08:25 pm
As at last we've got at least a week of no frosts predicted have planted loads in the cold frame today including some beans as the first lot didn't germinate, suspect was too cold.

The various squashes I have on the windowsill are starting to come though and have LOADS of celeriac seedlings that need putting up but have run out of compost. Hopefully the nursery near my work is in a scheme my wife found out about where you buy a kinda big bag for life and get it refilled.

Also started some watercress in pots which will hopefully go innthe stream once they've got going (no sheep nearby so ok)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 18 May, 2021, 09:10:30 pm
Planted one of my Tomato plants into the G'house border soil which is very dry and sandy, I have not grown in this before. I also used plenty of compost. I also buried an old plastic Milk carton next to the plant which will help to water said Tomato.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 18 May, 2021, 10:01:20 pm
Moved all the plants in pots from the front to the back. This is because we nicked all the york stone flags from the front to the back to extend the patio and a man is coming with a digger to regrade the front so we can repave with cheap flags.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 18 May, 2021, 10:02:11 pm
On Saturday I set about the continuing clearance of the area next to the shed. Managed to detach the carpets (laid five years ago) from the ground revealing a lot of bind weed roots. The carpets had virtually turned into turf. Nearly did my back in. Once they were disposed of laid cardboard over the bare soil ready for next weekend. Mrs hatler set about lots and lots of planting and weeding.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: robgul on 20 May, 2021, 09:43:08 am
Shifted a couple of very large bulk bags of topsoil and one of bark from the front driveway to the garden - n wheelbarrow trips including a pause to repair the barrow's handle and adjust the front wheel - garden level is about a metre above the path with steps so trans-shipment of said materials into trugs was necessary  ::-)

Looks like we'll need another 2 bags each of topsoil and bark to get the beds (created within the overall landscaping project) up to standard.

Next task when it stops raining is to make the fence along one side of the garden - it's going to be roofing battens/laths fixed to the previous fence as "horizontal slats" - about 800m of batten and an awful lot of staples to fire from my nail gun.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 20 May, 2021, 10:04:30 am
Not a lot, too blooming wet. Got loads to get in so hopefully next week will bring some drier weather

Did weed a small bed i made last year and put in some bush tomatoes and put some ones that need support in one of the old baths i use as raised beds. I then started to build supports from willow i have cut, which will also support the peas in the adjacent bath
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 22 May, 2021, 07:28:58 pm
Not as much as I had hoped, but I am always over-optimistic.
The outdoor tomatoes are in their grow bags with the appropriate canes and so on in place.
I have also weeded most of the drive and the path immediately in front of the house.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 22 May, 2021, 10:18:40 pm
Tried to transplant a load of baby cabbages which are outgrowing their protection (the upper leaves are getting eaten by birds), but gave up part-way because of the rain. I'll finish it tomorrow, & also plant out the Romanesco seedlings.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 24 May, 2021, 04:10:24 pm
We have a new allotment, which is just across the road from the house.   :thumbsup:

Initial work has been done by a Parish Council contractor.  I'm going to concentrate on getting it ready for some autumn planting, although I might get some courgettes in quick...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 24 May, 2021, 05:03:27 pm
Barrowed the two ludicrously heavy carpets that had been down for years to keep the weeds down to the dump. They each had an inch layer of mud and weeds on top.

Moved all the crap on top of one bed to where the carpets had been (which was previously layered with cardboard last weekend). Where the crap had been I then bagged up the foot deep pile of manure that had been placed there a year ago and cleared the area ready for sweetcorn.

Mrs hatler earthed up the potatoes, and weeded (a lot).

Mrs hatler very chuffed that the plot has never been this much under control.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 24 May, 2021, 06:04:06 pm


Barrowed the two ludicrously heavy carpets that had been down for years to keep the weeds down to the dump. They each had an inch layer of mud and weeds on top.
I've had my plot for 10 years and am still digging out carpet pieces.
Carpet is now banned on our site (although I'm not aware of any enforcement).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 24 May, 2021, 06:20:48 pm
Sounds like a good rule to me.

It's an easy and quick fix, but oh boy, you pay for it eventually.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 24 May, 2021, 08:05:15 pm
What with it being rather wet I've not been up the plot for a few weeks. It was very well under control as been on flexi furlough but fear with the rain and the not freezing weather it may need some work
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 29 May, 2021, 08:49:14 am
Bought a small copse or perhaps that should be a spinney for the wildlife area at the end of the garden. Three twenty foot silver birch to be planted as a group. They will be delivered next week so I better get on and a dig a large hole this weekend!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 29 May, 2021, 03:13:17 pm
Bought a small copse or perhaps that should be a spinney for the wildlife area at the end of the garden. Three twenty foot silver birch to be planted as a group. They will be delivered next week so I better get on and a dig a large hole this weekend!

I always thought a copse was a collection of trees planted for coppicing. I'dlove enough space to have a small patch of woodland.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 30 May, 2021, 12:25:37 pm
By eck it needed some work. The grass around the plot was about a foot tall and weeds had gone nuts. Mowed the grass and used the bush knife on the longer stuff. Then weeded loads. Loads of volunteer potatoes but a disappointing amount of growth from a lot of what I'd sown  think ill be removing a lot.

Dumped some more manure on one end of the plot which is going to be the squash area and the wife and kids sowed some carrots and a few more parsnips

Wonder if the cold spring is why I've had poor germination. Going to need a few evenings Up there to finish getting it back in shape
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 30 May, 2021, 02:13:56 pm
Weeded and dug half a bed, covered it in cardboard and manure.

Got rid of the purple sprouting. Dug that bed over and planted various stuffs in there.

Sweetcorn seedlings planted. Lots of weeding. Tidied up (rolled and tied) about half the plastic mesh rolls. Tidied the shed. Laid three cardboard and bark chipping paths between beds (better than paving slabs at keeping weeds at bay). More runner beans planted.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 30 May, 2021, 08:58:56 pm
The last two years my runner beans have been blown down by some unseasonal high winds. Built a new frame using reclaimed tree branches that I made sure were better rooted in the soil, I hope. I will monitor how this structure fares but may use guy lines in high winds, if required.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 01 June, 2021, 04:52:25 pm
Mowed back garden - boy, does the grass grow fast here, once it starts!
Tidied up edges with sickle, finished off rough bits with sickle. Then trimmed a hedging plant with the sickle - so easy, as fast as a powered hedge trimmer but without the noise and hassle.

I have a scythe on order so I can tackle the side plot and road frontage. Really looking forward to that.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 01 June, 2021, 05:17:41 pm
Bought a small copse or perhaps that should be a spinney for the wildlife area at the end of the garden. Three twenty foot silver birch to be planted as a group. They will be delivered next week so I better get on and a dig a large hole this weekend!

I always thought a copse was a collection of trees planted for coppicing. I'dlove enough space to have a small patch of woodland.  :thumbsup:

'Copse' and 'coppice' are often used interchangably but coppices may be copses but not all copses will be coppices...

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 02 June, 2021, 01:46:23 pm
The last two years my runner beans have been blown down by some unseasonal high winds. Built a new frame using reclaimed tree branches that I made sure were better rooted in the soil, I hope. I will monitor how this structure fares but may use guy lines in high winds, if required.

Do you have cross supports for the bean frame. There was a good guide on gardeners world a few years back
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 02 June, 2021, 01:49:05 pm
Woke up early despite being off work so headed off to plot before anyone else was up. Mostly got my various squash plants planted out. Some signs of growth in the other crops. Think ill be back to watering on way to work if this weather keeps up
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 02 June, 2021, 06:27:23 pm
Prepared (removed weeds & encroaching grass & dug over) the bed where I'm going to plant all the baby Romanesco thingies in the ground, now they're big enough. Everything is ready, including recycled (thrown out by someone else, apparently because it was grubby & had plants growing through it - took half an hour to fix that) netting* to keep greedy leaf munchers (yes, you, you bloody pigeons!) off, & 25 metres of blue plastic pipe to provide arched supports high enough. Should be done tomorrow.

Oh, & some watering. Then it rained.

Neither of us had tried Romanesco cauliflower until last year, when one arrived in a lockdown veg box as a substitute for something else. Mrs B looked at it with grave scepticism, but agreed we might as well try it. She loved it.

*Acquired three lots of this recently. One white strip about 5 metres long & less than 2 (6'?) wide, hole-free but old-looking, one blue about the same length but a bit wider, newer-looking but otherwise worse condition, & a bloody enormous blue-green thing about 2 metres or so wide & 20 long. There's nowhere we can use something that big in one piece, & it has a few big rips, so it's being cut up into usable pieces, with some of the lengths decided by the locations of the biggest holes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 08 June, 2021, 08:49:59 am
Went and watered before work again. Did it last week on Friday and then we had torrential rain.

Interesting is that lots of untouched plots this year and requested help for a work party from the allotment association. This time last year was a waiting list but think a lot if people have gone back to work

One plot however which looked like a wild flower meadow last year is now possibly the best maintained on site
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 12 June, 2021, 12:55:57 pm
Watered. Picked the broad beans. Planted cucumbers and various other flowery things. Dug over half a bed and a quarter of another bed. Weeded a couple of beds.

No attacks from marauding guard bees today. Great relief.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 12 June, 2021, 05:24:57 pm
Put in (with a lump hammer!) some serious (well 40mm diameter) stakes into the tomato raised bed, and strung wires and inserted canes, Big Daddy tomatoes for the supporting of. Last year my cane frame was blown flat in an autumn squall, meaning half the crop had to ripen in the greenhouse rathe4 than on the vine. Planted out 11 of said tomatoes, and potted on another 10 from a second batch of seeds.  Put the sprinkler on.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 12 June, 2021, 06:39:07 pm
That reminds me. We need to be building the Sweetcorn fortress pretty soon to keep the badgers out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 12 June, 2021, 07:17:14 pm
That reminds me. We need to be building the Sweetcorn fortress pretty soon to keep the badgers out.

When we took on our allotment the guy showing us around said that the badgers had trashed everyone's sweetcorn
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 12 June, 2021, 08:01:11 pm
We're going for scaffold poles as the corner supports, and then pallets as the 'fence'.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 12 June, 2021, 08:51:37 pm
Luckily no badgers here, so a cane frame does to stop the sweetcorn blowing over.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 16 June, 2021, 09:56:42 am
Scythe arrived last week. A bit of a learning curve, but pretty fantastic.

Mowed front lawn and road frontage with it. If you include the raking time, it is a tad slower than using lawmower, but not by much.

Working on rough areas at side of property. 2ft deep grass, nettles at waist height. No problem. Even brambles just slow it down a bit, don't stop it.

Absolute joy compared to using a strimmer.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 16 June, 2021, 08:58:34 pm
More weeding, just ahead of the thunder and lightning.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 16 June, 2021, 09:21:13 pm
Remembered I have a raspberry Bush in a pot so dragged that out the nettles and weeded and watered it. Some fruit already growing on it.

Tied up the peas onto the willow poles (have a willow stump about 6 foot across in my garden that supplies these)

Watered a few bits but hopefully it's gonna rain properly tonight
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 17 June, 2021, 08:43:26 pm
Yesterday.
Picked our first ripe raspberry of the year & gave it to Mrs B. She pronounced it good.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 17 June, 2021, 10:25:07 pm
That reminds me. I forgot, amongst all the excitement of the weeding report from a couple of days ago, we picked our first two strawberries. They too were good.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 18 June, 2021, 09:30:15 am
Bugger. Lost my watercress as our little stream water level came up rather quickly with this pissing rain
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 19 June, 2021, 05:14:14 pm
Planted out the last of my Big Daddy’s, and some Mountain Magic tomatoes. Added a couple of courgettes for ground cover, and sowed some pot Marigold seeds we’d saved around the edges. Wrapped a bit of Wisteria around the top of the arch, and tied in a new shoot on the Creme de la Creme. Dead headed the Maid of Kent. Tied up the drooping (after Fridays monsoon rain) Daphne in the front.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 19 June, 2021, 09:00:47 pm
I harvested, and later ate, the first of my Broad Beans.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 10 July, 2021, 12:07:59 pm
Meant to be up the allotment but it's too wet again.

So down the garden. Put in a pond and a semi wildlife garden in February time  I say semi as its also got veg growing in four baths I acquired from a previous job (basic free raised beds which I need to use due to ground elder)

At the bottom by the stream is a big willow stump. Kinda regret chopping it down years ago bit was between my and my neighbours garden and she was worried it was too big.

However it isn't dead and keeps sending out new growth which today I took back and gained about 15 canes of eround three metre lengths which ill use next year to grow things up. They need a year to die properly as if used fresh they just sprout roots
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 11 July, 2021, 12:12:07 pm
Our neighbour had their fence replaced thurs/fri last week. All 40m of it, the whole length of our 4m wide garden. This meant taking down several clematis, and 2 climbing Roses that we camouflage it with. So Saturday was spent reinstating all the support wires - longer ones than before as it’s a post and rail fence, so the “panels” are around 10ft as opposed to the previous 6ft. And then resurrecting the (thankfully not too thorny) Maid of Kent and the horribly thorny Gloire de Dijon.  The rambler at the bottom can wait for next week, it needs a good cutting back before tying in again. That’s lethal, although my cheapo-off-Amazon pigskin gauntlets help a great deal. Then I’ve 2 roses to plant - a climbing Claire Austin, and some shrub rose our neighbour gave us as a thank you for letting the mini-digger traverse our (thankfully ramshackle) patio. The clematis were stuffed up behind the wires for this season, and will be cut back before next so I can mange them. One may need to be moved.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 11 July, 2021, 06:27:35 pm
Hedge trimming to start with. Our next door neighbour (right hand side) cut his privet hedge, which left our side looking dreadful. So I did the deed. I fricking hate clearing up the trimmings, so I've ordered a gert big plastic sheet for next time.
But it made me realise how bloody awful that bit of garden looks, so a decision has been made! The mess of a supposed bed is coming out and grass is going down.
Equally, my dislike of hedge fettling has made me make a decision about the left hand side neighbour's conifer hedge / forest - as soon as funds permit I'm buying a hedge trimmer on a stick so I can do the top of the thing without balancing on a ladder. (If I had my way I'd poison the whole lot of it. But it's in their garden, taking up about a quarter of the width of it).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 15 July, 2021, 07:49:33 am
Due to it being wet again and us being busy had neglected the plot again for a few weeks. Up there last night. Hacked down a load of nettles in the sof fruit area and picked a few raspberries

Then started digging over the part of the plot where lots of stuff I sowed failed in the hope of maybe picking some sprout plants up to put in

Squashes and pumpkins are doing really wel which is some consolation for pretty much everything else failing
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 24 July, 2021, 06:33:59 pm
Cut the grass. Lollipoped the Spirea. Cut down the spent Campanulas. Cut off the seed heads from the Irises. Lifted the canopy on the Chimonanthus praecox my wife planted on the patio. Cut back the spurs on the Wisteria on the pergola, then took off the majority of the spent flower spikes on the Rambling Rector on the same pergola. Cut off the lower leaves and fed and side-shooter the Big Daddies. Fed them, plus the Mountain Magics, and side-shooted them too. Fed the sweetcorn (Swift), and weeded underneath them. Put up wires across another couple of spans on our neighbours new fence. Annoyingly the new turnbuckles (eBay Chinese instead of Screwfix) are opposite handed to those I’ve used before. Dead-headed the day lillies. Thinned the parsnips. All in all a productive 7 hours on a day forecast to be mainly wet when I looked yesterday.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 24 July, 2021, 06:40:46 pm
Harvested the courgettes, runner beans, cornflowers, sunflowers, sweetpeas and the single strawberry left. Dug the first bag full of spuds (mini did that last bit !)

We've been away a week and the increase in volume of green stuff is something to behold.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 24 July, 2021, 07:35:24 pm
After getting back from a week’s holiday, we picked pink-gooseberrys , white currants, broad beans, runner beans, french beans, cucumber, beetroot, rhubarb & raspberries for my daughter’s stall.

Tea was tuna salad, with lettuce, new potatoes, beetroot, cucumber & tomatoes from the allotment. Just the tuna, mayonnaise & butter that wasn’t homegrown.  :smug: :smug: :smug:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 06 August, 2021, 05:08:57 pm
Lotsa gherkins* (salad veg in the right state, for cooking/pickling if not) so we're giving 'em away, runner beans, onions, potatoes. First cabbages ready but yet to eat any. Blackcurrants - I think the old bush is too old. New one too small to produce many yet. Raspberries diminishing, but we're still getting some. A few beetroot. One daikon eaten. Gap in lettuce production: one batch finished & the next lot not ready. Oops!

Lots of green tomatoes but they're taking their time ripening. Assorted root vegetables not yet ready. Plenty of baby cucumbers, but none ready yet. They're late! Romanesco not doing well. Mostly seem to have bolted. A few very small heads. Sweetcorn looks healthy & cobs forming but nowhere near ready.

Turned over one compost bin yesterday. Had been very hot but cooling down. As thought, getting compressed & anaerobic. Mixed it up & hoping it'll liven up with fresh green stuff that's mostly not grass clippings.

*Never grown before. Neighbour gave us four surplus plants. I think one may have been more than enough.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 10 August, 2021, 07:52:09 am
Was panicking a bit as with two holidays and a generally mad July and August I'd not got up the allotment much and they have an open day coming up  popped up there this morning to harvest a big bag of party pan squashes and found my mum who technically shares the allotment had been up and tidyed it so looks much more respectable

Need to harvest the garlic but didn't have as much time as would have liked as was on way to work
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 10 August, 2021, 04:33:27 pm
I'm going to spend some time on the allotment this evening, with the dog, whilst Jon does his clinic.

I need to plant a couple of hyssops and then dig over the next bed.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Tim Hall on 12 August, 2021, 09:01:43 pm
Tomatoes stricken by blight. Bugger.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 August, 2021, 10:57:07 pm
First cucumber. Better late than never. Now have a gherkin crisis. How do we find people to take them off our hands?

Had fresh home-grown daikon with dinner, complete with leaves, in miso soup. Mrs B happy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: CAMRAMan on 13 August, 2021, 09:10:49 pm
Behind one of the offices I work at from time to time I found some very well rotted leaf mould under an oak tree. Using an Amazon bag, thanks Jeff, and a shovel I'd taken along to work for the purpose, I collected a load to place around my young cotoneaster bushes. The rest ended up in my green Johanna. Lovely stuff.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 15 August, 2021, 06:03:53 pm
Today's salad contained home-grown beetroot, with some marinated (for a few hours) beetroot on the side. Neither of us has ever eaten home-grown beetroot before, as far as we remember. I suppose it's possible I might have eaten some grown by my grandfather, many years ago, but I don't remember him growing any.

Mrs B was well pleased. She'd not noticed I was growing it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 21 August, 2021, 09:50:22 pm
Cut the grass. Then, with SWMBO’s permission, nay, encouragement, removed a several of perennial geraniums that were swamping other stuff in the border. Repositioned the hellibore thus revealed. Dug up the pulmonaria from around the similarly exposed small Daphne, and split and redistributed them. Then dug out the compost from bin 3 (2-3 years old by now) and mulched all over the area I’d been working on. Two trips to the (mercifully close) tip (mini rant, what dickhead puts their green waste in the skip still in bright blue plastic bags  ::-)). Also mulched a couple of Vibernums, Roses and the winter flowering clematis (Wisley Cream). Knackered.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 29 August, 2021, 10:49:16 am
Destroyed the entirety of my “Big Daddy” blight-struck tomato crop. It’s unusual we gat blight at all, and the Mountain Magic’s show (as yet) no sign of it. That’s two years in a row I’ve lost them, last year to storm damage (though we did get a few to eat, and more to “chutney” last year).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 26 September, 2021, 04:10:44 pm
I was considering giving up our allotment and have actually gone on the waiting list for the ones 1 mile fro  our house rather then 3 miles but at 131 on the list I'm not holding my breath

However our squashes and pumpkins have been a triumph. Been having loads of party pan squashes, the butternut ones are now ripening and qe have loads of pumpkins

Cycled back from the plot today with I reckon a good 10kg of crop. The pumpkin alone was 7kg, the routes largely slightly downhill once back in town so extra weight and a tailwind meant I was flying home  winder how many people have cycled over 30kmh with a 🎃in the pannier

May need to use the old kiddy trailer to harvest the rest and still have some parsnips growing well
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 26 September, 2021, 04:20:19 pm
Removed the remaining sweetcorn, and, having picked the ripest tomatoes to make an onion and tomato chutney, removed the last tomato plants too.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 26 September, 2021, 04:31:39 pm
We are having a major reorganisation of the garden this winter. I made a start yesterday on the 'shade bed' by cutting back a whole load of hellebores. They do very well in the garden, rather too well in that bed at the moment. This morning I weeded the ground which I could now see, including removing a large bramble, or at least the bits of it above ground. The root is under a large weigela so I will just have to keep an eye on regrowth.
I have also harvested tomatoes from the greenhouse and some russet apples.
I may go back outside and carry on with the tidying while the sun is still shining.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 17 October, 2021, 02:08:59 pm
Major reorg started here as well.
This morning started by emptying gutters on the North facing roof of  a years worth of moss and muck.
Then some real gardening, thinning right back the Johnson's Blue perennial geranium, it had taken over one patch, so thinned back to a fringe to soften the front and allow other things to be added in for height behind.
Removed another clump entirely from what will become a "Japanese" bed with trained trees and chipped slate and some Japanese anemone in the rear.

The Japanese anemone will then be stripped out from in front of my fruit trees in favour of much lower stuff. I suspect they are harbouring the earwigs over  winter, I have no trouble in my other fruit bad which has gravel on it (I've got a bunch of lavender cuttings to go in this one in spring).   I have a load of bedding growing on in the greenhouse to go in, plus a bunch of bulbs.

Lots of work to do in prep for next year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 26 October, 2021, 11:05:04 pm
Last week I planted a tree.

Very small: an apple on a dwarfing rootstock (but not the tiniest of tinies). Our old blackcurrant bush was showing its extreme (for a blackcurrant) age. It was not well. Bits had been dying for a while, & it was shrinking. It used to be pretty big, needing severe hacking back to stop it becoming capable of sheltering megafauna, but it had shrivelled. Bugger-all fruit, too. So I decided to put it out of its misery, but what to put in its place?

A mini Lord Lambourne! A good apple, I think. Well, we'll find out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 28 October, 2021, 10:37:40 am

The Japanese anemone will then be stripped out from in front of my fruit trees in favour of much lower stuff. I suspect they are harbouring the earwigs over  winter, I have no trouble in my other fruit bad which has gravel on it (I've got a bunch of lavender cuttings to go in this one in spring).   I have a load of bedding growing on in the greenhouse to go in, plus a bunch of bulbs.

Lots of work to do in prep for next year.

Did this bit, three hours of digging, removing, setting aside and replanting of what I wanted to keep. The iris had also gone nuts, from a handful of tubers 15 years ago to needing serious thinning and de-clumping. I now have plenty to distribute to the front bed where I think they'll look very good.

I'm sure I'll see Japanese anemone next year as well, but in much lower quantity and hopefully easy to remove.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 06 November, 2021, 04:39:29 pm
A dry day. MrsC in a Zoom meeting all morning. So, out to the garden.
Swept up the first batch of leaves from next door's beech tree.
Moved the lawn furniture onto hard standing for the winter.
Mowed the back lawn.
Cleared the last batch of pots which have been drying off in the garage window.
Seeing I've also managed a 10k run and a shopping trip into town today, that's not bad.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 07 November, 2021, 08:32:16 am
Popped up the plot with the kids as t'wife wanted us out the way so she could sort out for bonfire night guests. Plan was to get some garlic in and some onion sets the father in law had given me. These went where the squash had been and the soil was lovely as lots of compost and manure went onto that part last year.

Then did some weeding and thought id see how the parsnips were getting on  first one we dugout was a decent girth and a fair length. The girls wanted one more and this turned out to be a monster. Pushing a foot long and 1.2kg

Then got a text from friends who moved recently and they've been offered a plot more local to us, going to see if they can transfer to us or we will share with them which could mean running two plots for a year as paid up for our existing one and got stuff on it  but the new one would be easier for the wife to get to to water etc and can always put potatoes on one if needed
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: CAMRAMan on 14 November, 2021, 12:33:38 pm
I assembled the B&Q raised beds - easy, then filled them in advance of planting garlic and onions. Planted 50 each of snowdrop, crocus and bluebell bulbs, some of which went into the small rockery at the front of the house. Started planting daff bulbs, but my 'soil' is mainly clay, so the augur method was tough. I still have loads of daff bulbs left - despite the batch being 25-33% rotten. I have 50 tulip bulbs to plant, but I'll use a dibber for those as they're not as big as I expected.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 28 November, 2021, 02:00:29 pm
Raked up 3 large trugs-worth of leaves, mostly quince, cherry and hawthorn. 

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 28 November, 2021, 09:42:57 pm
Cleared the sunflower forest, the runner beans and the (badgers') sweet corn. Dug a bed over and then cardboarded and manured it prior to planting purple sprouting and fencing/netting it in. Two and a half hours from two of us felt like real progress.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 29 December, 2021, 01:43:15 pm
Assembled the compost wormery I got as a Christmas present, worms have been ordered with the voucher that came with the kit. Can't wait to get it now although will insulate a bit as it's set up in shed
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 08 January, 2022, 09:06:25 pm
Went up the plot where I help out on Fri. V cold, low single figs. Only there for a couple of hours so bearable, just. We are currently erecting supports for a fruit cage. I usually sow my Tomato seeds about now, so brought the seed trays, propagator and some compost into the house to warm up before sowing. I wont buy any seeds, I'll just save some from whatever tomatoes are in the kitchen.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 15 February, 2022, 01:27:10 pm
Not actually on the plot, but today I sowed loads of sweet pea seeds into several pots and seed trays which are now residing on various window sills throughout the house.  I always do this on the second w/e of February.  No particular reason.  No horticultural science woo involved.  It's a nice thing to be doing at a time when winter seems to be going on for ever.
OK, I'm a couple of days late this year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 15 February, 2022, 02:49:23 pm
Went to the plot today whilst ona dog walk. Onions and garlic coming through. Need to start making a list seeds to order.

Do have an extraordinary general meeting Thursday as the land the allotment is on has been sold off. Unfortunately its gone form local BIG land owners to investors so whilst it appears its going to remain allotment the rod rent will double over next 3 years. Although this will still be cheaper then council run ones at around £45
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 26 February, 2022, 04:06:19 pm
A day of pruning: blackcurrants, gooseberries, autumn raspberries, and roses.
I have holes in my hands.  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 26 February, 2022, 06:33:06 pm
Put the shed roof back on. When I got the message that the shed roof had blown off (in Eunice), I presumed it was just the felt. But no, the whole roof really had blown off. Lots of damp stuff inside the shed.

The two panels were in surprisingly good condition and only need a few nails to sort them out.

We had just enough felt left over from the garden shed's last re-felt from about 10 years ago and our allotment next door neighbour donated a further scrap so that I was able to run a line of felt along the ridge.

The end battens were all shot so they've been replaced.

Very satisfying.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 26 February, 2022, 09:18:04 pm
I have been picking the thick layer of conifer twigs and branches off the raised beds so I could chuck on another layer of compost.
Thanks to Arwen, Malik, Corrie, Eunice and Franklin.
Every one a "once in a generation" storm so we are told.
Hubby repairing the roof of the plant house - again.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 28 February, 2022, 12:25:13 pm
Spent yesterday playing with my new chainsaw (electric). Brilliant. Pollarded the accidental breech tree to about eight feet high.
Why is it an accidental tree ?
Because its the last bit of a beech hedge that somehow didn't get pulled up with the rest of it and then grew over the next 15 years to about thirty feet high. Lovely but its in the wrong place for a big tree.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 06 March, 2022, 02:20:00 pm
Finally pruned the Rambling Rector on the pergola. Usually I do it in autumn, but the weather was so bad last year I left it. Only got 1/2 sack of prunings, as opposed to the usual 2 or 3. Sadly I think it’s on its last legs. We planted it 20 years ago  :-\

Then it was along the fence line with the Roundup (we’re generally organic and pesticide free but we make exceptions) to get the early shoots of Vinka coming through from next door.

Then out with the rose and clematis feed, and finally into the greenhouse to plant my sweetcorn (Swift F1) and tomato (Big Daddy) seeds, which are now sitting on the hearth, because the windowsills are full of daffodils.

And, in an un-green way, I planted the into a peat based multi-purpose. I’ve tried non-peat based, and “ethical” peat (filtered out of NW Water’s treatment works), but I’ve yet to find anything remotely as good as the bog (no pun intended) standard multi-purpose, and it’s significantly cheaper too.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 06 March, 2022, 04:10:04 pm
I've been really busy so haven't been up the plot for a few weeks, not that there is much to do and is probably waterlogged

However I did watch a bit of your garden made perfect...not sure if that counts but do have a soft spot for Angela Scanlon
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 13 March, 2022, 04:08:42 pm
A bit of weeding and fertilising preparatory to the new seasons planting out, and the disposal via our compost bins of a row of flat leaf parsley, and several dozen foxglove plants that self-seed in the raised beds. Leaving only another several dozen for my wife to transplant….. 

And, 1 week on from planting seeds I have 10% germination of the sweetcorn, and 20% of the tomatoes (4 and 2 respectively!). Still, once they’ve started it’s usually quite successful.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 13 March, 2022, 04:38:37 pm
Pingu sewed some cherry pits today. Yes, I know you're not supposed to grow cherry trees from pits but it was an experiment.
Someone on our local FB wildlife group has just offered some cinquefoil and flag iris seeds which might have been useful for the pond we're going to build but it sounds like the seeds really needed to be sown last autumn...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 13 March, 2022, 06:39:02 pm
Pingu sewed some cherry pits today. Yes, I know you're not supposed to grow cherry trees from pits but it was an experiment.
Someone on our local FB wildlife group has just offered some cinquefoil and flag iris seeds which might have been useful for the pond we're going to build but it sounds like the seeds really needed to be sown last autumn...

We have avocado, lemon, orange and date trees grown from pits.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 13 March, 2022, 06:41:29 pm
Planted out 15 metres of broad bean plants, and reset the modules with more. Had the first of the purple sprouting broccoli with lunch
Went back to the allotment in the afternoon to plant 3 rows 10 metre rows) each of shallots, parsnips, carrots & beetroot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 13 March, 2022, 06:53:06 pm
Pingu sewed some cherry pits today. Yes, I know you're not supposed to grow cherry trees from pits but it was an experiment.

We used to get loads of cherry seedlings in our garden when I was a kid. They don't come true from seed, though. We had an eating cherry, nextdoor-but-one had a lovely dark cooker. The seedlings were obviously all hybrids. I don't think any of them ever got to be proper trees but we did get the occasional one big enough to have a few fruits. For most of my childhood, my parents were not keen gardeners!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 18 March, 2022, 03:03:36 pm
I finish early on a Friday, so am home by 1:15 if I have no errands to run. As it’s a fine sunny and moderately warm afternoon, I’ve put the tomato and sweetcorn seedlings out on the picnic table for some decent UV and a strengthening breeze.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 19 March, 2022, 01:26:29 pm
Planted out the half dozen rosemary cuttings my wife struck a couple o& years ago. Then helped her with relocation of some of the dozens of foxgloves that have self-set in the raised beds.

Got 10 of the 11 Big Daddies germinated, but only 25 of the 38 sweetcorn have so far done so in 2 weeks, despite being kept indoors. That’s poor by my usual standards which would see 35 be successful. Still, it’s enough for us in reality.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 20 March, 2022, 07:08:49 am
I took some onion sets to the allotment and planted a pair of grandchildren. It may have been the other way round.
I've got parsnips, beetroot and a row of leek seeds in.
The potatoes are chitting nicely in the front room at home.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 24 March, 2022, 02:27:37 pm
Cycled up the plot this morning. Despite the last week or so of warm days its been dry so not much growth of grass/weeds and the garlic and onions seem to be doing all right

Planted my Jerusalem (f)artichokes. Not sure if it's the ideal time but know I won't get a chance for a few weeks otherwise. Loads of worms when digging which was pleased with as the soils crap on the allotments and have put down a lot of manure
/compost the last few years in stages and seems to be working
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 25 March, 2022, 06:00:32 pm
Dug out a load of day lilies that have been multiplying since we came here 20 years ago. Now about 1/3 of what we had, and my wife can transplant some pulmonaria (the bees love it) and primroses, so we’ll have colour next spring before the lily leaves flop all over them.  Tomorrow it’ll be the first harvest cut of the grass, and a spreading of the contents of one of our compost bins.

The wild garlic is going great guns, so it’s in nearly every meal atm. Lovely.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 26 March, 2022, 12:58:02 pm
Added some wires and mesh netting to the back of our neighbours new fence, all the better to support the sweet peas in a nice accessible spot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 26 March, 2022, 05:26:31 pm
A longish session at the allotment today.
Got the first Broad Bean and carrot seeds in.
The trenches for the potatoes dug.
Watered the cabbage plants that went in last week.
Some more reclaimed bricks set into the path.
Mrs M got another bed weeded for some flowers later on.
We came home with daffodils and tulips.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 06 April, 2022, 08:56:54 pm
A couple of wks ago I sowed some broad beans in cardboard toilet rolls, kept them watered and they've come up well. So today I planted them out.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 10 April, 2022, 08:54:46 pm
Got the spuds in. Harvested some rhubarb. Cleared algae out of the water tank. Repaired the nets for the purple sprouting (though why I bothered I'm not sure, it's almost all been pecked out of existence).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 16 April, 2022, 12:41:32 pm
I have a greenhouse, cold frame and spare room full of veg from seed, germinating flowers and cuttings all at various stages waiting for the frost risk to pass. Decided to re-sow some greyhound cabbage as the first batch had gone extremely leggy.

Also on general maintenance, next door's leylandii is a monstrous carbuncle that I have been trimming my side of. Much general tidying up and today I will be digging up all of my lillies. I love the flowers, but they are infested by lily beetle, and however many I pick off each year I cannot get them all, the foul little bastards >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 16 April, 2022, 03:44:21 pm
Potted on the sweetcorn (Swift F1) and tomatoes (Big Daddy). Sweetcorn can stay outside now, but the tomatoes , which thus far have overnighted in the lounge) will go into the greenhouse overnight for another month or so before, along with the sweetcorn, being planted out. Planted the sweet peas against the south west facing fence.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 16 April, 2022, 04:46:27 pm
I wandered round the garden centre looking at all the nice things I want to plant but can't until the clay soil dries out a bit and I can start attacking it.  :-\

Finally, I shall have my very own rhubarb. Shame I can only look at it for a year though.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52008338126_f782d34b37.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2neNjYW)2022-04-16_04-04-25 (https://flic.kr/p/2neNjYW) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

Then I planted these spiky bastard pyracantha.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52007321897_2f149c79f8.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2neH7TK)Pyracantha (https://flic.kr/p/2neH7TK) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

They are my attempt to atone for the wildlife crime of the great leylandii massacre.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52008400628_4ff04ff371.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2neNDyy)Build it (https://flic.kr/p/2neNDyy) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

I also dug up 2 clumps of sage which have gone all grey, presumably because they were drowning in the 'swimming pool' end of the garden. I stuck them in some pots for now with compost but I suspect they may already be ded.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 16 April, 2022, 06:42:22 pm
cut the sage back fairly hard as well, I had one that looked ded and is now sprouting pretty well
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 16 April, 2022, 07:03:47 pm
Cool, I shall try that. There is sage round by the garage (elevated so not sitting in a soggy bit) and it looks fine.
I am actually astounded that all the lavender plants in the wettest bit of the garden are still alive, it not being known for being a damp loving plant. Maybe it's english rather than french...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 17 April, 2022, 07:25:15 am
Suddenly there's humongous amounts of rhubarb at the allotment.

Mrs M is in hospital next week, my job description do not allow for rhubarb processing, so the neighbours fell over the stuff when they opened their front doors.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 17 April, 2022, 11:31:12 am
Pyracantha make good nesting bushes. When I were a lad, every year our pyracantha had a song thrush’s nest in it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 17 April, 2022, 03:38:09 pm
Mike you could have chopped it up and frozen it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 17 April, 2022, 03:54:06 pm
Pricked out the (rather late) tomatoes.
Sowed dahlias, cosmos, salads, hollyhocks...
Started clearing what was the 'orchard bed', but (as there is only one fruit tree left in it) it needs a new name. It will be the soft fruit bed once I've moved the autumn raspberries. But I need to remove many weeds first. Three trugs full and it looks like I've barely started.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 17 April, 2022, 05:24:39 pm
Pricked out the (rather late) tomatoes.
Sowed dahlias, cosmos, salads, hollyhocks...
Started clearing what was the 'orchard bed', but (as there is only one fruit tree left in it) it needs a new name. It will be the soft fruit bed once I've moved the autumn raspberries. But I need to remove many weeds first. Three trugs full and it looks like I've barely started.

That's my task for tomorrow on the "dry bed" gravelly, hard, can barely get a fork in to help out.

Today I prepped my contraptions for netting supports out of old 1" square dahlia stakes and some 10mm plastic water pipe.Yesterday was another day of pricking out and dividing stuff to go in where I've dug out all of the lillies
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 17 April, 2022, 05:50:51 pm
Prompted by ElyDave's sage chopping comment, I did indeed go and give all the dead looking stuff a hair cut.
Then I went round to the happy but extremely leggy sage round the corner. I was only going to give some of it a hard prune but then I saw new bits of it were popping up out of the ground so I gave it a good hard tidy up.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 18 April, 2022, 07:45:33 am
Mike you could have chopped it up and frozen it.
The freezer is full of supplies for feasts for while Mrs M is unable to otherwise cater to my every culinary whim.
And, there will be lots (and lots) more of the stuff as the season goes on, so why not share the love with which it's been cultivated? (Actually, it's left pretty much to its own devices)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 18 April, 2022, 07:25:50 pm
I'm just jealous.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 21 April, 2022, 08:10:15 pm
Managed to get up the plot for an hour this eve. Mowed round it as don't want to fall foul of the cultivation policy, although looks like they have empty plots again so can't imagine they'll be kicking people off.

Watered what I already have in and dug over some more for weekend planting. Is noticeable how the worms have gone deeper as the grounds so dry
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jurek on 23 April, 2022, 04:45:25 pm
I have planted some climbing plants at the base of my new fence/trellis.
A couple of Clematis, a Jasmine and a Honeysuckle.
I know nothing about gardening.
Is it ok/recommended to water these every day in the absence of rain?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 23 April, 2022, 09:53:59 pm
'they' say to water plants in, but it depends on your soil. I would be inclined to poke your finger in and see how damp it feels before watering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jurek on 27 April, 2022, 11:53:04 am
I have just taken delivery of seeds to sow and grow wild flowers.
I was quite taken with the 'meadow' look in the Olympic stadium.
And they'll attract the bees.
Which we know to be A Good Thing.
And I won't have to cut my patchy grass.
My garden is approximately 20 sq. metres in size.
There was a typo on the website.
They'd dropped an '0'.
I now have sufficient wildflower seeds for a garden that is 200 sq. metres in size. :facepalm:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 27 April, 2022, 12:59:41 pm
I have planted some climbing plants at the base of my new fence/trellis.
A couple of Clematis, a Jasmine and a Honeysuckle.
I know nothing about gardening.
Is it ok/recommended to water these every day in the absence of rain?

Any newly planted plants should be watered frequently. It's too late for the microryzal fungus, but I'd recomment either some clematis food, or good old blood, fish and bone around the plants, then some mulch/compost on top. 

We've had so little rain recently we have 1" cracks in the clay in the (very small) front garden. I've had the sprinkler on the back already this year, and I'll do it again on Friday.

On the "I know nothing about gardening" - check what "group" your clematis belong to. They'll probably be group 3, in whuch case you chop them down to about a foot above the ground in Feb. Jasmine and honeysuckle can be left.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jurek on 27 April, 2022, 01:29:27 pm
I have planted some climbing plants at the base of my new fence/trellis.
A couple of Clematis, a Jasmine and a Honeysuckle.
I know nothing about gardening.
Is it ok/recommended to water these every day in the absence of rain?

Any newly planted plants should be watered frequently. It's too late for the microryzal fungus, but I'd recomment either some clematis food, or good old blood, fish and bone around the plants, then some mulch/compost on top. 

We've had so little rain recently we have 1" cracks in the clay in the (very small) front garden. I've had the sprinkler on the back already this year, and I'll do it again on Friday.

On the "I know nothing about gardening" - check what "group" your clematis belong to. They'll probably be group 3, in whuch case you chop them down to about a foot above the ground in Feb. Jasmine and honeysuckle can be left.
Thanks for that. I'll attend to that this weekend.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 27 April, 2022, 04:38:06 pm
I put some of that fungus stuff in (Rootgrow) when I planted my Christmas box last year and when I planted the spiky Pyracantha last week.

@Jurek maybe while you're out for a walk you should sprinkle some of your exceed seed (fnarr) in any roadside grass verges etc.

I am wondering if the snakes head fritillaries I planted in our no mow area will have flowers when we get home this weekend.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jurek on 27 April, 2022, 07:50:36 pm
I have planted some climbing plants at the base of my new fence/trellis.
A couple of Clematis, a Jasmine and a Honeysuckle.
I know nothing about gardening.
Is it ok/recommended to water these every day in the absence of rain?

Any newly planted plants should be watered frequently. It's too late for the microryzal fungus, but I'd recomment either some clematis food, or good old blood, fish and bone around the plants, then some mulch/compost on top. 

We've had so little rain recently we have 1" cracks in the clay in the (very small) front garden. I've had the sprinkler on the back already this year, and I'll do it again on Friday.

On the "I know nothing about gardening" - check what "group" your clematis belong to. They'll probably be group 3, in whuch case you chop them down to about a foot above the ground in Feb. Jasmine and honeysuckle can be left.
Thanks for that. I'll attend to that this weekend.
Group 1.
And the instruction is to chop them down, as you say.
Ta.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 28 April, 2022, 06:30:54 am
I have planted some climbing plants at the base of my new fence/trellis.
A couple of Clematis, a Jasmine and a Honeysuckle.
I know nothing about gardening.
Is it ok/recommended to water these every day in the absence of rain?

Any newly planted plants should be watered frequently. It's too late for the microryzal fungus, but I'd recomment either some clematis food, or good old blood, fish and bone around the plants, then some mulch/compost on top. 

We've had so little rain recently we have 1" cracks in the clay in the (very small) front garden. I've had the sprinkler on the back already this year, and I'll do it again on Friday.

On the "I know nothing about gardening" - check what "group" your clematis belong to. They'll probably be group 3, in whuch case you chop them down to about a foot above the ground in Feb. Jasmine and honeysuckle can be left.

Similarly dry here, with cracks already appearing. I had the sprinkler on the soft fruit bed at the weekend, and anticipate using on the veg beds this weekend as I plan to plant stuff out from the greenhouse
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 29 April, 2022, 12:23:19 pm
More of a what I haven't done. It's no mow may next month but as I think my lawn got one cut around August last year its not a common occurance

Near the hedge is beautiful verdant grass with green alkanet in, yes it spreads loads but the bees love it

As you edge further from the hedge it tapers down to basically bald and worn out as that's the bit the kids and dog charge up and down

Will probably need to scythe it down when I eventually cut it especially as only have a crap push mower. Am actually tempted to try and transplant some of the good growth to worn out bits
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 30 April, 2022, 04:48:25 pm
Repotted a geranium which has been needing it for some time.
I dug up half of this bed, from the RHS along to the lavender and stuck soil improver, grit and bark chips in there.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52039083777_4bdbfc1877.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nhvUAn)2022-04-30_04-40-10 (https://flic.kr/p/2nhvUAn) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr
No idea what I'm supposed to do with all the clay I'm digging out, it's currently in a heap at the end of the garden. I replanted the semi dead sage (which seems to have started regrowing after a couple of weeks in pots) and also planted the lavender I moved from the previous Pingu Towers.
At that point Pingu decided to come and start farting about with the pond which cut off my access and egress to that bed so I stopped doing that and helped him instead.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 30 April, 2022, 09:05:21 pm
I mowed my lawn today in preparation for No Mow May.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 01 May, 2022, 12:26:07 pm
Got grumpy

Family trip to allotment, apart from the part with stuff already in which has been watered I could barely get a fork in so soaked a good amount of it for another attempt tomorrow
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wobbly John on 01 May, 2022, 12:32:21 pm
Planted a third lot of dwarf beans yesterday and cleared some broccoli that had white fly to make a bean trench with cardboard and hoss muck for runners.
Also planted more lettuce out.
Today I have planted rocket plants out. The variety is‘Wasabi’ and it certainly lives up to it’s name!!!  :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 01 May, 2022, 02:30:35 pm
I got the brassica net up, and planted ten each of bought cauliflower and sprout plants to go with the cabbages.
Watering, watering and more watering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 05 May, 2022, 08:11:49 am
Have booked the association rotovator for Saturday morning. Need to be shown how to use it which I'm fine with. Last one I used was years back and ancient.

That with the fact it actually rained yesterday gives me a fighting chance of getting the plot sorted
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 07 May, 2022, 12:21:12 pm
Up the plot early this morning to dig out as many weeds and as much grass as possible before my my hire of the rotovator. The difference in the bits of plot I had covered with cardboard and put manure onto to that which was just bare soil was incredible.
Does make me think of going no dig especially after seeing how dry and dusty the plot was when finished

F(artichokes) coming through and can now get sowing direct. Beans, courgettes, squashes, sprouts and tomatoes seedlings doing well on window ledge and in coldframe

Just hope we get some rain
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 07 May, 2022, 01:12:23 pm
Planted out the sweetcorn  and the Big Boy outdoor tomatoes. Then planted a batch of dwarf beans in pots in the greenhouse. Could sow direct but experience has shown pots work better, and we don’t have that much room so are not sowing loads. Also planted out the last of the sweet peas. Gave the two roses near the house (Maid of Kent and Gloire de Dijon) a good soaking with the hose, as they are in a thin border that doesn’t get much rain.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 07 May, 2022, 05:07:03 pm
Removed loads of bindweed and other nasties from a bed in preparation for moving some autumn raspberries.
The actual moving will have to wait until tomorrow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 09 May, 2022, 10:09:06 pm
I mowed my lawn today in preparation for No Mow May.
Our lawn has not been mowed at all this year. It is only now thinking about growing. I suspect not much will have happened by the end of the month.

My garden plans are mostly on hold, waiting for the new fence to be installed. Once that's been done I've got lots of clay to dig up. Then when I've done that I can start planting stuff....
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 10 May, 2022, 07:27:08 am
Another trip to the allotment shed yesterday to check on the progress of the Robin chicks.
More watering. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220510/b53a349037b155431b619bcd7ab3c647.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 10 May, 2022, 06:19:48 pm
Aw.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 10 May, 2022, 07:12:13 pm
We noticed black birds taking nest material into our ivy. Unfortunately so did a magpie. There is 32mm chicken wire round the ivy from a few years ago when our neighbours cat tried to get into it

I moved the seedlings off our window ledge and into the cold frame as weather looks suitably mild and we needed the space. Annoyingly we have a dirth of suitable ledges in our house
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 13 May, 2022, 09:00:50 pm
planted a couple of home sown Tomato plants and 3 courgette plants that were gifted in the G'house border. I was also gifted some R bean plants which have been planted outside. I will plant out 3 more Tomatoes in my back garden tomorrow when it is less windy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 14 May, 2022, 11:43:20 am
Cut (FCVO cut) the lawn (FCVO lawn). Whilst doing so on this glorious still, sunny, warm and relatively quiet morning, I was taken with the flowering of our Arbutilon. It really is glorious this year.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52071385402_f92c1ad47a_4k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nknsJW)Arbutilon (https://flic.kr/p/2nknsJW) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 14 May, 2022, 03:09:09 pm
I had a play with the Japanese grass hook that nice Jurek sent me. Still got all my fingers.
I dug up the other half of this herb bed to improve the soil. Ruddy hard work but it smelled great. Stopped when I hit solid clay, not much I can do about that.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52072732978_14b4802c61.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nkunk1)2022-05-14_03-03-54 (https://flic.kr/p/2nkunk1) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

Then I took some cuttings, a bit new for me. No idea if it will work...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52073203515_c70785bae7.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nkwMcH)2022-05-14_03-00-17 (https://flic.kr/p/2nkwMcH) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 14 May, 2022, 07:17:13 pm
We have two major gardening projects this year. Today has seen progress on both and completion on one.
A couple of years ago, in the first lockdown, we had the end of our patio reworked. In the process we discovered that a cherry tree just above the far end of said patio was rotten, so had to come out. Today it was replaced with a very small Bramley apple. As MrsC commented, we are most unlikely to actually see it fully grown, but still worth doing.
The other project involves turning a raspberry and bindweed thicket into an ornamental border. We do like the raspberries, which are an autumn variety, so I have moved some of them to another bed which was mostly empty.
I am now knackered and need to find some beer in the not too distant future.  :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 15 May, 2022, 05:41:41 pm
Not exactly the plot, or gardening, but yesterday I was finally allocated a peat bank.

Up on a section of moor where people have been cutting for centuries. Not so many now though.

The Grazing Clerk took me round and picked out a suggested bank. It hasn't been cut for a few years, so he said I'd need to take the face back at least one spade-width and recommended paying for someone with a digger to do it.

Once dried, the peat is as hard as coal, so I thought the digging would be really hard, and the turfing, through heather, also difficult.

Went back later with a (sharpened) spade. Spade cut through turf and soil like a hot knife through butter. So I cut back 8m of bank, then cut peats from those. About an hour's work, the peats will be enough for nearly a month in winter.

My back is reminding me that I'm not 20 anymore though.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 16 May, 2022, 03:36:32 pm
We always found the calorific value of turf to be fairly pitiful. (Cut from a bog in Kerry)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 17 May, 2022, 08:54:44 am
I think it depends very much on the area and type of peat. We have 'black' peat here. I'm told by locals that it burns hotter than coal and I need to ensure that I burn it in a multifuel stove, not a woodstove.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 17 May, 2022, 04:32:56 pm
Something is eating the pyracanthas I planted last month. The leaves are all full of holes!  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 17 May, 2022, 07:49:32 pm
Something is eating the pyracanthas I planted last month. The leaves are all full of holes!  >:(

Caterpillars.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 17 May, 2022, 07:55:53 pm
I went out a bit earlier and looked under the leaves but I couldn't see anything.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 18 May, 2022, 11:00:58 am
Had to take back the grass/green alkanet/scrub a bit

I know its no mow may but the path through the wildlife garden was disappearing and impassable in shorts without getting stung and the "lawn" near the hedge was so long finding our dogs little presents was impossible
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 18 May, 2022, 09:15:17 pm
Got up the plot tonight. Surprised at lack of weed growth as nearly a fortnight since been up. Was very dry, despite being only 3 miles from my house looked like got less of the very little rain we have had recently

Mowed round, hoed down the few pioneer weeds and the slightly more established ones between the artichokes then gave the plot a damn good drink

Have just realised forgot to bring home the rose for the watering can as want to drill the holes out a bit as is painfully slow flow rate
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 20 May, 2022, 12:03:21 pm
Something is eating the pyracanthas I planted last month. The leaves are all full of holes!  >:(

When we had gooseberry bushes, by late summer they had usually been stripped of leaves. Small snails were the culprits.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 21 May, 2022, 01:30:38 pm
Something had been digging in one of my raised beds which are repurposed baths. I had a spare micro mesh tunnel I put over it and then kept finding our neighbours cat under it. Took this off today and made covers from some left over chicken wire

Had to pot on my tumbling tomatoes and had nothing to use and knew wouldn't be able to get to nursery today so had a hunt round garden. My old wellies with the sole coming off are now wall mounted with tomatoes in

Mother then popped round with loads of herbs and fuchsia for us. A fair chunk of the herb bed outside our back door was full of lemon balm. It even kept the mint down. I realised we never use lemon balm so that's gone in the compost and lots more herbs have gone in instead

Planted the fuchsias in the formal garden which is basically the only bit we grow stuff that isn't either veg or wildlife friendly

Possibly a bit late but sowed some leeks in an old bucket so have leeks in my leaking bucket

Sowed a few trombono squash. The ones that grow to look like something you'd gurn through

Need to reconstruct my bean poles and try and get up the allotment as some point as various things need to go out
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 21 May, 2022, 04:49:57 pm
The project continues. Today I have removed a dozen compost-bag-fulls of raspberries and weeds (mostly bindweed) from the bed which I mentioned last week. It looks a lot better now, but there are probably still three or four more bags worth to come out.
Then we can start the fun bit of deciding what to plant in all that space.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 21 May, 2022, 10:53:22 pm
I discovered that three of the many parsnip seeds I sowed a few weeks back have now germinated, and I knelt down and hand-weeded them. I also forked over the patch where I plan to plant out the runner beans, and harvested a bumper crop of bindweed roots.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 23 May, 2022, 12:36:35 pm
Sowed the next tranche of French beans - hopefully better than 2/3rds germination this time.  Wrapped all the new leaders on the (resolutely non-flowering) Wisteria around the arch in prparation to bringing them down to run out along the new fence.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 14 June, 2022, 01:01:02 pm
Watered the plot and hoed some weeds

The water trough I fill my cans from has been making an incredible racket when refilling. As I'd been out with kids had an adjustable spanner in saddle bag so took the top of the system and moved the little white outlet which the trough refills from and instantly noise stopped and flow rate probably doubled

While I was there was a lot of strimming and mowing going on. I think they were flattening the overgrown abandoned plots of which there are a lot after being a waiting list in lockdown
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 16 June, 2022, 10:51:30 am
Last night I Cleared out one of our raised beds in which our salad had failed I think largely due to our neighbours cat digging in it. It now has a wire cover and more salad sown. Also cut the lawn as our dogs poos were disappearing in the long grass

This morning had a delivery to make which involved driving past my allotment so stopped to water it. Noticed a very excited cat by a fruit net and then noticed a sparrow inside the net so managed to hoist one side up and let the sparrow out
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 18 June, 2022, 04:22:03 pm
Cleared the last of the “winter” lettuce trees, and planted out the last 10 French Bean seedlings.  That’s 30 in all at 2 week intervals. Side-shorted and tied in the Big Daddy toms. Fed the sweetcorn, as tassels are forming. Dead headed the roses, and cut out some of the worst of the black spot on the climber near the house. May have to resort to spraying it (Maid of Kent) as it’s quite bad this year. OTOH the Creme de la Creme is getting into its stride.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52155404233_477b736b14.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nsN5Bt)Crème de la Crème (https://flic.kr/p/2nsN5Bt) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 24 June, 2022, 11:15:12 am
Had plenty of pottering with the light late evenings

Last night discovered lily beetle on my er lily's. Well the wife's actually but she only admires them I do the work

Picked off and squished the few I found and kids are on a competition to see who can squish the most
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 24 June, 2022, 08:22:03 pm
Something is eating the pyracanthas I planted last month. The leaves are all full of holes!  >:(

Well they might not have many leaves left but there's a lovely crop of flowers on them now. (Hopefully they won't die after the effort!)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 24 June, 2022, 08:28:41 pm
Finally tackled this bed (clay soil ) yesterday.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52170270636_5ce24a1ba7.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nu7gSL)2022-06-24_08-15-15 (https://flic.kr/p/2nu7gSL) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr
Can't particularly recommend driving home with 500L of soil improver in the car on a hot day, it stank of chicken shit. Only bought half the garden centre because they didn't have half the plants I wanted.
Anyway I built my electric tiller and chewed up the bed. It was a bit like being dragged along by a crazy donkey initially. Glad I bought it though, that was done in a couple of hours. It would have taken me days by hand.

Here's the tilled bed with the improver mixed in.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52170268451_90ec377052.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nu7ge6)IMG_20220623_150157 (https://flic.kr/p/2nu7ge6) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

And with my plants for pollinators
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52169248962_41d72f4724.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nu23aG)IMG_20220623_171606 (https://flic.kr/p/2nu23aG) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

Quite sore today.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 25 June, 2022, 12:18:48 pm
Due to the bloody dog not realising it's the weekend was up at work o'clock and having walked aforementioned bloody dog though sod it I'll go up the allotment. Drove which I hate doing but didn't think taking bike with repurposed kiddie trailer through my neighbours garden at just after 6 am would be fair and couldn't fit all the seedlings on the bike

Planted out some more squashes, kale and some celeriac and weeded a bit. Fed the squashes that looked yellow as think I over watered and washed away the nutrients

Garlic looks like its nearly ready, some cabbages looking nearly ready. A few parsnips are up and beetroot and chard disappointing so far so will plant some more
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 28 June, 2022, 06:33:15 pm
Yet more plants arrived today. Aruncus dioicus, persicaria bistorta, perovskia, sedum spectabile, inula hookeri. Managed to get them all in before the rain properly started. Noticed while I was at it that some of the plants I put in on Thursday are looking a bit sad. Hope it's not a reaction to the soil improver  :-\

I have now scored off most of the plants on my page long list. Just honeysuckle a definite miss (I tried taking cuttings from the wild a couple of weeks ago but they failed), not sure if I will also get phacelia, borage etc and a mahonia as well, still undecided. I would also really like some lupins but I'm trying to avoid the inevitable disappointment of snails eating them to deth.

There are also a couple of old tree stumps near the boundary fence, was wondering about drilling/chopping the middle out of them and planting something in there...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 28 June, 2022, 08:42:01 pm
Yet more plants arrived today. Aruncus dioicus, persicaria bistorta, perovskia, sedum spectabile, inula hookeri. Managed to get them all in before the rain properly started. Noticed while I was at it that some of the plants I put in on Thursday are looking a bit sad. Hope it's not a reaction to the soil improver  :-\

I have now scored off most of the plants on my page long list. Just honeysuckle a definite miss (I tried taking cuttings from the wild a couple of weeks ago but they failed), not sure if I will also get phacelia, borage etc and a mahonia as well, still undecided. I would also really like some lupins but I'm trying to avoid the inevitable disappointment of snails eating them to deth.

There are also a couple of old tree stumps near the boundary fence, was wondering about drilling/chopping the middle out of them and planting something in there...

Why on earth would you want a Mahonia! As to the sad looking plants, they’ll pick up, just make sure they don’t get too dry.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 28 June, 2022, 09:05:30 pm
my g'house tomatoes are affected by blossom drop. They are planted in the border soil which is actually more like dust. Should have incorporated more compost. Didn't have a problem last year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 28 June, 2022, 09:18:43 pm
. Managed to get them all in before the rain properly started.

What's rain?

Cycled to the plot and watered. Gave it a good soak Saturday and looked like had never seen water

Dug the garlic up. Bent a freebie hand trowel in process. Need to water and dig the space from the garlic as got plenty of seedlings to go in
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 28 June, 2022, 09:58:17 pm
Why wouldn't I want a mahonia? I was thinking they would provide food for any bees that might be around in the autumn & winter. Any reason why not?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: JellyLegs on 30 June, 2022, 07:35:29 am
When we had gooseberry bushes, by late summer they had usually been stripped of leaves. Small snails were the culprits.

Possibly gooseberry sawfly.  The caterpillars from this pesky critter will strip a bush of all its leaves in days.  Too late for your gooseberry bushes now, but the pupae overwinter in the soil so carefully dig over the soil around the base of the bush during the winter period and the birds will get most of them.  Pyrethrum based chemicals are the nuclear option.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: hatler on 30 June, 2022, 01:34:29 pm
Bugger.

Front of the plot is horseradish infested. Tactics to overcome this (for the last seven years) has been to put that black plastic stuff down and then place about eight 'tyre towers' in which we have been growing, squashes, courgettes and cucumbers. This has the added advantage of keeping them off the ground and away from slugs.

Mrs hatler has had a letter today saying that the tyre towers must be removed within the month.

FFS. She's just planted a whole bunch of stuff in them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 03 July, 2022, 05:17:58 pm
Question for the food growing types;
I have read that the first year you plant rhubarb you're not supposed to harvest it.
What do I do with it then? Do the unharvested leaves and stems just disappear or do I need to do something later?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 03 July, 2022, 05:24:49 pm
Do nothing. The leaves and stems will die back in the autumn. Clear them away when they have done so.
Mulching at that point is a good idea, but try not to cover the crown itself.
They are pretty robust.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 03 July, 2022, 06:35:45 pm
Cool, thanks :)
Watching this fruit grow and not eating it is killing me, but I've been waiting 27 years for my very own rhubarb so I guess I can wait another.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 03 July, 2022, 06:54:08 pm
We had a similar issue when we moved here. We moved in June. A friend gave us the rhubarb shortly afterwards, but we also had to wait a whole year.
If you look in the books you will be told that the best time for planting rhubarb is February. Ours has planted in July and is still going strong 23 years later.
It has been lifted and split several times. We now have two plants and at least three friends have been given them as well.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 03 July, 2022, 06:57:44 pm
Fruit harvesting is in full flood.
Raspberries, tayberries, loganberries, blackcurrants, the final few strawberries. Plus a bit of late rhubarb (I know I shouldn't).

Broad Beans and the first Charlotte potatoes.
I squeezed a cabbage, but it'll wait a week or two.

I've put some bought courgette plants in, and probably the last beetroot and runner bean seeds.

Yesterday's rain has brought the weeds on a treat....
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 03 July, 2022, 07:00:20 pm
Back on the non food front we have discovered we have a 2nd hydrangea. This one will also be getting dug up and evicted due to having absolutely no benefit to pollinators. (The first one is in a pot, I'm in 2 minds aboit whether I should Freegle it or bin it for the aforementioned reason). I just need to decide what to put in there instead....  :-\
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 04 July, 2022, 12:33:59 pm
Our goosegogs are no more. We removed the bushes some years ago.

This morning I have done some ho-ho-hoeing and weeding, and My Dear Wife did battle with the brambles, and mostly won. She does have an impressive pair of punctures on her forearm that look like a vampire bite.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 14 July, 2022, 08:14:49 pm
Watered and harvested some courgettes. Oh and did a bit more hoeing

I'll put this here as a plot related fail. Laying in bed t'other night not able to get to sleep and thought what happened to the celeriac seedlings I had. Checked garden and not there. Realised I'd planted out at allotment and completely forgot so hadn't watered, probably trod and and maybe even hoed.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 15 July, 2022, 06:59:03 pm
I've just dug my first potato of the summer - Casablanca, I think they were, 72 days after planting. A pretty good yield off the first root, considering how dry it has been. June was probably slightly wetter than usual (30-odd mm) but I haven't measured any rain so far in July.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 18 July, 2022, 07:46:21 am
With the warnings if imminent deth from today's temperature was up early to walk the hound then up the allotment to give it a drink

Bumped into an old work colleague but manages to escape him to actually get to plot. Was fairly busy and met my plot neighbour who I've never seen before but she is clearly there a lot as her plot is really productive

Harvested some more courgettes and then onto work feeling better about a crazy day at work after some peace up the plot
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 29 July, 2022, 09:07:41 am
Apart from watering not a lot

Have thinned some beetroot which have been crap like a lot of my crops due to living in the desert which is south east england

However my apples are great and first ones are ripe, went out yesterday morning and one had fallen off as ripe but was sat on branch below waiting for me
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 03 August, 2022, 12:57:31 pm
Cut back most of the raspberry canes, now that the fruit has all gone over.  Pulled out the brambles, and a couple of ash saplings, and a reasonably substantial hawthorn which had taken hold amongst the raspberries and gooseberries.

Picked nearly a pound and a half of blueberries, to make a blueberry and croissant bread-and-butter pud.

The wind over the last few days has blown off most of our Hinnonmaki Red gooseberries.  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 07 August, 2022, 06:25:57 pm
Today I got the ropey old Flymo I bought for £30 off Facebook Marketplace running. It just needed the spark cleaning and the gap adjusting and off it went in a haze of 2 -stroke smoke.

Brilliant fun! I've always wanted to try a petrol Flymo. I had a modern electric one for the small front garden but it was rubbish, hardly floated at all. This petrol one is a different beast altogether.

I used it to attack the overgrown weedy bit at the end of the garden which it did without complaining.Used the Honda as a garden vac to get all the chopped down stiff bagged up.

Now I just need to keep an eye out for a broken but complete Flymo of the same model to cannibalise for the missing bits off this working one (such as the engine cover).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 07 August, 2022, 08:01:36 pm
On holibobs soon and didn't think was fair to expect our house sitter to be on knees to fill watering cans from stream so have been filling tub trugs and borrowing down garden to fill the water butt's. About 250 litres so far, will finish the rest during the week. Then watered the garden......I'd really like some rain please
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 07 August, 2022, 08:05:17 pm
Just got back from holiday today, only been a week but what were previously 3 happy lupins (albeit dwarf ones) have been utterly nommed. All that remains is the stems. Little bastards waited until I'd turned my back...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 07 August, 2022, 09:01:31 pm
On holibobs soon and didn't think was fair to expect our house sitter to be on knees to fill watering cans from stream so have been filling tub trugs and borrowing down garden to fill the water butt's. About 250 litres so far, will finish the rest during the week. Then watered the garden......I'd really like some rain please

We are off on holiday in a few weeks. Since she retired Mrs Pcolbeck has been giving the garden some serious attention. There are now about 50 pots of various sizes on the patio and the greenhouse is full. It takes an hour to water everything. So I have ordered a drip watering system and a timer. Hopefully it will keep everything alive whilst we are away and free up some of Mrs Pcolbecks time when we are at home
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 07 August, 2022, 10:30:44 pm
If we want to become more resilient to droughts we need to stop growing plants in containers and plant them in the ground instead.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 08 August, 2022, 10:17:30 am
If we want to become more resilient to droughts we need to stop growing plants in containers and plant them in the ground instead.

We never water the lawn and the raised beds and borders get watered using water from three rainwater water buts.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 08 August, 2022, 06:47:07 pm
 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 08 August, 2022, 06:49:07 pm
Just got back from holiday today, only been a week but what were previously 3 happy lupins (albeit dwarf ones) have been utterly nommed. All that remains is the stems. Little bastards waited until I'd turned my back...

And today I can see that the sedum spactabile (which was nearby the lupins) is being chomped as well, and I thought that sedums were supposed to be less attractive to slugs.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 11 August, 2022, 01:38:43 pm
Got a bit depressed at the state of my arid wasteland aka the allotment last night. Basically squashes etc OK. (F)artichokes look good above soil but no idea on tubers so far. Most over things crap but despite regular watering it's still bone dry

One of the troughs you draw water from clearly hadn't been used for a couple of days as water was green. Was so warm would have been a pleasant bath, if it hadn't been busy with people watering may have tried to get in
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 11 August, 2022, 01:49:55 pm
Just looked at the price of large (ie 500 litre+) water butts for maybe doing some serious rainwater harvesting. Blimey they are spendy .
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 11 August, 2022, 04:36:39 pm
Look at an old IBC, 1000 litres and often not much money or enduramax used to do some decent big tanks.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: graculus on 11 August, 2022, 05:00:11 pm
I think they start getting really expensive once you go above 200L. Particularly if they are rectangular rather than round as the design has to provide the necessary reinforcement to stop the sides bulging. If you have the space then multiple smaller ones linked together may well prove cheaper.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 14 August, 2022, 10:05:33 pm
Where I need to put them sown the side of the house is only about 1 metre wide. Reduces the choice a lot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 14 August, 2022, 10:09:11 pm
Got 2/3rds of the drip watering system up and running today. will add the last 1/3rd during the week. It should use less water than watering with a hose or cans. One interesting side effect is that it really shows up which pots have compost that doesn't retain water very well. after about 10 minutes of drip watering a few already had water running out of the bottom when if you felt the compost it was still quite dry, the water was just running straight through. Those pots will get re potted when we get chance with different compost.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 15 August, 2022, 09:13:54 pm
I was looking out the window today pondering the various maple looking type saplings all growing out of the berberis and wondering how the feck I'm supposed to get them out without a full suit of chainmail.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 20 August, 2022, 02:37:01 pm
Cleared the last of the French beans, and picked the first tomato of the season. This is the third year I’ve tried these “Big Daddy” outdoor tomatoes. Year 1 a squall flattened the lot as I’d only used canes to hold th3 m up, and we lost half the crop. Year 2 blight got the lot.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52297461632_f2a2767018_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nFmajY)Big Daddies (https://flic.kr/p/2nFmajY) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

Other work included clearing the hollyhocks and wild sweet peas from the front of the house, plus pruning the bay bush and removing a clematis. Then another clematis in the back garden, and a load of phlox.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 20 August, 2022, 06:02:13 pm
We hacked the Mickey Mouse ears off the huge pieris during the week. Hopefully it won't curl up and die now, it was a bit brutal.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 20 August, 2022, 07:51:50 pm
It's greengage time again.
3 bucket loads today.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 21 August, 2022, 05:49:50 pm
Picked the last of the blueberries, cut back the raspberry canes, and got a few handfuls of figs.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: L CC on 22 August, 2022, 08:41:33 am
Took pallets to No2Son's new plot, compost bins for the making of. Weeded. Took plums as reward.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 27 August, 2022, 01:04:26 pm
I popped by today whilst on a gentle ride to get some courgettes and water the plot. Must have been more rain then I realised Thursday night as plot was still damp so for once didn't have to water it
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 03 September, 2022, 06:57:12 pm
Rigged up some sort of trellis wire (it's not actually trellis wire but never mind) on the fence for the honeysuckle to grow up.
I've no doubt that next door's clematis, which has already started galumphing down our side of the new (May) fence will take advantage, but I'm sure Pingu will take great pleasure in hacking it back when it annoys him.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 04 September, 2022, 03:58:16 pm
Cycled up the allotment with the youngest who managed to step elegantly off her bike after she locked up the wheels onnthe gravel path and the bike crashed to the ground

Squashes are coming on well and got  cabbage and a courgette another plot holder had left out

The revelation was when got home for lunch and harvested the single cucumber from a plant by wife bought, I thought she had wasted her 30p as we don't have a greenhouse but obviously didn't bank on hottest summer ever. The cucumber was amazing, slight citrus taste and actually had flavour unlike the green sticks of water shops ssll
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 13 September, 2022, 10:29:06 am
Still getting cabbages, cucumbers (ate one last night), lettuce, radishes, carrots, tomatoes & I think we ate the last sweetcorn on Sunday.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 13 September, 2022, 10:10:51 pm
Dug up the mini sunflower that the gastropods ate. Dug up 2 of the 3 lupins that the same little bastards also ate (the third one I couldn't even find any evidence of). Split a couple of chunks off the wild thyme and planted them where the lupins had been. Next to the sedum spectabile that the gastropods are also munching on.
Whoever said sedums are slug/snail resistant is a big fat liar.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 14 September, 2022, 07:41:51 am


The revelation was when got home for lunch and harvested the single cucumber from a plant by wife bought, I thought she had wasted her 30p as we don't have a greenhouse but obviously didn't bank on hottest summer ever. The cucumber was amazing, slight citrus taste and actually had flavour unlike the green sticks of water shops ssll
Mrs M grows cucumbers in garden growbags and they are prolific and delicious.
They do need decent growbags and plenty of water it seems.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 14 September, 2022, 02:35:09 pm
I give mine a barrowload or two of compost on top of the soil they grow in. That seems to do for several plants. They flourish. And have lots of flavour.

But yes, they don't like dryth.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 20 September, 2022, 06:43:32 am
On the veggie plot, squashes hardening off waiting to harvest, thes are grown in a compost heap and have done well this year. Courgettes poor by comparison. Toms very good indoors and out, cucumbers very good as well, in the greenhouse, and this years big success was melons in the greenhouse.

Chillies were very slow to start and now have huge plants but no fruit. Figs were a bumper crop, apples very early, and great flavour. Oddly, I now have winter lettuce to look forward to, as two trays that did nothing have miraculously started germinating.

On the rest of the plot, we had a very poorly, very large blue spruce taken out, lots of wood, excuse for a big axe  :demon:. Now 40 years of needles to deal with, new tree to buy and space to fill.  Its a very dry, sunbathed patch, so lots of crocosmia, iris and verbena in there over the weekend, lavender to follow, intent is to make it Mediterranean, bee attracting etc. Another bed in the back, raised, dry as hell, stripped more crocus ian, red hot pojers and a peach tree out of 8t, with an intend to refurb it and filling with succulents and alpines I have growing from seed. I'm told I can even gro things like mother in laws tongue outside, which could be interesting.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 25 September, 2022, 04:13:28 pm
I mowed the lawn.
What's so interesting about that? I hear you say.
Well, it's only the 2nd or 3rd time I've mowed it this year. And despite doing no mow May, and June, it hasn't needed mowing. In fact despite me trying to let it grow to be more wildlife friendly and get some diversity in there even the grass is barely growing.

There are now a few patches of self heal and clover popping up, but they are mainly growing at the edge of the lawn out into the flower beds. I don't want them in there, I want it in the lawn...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 01 October, 2022, 01:28:28 pm
A rare occurance but drove to the allotment today. Even I can't carry 20 bags of manure on my bike. Took the whole family as a beautiful early autumnal day

We had a uncovered soft fruit area maybe 3 x 3 metres which wasn't very productive other then feeding the birds. Flattened this, covered with card and piled the manure on to mellow a bit over winter and will add some compost and maybe some chicken bedding over the winter to start a no dig bed

Harvested some squashes, a cabbage and a carrot

Then bit the bullet and ordered charles dowdings no dig book as after rotavating the plot last year looked at the soil and was just crap. Had asked for the book for a couple of Christmas/birthdays but our local bookshop couldn't get and he's just launched a new one.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 09 October, 2022, 07:54:24 pm
Paid the allotment rent (see Utilitarian adventure post) and spoke to the Plot Steward about the teenager we caught on the trail cam nicking our pears. Apparently there have been other thefts of fruit near us. There's CCTV going up at the gate at our end of the plot. Not good for a secure site.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 09 October, 2022, 10:29:12 pm
I had 2 goes at propagating lavender this year. The first was a total disaster (probably too early) but the 2nd lot all died off after a promising start. Oh well, buy a new one or wait til next year.
Most of the lavender in the garden is fine, but there's one particular plant which has been allowed to grow without pruning (before we bought this place) and so is about 3 feet of dead wood with a load of green at the end.

I also had to cut all the mint back because it was covered in powdery mildew. Need to find something more resistant to grow in that area, the rosemary and sage seem to do ok.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Ham on 09 October, 2022, 10:38:18 pm
Still harvesting raspberries  :thumbsup:, damn courgettes don't know when to give up, either  >:(.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: ElyDave on 10 October, 2022, 06:20:52 am
I had 2 goes at propagating lavender this year. The first was a total disaster (probably too early) but the 2nd lot all died off after a promising start. Oh well, buy a new one or wait til next year.
Most of the lavender in the garden is fine, but there's one particular plant which has been allowed to grow without pruning (before we bought this place) and so is about 3 feet of dead wood with a load of green at the end.

I also had to cut all the mint back because it was covered in powdery mildew. Need to find something more resistant to grow in that area, the rosemary and sage seem to do ok.

And by complete contrast, I took 30 cuttings, all struck, ready to go out next year.

My effort this week was a bit ofvlight pruning, and I drought in the remaining outdoor tomato crop. They won't ripen outside now that the temperature is starting to drop. Greenhouse toms left for now
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 10 October, 2022, 12:31:32 pm
Quote
I also had to cut all the mint back because it was covered in powdery mildew. Need to find something more resistant to grow in that area, the rosemary and sage seem to do ok.

Mint likes moist cool conditions, powdery mildew is worse if hot and dry
Rosemary, sage and lavender like sunny, warm, well drained conditions
As you have found out....

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 10 October, 2022, 12:37:13 pm
All those plants are next to a 5' fence which is east facing, not sure I can get much cooler and moister than that. I think it's just been a powdery mildew sort of year with the weather we had. A load of other stuff on the east facing fence got the powdery mildew too - scabious, monarda, catnip.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 10 October, 2022, 06:41:54 pm
Quote
load of other stuff on the east facing fence got the powdery mildew too - scabious, monarda, catnip.
Sadly I gave up trying to grow monarda due to mildew, but scabious and catnip should be OK in a more normal year.
I find stuff on the east side of a wall or fence often gets dry, as most of our rain is driven by a W/SW wind,so  the plants are effectively in a rain shadow! Depends how "dense" the fence is of course.
May I suggest re-planting the mint in a pot/tub before it takes over the entire bed? You can plonk it on a saucer full of water if needed.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 10 October, 2022, 10:14:28 pm
I didn't mind the mint taking over last year, the bees liked it. :)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 11 October, 2022, 01:45:34 pm
We find the bees really like Pumonaria / Lungwort, and it seems tough as old boots, growing almost anywhere in our garden - which runs WNW to ESE, and is only 3m wide, so relative shaded for the next 6 months. It provide decent ground cover too.

Talking of which, and Mints, on Gardeners World there was a guy with a mint collection, one of which was great looking for between paving stones - Sicilian Mint.

It's really only our Honeysuckle thats suffered mildew this year, totally down to drought.

We lost a variagated Euonymous (it got a infestation of Eunymous scale insect), which was on the north facing side, so we've replaced it with a variagated ivy, which seems to be doing ok.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 11 October, 2022, 05:30:25 pm
Interesting. I'm currently in the process of trying to compile a list of plants loved by pollinators but not by slug or powdery mildew... I had a post it note of suggestions yesterday.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 11 October, 2022, 08:01:17 pm
Definitely add Pulmonaria to your list for pollinators. We have a dozen or so different varieties growing in all sorts of garden and semi-wild conditions. Really useful as it flowers so early in the year. If you leave it after flowering it sometimes gets mildew. But chop it back to the ground, leaves and all, after flowering and you get a fresh flush of leaves that seldom get mildew or any other disease.
Ivy flowers late in the year, so good for pollinators then.
You already have scabious and nepeta and probably sedums. Try marjoram (gold leaved is pretty) and varieties of thyme. Add in hardy geraniums in all their variety and you have most of the season covered.
Some years ago, I had quite a big area that I wanted to keep cultivated but not cropped. I sowed alternate strips of Phacelia and Red Clover (usually sold as green manure to be dug in before flowering). I let them flower and the resulting rows of pale blue and crimson looked fabulous. But the bees! No way I could coulnt them, and fascinating to see the different varieties of bee preferring different flowers.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 11 October, 2022, 09:02:24 pm
Yes, I’d forgotten about the ivy for pollinators - around here it’s very scented already. And for winter scent we have sarcacocca, amazing. For spring scent, you can’t get much better than a daphne - Jaqueline Postil is stunning.

Oh, and don’t forget the current favourite, salvias. Loved by bees.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 11 October, 2022, 10:08:32 pm
I bought a sedum which the snails have eaten. (I also have a cutting of another one in a pot on a window ledge where it seems the snails have not ventured. Yet.)
I thought about ivy but I don't like the juvenile form that smothers everything and doesn't flower. However I see you can buy varieties trapped in the adult state...?
I have various flowering herbs. The bees love the thyme. Well, all of them really. :)
My brother offered me phacelia in the spring but I'm guessing it didn't work cos I didn't get any. Is it not a bit of a messy plant?
I got 2 sorts of geraniums, the 'Rozanne' is all doing really well. The 'Johnson's Blue' seems to be getting eaten by the snails.
I planted a row of sarcococca confusa last year but it's still only about 4 inches tall. At this rate I'm going to be retired by the time it's big enough to hide my neighbour's orange monstrosity.
The rudbeckia I planted last year is going great guns and the pyracanthas that lost all their leaves in the summer seem to be recovering.
I shoved some foxgloves and inula in the front garden a bit too late so hopefully they'll explode next year.

Shall do another post with my potential shopping list...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 11 October, 2022, 10:13:07 pm
Possible shopping list:
Eryngium /sea holly
Agastache (not sure how mollusc proof)
Achillea
Penstemon (not sure about these)
Aguja reptans (bugle), Scottish native and bee points
Alchemilla
Astrantia
Circium /thistle
fuschia (should have taken a cutting from our old garden really)
Pulmonaria
Rogersia
Teasel

Blackthorn
Possibly a small weeping cherry or a crab apple.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 15 October, 2022, 08:57:39 am
You could also put in some dwarf Buddleias - varieties now can be pot grown.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 15 October, 2022, 07:18:55 pm
Oh, I have some buddleia cuttings that came with us from the last place which seem to be doing ok now they're out of the pot.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 16 October, 2022, 03:37:06 pm
Today I cut down the last of our clematis, and pruned the Solanum and Bay shrubs/trees. I also cut all the remaining foliage off our “Big Daddy” tomatoes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 21 October, 2022, 11:36:07 pm
A couple of days ago I was emptying a compost bin & found a dead rat near the bottom. It looked flattened & showed no signs of rotting, so I suspect I'd inadvertently squashed it when digging out compost in the previous few days.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 24 October, 2022, 12:09:55 pm
Picked up 16 quince off the lawn, brough down by yesterday's storms. At the end of 2021 I didn't, for one, prine our small quince tree.  This year, despite few plums and no apples, the quince has been amazingly prolific, with perhaps 150 fruits. Shame they're effectivley inedible (I'm not going to make mebrillo and although I might use a few in a tagine) but they do, in sufficient numbers, scent the lounge and greenhouse nicely.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 05 November, 2022, 05:26:38 pm
Got off my arse and went to Dobbies on a reduced price mission. Got an agastache and a penstemon both reduced from £10 to £3. Will see how they do. There are a load of other plants I have my eye on reduced at Secret Gardening Club which I may or may not purchase...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 05 November, 2022, 05:46:30 pm
Flying visit to the allotment today after not going for about a month, not through choice. Pleased to see how little the weeds have grown. Collected loads of apples and a few manky beans.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 06 November, 2022, 04:03:49 pm
I turned over the compost heap which does not appear to be composting at all and looked way too dry, so I watered it.
Picked up the sycamore leaves from the front garden and dumped them next to the shed where all the weeds were growing. (I need to build a mesh enclosure to make leaf mould sometime).
Picked up the last of the rhubarb I've been studiously not harvesting and planted those 2 plants I bought yesterday.
Dug a bottle brush out of the kitchen drawer and used it to howk some blanket weed out of the pond.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 10 November, 2022, 11:14:15 am
A very satisfying bonfire and a bit of hoeing. Pulled out the remains of the sweetcorn plants. Thought about turning one of the compost bins, but had a long sit down instead.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 13 November, 2022, 08:59:21 pm
Dug up and cleaned up the Fartichokes. Hoping to make some soup in the week. I did a thorough job, I hope, so won't get more next year. It's not a problem if I do though. Don't know how much I must have left in last year but I got a good crop.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 19 November, 2022, 02:21:06 pm
Not really the plot but thankfully cleaned the chickens out and shifted the tarp back over their run which the wind had shifted during week as shortly after getting back from picking up a couple of bales of straw from a local farm to put down in the mud bath that is the coop I had someone from DEFRA turn up to inspect my chickens and housing due to the bird flu outbreak. Seemed happy enough, took longer putting on his haz chem stuff and disinfection of boots then actually looking at chickens
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 19 November, 2022, 05:35:07 pm
Added some extra soil and grit to our raised herb bed.
Later some general winter tidying.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 14 January, 2023, 03:25:09 pm
Back before Christmas when we had the cold snap I forgot to get our worm composter in the shed and insulate it so today ordered more worms for the ones that froze. Thus far I've not got it going very well. Had for a year as was a 2021 Christmas present and just about filled the first tray which was half full with the coir they came with. When spring arrives think I'll put it nearer house so it gets remembered more
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: drossall on 14 January, 2023, 06:14:40 pm
Not on my plot, but took the Scouts along to help the local Rotary plant a load of trees. With two Troops, families coming along, and plenty of other help as well, we seemed to get a fair bit done.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 21 January, 2023, 03:06:44 pm
Despite being freezing over night was quite pleasant by early afternoon so got up the plot to get garlic in. Probably should have done before Christmas but didn't get round to ordering in time.

Dug some fartichokes of which still have loads. Trying smoked fish and artichoke gratin for dinner this week
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 21 January, 2023, 08:57:12 pm
I'm not sure why but I always start my tomatoes in Jan. I sowed some last Sat and they have been in the Airing cupboard all week. Had a look today and some are showing. I sowed them onto Peat-free compost which I have not used before but then covered them with a sprinkling of soil. They will live on the bedroom windowsill during the day and back in the airing cupboard when I close the curtains.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: pcolbeck on 25 January, 2023, 03:50:29 pm
Mrs Pcolbeck planted the garlic in the raised beds at the weekend and the chilli seeds got planted in the heated propagator on the spare room windowsill.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 29 January, 2023, 06:36:48 pm
I haven't done anything but I ordered 2x bare root blackthorn and a few potted fuchsia magellanica once I managed to find somewhere without a ridiculously high minimum order policy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 01 February, 2023, 06:39:42 pm
I haven't done anything but I ordered 2x bare root blackthorn and a few potted fuchsia magellanica once I managed to find somewhere without a ridiculously high minimum order policy.

These arrived today, of course when it was nearly dark and blowing a hoolie. Maybe I'll get the the blackthorns planted tomorrow...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 02 February, 2023, 06:21:21 pm
Planted the 3 blackthorns (I thought there were 2).
After I'd picked up the 50 million cat poos that our cats have been leaving in that area over the winter. Yeuch.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 14 February, 2023, 11:02:34 pm
Digging. And heaping weeds in the compost bin.

Potato bed all dug. Brassica bed dug. Allium bed partly dug & has garlic in part of it. We've had a spell of good digging weather.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 19 February, 2023, 09:24:54 pm
I started the digging today. Just half an hour. The soil is beautifully workable. We've had less rain so far this month than we had last July. The rain gauge has measured the same amount (1.2mm), but half of that was on nights of freezing fog and when the sun melted the rime the following morning there was enough falling into the rain gauge to register.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 25 February, 2023, 05:25:27 pm
Pruned things: roses, apple tree and a wild pear. I think (hope) that's all the winter pruning done.
It was cold!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 27 February, 2023, 09:30:19 am
So over the weekend:

- 5 fruit trees planted (2 apples - Katy and Cox, Victoria plum, Sunburst cherry, Concorde pear)
- 2 raised beds moved (another two to do next weekend)
- about 1/2 ton of soil sifted

Next weekend:

- a cubic metre of fen soil will need to be wheelbarrowed from the house to the allotment.
- three more raised beds to go in, inside a mini greenhouse.
- onions to go in
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 03 March, 2023, 11:07:35 pm
Planted the 3 blackthorns (I thought there were 2).
After I'd picked up the 50 million cat poos that our cats have been leaving in that area over the winter. Yeuch.
I hope you didn't waste all that manure.  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: CAMRAMan on 04 March, 2023, 02:38:45 pm
First cut of the grass today. A tad early, but I missed the last cut of the year last autumn because of wet weather, so it was a bit unruly.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 04 March, 2023, 03:58:10 pm
Planted the 3 blackthorns (I thought there were 2).
After I'd picked up the 50 million cat poos that our cats have been leaving in that area over the winter. Yeuch.
I hope you didn't waste all that manure.  ;D

Cat poo is no good, as they’re obligate carnivores. Ok to add to a compost heap though.

In other news, finally got round to pruning (not very scientifically) the quince. And cut back and tied in a couple of roses, a climber “Claire Austin” which we only put in last year, and a rambler “Maid of Kent”that we’ve had for 10+ years. Did a bit of pruning of another rambler, and confirmed what I suspected - it’s the only thing keeping our pergola standing! 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 05 March, 2023, 12:53:26 am
Planted the 3 blackthorns (I thought there were 2).
After I'd picked up the 50 million cat poos that our cats have been leaving in that area over the winter. Yeuch.
I hope you didn't waste all that manure.  ;D

Cat poo is no good, as they’re obligate carnivores. Ok to add to a compost heap though.
I chuck the contributions we get from neighbouring cats in the compost bin.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 05 March, 2023, 12:33:10 pm
Quote
Ok to add to a compost heap though.

Not usually recommended for home composting
We put used cat litter etc down the numerous rabbit holes in a vain attept to persuade them to leave home.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 05 March, 2023, 01:28:40 pm
Cats shit on my freshly dug soil, for preference. I'm not prepared to remove it - I found the worst part of dog ownership was dealing with his turds, so I'm damned if I'm going to handle the ordure from other people's moggies. The worms, slugs and other natural processes seem to make it disappear. If it does leave potentially damaging toxins behind I don't know, but they haven't killed us yet, nor, so far as I know, made us ill.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Jurek on 05 March, 2023, 08:34:53 pm
Cats shit on my freshly dug soil, for preference. I'm not prepared to remove it - I found the worst part of dog ownership was dealing with his turds, so I'm damned if I'm going to handle the ordure from other people's moggies. The worms, slugs and other natural processes seem to make it disappear. If it does leave potentially damaging toxins behind I don't know, but they haven't killed us yet, nor, so far as I know, made us ill.
Pipe freezing spray renders poo (cat / fox / dog) manageable.
ETA Foxes will avoid areas that have been anointed with male urine. Exactly the opposite will be achieved with female urine -  they'll go wild for it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 20 March, 2023, 08:59:54 pm
I repotted the strawberry planter with plants off last years runners. 6/9 plants survived the winter ok in the Greenhouse.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 25 March, 2023, 10:54:12 am
Off up the allotment shortly to get in earlies and shallots. Actually taking the car as the rats have very kindly dug a load of the good compost from the bottom of the heap. Got about 80 litres to put on the plot

I won't however be encouraging the rats to stay as they seem to take payment in chicken food
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 25 March, 2023, 01:29:03 pm
Well that worked better then planned, weather forecast was fairly pessimistic but steadily improved and while the wind was cool was glorious sunshine

We're trying no dig, well to dig as little as possible but was heartening to see where we did dig a hole to drop a spud in (as opposed to trenches) loads of worms which hopefully shows the soil improvements I've made are working.

Spuds and shallots in, cardboard repositioned to cover weeds and harvested some more artichokes. While the kids were busy fighting with the artichoke stems (Jerusalem) I thought I'd hoe down a few nettles that were growing on what will be the squash area which we flattened and covered in card and manure last year. Looked at the hoe and had managed to scoop up a lizard. Thankfully unharmed but was great for girls to see and encouragement for not using chemicals
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 27 March, 2023, 06:36:57 pm
Pingu was asking me what I was going to do with this cold frame that Pumpkin built for me today
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52775532243_4109640028_3k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2opAp4H)2023-03-27_05-44-14 (https://flic.kr/p/2opAp4H) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

So I bought seeds of all the plants I've not been able to find ready grown, and some other stuff for shits & giggles. Could well be a disaster...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52775403899_fd651f864a_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2opzJUT)2023-03-27_06-32-49 (https://flic.kr/p/2opzJUT) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 27 March, 2023, 08:54:15 pm
Savaged the sedges.
Yearly task of hacking back all the old dead sedge foliage around the pond to let the new growth get through. Done about three quarters. Need to leave the rest for a week or so as a refuge for beasties, then that will get chopped. Always surprises me how quickly the new shoots grow.
Needs to be done before the frogs, toads and newts get busy.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 28 March, 2023, 05:02:57 pm
The weather up here is a bit pish, not warm enough for sewing seeds yet according to the packets.
So I decided to plant some of the fuchsias I bought a while back. Before doing this I decided that I would finally get round to digging up 2 piles of crocosmia and I would plant them there.
Jeez, I knew the stuff is invasive but there were hundreds of bloody bulbs. The brown wheelie bin is now 1/2 full and very heavy being as there is a lot of clay stuck to it (I dare say the scaffies will be unimpressed).
There is another pile still needing to be dug up but that can wait for another day. Still got a load of plants to stick in the beds too.
Not sure how well the fuchsias will do, they are completely pot bound.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 11 April, 2023, 10:28:58 pm
Last week while we were off I hoicked up yet more bloody crocosmia and then weeded a lot of ground elder. That stuff is a pain in the ass..
Once I'd cleared an area I chucked a load of alchemilla seed at it for shits & giggles.
Sunday I dug up one of the rosemary bushes which looked like it had given up the ghost and pulled up yet more ground elder.

Yesterday I put seed compost in trays and planted sunflowers, teasels & sea holly. I threw some cornflower seeds where the rosemary bush had been as well.

Today being as the weather was warm enough to lunch outside I noticed there was a lot of stuff sprouting out of the lawn. Decided it was probably sycamore. Spent the next half hour picking all the sycamore seeds I could find out of the lawn. They're a pain in the ass too. Didn't have a problem with them last year, I guess last autumn must have been a good one for sycamore seeds.

In happier news the skimmia bushes are flowering and sound like electricity substations covered in honey bees :D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 April, 2023, 12:34:21 am
Planted taters.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 16 April, 2023, 08:15:03 pm
Fell into the garden centre y'day. Planted a couple of vinca minor to cover the ground where I dug up the rosemary, some pulmonaria and an aqualegia. Then I chopped some holes in the lawn and put some yarrow in there, being as my wildflower lawn isn't growing itself. Finally I planted some poached egg plant seeds.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 16 April, 2023, 09:23:26 pm
Started putting bark mulch on the perennials in the ornamental garden.
The blackbirds sat on the trellis plotting.
By tomorrow morning they wiill have redistributed it all over the gravel paths, according to sods law.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: De Sisti on 17 April, 2023, 08:20:38 am
Cut and scarified the lawn (removing as much moss and dead blades of grass as possible).
Will probably start to sow some more grass seeds next week.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 17 April, 2023, 10:13:59 pm
Managing compost. Emptying bin 1, & starting to move the contents of bin 1 to bin 2.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 18 April, 2023, 02:50:23 pm
Over the weekend I got a new mini greenhouse in.  I also got a couple of courgettes in (under cloches) as well as getting peas and beans planted.  I shall have to check later whether the mini greenhouse and cloches are still there.

Next weekend I need to finish the tomato planter (lots of earth to sieve and compost to add) and get some tomatoes in.  I also want to get some chillies and melons in under covers.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 18 April, 2023, 07:06:45 pm
I'm going to be a mommy!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52827076682_7e671eb730_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ou9zqW)2023-04-18_07-04-43 (https://flic.kr/p/2ou9zqW) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

In my defence I've never brought anything to life before. I was ridiculously excited when I saw these this morning.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Regulator on 19 April, 2023, 09:42:34 am
Over the weekend I got a new mini greenhouse in.  I also got a couple of courgettes in (under cloches) as well as getting peas and beans planted.  I shall have to check later whether the mini greenhouse and cloches are still there.

Next weekend I need to finish the tomato planter (lots of earth to sieve and compost to add) and get some tomatoes in.  I also want to get some chillies and melons in under covers.

Some fecker's been nibbling the leaves of the peas (they left the beans alone)...  >:(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 19 April, 2023, 10:30:33 am
I'm going to be a mommy!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52827076682_7e671eb730_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ou9zqW)2023-04-18_07-04-43 (https://flic.kr/p/2ou9zqW) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

In my defence I've never brought anything to life before. I was ridiculously excited when I saw these this morning.

GERMINATE! GERMINATE!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 19 April, 2023, 03:46:20 pm
Planted 50 onion sets before giving up. it was too cold for me. Don't know what the onions thought about it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 20 April, 2023, 06:59:46 pm
More sprouting in the seed trays this morning (teeny barely visible bits). Teasels and eryngium.
This evening I decided to use the last tray and split it between poached egg plant and echinacea. I already have echinacea in the ground from last year but I'm not convinced they were entirely happy so I'm trying to grow more.

In other news, I've decided I should fill the shady bit between the fence and the bins with foxgloves. Hunners of foxgloves. Now I just need hunners of foxgloves.

Also, did I mention what a pain in the arse ground elder and creeping buttercup are?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 22 April, 2023, 03:19:15 pm
If you get a couple of foxgloves and wait, by next year you’ll have dozens of the things - I’ve just weeded out around 50 of them from one of our raised beds, all self set. And having don3 that, I got ride of 3 patches of comfrey, leaves in the compost, roots to the tip. Then I fed and mulched the various roses. Pricking out tomatoes (Mamande) and peppers will be done tomorrow when rain is forecast. Also been getting rid of (fcvo getting rid) vinka and dog mercury, both of which come through from next door, and the sticky willy. No doubt our other neighbours bindweed will make an appearance too.

Found we’d lost another plant from the late frosts, this time a winter flowering clematis that’s not so far showing signs of life. And my “shade living” Vibernum looks to be in its last legs at only 3 years old  :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 22 April, 2023, 03:55:26 pm
I noticed some cotyledons in the bed where I dug up the rosemary, I assume they will be cornflowers being as I put them in there a week or 2 before I put the poached egg plant seeds in the same place.
Popped into our local garden centre on the way home from a ride this morning and picked up some fleece to put over that bed and round the hebes that have already taken a hammering this winter.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 23 April, 2023, 02:32:27 pm
Potted up the tomatoes (Mamande this year), peppers (no idea, long ones) and cosmos. Potted on the sweetcorn, a mix of varieties. We usually grow Swift, but decided on a change. Mistake, no better than 50% germination, compared to near 100% for Swift, so got some extra from Franchi.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52839773500_dba6a0fe3f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ovgDKA)Gardening 23/4 (https://flic.kr/p/2ovgDKA) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52839773455_e84046880c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ovgDJP)Gardening 23/4 (https://flic.kr/p/2ovgDJP) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52838795367_5600f8d397_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ovbCZe)Gardening 23/4 (https://flic.kr/p/2ovbCZe) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 23 April, 2023, 02:39:40 pm
I probably need to be pricking out my sunflower seedlings now but it's going to be freezing here next week. Can I get away with leaving them in their tray another week? They are very well spaced out already so it's not like they are fighting for space.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 23 April, 2023, 02:47:54 pm
I probably need to be pricking out my sunflower seedlings now but it's going to be freezing here next week. Can I get away with leaving them in their tray another week? They are very well spaced out already so it's not like they are fighting for space.

No problem at all. My toms (see above) were pushing 4" tall and spaced only about 1/2" apart in the tray.  We've been hardening them off, but they'll stay in the greenhouse this week - we're forecast 1C Monday, and that means a frost out here in the sticks at the bottom of the Chilterns.

FWIW our sunflowers are usually sprouted (by nature) from hearts spilt by the birds - no sign of anything yet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 23 April, 2023, 04:00:36 pm
Oh dear, only just got a cold frame and now I want one of these https://www.aldi.co.uk/wooden-mini-greenhouse-natural-/p/812717580118600?gclid=CjwKCAjwrpOiBhBVEiwA_473dCIVhY5Qep1zf9EZyKxJTY7yo2h9Wm9hppy8yGHIpsxSkoXTrSk1XBoCQeYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 23 April, 2023, 04:11:59 pm
Went to the allotment - wet and cold as predicted.
Tulips and rhubarb and back home to warm up!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 24 April, 2023, 05:49:31 pm
Next question for me learned friends, cos Google is just giving me different answers. Now that I've laid fleece over my tender stuff (hebes and seedlings in beds), do I have to keep taking it off every day and covering again at night or assuming it's going to be cold and windy for the foreseeable can safely leave it on there all week?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 24 April, 2023, 08:57:40 pm
You can leave it on if you like, it won’t hurt.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 25 April, 2023, 08:43:10 am
I take fleece off the less susceptible stuff as soon as the temperature rises a bit, and replace it in the evening.
Hostas and anemones are my big concern in the ornamental garden.
Fleece needs to be well supported if we get heavy rain or snow, which we certainly will up here, so any fleece is supported on cloche type hoops (home made years ago by husband using galvanised fence wire and a bench vice).
Oddly, fine mesh like enviromesh seems just as good as fleece for frost protection, but doesn't squash the plants as much as it lets rain through, and it is more durable.
Minus 4C last night....
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 26 April, 2023, 05:12:13 pm
Took the fleece off this morning as that seems to be the worst of the freezing wind over. Might try and prick out my sunflower seedlings tomorrow evening.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 28 April, 2023, 10:41:57 pm
Potted up the sunflower seedlings. That's almost all my small pots gone and the cold frame has no room at the inn.
Some of the roots had knitted together in the seed tray so I guess they've been there too long.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 29 April, 2023, 05:56:45 pm
Took delivery of these y'day
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52856140224_8d87d232bd_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2owHx1u)2023-04-29_04-09-57 (https://flic.kr/p/2owHx1u) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

Although I am planning to plant some crocus bulbs later in the year for next year's bees, my main nefarious intention is to use them to make holes in the lawn to plant wildflower plugs. It's too hard to use a trowel easily and laughs in the face of a normal bulb planter.

Now I just need to choose what wildflower plugs to buy. Needs to cope with a poorly drained lawn on clay.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 29 April, 2023, 08:07:09 pm
Where did you get these, please?
I've got a lot of home grown Cowslip plugs to plant, as well as a few Melancholy Thistle.
The augers could make the job easier than a trowel.
Especially if I can convince husband that it is a "technical" job requiring the skills of a mechanic.....
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 29 April, 2023, 08:36:04 pm
Crocus. They have long ones and short ones, but I dare say if you search bulb auger you'll find other places.

How long did it take to grow the cowslips? I have some seeds coming...
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 29 April, 2023, 09:16:53 pm
Thanks for the info about augers - I'll follow that up.

These were fresh cowslip seeds I collected last year and were sown into plugs straight away.
They germinated very quickly and I've overwintered them under cold glass for planting now.

Purchased seeds will have been dried and stored and be dormant and may take longer.
Conventional wisdom is to sow in plugs or trays in late summer and leave to chill (stratify) overwinter, and they should germinate when the weather warms up in the spring. You can trick the seeds by mixing with damp compost in a plastic box and putting in the fridge for a month or so, and then sowing them. Don't cover the seeds - they need light.
They will self seed when established, or collect and sow in situ where you want them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Pingu on 29 April, 2023, 09:25:28 pm
Took delivery of these y'day
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52856140224_8d87d232bd_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2owHx1u)2023-04-29_04-09-57 (https://flic.kr/p/2owHx1u) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

I've got a bad feeling about this.*









*I'm fairly sure Mrs P is not fed up with this joke yet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 02 May, 2023, 09:59:21 am
Scythed the roadside verge. Absolute pain to do, it is a jagged uneven bank with hidden boulders and bordered by a wire fence (slicing a scythe along wire will fold and ruin the edge, btdtgtt). Filled 3x40l bins with the grass from this alone.

Chopped two barrowloads of kindling.

Cut down small apple in back garden - it had fallen over onto the lawn and didn't get any blossom, let alone apples. Converted tree to part of a 'dead hedge'.

Dug small bed and planted potatoes.

My right forearm is sore, suspect from swinging billhook.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: De Sisti on 02 May, 2023, 10:54:54 am
Yesterday:
Cut lawn and sowed more grass seed. Watered lawn. Will carry on with my tried-and-tested
method of obtaining a lush lawn.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49904177116_8324a8274c_w.jpg)
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 08 May, 2023, 11:05:01 pm
A tale of 2 lavenders

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52881395837_0a7be9174e_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oyWYC6)2023-05-08_10-59-38 (https://flic.kr/p/2oyWYC6) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

These plants are no more than 30 cm apart, one looks dead, or at least desperately unhappy (and who isn't in this non stop days long rain) and yet the other looks quite happy.
Some were here when we bought this place, and I don't know what variety we brought with us, but clearly a difference between the two in this spot.

Anyway, what I think it's telling me is I need to move those plants and stop fighting and give into a bog garden in that location.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 09 May, 2023, 06:19:14 am
Didn't make it up the allotment this weekend and starting to consider trying to make extra space in garden for veg and giving it up at end of season as struggling to get there much

In the garden sowed loads of salad crops in two baths (I have five old baths i use for raised beds). Sowed wild flowers in another. I can't sow them in the ground as the ground elder or green alkanet would smother them.

Also sowed various flower seeds in pots wife bought....not really sure why she bought more pots when we have loads.

Oh and pruned back my neighbours rampant Rose and tied it back so they can put over roof of their pergola rather then it being over my veg patch
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 09 May, 2023, 07:47:59 am
Quote
A tale of 2 lavenders

I regard lavender as a short lived plant, but I do live 1100ft up in the N. Pennines
I rarely manage to keep lavender going outdoors for more than a couple of years even in a well drained spot.
So I usually grow them in tubs and bring them under cover in winter (stops them getting broken by snow and the water geting into them). Even so, the plants, which are now several years old, are showing no signs of life. The sudden change in temperature last December might be the cause.
I've bought a couple of small (inexpensive) plants and will grow them on to replace the old ones.
They do root easily from cuttings and you might be able to keep them under cover for winter and plant out in  the spring?. And in the past I've grown large quantities from seed.
A lot of trendy plants sold now are French lavenders (especially the ones with tufty tops) and are not suited to UK conditions (esp the north).
Stick to the established older varieties.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 09 May, 2023, 07:07:38 pm
The lavenders I brought with us when we moved had been in pots for several years up until last year, it's probably a shock to have their feet in water, I've put them at the wrong end of the garden really (stupid sloped clay nonsense). They are a few years old. I can't quite remember which ones came with us now.
I did have a bash at propagating from cuttings last year but with no success. I plan to try again this year though.

I'm trying to decide if it's worth digging the grey one up to see if it can be revived in a pot or if it's past that already.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 12 May, 2023, 11:25:27 am
Ran past the allotment last night, potatoes need earthing up. Onions and garlic going well. Left in from last year artichokes ate coming up again. Need to run mower round the plot again

They are doing cultivation inspections with some people at risk of a warning, as some plots are as yet untouched i guess they've paid but not actually doing it. However I don't think it's at full capacity so don't know if they will enforce

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 13 May, 2023, 12:21:36 am
I'm going to be a mommy!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52827076682_7e671eb730_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ou9zqW)2023-04-18_07-04-43 (https://flic.kr/p/2ou9zqW) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

In my defence I've never brought anything to life before. I was ridiculously excited when I saw these this morning.
It's nice, innit?

I have seed trays of maize, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbages, cauliflowers & leeks getting ready to be planted out, & pots of two types of lettuce on windowsills. Up at the allotment there are potatoes, garlic, onions, komatsuna, beetroot, parsnips etc. growing.

I love it when I see seedlings sprouting.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 13 May, 2023, 04:46:43 pm
A day of being on my hands and knees weeding and pruning, it being the first dry day when I've actually been at home with the spare time.
Maybe doing parkrun first wasn't the cleverest idea. The backs of my thighs are killing me.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 13 May, 2023, 10:35:31 pm
When the weather was utterly pish all last weekend I may have indulged in some retail therapy.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52894789027_636360b74d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oA8BXa)2023-05-13_10-22-46 (https://flic.kr/p/2oA8BXa) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr
Anyway this week I have upgraded from a tiny wee cold frame to a bigger grow house, bought a potting table and also got a shelf for plants so that I can actually open the kitchen window.

In other news the perovskia I thought was being very reluctant to come back to life appears to be dead. I dunno why, it's on the sunny less boggy side of the garden.
On the other side there is no evidence of the echinacheas or scabious coming back.
The echinachea seeds I planted seem reluctant to do much either. Some did germinate but they seem to not be getting any bigger.
Sunflowers are trucking on though and the poached egg plant is sprouting.
I planted some foxglove, bugle and viper's bugloss seeds this afternoon.
I was going to dig up the dead looking lavenders but I've run out of arsed by that point.

In other news, I ordered some wildflower seeds from Crocus a couple of weeks back. They never arrived so I chased them up and they said the courier couldn't find them and they've send out some more. Tuesday an envelope full of seeds arrives. Thursday an email arrives saying my order has been dispatched. Today another envelope full of the same seeds arrives...

Foxglove seeds n=2000. Plus a load of other stuff.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 14 May, 2023, 03:57:11 pm
Cut the grass - we have only a small area to sit on, and plenty of wildlife friendly rests of the garden. Planted the honeysuckle my wife bought yesterday, replacing the variegated ivy on the north facing wall that was planted last year and killed by the frosts earlier this year. Tied in some of the Creme de la Creme on the garden arch, which is now sprouting from lower down. Pulled half a sack of sticky willy out of the borders - the weather this winter certainly seems to have suited it! And (as noted elsewhere) got the Roundup out for bindweed and vinka coming through from our neighbours.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 18 May, 2023, 09:42:38 pm
Ran past allotment last night and realised it needed some love. Thankfully Thursday eldest goes to a club and youngest and wife watch a movie so dropped eldest off and carried on to the plot

First job was to mow round the paths. Didn't want to do too late incase little ones having early nights

Then sharpened Bush knife and hoe and attacked weeds and long grass where I could then got down and dirty between shallots and garlic to weed without damaging

Soaked the plot and then pulled a few volunteer artichokes up. They're a perennial and one rows enough

None of the carrots, beetroot or parsnips are doing anything yet. Potatoes doing well as are garlic

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 27 May, 2023, 05:12:40 pm
Quite a bit today.

Bur first, as Ive been somewhat defensive over "no mow May" due to the small size of our lawn, I took a short video to demonstrate we have a wildlife friendly garden, plus a huge field at the end of it.  The Wisteria on the pegola is flowering for the first time ever this year, and is, in it's small way, spectacular and wonderfully scented.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/52927524148_edbbdcfe15_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oD2oXN)Garden May 26 (https://flic.kr/p/2oD2oXN) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

And so to today's jobs; 

Weeded the raised beds and spread some blood, fish and bone on them and raked it in.  That was after I'd filled a couple of wheel barrows with the 2 year old compost I'd taken from one of our compost bins earlier in the year and dumped there for convenience. That has been spread on the various borders to try and improve the soil. Pulled up the flat leaf parsley that had gone to seed. It's replacements are but cotyledons at present.

Planted out the Marmande tomatoes and the several varieties of sweetcorn - usually it's just Swift, but we tried a couple of others and had poor germination so had to get more seeds.  The soil was amazingly dry, down to 6" inn some places. The sprinkler will be on tonight to give them and the other beds a good soaking.

This is the result - the Aliums in the forground are chives, which for some reason have just taken off in our garden.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52928963282_01ac687051_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oD9LLs)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oD9LLs) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

Planted out some sweet pea seedlings against a fence panel to the right of the beds - south facing - and also stuck in a few pairs of runner bean seeds to see what we get.

And finally, as it the way of things this time of year, the wisteria had come out some more - lovely.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52929723201_402371db9b_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oDdEEv)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oDdEEv) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

Tomorrow, I'll be potting on some sweet peppers into the pots the tomatoes came out of. They'll stay in the greenhouse. And we still have a dozen tomato plants left, so depending on the compost (multi-purpose type) I have left after the peppers I'll stick a couple into long toms that some of our roses came in.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 27 May, 2023, 05:26:45 pm
Not sure you have anything to be defensive about, it looks like a lovely garden. I am hoping one day to achieve that 'full' look but I'm a long way away from that yet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 27 May, 2023, 05:28:40 pm
Meanwhile, I think I spoiled myself by choosing sunflowers as the first thing to grow from seed, as all the other seedlings look absolutely miniscule, even several weeks on (apart from the poached egg plant, which does look like a small plant now).

Also, the perovskia that I thought was dead is still alive. And I found the verbena that I knew I had bought but could not find. It is planted at the back of a bed and is being completely shaded over by an astilbe. I suspect it might be dead now too, but I shall give it a bit more time.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 27 May, 2023, 05:40:53 pm
I have been turning compost heaps. Fortunately the heaps are under the shade of a large beech tree (not in our garden) so it's not been too hot, but it is still hard work and there is still more to do tomorrow.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 27 May, 2023, 07:31:50 pm
Not sure you have anything to be defensive about, it looks like a lovely garden. I am hoping one day to achieve that 'full' look but I'm a long way away from that yet.

Thanks. My wife can’t abide to see soil in the garden! 
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 28 May, 2023, 12:47:08 am
Restoring the strip beside the path on our allotment plot which was dug up for the pipe for the new taps.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 28 May, 2023, 01:29:45 pm
So today was potting-on some peppers, the long red variety.  Decided to use up the "green" peat - recovered in water treatment plants where the water runs off the moors, it's dreadful on it's own, too fine - mixed with some elderly multipurpose acquired after our neighbour died. Mixed them together.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52931845469_4711da9869_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oDpxxk)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oDpxxk) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

Then, with what was left, potted up some left-over Marmande - we had fantatsic germination this year - to use on the patio.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52931845494_e576cc15d5_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oDpxxL)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oDpxxL) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

And then I decided to try and remember to document all the different roses we have scattered about the garden. The first 2 are on the same bit of fence up by the patio.

Maid of Kent is around 4m long and 2m high, a rambler. Not scented, pale pink fading to white. Coverd in blossom that opens over a period of about 3 weeks, and then thats it until next year.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52931103462_377589ed06_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oDkJY7)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oDkJY7) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

Then theres Gloire de Dijon, a scented climber (though ding poorly for reasons unknown) that's a very pale mandarin colour.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52932139948_c057aec2b3_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oDr45y)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oDr45y) by Richard Fletcher (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156993878@N08/), on Flickr

Those are the only 2 open atm.  There is a Maygold, but the first flower has already faded.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 28 May, 2023, 07:11:44 pm
Has anyone tried growing eryngium (sea holly) from seed before? I have a tray full of sprouting things but I'm not convinced they are what I sowed:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52932567844_877cb88932_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oDtfh5)2023-05-28_06-58-30 (https://flic.kr/p/2oDtfh5) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

My courgettes have sprouted
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52932858558_a595cc92a7_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oDuJGo)2023-05-28_06-58-07 (https://flic.kr/p/2oDuJGo) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

And after waiting 29 years for my very own rhubarb, I finally have some that I can scoffle
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52931821552_a332cb12d0_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oDpqqY)2023-05-28_06-58-58 (https://flic.kr/p/2oDpqqY) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

In other news, I shook a packet of alchemilla seeds over a bare patch back in April. But there's no sign of anything sprouting there.
However I do seem to have an alchemilla plant popped up out of nowhere in the 'leave it alone' wildlife area at the end of the garden  ???

I also pricked out my teasel seedlings and sowed some tansy, borage and cowslip seeds.
Earlier in the week I repotted approx 18 sunflower plants. I think I might need to give some away....

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 28 May, 2023, 07:30:54 pm
I have been turning compost heaps. Fortunately the heaps are under the shade of a large beech tree (not in our garden) so it's not been too hot, but it is still hard work and there is still more to do tomorrow.
The compost heaps have now been turned. I have an empty bin awaiting the next load of green waste. I will not leave it so long next time (but that's what I said last time).
I have also planted out 18 tomato plants in grow bags next to the garage. Always satisfying when done.
And I've planted seven large dahlias.

The rest of the evening will involve beer and no (living) plants.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 28 May, 2023, 11:11:59 pm
On the allotment.

Mrs B did some weeding, watered some vegetables & topped up the pond. While she did that the three mini-frogs hid.

I watered some other vegetables & dug another bit of ground-flattened-and-filled-with-stones-&-lumps-of-clay-from-the-laying-of-the-pipe-to-the-new-taps. It needs some compost, methinks. There're a few barrowloads ready, I think. That'll do.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 29 May, 2023, 08:50:59 am
Yesterday was our first visit to our allotment in three weeks.
We've not been able to get because of a holiday to Forin Parts and major daughter trauma.

The height of the grass was worse than I thought it could be. The weeds in the veg beds weren't too dreadful.
The stuff we'd put in before the holiday was doing OK, although the root veg seeds aren't germinating well (possibly dry weather).

Mrs Mike spent a heroic time weeding the garlic bed while I've given myself very sore arms strimming, and doing even more strimming.

Planted some squash and courgette plants with the help of the children of our plot neighbour.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 29 May, 2023, 12:27:31 pm
Shifting sheets of corrugated asbestos.

Disposal on the island is very expensive (starts at £700 per ton, and that's after you bag, wrap and transport yourself). The previous owner had the barn reroofed, and dumped the asbestos right behind the barn.

MrsC wants us to be able to use that area, so I'm moving it up to a 'not used' part of the garden.

My life, these bloody things are heavy. About 16kg per sqr metre. I have about 1.5ton of sheets to move.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 29 May, 2023, 04:25:25 pm
Might make suitably rot resistant surrounds for raised beds.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 29 May, 2023, 08:45:32 pm
Got the whole rabble up the allotment although the kids did very little but let them wander to shops to buy more sugery crap.

The wife weeded what was the soft fruit which we flattened last year and covered in manure and then we planed various squash and pumpkins

I dug over some of the rest of the plot and transplanted leeks and chard

The kids the  returned so they helped soak the plot and also soaked themselves in the process.

Still got loads to plant/transplant and plot and garden are getting full. I don't like them as they are in plastic but think u may need some growbags for courgettes, toms and cucumbers
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 30 May, 2023, 01:56:07 pm
Might make suitably rot resistant surrounds for raised beds.

That is what the previous owner did.

I've been digging remnants out of the ground for the past 2 years.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 31 May, 2023, 09:01:10 pm
first two runner beans are showing their heads. Planted in the ground a couple of weeks ago, I think. The Broad Beans are showing good growth each day now.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 02 June, 2023, 09:05:38 am
As the kids are on holiday and don't need to herd them went up allotment before work to water it. Carrots and beetroot I planted a while ago show nothing. Most over things doing well and hope thr chard I transplanted Monday takes but will plant some direct


Do appear to have some parsnips coming through and the artichokes are going great guns. Lovely to get some fresh air before work
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 02 June, 2023, 10:00:58 pm
My sunflowers were already growing out of their new pots so on Weds I bought some bigger ones, and some huge ones to house the courgettes eventually. I also fell into the trap of buying another lupin (I can't help myself) and another sedum. We'll see how long they last before they get eaten. Also bought some lupin seeds and planted them in the 'book' cells I had delivered this week.
I repotted 12 of the 18 sunflowers yesterday, I ran out of big pots at that point. I really need to give some away.

I then used the grass hook to cut back some of the tall seedy straggly grass. I'm starting to think no mow is a waste of time and I should just mow round all the patches of clover and any other interesting stuff. I'd like to buy some more wildlife plugs to put in the lawn. The self heal I dug out of a bed and put into the lawn is not looking desperately impressed.

I dug up 2 geraniums and a small buddleia the other night while I was on my ground elder mission. I planted them back again quite quickly but the geraniums look a bit upset while the buddleia looks like it might be terminal, the leaves are all hanging really limp. :(
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 03 June, 2023, 09:25:41 am
Cut the buddleia back very hard, chuck a bucket of water on every day, award yourself a gold medal if you manage to kill it.
If they are proper geraniums, rather than pelargoniums - the gaudy bedding things - again trim back and water. There are some delicate "alpine" varieties, but most are tough survivors.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 04 June, 2023, 01:05:06 pm
We have a perennial geranium, can’t kill the bloody thing! Transplanted stuff can sulk fo a couple of days.

Yesterday I bit the bullet and cut down the bulk of our, until this winter, very happy daphne Jaqueline Postil which has astounding early spring scent. The see-saw season with late severe frost did for it. From 3m tall it’s now mostly 1.5m tall. There are leaves, but time will tell. Likewise for the bay adjacent to it. Still looking sorry for itself, but there are fresh leaves. In contrast the rosemary is romping away. I also ventured up the ladder (ugh) to get both clematis and euonymus down from the gutter.

Today I cut down some of our teasels as they migrated to be next to a path and they keep scraping my hands. Repotted an Acer (only 60cm tall) that was looking a bit poorly. Pot bound doesn’t do it justice!  The pepper plants (those long red ones) came out of the greenhouse to harden off, as did the first sowing of French beans.

I had the sprinkler going for a couple of hours all over the garden last night. It’s bone dry here.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 05 June, 2023, 09:07:49 am
I love buddleia. The flowers are pretty and the bees love it. Just prune back hard every now and then.

Finished moving the asbestos. Also moved a stack of blocks, and 12 bags of building rubble. I'll be disposing of that for months.

Had a bonfire of old rotten fenceposts.

Dug out 5 good fenceposts and pulled out a strainer post (proud of that, involved fiddling with prussic knots on the post and heroic levering with a thick crowbar.).

Trouble is, I now have a stack of rusty sheep fencing mesh to dispose of.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 05 June, 2023, 06:04:47 pm
I spent from around 10am to 1530 on my hands and knees digging out ground elder on one side of the garden and then digging a trench to put my plastic membrane in, using a hand trowel. My wrists and forearms now feel very weak and weedy and my neck is all stiff, and I'm knackered. Beat working though.

In other news, after no mowing something else has finally appeared in our lawn, common mouse ear. The rest of it doesn't really grow apart from some straggly seedy grass so this morning I raised the blade height on the mower and mowed around the clover and buttercup and mouse ear and the yarrow and self-heal I transplanted earlier. It doesn't actually look that different apart from not being able to see the grass seed now (apart from where it's growing up thru the clover).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 08 June, 2023, 08:16:25 pm
Got up the allotment yesterday to water, carrots and beetroot have failed, just didn't grow but wonder if ground was too cold qhen planted so will sow more. Parsnips seem to be doing  well

Tonight after watering the garden from the stream sent the wife who needed some fresh air after being on the computer to sow some more salad amongst the ready to harvest salad  while I sowed some more herbs
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 08 June, 2023, 09:02:35 pm
Spent an hour on the other side of the garden digging up ground elder roots. Fortunately the soil was a bit less solid on that side. I did a fence panel length and then plant the first 2 of my sunflowers in the bed. Not sure how they'll do as the will be shaded for some of the afternoon by a pieris, and I'm starting a book to see how long before they get eaten by snails, but we'll see. More of the same to do over the next week.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 10 June, 2023, 08:05:24 am
Yesterday I planted 10 runner bean plants and provided two stakes as support for our apple sapling. I also had to go to the kitchen tap for water as both water butts are now empty.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 10 June, 2023, 06:59:58 pm
Last night ran up the allotment and gave it a good soaking. Didn't leave strava running this time but as had to venture to some further water troughs as one nearest my plot is slow to refill reckon on about .6 or .7km walked doing it

Up early with the hound this morning so watered my garden before it got too hot.Glad to have the stream as down to about 100l in one water but which I try and reserve for stuff that need a rose on the can as get blocked from stream.

Then dug out our old Christmas tree from one of the repurposed baths as even after 2 1/2 years it hadn't regained growth on one side

After weeding the bed and topping up with fresh compost planted my sprouts into it with beetroot between and radish as a fill in crop

Also received my copy of permaculture magazine which I've just subscribed to so actually had some time in garden reading
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 11 June, 2023, 01:06:05 pm
Not nearly as much as I’d hoped - read virtually nothing! It too hot (for me) to garden much. Did put the water ping can on the sweet pea plants and adjacent runner beans (just one or two). Also put the hose on to the new honeysuckle for half an hour and will douse the newly planted Magnolia later this afternoon. Refilled the water butt using the hose. The sprinkler will be on the raised beds this evening, sweetcorn and Marmande tomatoes principally. There should have been French beans and some peppers in there too, but they’re just sat in their pots / modules on top of one as, as I noted initially, it’s been too hot to plant them out. Hopefully tomorrow morning will be cooler.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 12 June, 2023, 12:38:28 pm
Well I did plant out the beans (ok) and peppers (looking very floppy) yesterday pm. And today I planted out a new climbing rose New Dawn.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 12 June, 2023, 10:09:56 pm
After I'd cooled down post commute I spent nearly 3 hours out in the garden. More ground elder digging before planting the remaining 10 sunflowers in the garden. Let's see how they do in the 'wild'.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 17 June, 2023, 07:57:25 pm
Cut the grass for the first time in 3 weeks. Tied in the Marmande toms in the raised bed, and side-shooted then (even tho yr supposed not to have to). Then put canes in the remaining, much leafier, 8 in pots on the patio, side shooted and tied in. Planted another row of French beans, this time straight into the garden, 2 per hole. Chopped down all the chives that had flowered, hope they regrow. Tomorrow I’ll uproot and put into pots some of the mass of parsley my wife sowed. Plus move some lettuce and chard seedlings about to give them room to grow on.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 25 June, 2023, 08:02:05 am
Not been up the allotment for just over a week. Been super busy and thankfully had some rain. Got up there early this morning to give it a good soaking. It need some attention, grass on paths grown and needs mowing and strimming. Problem is I'm usually sneaking up there before kids are up on weekends so can't strim or mow at 6am as our plot is right by houses

The first early spuds seem to be struggling so going to start digging those and see what crops like. Leeks have taken well and chard is going good as well. Might also test harvestbsomengarlic and if can find the shallots amongst the weeds try a few of those.

Thankfully after this week things calm down a bit, no ultra marathons or foreign weddings so will get a bit more time
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 25 June, 2023, 11:04:25 am
Side-shooted the Marmande in the raised bed. They’re much smaller and less robust than those “leftovers” I potted up, and the latter have fewer side shoot. Maybe it’s a water thing as the raised bed does drain well.  <shrugs>. Tied in those that needed it. Transplanted a couple of my wife’s somewhat randomly sown lettuce to make up for slug damage in my serried rows. Planted the last of the brown lettuce seeds. Pruned all the flower spikes (bar 2) off the Maid of Kent, as it’s (nearly) over. Thinned out the Gala apples. Discovered that the (hardy!) winter flowering clematis that got blasted this winter has actually survived and is sprouting again from the roots.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 25 June, 2023, 11:34:55 pm
Watered. Most things looking good, but don't want to plant the empty bits because we'll be in Japan for a couple of weeks, & I don't want to ask too much of the watering volunteers. Got the neighbours signed up for the garden at home.

No sign of frogs in the pond. Where have they gone? Not seen any of 'em (there were three) for over a week. Maybe hiding in the undergrowth somewhere. Fingers crossed. I heard froglike noises a couple of days ago: first from one direction, then pause - then from another direction. Repeated a couple of times. Maybe that was two of 'em.

Accosted by the membership secretary & invited to join the committee. There's a vacancy. Should I or shouldn't I?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 26 June, 2023, 07:52:34 am
We came home with vast quantities of redcurrants and blackcurrants. They will probably be frozen while we work out what to do with them (we've still got jam and sauce from last year).

Happy with the first of the Charlotte potatoes.

None of the root crops are thriving and the germination has been poor - other plot holders are saying the same.

The weeds are doing nicely thank you.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 30 June, 2023, 03:01:28 pm
Potted up to courgette and cucumber seedlings. The former because my wife always grows then, but the amount of raised bed they occupy is disproportionate to their yield and our desire to eat the damned things. And the latter is going to precipitate a clear out of accumulated junk from the (small, 6’ x 8’) greenhouse to make room for them to grow.

Planted another row of (8) French bean seeds, that’s the 4th. The first is just flowering.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 30 June, 2023, 09:53:03 pm
Transplanted a cucumber plant from a pot to the allotment, where people will water it along with the rest while we're in Japan.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 01 July, 2023, 01:19:00 pm
Cut up and disposed of half a dozen polystyrene boxes, in which fish had been delivered years ago, that were cluttering up the ground in the greenhouse, and removed for wifely procrastination about a dozen wicker baskets of varying sizes that had contained plants, again years ago. This to clear floor space for the newly potted cucumbers. Will also have to dispose of several dozen old plant pots.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 02 July, 2023, 10:26:08 am
Went to empty the kitchen "caddy" into the compost bin, and found this...

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53017077418_d60efbeeb3_c.jpg)[/url]Squirrel? (https://flic.kr/p/2oLWo2G)

We've had the lids nibbled before - at first we thought rats, but they tend to burrow in from the bottom. I'm now thinking squirrel, or I guess glis-glis is a possibility as the cat's brought in a couple. Either way, it had had a real go at the lid this time! Not sure what prompyed it, the only "unusual" addition was some old burge buns and a couple of bits of left-over burger from Friday.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: MikeFromLFE on 03 July, 2023, 12:06:48 pm
Drowning in redcurrants.
That is all.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 06 July, 2023, 12:36:58 pm
Due to actual rains which put around 300l of water I the water butt's I've not had to water. Last night trimmed the willow stump to make poles for use next year. They sprout if you use them too fresh. Tied up sprouts and had a bit of a tidy

Think I'm going to have to give up the allotment as struggling to keep on top of it. Does mean I have leeks which not sure what to do with as don't want to plant up allotment as lease expires I think September
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 06 July, 2023, 03:50:28 pm
Finally my flower bed looks a bit more full

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53027155159_902830d9ac_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oMQ2MR)2023-07-06_03-37-00 (https://flic.kr/p/2oMQ2MR) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53027155449_8fc17803c1_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oMQ2SR)2023-07-06_03-37-09 (https://flic.kr/p/2oMQ2SR) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

Although some of that is due to that huge ragwort which is getting evicted as soon as it's finished flowering, and the fact that the geraniums (Rozanne) and the common bistort are expanding rapidly.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 06 July, 2023, 03:51:57 pm
Has anyone ever managed to get common bistort to flower twice or should I just cut the spikes right down to the ground?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 06 July, 2023, 04:20:45 pm
And in other news, the buddleia that was looking very sad after I dug it up a month ago is indeed looking quite happy again.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 06 July, 2023, 08:42:48 pm
Due to actual rains which put around 300l of water I the water butt's I've not had to water. Last night trimmed the willow stump to make poles for use next year. They sprout if you use them too fresh. Tied up sprouts and had a bit of a tidy

Think I'm going to have to give up the allotment as struggling to keep on top of it. Does mean I have leeks which not sure what to do with as don't want to plant up allotment as lease expires I think September

Don’t give it up, plant low maintenance crops like potatoes.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 07 July, 2023, 08:28:41 pm
Ah the problems the watering.....the early spuds basically disappeared as died off with the drought we have.

I think I'll try and keep for another year and hope I've got to the top of the waiting list for one closer which the wife could get to more easily. Its only a 5km ride to mine but its alongside the A12 so not particularly pleasant

Sowed some more salad tonight and gave the garden a good drink. Hopefully some courgettes will be ready to harvest in next few days. Got loads of radishes in amongst the sprouts but no luck with the beetroot I sowed in there
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 08 July, 2023, 08:33:02 am
Cycled up the allotment by 7am, quite a few already there including I think a new couple as asked about drinking water

Soaked the bits I needed to dig then watered the rest. I'm hoping for the predicted rain later. Once the soil I'd soaked had softened dug over and put in some leeks before watering them in
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 12 July, 2023, 10:49:03 pm
Bloody snails, caught in the act eating my lupin again. Come on blackbirds, get scoffing them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 14 July, 2023, 11:20:33 am
Bloody snails, caught in the act eating my lupin again. Come on blackbirds, get scoffing them.

Blackbirds prefer worms. We're fortunate to have a Song Thrush around this year. And we have toads for the slugs. But my wife goes out most evenings at dusk (more problematic in Northern climes this time of year) to hunt slugs (they get a free flight over the fence) and snails (they get trodden on).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 14 July, 2023, 12:31:09 pm
I'm trying not to kill everything but am being rather tested. I suppose I could put them in a bucket and take them for a walk.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 16 July, 2023, 10:59:33 am
Staked several sweetcorn that had been flattened by yesterday’s wind.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 16 July, 2023, 06:29:26 pm
In between the showers, MrsC and I removed the bindweed from the blackcurrant bushes and picked those fruits which had been able to ripen despite the covering of the EVIL weed.
I have also finally managed to find time to plant out the dahlias and three cosmos (probably my most pathetic attempt at growing from seed in over two decades) which have been sitting in pots for what feels like months.
This has not been a good summer for getting things done.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 04 August, 2023, 08:07:08 pm
Quite a bit today, making the most of a dry afternoon before the deluge. Pruned the water shoots off the dwarf Gala apple tree. Then did my best to cut back the Wisteria to a few leaves, but as it’s on a pergola it was fairly random. Then pruned one of our Viburnums, and took the shears to the small Yew bush. Then pruned the “dwarf” cherry so it’s only 3m tall. Pulled the first row of French beans and planted more seeds. Fed the tomatoes, courgettes and cucumbers. Trained the leaders on the other, smaller, Wisteria that’s over an arch, along the wires on the fence behind.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 05 August, 2023, 11:17:39 pm
Last thing I did before the latest deluge was lifting onions & potatoes, plus a beetroot & a few kabu (looks like a turnip but tastes more like a radish).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 07 August, 2023, 08:37:55 pm
Got up the allotment for first time in ages. Had become a bit of a jungle. Strange thing is some squash plants have hardly got going where as the pumpkins rampant

Bit of advice please my garlic which is different varieties has grown flowers and looks like its dying back but has is still small. Is it likely to grow or should I just cut my losses and dig it up
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 12 August, 2023, 11:55:54 am
The garlic won’t get any bigger.  I’ve had very limited suspects with it personally.

For the first time ever (at 66) I actively used a strimmer to go round the sides of the raised beds. A lot quicker than shearing the tufted bits of grass. Then I mowed the rest of the (grass) paths and the lawn.

ETA then emptied a compost bin of the small amount remaing so we can stop using the (ptretty full) one that’s now got a wasps nest in it. Might water it a bit and see if they leave. Chopped down a teasle, and most of the sweetcorn, plus defoliated the Marmande tomatoes.

It’s been a poor season for both, only about 1/4 of the sweetcorn ripened, and for a beefsteak type tomato the fruits are rather small. Next year we’ll revert to Swift and Big Daddy respectively. OTOH the French beans have done ok, and we managed successional showings at 2 weeks so not overwhelmed with them. The few runners we put in (in with the sweet peas) will be ready early September, so at least the weather will be more suitable for the eating of them than high(!) summer.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 12 August, 2023, 01:29:54 pm
Dug the petité garlic, strangely found some elephant garlic the top had completely died back but found bulbs

Dug up the potatoes which were disappointing and tidied a bit

Then wandered to the congregation of people as was an open day. Got chatting to a lady who turned out to be the wife of the plot holder next to me.

She said her husband had claimed that I had run to the plot from where I live but she thought he must have misheard. Put her right in that it's only a 10km round trip so just a gentle evening jog really. Seemed equally perplexed that I cycled to the plot. Was glad I had a tailwind as had a fair bit of produce in the panniers

Had to stop at farm shop on way back to get coop cleaner as my chickens have red mite so need to give that a thorough clean. Could do without the family being away as previously when had have grabbed chickens and held while someone else gives the chickens a dust.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 12 August, 2023, 08:05:10 pm
Mrs B popped up to the allotment & came back with our first sweetcorn. It was yummy. Lots more approaching edibility. We'll be eating it for a while.

And she picked three cucumbers from the plant in the back garden. Also tasty. More on their way at the allotment. Yesterday she collected two fat cabbages & a load of onions.

All the tomatos are still very green, though, & there aren't any leeks ready. Almost no reaspberries left.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 12 August, 2023, 09:34:22 pm
We are off on holiday for 2.5 weeks from Thursday so I decided I'd better do something about the plant situation - I had a lot of seedlings that weren't likely to survive that long in tiny wee pots, so I planted the lot of them.
A whole pile of tiny lupins, 6 slightly larger echinacheas, the 3 little aubretias that actually made it, and the sole pair of tansy and single borage that deigned to sprout.
So no doubt they'll all get scoffed by snails instead.

My brother was visiting today so I gave him my 2 courgette plants. I'm not really expecting them to be in a great state given he's not that great at remembering to water stuff, but better than nothing.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Legs on 15 August, 2023, 11:06:21 am
Came back from 2.5 weeks in the States on Sunday.  Our neighbour had been popping round each day to feed our cat (which was lovely of her), but, in spite of my insistence, she hadn't been helping herself to things from our veg patch, the result being that we've got a handful of gigantic cucumbers but very few smaller ones to come in the next weeks, and the rhubarb is threatening to take over the world.  Like the Bledlows, our tomatoes are nowhere near ready yet.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Bledlow on 30 August, 2023, 10:07:22 pm
We're getting a steady trickle of ripe tomatoes now, & more are starting to ripen. Loads of cucumbers. We've eaten quite a lot of sweetcorn & there's more coming. Not many French beans left, but runner beans are now coming in.

We got a bit tired of cabbage. May give some away. We've given away cucumbers.

Yesterday I was checking to see if there were any onions left behind in the bed before heaping some compost on it (which I didn't do because I got too tired: this rapid onset exhaustion is annoying*), & I lifted a plank - to see a big fat toad in a little hole beneath it. It wandered off into some vegetation.

*Following covid-19, a bacterial respiratory infection, oral thrush & then shingles, which I'm still taking drugs for. Not a fun three weeks. And while languishing in bed I read a very depressing book - Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro. May not have been the best choice.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 03 September, 2023, 02:15:03 pm
We have decided to shell out for the garden waste bin to be collected again (£69.50 annually, for weekly collections) as we want to remove a large laurel bush/tree that my mother seemed to want when she moved in with us 22 years ago. There's also a honeysuckle-triffid cross that needs to be dealt with, and numerous suckers from the horrible false acacia that the council cut down a few years back. I'm normally against the council cutting down street trees, but I make an exception with false acacia. Nasty spiky vicious brutes.

Anyway, we've mostly filled the bin ready for Thursday's collection, with bits of laurel and false acacia suckers.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 08 September, 2023, 01:47:16 pm
Removed the remaining sweetcorn, a very indifferent crop this year. Also as the Marmande we’re looking rather desiccated and possibly blight-ed I picked all the remaining tomatoes, some 12kg worth. Plants are in a poly sack along with the sweetcorn eddy for a tip trip, which may be Monday as I’m off and it’ll have cooled somewhat.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 24 September, 2023, 01:51:55 pm
Hmmm, reading the above… I forgot about the tomato plants I’d bagged up. That’s going to be a gag-worthy trip to the tip on Friday!

Removed the second, and last, box ball we had flanking the path. Too much box blight  :-\.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 24 September, 2023, 05:58:48 pm
Weeding the front 'garden' - I keep feeling there must be a better way than all the gravel out front, cos it doesn't actually stops the weeds.
Weeding the back garden, that creeping buttercup is a pain in the arse. I don't mind it and the clover in the lawn, but they don't bloody stay there.

I need to buy some pollinator friendly bulbs to plant soon too.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 25 September, 2023, 06:56:49 pm
Aliums are a good bet for pollinators. And for early season Pulmonaria (not a bulb of course) are good. And even in winter, you could put in a sarcacocca bush, with bonus scent.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 25 September, 2023, 08:03:46 pm
I have some pulmonaria I planted in the spring, and there's a sarcococa confusa (hedge) out front that I planted just under 2 years ago (it's still miniscule!).

I've just done an order of neonicotinoid free bulbs from Peter Nyssen:
Allium Sphaerocephalon (Drumsticks)   
Allium Nectaroscordum Siculum   
Crocus Tommasinianus   
Iris Reticulata Pixie
Chionodoxa Forbesii   
Eranthis Cilicia (Winter Aconites)   
Muscari Armeniacum   
Anemone Blanda Mixture   

Got a feeling I might end up panicking about where to put them all  ;D
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 26 September, 2023, 11:08:33 am
The Thomasinias will migrate to where they like it. We had several come up in the lawn (FCVO lawn) this year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: fimm on 26 September, 2023, 03:54:42 pm

I've just done an order of neonicotinoid free bulbs from Peter Nyssen:

Thank you for saying that. I wondered what neonicotinoid free bulbs were, so googled. I had no idea about pesticides in cheap bulbs. Will be more thoughtful from now on.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 30 September, 2023, 04:01:17 pm
The tomatoes are all removed. We have a large supply of green ones, which will be cooked up tomorrow to go into the freezer.
I've made a start on weeding the main flower border in preparation for the winter tidy-up.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 10 October, 2023, 09:56:51 pm
My bulbs (see above) arrived today. Hopefully the mice won't eat them all before I get the chance to install them.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 11 October, 2023, 07:49:31 pm
Last Saturday was the front. Removed the bloody perennial sweet peas, pruned the bay bush, trimmed the euonymous and cotoneaster hedge under the window, cut down one clematis and trimmed the one that runs between bottom and top windows. Then removed another clematis in the back garden. That was 7 log sacks worth to the tip. That just leaves 6 or 7 more clematis in the back, plus all the foliage from irises, phlox, lilies and rambling and climbing roses!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 11 October, 2023, 08:26:31 pm

I've just done an order of neonicotinoid free bulbs from Peter Nyssen:

Thank you for saying that. I wondered what neonicotinoid free bulbs were, so googled. I had no idea about pesticides in cheap bulbs. Will be more thoughtful from now on.

I don't know how much truth is in this or if it applies to bulbs but remember talking to an farmer about 10 years ago I'd guess who said made no sense seeds with neonicatonoid on where banned despite these going in the soil so not a risk to bees where as he could spray the crops with insecticide which contained neonicatonoid so was harmful
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 11 October, 2023, 08:51:05 pm
Is the point not that neonics are systemic and therefore if the bulb is soaked in it then the stuff that grows above ground and therefore the flowers will also contain the pesticide, otherwise there would be no point in soaking the bulb or seed.
https://www.xerces.org/publications/periodicalsarticles/neonicotinoids-in-your-garden#:~:text=Used%20to%20protect%20against%20sap,are%20harmed%20by%20the%20residues.
https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/our-views/neonicotinoids#:~:text=The%20toxin%20remains%20active%20in,bumble%20bees%20to%20lay%20eggs.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: offcumden on 11 October, 2023, 09:02:16 pm
Cleared, lightly dug and raked 2 of my 8 deep veg beds before broadcasting green manure mix. The aim is to give some protection from winter rains and dig the 'crop' in well before seed sowing next spring. Need to buy more seed tomorrow and cover as many of my beds as possible before winter sets in.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 11 October, 2023, 10:01:34 pm
Bit of general tidying up and removing old crops before covering the beans and courgettes with fleece in the hope of keeping them alive a few more days despite the impending frosts.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 12 October, 2023, 05:44:43 pm
My courgette fruits seem to have stopped getting any bigger, so I think it's too late for me to bother trying that.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: De Sisti on 12 October, 2023, 06:27:18 pm
After letting my small lawn grow, I strimmed it, followed by going over it with the rotary mower.
Have noticed squirrels on the lawn digging holes, so the netting will be used to cover it.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 12 October, 2023, 07:52:07 pm
Quote
My courgette fruits seem to have stopped getting any bigger, so I think it's too late for me to bother trying that.
The courgette plants I'm trying to keep going with fleece are in a polytunnel!
The ones in an outdoor bed went on the compost heap a couple of days ago.
We had just below zero for most of last night, hopefully not as cold tonight.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 14 October, 2023, 03:51:51 pm
I planted 230 229 (1 was mouldy) bulbs today. I hope they're more successful than my last attempt at bulbs.
Not only that, but I actually made a note of where I've planted everything  :smug: , cos I won't remember by spring! 

Was a bit annoyed to find that instead of the Sicilian honey garlic I'd ordered, I got narcissus.

Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 14 October, 2023, 07:17:15 pm
On the bulbs front, I have a question. There's loads of places I didn't plant bulbs today cos they were full of perennials, but come spring those areas will probably be empty as they'll not be growing yet. Does the panel advocate waiting until the perennials have died back/been tidied up and then putting bulbs in betwixt, or is that a bad idea?
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: fimm on 16 October, 2023, 04:12:43 pm
Planted a tub of bulbs: tulips in the middle and crocuses round the edge.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 16 October, 2023, 06:16:21 pm
On the bulbs front, I have a question. There's loads of places I didn't plant bulbs today cos they were full of perennials, but come spring those areas will probably be empty as they'll not be growing yet. Does the panel advocate waiting until the perennials have died back/been tidied up and then putting bulbs in betwixt, or is that a bad idea?
Depends on the bulbs. Tulips, no problem. Crocus, I'd get in as soon as you can. You should be able to work between the perennials (which would also mean you knew where they were so didn't dig them up when you were planting the bulbs).
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 21 October, 2023, 05:56:50 pm
Six varieties of sweet peas sown into root trainers and placed in the greenhouse.
Next summer starts here.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Basil on 21 October, 2023, 06:15:01 pm
Six varieties of sweet peas sown into root trainers and placed in the greenhouse.
Next summer starts here.
Blimey.  I don't sow sweet peas until February.
We don't have a greenhouse, so that's almost all the window sills occupied for a couple of months.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 21 October, 2023, 07:25:38 pm
I've tried both now and February, with mixed results in both cases. I do have a greenhouse and a couple of cold frames which does help.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 21 October, 2023, 08:37:42 pm
My wife’s sweet peas have already germinated. We too have an unheated greenhouse.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 22 October, 2023, 02:50:33 pm
In no particular order, trimmed down then dug out about 7 or 8 roots of Lemon Balm, that self set and went mad this year, to the point it was a metre tall and swamping everything else. Cut down the foliage on the biggest of the Peonies, and did the same on the large Iris. Chopped off some of the perennial geraniums. Took down 3 clematis. Cut down all the Phlox, which were disappointing this year. Pulled out a dead Sage. Pulled out a load of Bloody Vinka, courtesy of the laissez faire neighbours. And swore at the bloody ornamental grasses that are seeding from next door. It’s a cottage garden, not a bloody prairie!   
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Wowbagger on 22 October, 2023, 03:49:28 pm
We have uprooted two of the triffids Jerusalem artichokes which were blown over by recent winds and blocking our access to the back garden. Jan has been gathering the tubers for consumption later.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 22 October, 2023, 05:21:02 pm
Sowed a whole load more hardy annuals for next year. Like the sweet peas, these will live in the greenhouse or cold frames until the spring.
It's probably a little late to be doing this, but the seeds only arrived this week. The previous batch was probably recycled with the waste paper. We really shouldn't put the stuff-to-go-to-the-garage in the same place as the stuff-to-go-to-the-recyling-bins, but the kitchen is a little short of room.  :facepalm:
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 31 October, 2023, 10:25:52 pm
I planted 230 229 (1 was mouldy) bulbs today. I hope they're more successful than my last attempt at bulbs.
Not only that, but I actually made a note of where I've planted everything  :smug: , cos I won't remember by spring! 

Was a bit annoyed to find that instead of the Sicilian honey garlic I'd ordered, I got narcissus.

I emailed Peter Nyssen about the missing honey garlic and they were very apologetic and said they'd send them out. Today I opened the box to find that the 10 I'd ordered had become 50!
So I planted 28 (2 were mouldy) and I'll either offer the rest out at work or plant them in the 'community garden' at work, if I can get the weather to coincide with my days in the office and remember to take the drill and my bulb auger.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: campagman on 11 November, 2023, 08:57:46 pm
Dug up a bumper crop of fartichokes today. Of course these are just from bits of root left last year.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Flite on 11 November, 2023, 09:29:47 pm
Finally got round to planting the cowslips that I raised from seed collected fresh from the garden last year.
There were 72 plugs, each with about a dozen young plants.
We used an auger, as pictured by Mrs Pingu in the Spring.
OH used the auger and battery drill to make holes in the grass area, and I just stuffed the plugs in.
Only took about half an hour. We should have two new drifts of cowslips by next year.

Oddly, the existing area of cowslips produced very few flowers and seeds this year - I suspect the very dry summer of 2022 meant they didn't build up enough reserves. The plants are healthy enough.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 11 November, 2023, 10:49:28 pm
I sowed some cowslip seed a couple of months back. No sign of anything yet. (Same for the bugloss and borage)

On Monday I planted the last 20 Allium Nectaroscordum Siculum in the garden at work. There are a lot of rabbits up there so they may not come to anything, but I tried.   
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 15 November, 2023, 05:56:46 pm
We have uprooted two of the triffids Jerusalem artichokes which were blown over by recent winds and blocking our access to the back garden. Jan has been gathering the tubers for consumption later.

From my experience they don't store well so use them soon  I've got a bucket outside my door fulani need to sort. Feel sorry for my colleagues next week
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: rafletcher on 23 December, 2023, 01:40:18 pm
Cut down the last of our clematis now the seed heads are over. Noticed it had started to shoot in places. Also raked up more leaves - spits amazing just how many a small Quince can drop!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 26 December, 2023, 03:59:58 pm
As it's not raining and we had nothing planned for today, I managed to get a couple of hours in the garden.
The twenty year old blackcurrant bushes have gone. They were becoming less productive year on year, despite pruning and are blocking light from the greenhouse.
We will get some more, but will put them in a different bed.
I've also removed a buddleia which is not MrsC's favourite plant and was definitely in the wrong place. As I know there is some root still there, this may only be a temporary fix.
Obviously loads still to do, but the combination of decent weather at a weekend when I have spare time is a rarity, so I need to make the most of any opportunities.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 06 January, 2024, 04:06:24 pm
A dry day, at the weekend, when I was actually at home.
The compost heaps have been turned. The compost which was ready has been used to mulch the large border. All the other bags of old compost from pots and so on has also been used as a mulch.
When written down that doesn't seem much but it has taken several hours and quite a lot of effort. Add that to this morning's parkrun and I should sleep well tonight.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 13 January, 2024, 02:45:33 pm
Covered my hebes in fleece being as we have a cold snap forecast from tonight for the next week.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: The Family Cyclist on 14 January, 2024, 08:51:08 am
Actually got up the plot yesterday. Harvested artichokes, parsnips and some leeks which were more like large spring onions.

Lots of plots looked abandoned with pumpkins and squashes rotting on which is sad. I'm likely to not plant anything in that plot as father in law wants me to start taking on his plot which is more local and we can also split work which works for me
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 04 February, 2024, 05:32:46 pm
The roses in the front garden have had their annual prune. I started yesterday, doing an hour or so when we were back home rather earlier than anticipated. There are nine or ten bushes. I also had to removed a dead woody penstemon and cut a couple of hazels to the ground to get at some of the roses. I seem to have little holes all over my hands!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 05 February, 2024, 04:57:46 pm
Cut up a willow into short logs.

Only a small tree, trunk about 15cm. We have a line of grey willows, shallow rooted, they get blown over in bad storms.

This one was hung up on some other small trees, so was awkward to get down.

Took ages with pruning saw and bowsaw. Not a very large pile of wood after a lot of sawing!
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: SteveC on 11 February, 2024, 12:19:50 pm
The roses in the front garden have had their annual prune. I started yesterday, doing an hour or so when we were back home rather earlier than anticipated. There are nine or ten bushes. I also had to removed a dead woody penstemon and cut a couple of hazels to the ground to get at some of the roses. I seem to have little holes all over my hands!
And now all the roses in the back garden have been sorted. Job done for the next 12 months or so.
Title: Re: What have you done on the plot today?
Post by: fimm on 12 February, 2024, 09:25:55 am
A little bit of weeding, and admired the one crocus that has bloomed. There are lots of other bulbs appearing.