[Beanzie]

After spending 3 hours removing netting and weeding my Brassica patch it strikes me that this is my most hated allotment chore. If only I had used the hoe a few weeks ago it would have been so much easier tonight.
I was even puilling "rogue" potatoe haulms with decent spuds (desiree) on themn.

What's your most hated chore?

[hermon]

clearing bind weed from netting. bind weed in general  :x

[rugbymad40]

Living in the South of England it has to be watering at present.  It takes me over an hour a night with watering cans to give everything a drink - time I would rather spend planting, weeding and tending.

Still the crops are doing well and we are eating very well at present.

[Eristic]

Having given this some thought, the best that I can come up with is locking and unlocking the gate. Stay in control and there are no chores, just lots of little jobs.

[noshed]

Yeah - the gate is annoying. but A sense of calm does descend on the way in. (Now I use slug pellets.)

[rugbymad40]

Locking the Gate!

Sorry we live in a village in the counrty and the only gate is five bars and you push it open to get on to the plot. Unless of course their is a tractor in the way.

Sorry, I fully appreciate what folks in the less rural environs have to endure.  It just feels so claustrophobic to have to unlock and lock a gate to your peice of countryside.

We are lucky where we live in that we get very little vandalism and damage from unwanted visitors - other than fox's, Badgers, Deer and
Pigeons.

We are lucky and I should appreciate that a lot more than i do!

Happy Allotmenting.

[Fafafifi]

Loading and unloading the car at home and at the allotment - tools, watering can, plants, seeds and if the baby is with me sun tent, toys, cushions, nappies........too much!!!  

I really must get a shed!

[mrsparsnip]

and if the baby is with me sun tent, toys, cushions, nappies........too much!!!  

oh my word, it's not only me then!  I have to take my 9 month old with me most days during the week ( i get a break at weekends) and he takes more stuff to the plot then I do!  not to mention the dog..............I hae a shed but I only keep less valuable things inside so big tools have to be carted with me.

we also have a gate with a lock and we are in the country too! still, if I have to unlock the gate on the way in it means I'm the first one there

so far (not had the plot long), most hated chore.........leaving to go home!

[mellowmick]

Spending 3 hours removing netting and weeding my Brassica patch

Concur. The weeds I have probs with are dandelions, cos the leaves just come off so easily, leaving the roots. Also watching the ease with which cabbage whites just fly straight through the netting mesh, meaning I have to open everything up every couple of days and check for eggs and caterpillars (found one green one the size of a small slug on Sunday).

By the way, what is it that lays threads of sticky eggs along the strands of netting? Start off white, then go purple. Hope it's nothing useful, cos I've been crushing them.

[GrannieAnnie]

I hate weeding dock and thistle, they are our worst ones, but good where I put some brassicas and potatoes under terram, the only weeds are what are trying to get through the hole with the potato!!!

[Comfry_Kid]

My most hated must be pulling off damaged tomatoes - at the moment I've got blossom end rot - I missed watering for one poxy day a week ago and now I am paying for it - even typing this brings tears to my eyes.

[Beanzie]

I thought so, it was only 1 week ago tonight when I thoroughly weeded mt brassica plot and I swear therev was no sign of a caulie. Tonight however, 12 out of 15 have hearted

I might revise my choice and opt for having to harvest everything at the one time when I thought I took care to ensure a staggered crop!!

[Laura]

on the subject of locking and unlocking being the most hated chore...
...we have an locked outer security gate, an inner gate with padlock, a lock on the garden gate and another on the shed.  normally i find it reassuring, security wise, to lock and unlock everything - almost like some sort of temple ritual - when coming and going.  
week before last however i managed to have a very near disaster.  
i work shifts and if Ian can't get to the plot during the day i call in on my way home from work, which i did the other night.  i watered everything, pottered about, felt great that stuff was growing and blooming, wishing i could just stay at our lovely little allotment for ever (now they do say you should be careful what you wish for!)  i packed up to go home at about 10.50 and stupidly managed to lock all the keys in the shed!!!
slightly panic stricken i started to search about for a fence i could climb over to get out but as all of them were over three foot high it was no go - luckily there was another allotmenteer there having a bonfire and once he stopped laughing he let me out.

[Jake]

i packed up to go home at about 10.50 and stupidly managed to lock all the keys in the shed!!!
slightly panic stricken i started to search about for a fence i could climb over to get out but as all of them were over three foot high it was no go - luckily there was another allotmenteer there having a bonfire and once he stopped laughing he let me out.

Now thats funny. Never done it but I did once lock my keys in the car......... with the engine still running!

[Laura]

i packed up to go home at about 10.50 and stupidly managed to lock all the keys in the shed!!!
slightly panic stricken i started to search about for a fence i could climb over to get out but as all of them were over three foot high it was no go - luckily there was another allotmenteer there having a bonfire and once he stopped laughing he let me out.

Now thats funny. Never done it but I did once lock my keys in the car......... with the engine still running!

we'll never do that, as neither of us drive!

(Ian's first post - all the rest have been by Laura whilst I've been digging out knotweed!)