Author Topic: What have you done on the plot today?  (Read 248367 times)

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #50 on: 12 June, 2008, 03:01:40 pm »
Eaten many home-grown strawberries.

FatBloke

  • I come from a land up over!
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #51 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! :(
This isn't just a thousand to one shot. This is a professional blood sport. It can happen to you. And it can happen again.

Si

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #52 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.

steveB

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #53 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.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #54 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?
Stropping rocks

Si

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #55 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.

Si

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #56 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 ?

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #57 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.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #58 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.

Si

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #59 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.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #60 on: 07 July, 2008, 05:04:31 pm »
Watched the rain fall! :D
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #61 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).



Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #62 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

Si

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #63 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.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #64 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.
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #65 on: 10 July, 2008, 04:38:11 pm »
Nothing, but I have entirely lost the plot, if that helps?  ???

Otto

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #66 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

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #67 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.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #68 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.

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #69 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.
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #70 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.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #71 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

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #72 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
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Si

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #73 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.


Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #74 on: 01 August, 2008, 05:37:02 pm »
I picked the first of my tomatoes....  :thumbsup:


And they were luvverly - very sweet and juicy.
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

Green Party Councillor