Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: wendycas on July 07, 2013, 20:16
-
Had a little negative moment today when weeding-yes, I know we all feel like that when weeding-but as well as finding ants in a bed, as we had slogged for a few hours of weeding (plus most days last week) I happened to look over to our neighbour's plot and saw lovely neat rows of healthy looking potatoes-weed-free! Now we are there most days to water, weed etc....plus giving feeds to the plants regularly and our neighbour (although very nice and friendly) turns up occasionally to water and have never seen him weed this year.
So unless he is secretly coming on the allotment at night-how is it that lack of care can produce such seemingly good results??? :unsure:
Just a bit disheartening!!
-
I go up to my plot at night to do slug hunts, and will pull the occasional weed in the process.
Unless you are up there from sunrise to sunset every day, then how do you know that your neighbour isn't just up there when you are not?
-
We go to at funny hours, between 5.30am and 8am and 7pm till maybe 9.30-10.00pm our site rep for the council always makes some rude comment about never seeing us. He goes home at tea time and thats that. I am going to put up a sign that says "weeding, work, and general building done by the allotment gnomes outside of working hours"
Believe me he must weed you obviously just miss him, plus maybe he has had his plot for a long time, the weeding does get slightly easier as the years tick by. :D
-
I agree sometimes the work to do looks daunting, but I'm soooo over all the nice (victorian) rows and being jealous of the retired guys and comparing their plots to mine.
It's a matter of style, Just do what you are able. I don't do rows, more of a clump girl, me ::)
I've got mulch everywhere (including my potatoes- I've not weeded them at all this year), cardboard boxes (on top of couch I don't have time to deal with) full of lasange beds with plants popped into weed sheeting, Ikea net curtains strewn all over stuff and bits of netting and pole arrangements. But it's mine. It's between me and God, and no one else's business to judge.
You do it your way hun, weed only what you have to and don't sweat the small stuff :D
-
Don't worry about it Wendycas...are plot isn't as perfect as others around us but we still get positive comments from everyone on how well we're doing. You have to remember it isn't about perfection, it's about results! We look with slight envy at our neighbouring plots and how tidy they are but then remember that they're all mostly retired and have all day if they want.
The other thing is that if they've been working that plot for a few years, they've had a massive head start on the weeding! The more you weed, the less come back!
-
All this hard work is for all the lovely veg you are going to get to eat :D
-
Saddo that I am, I find weeding quite relaxing :lol:
-
I do now. I used to hate it but now like you I find the chance to empty my head and completely give in to weeding is very calming. I keep the weeds behind me so I can't see the extent of the job :D You know it needs doing and that when it's done you will feel really pleased with the work.
-
That's exactly how I feel BQ :D
I think from reading your posts, you are hyperactive like me with a million plans running round in your head and a huge list of 'stuff to do'. Slowing down and enjoying a simple job like weeding can be a real pleasure :)
-
One thing to remember about any form of land management is that the Spring and sowing season sees vibrant green crop growth with little disease and even the most pessimistic feel hopeful. Come the business end of the process, weeds go mad, nature gets hairy, pests and disease can suddenly run riot, some crops seasonably disappoint regardless of effort, and it's all too easy to lose heart.
As for other folks' efforts, it's a pointless exercise to compare. But if a plot appears well maintained then you can bet the people are putting in the hours at some time or other. There's no free lunch where allotments are concerned, there just isn't.
As for weeds, I believe the way forward is regular and often. Maybe half an hour on every visit.
-
But if a plot appears well maintained then you can bet the people are putting in the hours at some time or other.
Or have as well over previous years. This is where you hard work now will pay off later. One year's seed = seven years weeds and all that.
-
I now enjoy weeding as I do as bit every day so it isn't mad. I try not to compare other peoples allotments to mine and feel genuinely happy for all their successes. I am always really pleased when I can cook a meal with all my veggies - never mind they are not perfect - they are mine. I have successes and failures but I am happy with the smallest success. :D. Just try to enjoy the process and all your achievements however small. Take a small list of things to do each day. As long as it involves caring for your plants you are doing great.
-
I agree sometimes the work to do looks daunting, but I'm soooo over all the nice (victorian) rows and being jealous of the retired guys and comparing their plots to mine.
It's a matter of style, Just do what you are able. I don't do rows, more of a clump girl, me ::)
I've got mulch everywhere (including my potatoes- I've not weeded them at all this year), cardboard boxes (on top of couch I don't have time to deal with) full of lasange beds with plants popped into weed sheeting, Ikea net curtains strewn all over stuff and bits of netting and pole arrangements. But it's mine. It's between me and God, and no one else's business to judge.
You do it your way hun, weed only what you have to and don't sweat the small stuff :D
your plot sounds like mine tring cardboard this year finding its working well so far
-
Thanks guys for the words of encouragement. We do really enjoy our allotment. It's just we've let the weeds get a bit out of hand so we definitely need to do a little but more often....and enjoy the process more! :blush:
-
we've let the weeds get a bit out of hand
You should have seen our neighbours plot this morning...you literally couldn't see the crops for the 4' high weeds!
-
I am with Compostqueen and New shoot and love weeding - I think it is the instant satisfaction! To be honest, I really don't get that many as I have been really, thorough. My big problem is the border (on both sides) and that I do get really fed up with. I have nasty weeds constantly coming through from my plot neighbours, neither of whom ever weed. The weeds are taller than me! I can't get the roots out as they are on their plots.
It will get easier, and at least you know if the weeds are lush the soil must be good! :)
-
A young couple with the young lady due to give birth were working their new plot on our allotmwent, they disappeared for a few weeks when the baby came and so did their plot and they received a notice from the council - they are now thinking that is going to be too much work we have offered to help them get back on top of it but looks like they just didn't realise how much work was involved.
-
A young couple with the young lady due to give birth were working their new plot on our allotmwent, they disappeared for a few weeks when the baby came and so did their plot and they received a notice from the council - they are now thinking that is going to be too much work we have offered to help them get back on top of it but looks like they just didn't realise how much work was involved.
I think this is so true, weeds dont grow in my garden so you dont expect it to be such a daily job, but saying that it is worth it even when its hard work.
-
There is a lovely old man on our site and his plot has gone mad,he has not been able to do much this year,so a couple of us have cleared some beds for him,usually when he is not there, we go in and clear and he is delighted when he comes up and potters about with the general work.
He is so nice we would hate to see him leave.
-
Well, that's their problem. You keep focussed on your bit and ne'er mind them :D
Remember. It's all about the veg :)
-
Mine gets a bit out of hand every now and then so i blitz the worst of it ,then give it a more thorough weeding when i have time.I still get some good crops out of it,my mate on the next plot is recently retired and his plot is superb,weed free and good stuff,but he will admit he has the time now and gets up there twice a day.
-
Get busy with the hoe, all the time. Regularly hoed ground is easy to keep going over and you can cover a lot of ground in ten mins if your on top of it.
Out allotment site is a total mess and a terrible waste. There are only 15 plots, and only five have been cultivated to any degree this season. The rest are chest high in flowering weeds. I only plant things up there that need little management, potatoes, onions garlic etc and I could not see my plot until I was on it, that's how overgrown it is.
This will be the last year for us, it's too much hassle to be fighting grasses and weeds, simply because other people can't be bothered.
Totty
-
I've let about 25% of my plot stay properly weedy Wendy - I share your pain! Am biting hte bullet and spraying it with weedkiller, just to give myself a bit of a break.
Once the ground's broken and knocked into beds it's much easier to stay on top of. The beds I have got look pretty darn good - as long as you ignore the paddock at the bottom!
-
There is a lovely old man on our site and his plot has gone mad,he has not been able to do much this year,so a couple of us have cleared some beds for him,usually when he is not there, we go in and clear and he is delighted when he comes up and potters about with the general work.
He is so nice we would hate to see him leave.
LOL he must think you're the allotment fairies! That's a nice thing to do for him!
-
Like most others I have problems with neighbouring roots creeping in, but there's no future in blaming others, and I do have a sharp spade.
As some have said, sometimes weeding is a pleasure. One only has to weed a crop properly twice in it's growing, not much to ask, and a good dig over when harvesting ... that's the answer I have found.
Small potatoes compared with starting up a plot from scratch. The loosened and conditioned soil makes most weeding pretty straight forward and one can zip through it in small regular doses. Two or three hour long sessions a week will see a good sized plot under control. Only the netted brassicas are bit of a nuisance to weed and feed, and strawberries do irritate me. :)