Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Chatting on the Plot => Topic started by: New shoot on December 31, 2017, 18:36

Title: Pre-season prepping
Post by: New shoot on December 31, 2017, 18:36
I made a start today on getting ready for the new season.  All labels washed and as I got a handheld label printer as a pressie earlier in the year, now sporting smart printed crop names.

The whole seed box has been gone through and I've done the lot for the year.  I'm now cross eyed and have button pushers syndrome but they are done  8)  :wacko:  :lol:

The theory is I now don't buy more seeds as that means making more labels - hmmmmmm  :nowink:

There are still pots to wash and loads of other stuff, but I feel somewhat more organised  :D

Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: Christine on December 31, 2017, 19:12
Excuse me - organised? What are you going to do tomorrow when everyone else is recovering from tonight's partying?  :nowink:
Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: New shoot on January 01, 2018, 11:43
Excuse me - organised? What are you going to do tomorrow when everyone else is recovering from tonight's partying?  :nowink:

Why do you think I picked yesterday to do it  :lol:  I am actually fine as no mad partying here, but I did stay up to see the new year in, so a leisurely start to the day has been good  :)
Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: JayG on January 01, 2018, 13:33
Lots of organised thinking but almost no discernible action.  ;)

After a year nearly under weed control fabric (reckon the foxes partly responsible) I've decided my very overgrown Fargesia needs more decisive tactics to get rid of it and plant something better behaved in the rather large space it finished taking up.

Cue much armchair research into mattocks - the one I've chosen appears to be capable of doing the job almost on its own. We shall see!
Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: Aidy on January 01, 2018, 15:00
popped on the plot earlier to have a butchers and then came back inside as the rain came, may make a start next week in the greenhouse, seeds have arrived so need to pop to the fed office to collect next Saturday morning. Once the kings have arrived the decs come down and my grow tent will be up (much to the Mrs anger) and I will be sowing the superhot chillies.
Before we know March will be here!!  :(
Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: Yorkie on January 02, 2018, 20:56
I made a start today on getting ready for the new season.  All labels washed and as I got a handheld label printer as a pressie earlier in the year, now sporting smart printed crop names.


Ooo, get you!!  :lol: :lol: /notjealousatall  ;) 8)

My exciting planning has consisted of research on the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) website on the changes to the data protection regulations.  As we hold individuals' details for our allotment association, we have to be compliant with the new rules - which includes formally deciding the basis on which we hold the data, and obtaining consent where necessary for certain communications.  Hence an amended membership / renewal form is needed before we reopen at the end of this month.
Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: snowdrops on January 02, 2018, 21:24
Get you Newshoot, is it a Brother labeller? That’s what I’ve got & I intend to print & create the labels & put them with the seed packets lol, intention doesn’t always lead to completion though. I then thought I’d write date sown in pencil on the other side & keep a diary of seeds sown,pricked out etc
Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: New shoot on January 03, 2018, 11:06
Get you Newshoot, is it a Brother labeller?

Yup - got it last birthday and while it wasn't the most exciting job, it made use of a winter day.  I've got them rubber banded into sections that correspond with my seeds - beans & peas, cabbages & greens and so on.  I even did multiple ones of the types I have on the go over the season like beetroot.

There's no stopping me this year  :lol:
Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: sunshineband on January 03, 2018, 19:29
Crikey, I can just see it now New Shoot... anything that stays still too long will sporting  posh label within seconds  :lol: :lol: :lol: Actually, it does sound rather good tbh :D :D

I spent a quiet day yesterday pondering the next crops in our existing polytunnel and the as-yet-to be purchased-let -alone-erected second one, then working backwards to decide when to sow each of these. I aim to only grow enough plants for the space we have, rather than dozens and dozens of tomato plants that get squeezed for space before it is time to plant some out and then try to give the others away  :lol: :lol:

On paper it looks very workable, and should fit in around our early year absences for holidays etc too, hopefully without dooming any seedlings to sitting in the propagator on the windowsill for too long after they have germinated or needing too much watering to be undertaken by neighbours either

When my brain recovers, I shall finalise the sowing/planting timetable for outdoor growing over the two plots, that I started a couple of weeks back.

I do have nice clean labels but none written yet :wacko: Pots are washed and sorted, trays and modules at the ready and seed sowing mix in the greenhouse to warm up  :D :D
Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: Christine on January 04, 2018, 13:30
Well I do have a generous container full of leaves donated by the family who wanted to get into their rented garage. Not going to be good for this year but come 2019 ..

I also have some chives in small pots on the window sill getting their feet down and shoots up ready to go out in March - seems to be a chives shortage on my plots.

Today will be a look at the seed box to see what else needs an early start - though up here in the north east wilderness March is very early.
Title: Re: Pre-season prepping
Post by: rowlandwells on January 04, 2018, 20:15
lit the greenhouse stove got it nice and warm and spent the day in the greenhouse as I'm not aloud to sort out or through away any old pots or plants I'm aloud to clean down the benches wash the pots under a watchful eye and stoke up the fire  :D :D

so I decided to sort out the greenhouse radio well one has to get ones priorities rite haven't they  because the plants seem to like classic FM but as soon as my O/H comes in the greenhouse its curtains for classic FM and back to radio2 i ask you is there any justice in the world or in this case in the greenhouse

so i looks like greenhouse duties for several days getting everything spick and span for the growing season

have already sorted the seed box out and put the seed packets in order of sowings dug up the dahlias out of the allotment bed and need to tidy them up and keep them frost free till they start shooting