[lisajpickering]

Evening all!

I'm Lisa... I live in Telford and I've just been given an allotment.  Its in pretty good nick, well dug, but weeds are swiftly coming in for a party.     I've inherited a couple of bits and pieces... which I wanted to ask you about.

First off - rhubarb.  I have some growing next to my shed.  Except that I only have 3 sticks and the longest is 6 inches long - everyone elses seems to be a mini jungle.  Why is mine so small?    There are no signs that others have simply been helping themselves (wouldn't blame them... its been an empty plot for a few months) and nothing seems to have eaten it.  There do seem to be other small plants next to it which have been completely decimated by slugs/snails - no shoot has been allowed to grow at all.  But those actually look more like the stumps of the raspberry canes that are growing nearby.  Which leads me to more questions...

I know there are summer fruiting and autumn fruiting raspberries.  I have some that are about 2 ft high, green and fresh looking, with buds forming already.  I assume these are summer fruiting.  I also have some that are either very small, only a couple of inches high, or some that are last years sticks with new shoots at intervals.  I'm guessing this is autumn fruiting.     So... (a) am I right?  (b) can I move any of them given that they're not really where I want them (one is growing in my compost heap!).  (c) should I give them some form of support?  (d) is it likely that  those stumps near the rhubarb being eaten by slugs are actually raspberries?

And what do you do with all those slugs/snails?  Honestly, they're every inch!    If I find any at home I just throw them over the fence onto the road making sure to avoid any innocent passers by out walking their dogs.  I'm guessing it would be rather frowned upon if I started throwing slugs off my plot onto other peoples!     So... what do I do with them?  I don't mind them dying somehow... except I can't bring myself to squash them  *shudder*.  Do I just put them in a tupperware box and drop it in the bin?   :blink:

There are some ridges in one of the beds.  I assume this is where my predecessor had his potatoes so I'll put mine somewhere else (feeble attempt to understand crop rotation!  ).

The soil is very acidic according to my cheap ph tester.  So blueberries are going in.  But apparently this means brassicas are out    Is it worth me trying anyway?  What else should I try/avoid given the ph?

And that was just my first post!   I'm sure every answer will lead to 3 more questions so, thank you and sorry in advance!

L

[Bombers]

Evening all!

I'm Lisa... I live in Telford and I've just been given an allotment.  Its in pretty good nick, well dug, but weeds are swiftly coming in for a party.     I've inherited a couple of bits and pieces... which I wanted to ask you about.

First off - rhubarb.  I have some growing next to my shed.  Except that I only have 3 sticks and the longest is 6 inches long - everyone elses seems to be a mini jungle.  Why is mine so small?    There are no signs that others have simply been helping themselves (wouldn't blame them... its been an empty plot for a few months) and nothing seems to have eaten it. 

Get some well rotted manure around it There do seem to be other small plants next to it which have been completely decimated by slugs/snails - no shoot has been allowed to grow at all.  But those actually look more like the stumps of the raspberry canes that are growing nearby.  Which leads me to more questions...

I know there are summer fruiting and autumn fruiting raspberries.  I have some that are about 2 ft high, green and fresh looking, with buds forming already.  I assume these are summer fruiting.  I also have some that are either very small, only a couple of inches high, or some that are last years sticks with new shoots at intervals.  I'm guessing this is autumn fruiting.     So... (a) am I right? 
[/quote]Yes
(b) can I move any of them given that they're not really where I want them (one is growing in my compost heap!).[/quote]No not until they're dormant
(c) should I give them some form of support? [/quote]Yes
(d) is it likely that  those stumps near the rhubarb being eaten by slugs are actually raspberries? Yes

And what do you do with all those slugs/snails?  Honestly, they're every inch!    If I find any at home I just throw them over the fence onto the road making sure to avoid any innocent passers by out walking their dogs.  I'm guessing it would be rather frowned upon if I started throwing slugs off my plot onto other peoples!  Yes    So... what do I do with them?  I don't mind them dying somehow... except I can't bring myself to squash them  *shudder*.  Do I just put them in a tupperware box and drop it in the bin?   :blink:Could do

There are some ridges in one of the beds.  I assume this is where my predecessor had his potatoes so I'll put mine somewhere else (feeble attempt to understand crop rotation!  ).Good move!

The soil is very acidic according to my cheap ph tester.  So blueberries are going in.  But apparently this means brassicas are out    Is it worth me trying anyway?  What else should I try/avoid given the ph?garden lime, but follow the instructions!

And that was just my first post!   I'm sure every answer will lead to 3 more questions so, thank you and sorry in advance!
I just knew you would be trouble! 

[Christine]

Hurrah - glad to meet you Lisa. Keep asking. 

[andreadon]

And what do you do with all those slugs/snails?  Honestly, they're every inch!    If I find any at home I just throw them over the fence onto the road making sure to avoid any innocent passers by out walking their dogs.  I'm guessing it would be rather frowned upon if I started throwing slugs off my plot onto other peoples!  Yes    So... what do I do with them?  I don't mind them dying somehow... except I can't bring myself to squash them  *shudder*.  Do I just put them in a tupperware box and drop it in the bin?   Could do

ooh! put them in a bin, but not in a tupperware box!! put them in an old plastic milk bottle or anything else that's rubbish with a lid - not tupperware!!
what a waste!! 

otherwise: sounds lovely - if your weeds aren't too bad you can hoe them down or just dig the area over with a fork - if they come out of the ground they'll just die in the sun.

the compost heap is the best place for your raspberries!  if you don't want it growing there, you could pull out the one you don't want and chuck it.
they won't be moveable now they're growing.

[slider]

with the slugs i collect up and give next door for there ducks they love them.

[Christine]

Unfortunately not all of us have ducks next door - crying shame really.