New Allotment

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dobby

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New Allotment
« on: September 17, 2006, 10:21 »
Hi All
We to are getting an allotment :D  we are going down to the site today to see if we can catch her,
We have seen 2 that we think are avalible one has lots of seetcorn the cuple with the one oposit siad the man that has that one has been taken ill, so it has just come avalible
The other one has lots of BIG weeds and has not been used for 9 years so a lot more work there

If we do not see her today we will ring her tomora and hopefully get to see her Wednesday

Will let you all know how we get on wish us luck :D
Take care, keep safe n may your crops grow strong!
Dobby
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/spiritwolf

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dobby

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New Allotment
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2006, 20:00 »
We managed to find the coucil liason, a lovely lady who immediately took us over, showed us the plot and basically said its ours if we wanted it!!!

The plot wasnt the one we thought, but the really overgrown one next to it, but does have a small shed, a pond, 3 paths and a fine crop of weeds! We looked at it, thought for all of 2 seconds and said yes!! She said she'd post us the paperwork, but we could get started whenever we wanted! We dont have to pay rent until April (until then it is free as the previous tennant had paid up for the year before letting it go), nor the £5 a year subs til then either!

Anyhows, we rushed home, got changed, grabbed spades, forks, wellies n the camera and spent from 2oclock clearing the paths and beds of the tallest crop of weeds I've ever seen! There's a couple of piccies below of what it was like before we started, and in the next post I'll post a couple of what we managed to get done!




I could get lost in here!

I got a shed!!

Sue wondering where to start!

There's a pond in here somewhere!

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GrannieAnnie

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New Allotment
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2006, 20:48 »
Well, congrats Dobby and Sue.  That'll keep you busy over the coming winter months!!!!

Lovely weeds!!!!

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John

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New Allotment
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2006, 20:49 »
Fantastic - you both look so happy :)

It's hard work but worth it - thanks for sharing with us and keep us updated.
Check out our books - ideal presents

John and Val Harrison's Books
 

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lentil987

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New Allotment
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2006, 22:03 »
How exciting, its nice to get it now because you have all the fine days between now and spring to have it ship shape.

Just take it a bit at a time
Every child is born a naturalist. His eyes are, by nature,
open to the glories of the stars, the beauty of the flowers,
and the mystery of life.  
-  R. Search

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milkman

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New Allotment
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2006, 09:59 »
I can see already that you will be harvesting rhubarb next year! - well done on acquiring a shed and a pond and a bird box in one hit - all useful assets on an allotment plot - the jungle indicates that you have wonderful fertile soil underneath, so good luck with the clearance operation and keep us posted with your progress :)
Gardening organically on chalky, stony soil.

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ytyynycefn

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New Allotment
« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2006, 10:44 »
How exciting - you must be so chuffed.  Love the leaded window in the shed  :lol:   I'd recommend a machete!

Mel

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noshed

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New Allotment
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2006, 10:52 »
Looks great - a proper allotment
Self-sufficient in rasberries and bindweed. Slug pellets can be handy.

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Mrs Dobby

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New Allotment
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2006, 19:40 »
Thanks for the lovely comments and well wishes from everyone, they are appreciated! The shed needs some work, and the pond clearing a bit, but underneath the weeds the soil is escellent, really loamy and quite loose, not too compacted at all!

Ok, I was going to post this yesterday, but didnt get chance, so heres a few piccies of what we managed to get done yesterday, in all of about 4 hours!! Mind you, gotta say tha back is aching now! lol!


Aha! There's a path!


Take that you dirty weeds!!


End of day one!


Composting nicely!

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mum of 3

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New Allotment
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2006, 08:14 »
well done to the both of you.We only got ours back in April and have had a real good growing season.keep chipping at it and you'll reap the rewards.the most important thing is youve got the enthusiasm

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Mrs Dobby

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New Allotment
« Reply #10 on: September 21, 2006, 20:36 »
Thanks mum of 3! We are pretty enthusiastic, can you tell??  :D

We were back down on the plot again yesterday, we got access to the plot at 11am (they havent had any keys cut for us yet and are still waiting for some to come in from those who have surrendered their plots, so we were a little hamstrung), and stayed til about 230pm, when we went off to get a gate key cut (took 3 attempts to find a key cutters who had a blank in stock and were open!), so we can now get on anytime we want!

We got about the same area cleared again, so just under half the plot cleared of standing weeds, the shed and rhubarb are fully visible now!!  Not bad considering we've only really had 8 hours down there so far! Wish we hadnt had to go out last night, as we'd have stayed til it went dark, but its probably a good thing as it stopped us from doing too much and not being able to move today! (I can feel the muscles in my back, legs and arms, surely this gardening must be doing my fitness levels some good! )

Mr Dobby is off tomorrow (lucky beggar), tho the house is such a bombsite that I think he is going to be spending most of the day tidying up (yep, he is very well trained! lol! - Actually, I work about 55 hours a week - if you include travelling - and he only does 3 13 hour shifts, so gets 4 days off a week, so he has much more time than me and doesnt mind doing the washing and tidying for me, bless him!), but he may well decide to take advantage of the good weather and get off down the plot instead! Whatever he decides is up to him, tho I do know he is chomping at the bit to get down to his plot!

Sorry no piccies to post, I forgot the digital camera (oops!), but will take some on Tuesday (my next day off) both to show where we are up to and how much we get done then!

Both still thoroughly enjoying it, the sense of acchievement when you look and see what we have done so far is great! May even have to persuade hubby to take another plot when we have this one sorted out! (Well, gotta figure a way to keep him busy somehow! lol!)

Anyhows, more to follow as we progress further!

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Zak the Rabbit

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New Allotment
« Reply #11 on: September 22, 2006, 13:17 »
Fantastic! Well done...but dont overdo it! you dont want to end up flaked out with a bad back.


Its got brick paths! real paths not grass and mud! and that rhubarb looks like a prehistoric forest. I can see you having some smashing crops for spring, still time to get a few in you know.




Martin
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")
the rabbit of caerbannogg

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Mrs Dobby

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New Allotment
« Reply #12 on: September 22, 2006, 20:13 »
Brick Paths? Only one I'm afraid, the other 3 are wooden edge with carpet or wood under the weeds, but the structure is there, so once its clear a good layer of bark chippings (free on the site) should give us an easily managed plot!

Flaked out with a bad back? Well, we are progressing nicely, and both want to get it clear and organised, so I guess we are a little overehtusiastic, but theres no way either of us will let the other reach a point of exhaustion or injury, rest assured there!

We were back down there tonight for another hour and a half (I got out of work early after starting early), and have managed to clear most of the larger standing stuff, found a couple of beds of spuds, lots of strawberry plant (lovely strawberries, really sweet n juicy) and a cold frame too! (needs some glass to cover the top).

As to planting for spring crops, what would you suggest? We are hoping to plant some garlick as soon as the first frost has come, but have no idea what else we could plant for overwintering, so any ideas / advise / suggestions would be very well received!

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Zak the Rabbit

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« Reply #13 on: September 22, 2006, 20:21 »
wow, must be like an expedition, all the groovey stuff your finding!


Ive put in spring cabbage, spring onions and carrots. Been in a couple or so weeks but im sure they can still go in. The carrots are Nantes Frubund, a really early one, meant to be ready in march before any others.

Going to do some garlic myself i think. It will have to go where the onions have just been, but thats the only spot left. Besides i just love garlic...




Martin

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noshed

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New Allotment
« Reply #14 on: September 22, 2006, 20:43 »
You can sow broad beans soon and early peas apparently. Also if you look in the seed catalogues there's salad leaves like mizuna and things which will grow over the winter.
I've bunged in anything which says it will grow quickly on the packet - kohl rabi, early carrots (parmex I think) turnips, beetroot. This is on the basis that they'l be edible before it gets cold. Don't know whether this will work but nothing ventured nothing gained.



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