Just introducing myself

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lentil987

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  • Location: Milton Keynes
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Just introducing myself
« on: March 08, 2006, 21:18 »
Hello to you all, I have just found your site as I was trawling through the internet looking for helpful tips to get me started with my new allotment and low and behold here I am.

Just thought i would introduce myself. I am a mum of two living in Milton Keynes and have just taken on my first allotment. It is described as five pole to those of you in the know but for newbies like me  that works out at about 6 metres wide and about 12 metres long.

I am very lucky and happy to say it was worked on by a lovely Polish chap who gave it up after working on it for 15 years ( he is now well into his 80's) the plot is great only a few surface weeds and some old matted strawberries to sort out.

So far I have constructed a shed (we purchased it from someone else that was giving up their plot for £30) however the moving of the thing and the erecting on our plot took up a whole afternoon in the freezing cold. We did some improving now and I can happily say I have a gorgeous looking shed complete with porch and trellis up the side, painted green on the outside and yellow on the inside (thanks to the kids for that!) We also have yellow curtains!
We got plenty of guttering and two water butts so hopefully that will sort out the water problems if we get any in this area over the summer.

As far as planting goes so far I have inherited some blackberry bushes that were a bit overgrown so I trimmed them down (not sure if I did them correctly but I just looked at what other folks looked like and copied!)

I have some raspberries that i transplanted to a different area of the plot so hopefully they will be ok and I have some rhubarb and a small golden plum bush that I purchased from the garden centre as a present to the new allotment.

I moved some strawberry runners from the matted patch and transplanted them in the soil and covered them in fleece just to protect them a little.

I have planted garlic and shallot sets as well as red onion sets. the red onions are under plastic cloches and the garlic and shallots are under fleece. I think I may have done these a little early reading posts from you guys but all I have so far is an allotment book and the instructions on the packs to help me. (worse case will be that I loose the lot but hopefully things will improve weather wise soon).

I have planted inside in peat pots - tomotoes, leeks, red cabbage and cauliflowers waiting to be planted out when the weather is better. Again I dont know if I have done these too early or not time will tell!

Anyway thats the condensed history of where I am up to right now. I'm glad to have found this site - perhaps now I will have some hope of actually getting some produce at the end of my hard work with some of your advice.

Wish me luck!
Every child is born a naturalist. His eyes are, by nature,
open to the glories of the stars, the beauty of the flowers,
and the mystery of life.  
-  R. Search

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GrannieAnnie

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Just introducing myself
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2006, 23:30 »
Hi Lentil, just thought I'd say hi and welcome!  I've only been here for a couple of days too and fairly new to gardening.  I've worked in London for 25 years and had a long commute for 6 years.  But now I live in Lincolnshire and have a half acre of garden which hubby wanted to grow turkeys, but long story, in the 4 years we've been here, no turkeys!!!!

2 years ago I dug a small veg patch, but can't dig for long as I have a touch of arthritis, then the next year had a slightly larger patch, then last year hubby said we could buy a rotavator for ME to be able to dig an even bigger veg patch!  We were lucky, we got a good deal off Ebay.  Then hubby laid some paths for me, but he's not really interested in gardening, except to tell me when I'm doing something wrong!  So I hd more veggies last year, with varying results as my brussels opened up and my cabbages didn't heart up, but apparently that's because my soil was too loose!  The annoying thing is that I was treading the soil down because my books told me to, and hubby said what are you doing, we've just dug that!  I can't win!!!

Anyway, good luck with the allotment.  I am pleased your children will be eating some nice fresh fruit and veg.  My granddaughters love theirs, but hubby's grandson who is 4 only eats peanut butter sandwiches and weetabix!!!!    Hope to talk again soon.  Take Care

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ladybird

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  • Location: RAINHAM, KENT
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wolcome
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2006, 07:49 »
Hi lentil, Great to have you on board, and wish you the best of luck with your plot, I joined the site a few month ago, and have picked up a lot of hints and tips from other users, I'm into my third year on my plot and enjoy every day I spend there, I think from memory it measures 13 poles which looked huge at the time, but having put up a fruit cage and laid a concreat base around the shed for water butts cold frame etc. the planting area has shrunk somewhat. Luck'ily my lovely neighbour who is in his 80's decided to downsize and offered me part of his plot,  Problem solved!! can't wait to get going this year. My hubby is not into the growing side so much but has done all the building work etc.
Again best of luck and keep us posted.
I took over an allotment  approx 2 1/2 years ago on my retirement. Although I find that time is at a premium,  I realy enjoy spending as much time as I can at the allotment..--JUDY

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John

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Just introducing myself
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2006, 10:14 »
I must say when I hear such nice comments about the site, it makes the work worthwhile. Thanks.

The other thing is the image of allotment holders... old men with flat caps. Great to see how the balance between men and women is getting pretty even. Plus the age range is so much wider and the social mix is greater as well.

I'm always happy to have constructive criticism about the site, btw. It's hard when you do something yourself to be objective about what's good and what is not.

Thanks again

John
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