Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Jim Smith on November 20, 2020, 00:26

Title: Shall I, shan’t I, what to do
Post by: Jim Smith on November 20, 2020, 00:26

Hi all, I have a predicament in that I so want an allotment BUT I go to USA every year for 6 weeks start of September. Is it worth my while, I accept I can probably get the kids to weed but how many crops would I be leaving to ruin and how many would I miss out on planting. My kids are not gardeners at all but will help with weeding. 

Title: Re: Shall I, shan’t I, what to do
Post by: mumofstig on November 20, 2020, 08:41

Hello, and welcome to the forum :)
I still think it would be worthwhile, as long as you really could get some weeding organised while you're away, or grow crops through weed control fabric, so the weeds don't get out of control.
Obviously you would need to choose your crops carefully, but I think with careful choice of crop/varieties you should still get decent harvests outside of the weeks you're away.
Sowing harvest chart is a helpful start IMO  https://www.allotment-garden.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Vegetable-Sowing-Harvest-Chart.pdf

Ask about particular veg you'd like variety suggestions for in another post, and we'll try to help ;)

Title: Re: Shall I, shan’t I, what to do
Post by: GraciesGran on November 20, 2020, 09:21

Mumofstig is right.  Careful planning is the answer along with child labour for the weeding.

Title: Re: Shall I, shan’t I, what to do
Post by: Ferreter8 on November 23, 2020, 10:29

Hi yes definitely go for it it has more pros than cons 👍.
Lesley

Title: Re: Shall I, shan’t I, what to do
Post by: Nobbie on November 24, 2020, 13:54

I think you’d be fine leaving it for six weeks then. Winter veg would be well established and a good mulch around them should control weeds. Things like squash suppress weeds if left to there own devices and could be harvested on return. Onions and garlic would already be harvested.

Title: Re: Shall I, shan’t I, what to do
Post by: snowdrops on November 25, 2020, 11:44

You’ll never know if f you don’t try  :D. By September it’s mainly clearing spent crops & harvesting if you’ve kept up with the weeding through the year. Planning will be essential & getting crops in early enough so you’ve harvested most before you go. Plus when your children realise how wonderful Home grow produce is I’m sure they will be able to harvest more. I assume they are not terribly young children to enable you to go to America & leave them so hopefully old enough to access the allotment? Plus there are ways of minimising weeding  :closedeyes:

Title: Re: Shall I, shan’t I, what to do
Post by: Ema on December 01, 2020, 12:08

Septs a good time to go as there will be some rain so the plants will be fine. I wouldn’t worry about any weeds, just make sure someone picks the runner beans