My New Allotment

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dickpiggot

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My New Allotment
« on: March 05, 2007, 12:29 »
Hi All, - got my first allotment on Sunday so very green to all this - Ive just got a few questions if anyone can help me out...

It was cultivated last year - there is a dark raised bed in the corner with what looks like rhubard unfurling from it - is it Rhubard? isnt it a bit late for that?

There is also a line of what looks like chard - very shiny thick leaves in dark green and browny red???- with red stalks that looks like mini rhubarb- leaves 6-8 inches, any ideas if it is a chard of somekind?


There is what looks like a huge pumkin rotting in the middle of the site - can i fork this in or should i remove it?

The site is grassing a little - say 25% of the coverage_would you recomment rotorvating or digging ?

sorry so many questions but im aware i am running out of time for this year!

Dick

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WG.

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My New Allotment
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2007, 12:34 »
Welcome Dick and congratulations on your lotty.

Rhubarb : sounds right.  You'll know for sure in a couple of weeks

Chard : also sounds right - probably Ruby Chard

Pumpkin : compost or dig it in since I doubt if seeds will be viable

Grass : trench dig or stack to obtain loam.  Healthy debate on this thread: http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=2833

Also short on time so will watch out for more questions.

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dickpiggot

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« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2007, 12:42 »
Thanks for your swift reply W_G!,

all good advice - so Rhubard is still coming out then?

I will eat the chard tonight - however i might try a little at a time just in case- as for the grass im sorry - i dont know what trench digging or stacking is!- but it sounds harder work then rotorvating!

cheers Again

Dick

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WG.

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« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2007, 12:55 »
Quote from: "dickpiggot"
i dont know what trench digging or stacking is!- but it sounds harder work then rotorvating!

You did ask what I'd recommend  :D  :D   I don't like to rotovate since some of my best friends are invertebrates.  Chopping a worm into pieces doesn't multiply them.  :cry:

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milkman

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« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2007, 13:17 »
hallo dickpiggot congratulations on getting your plot - ditto what W-G says re identifying your plants, compost the pumpkin remains.  

Roy on our site has only just started picking a very early variety of rhubarb, mine isn't even peeping through the soil yet!

If rotavating's what's gonna get you ready for growing go for it - my choice would be to dig the site over thoroughly - it's a good way of getting a feel for the soil that you'll be working with - and to stack the grassy clods into a pile.  Soil may be too wet at the moment for doing anything useful though, in which case get stuck into making and starting to fill a compost bin and sowing seeds at home!
Gardening organically on chalky, stony soil.

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lucywil

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« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2007, 13:51 »
you are not running out of time, we didn't get our plot until may of last year andwe managed to grow loads of things last year.

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little sweetpeas

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« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2007, 14:02 »
Congratulations on getting your plot

I got my plot Last month i was worried about running out of time but my plot was in a worse state than your and I've almost cleared it all. I didn't need to worry as I'm told but the other plot holders and on this forum that April/May is when growing really starts.
Try my best to be Organic but don't always make it

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dickpiggot

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« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2007, 14:03 »
Thanks for the info milkman, and the words of encouragement lucywil

I will wait my turn for the Rhubarb, and it looks like I might have to dig it over afterall! I just reak the trhead that W-G sent me and it all makes sense - I think i might go for the trench dig option _ then cover areas im not using with black plastic.


Lucywil - i see you are in Peterborough but use the Lincolnshire Imp as your pic...Im originally from Bourne - do you know it?


Thanks guys

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lucywil

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« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2007, 14:09 »
Quote from: "dickpiggot"



Lucywil - i see you are in Peterborough but use the Lincolnshire Imp as your pic...Im originally from Bourne - do you know it?



I was born in Lincoln and moved to deeping st james with my mum when i was 14, then moved into peterborough as an adult. mum is still in deeping, i know where bourne is but have only been a couple of times.

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dickpiggot

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« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2007, 16:57 »
Ahh Bourne and Deeping St James - Great Soil!

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ytyynycefn

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« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2007, 19:57 »
Welcome to the forum, I'd echo all the above advice too.

You've got loads of time yet - I got "allotted" a bit of wasteland last April, and we got plenty of veg off it last year - still eating the spuds, peas, squashes and runner beans now  :D

If you dig it, you'll be able to pull out any perennial weed roots, rather than chop them up into little bits (which will each become a new plant) by rotavating.

I used to live in Harpenden (but I'm better now  :tongue2: ) - where's your lotty site?

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dickpiggot

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« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2007, 11:10 »
Hi, Thanks for that (is your username welsh?)

My allotment is on the Piggotshill site - lots of stones in the ground, and a bit of clay apparently, but i might start slowly and just do a third of the site this year

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greenbean

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« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2007, 13:32 »
Hi Dick, I'm a newie at piggotshill also, You will know who I am as I will prob be the one hows making a hash of it :roll:

But I do have very high hopes and lots of enthusiasm.

Good luck and see you up the lottie.

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Aidy

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« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2007, 13:43 »
Quote from: "greenbean"


But I do have very high hopes and lots of enthusiasm.


and thats the magic bit to a succesfull plot.
Punk isn't dead...it's underground where it belongs. If it comes to the surface it's no longer punk...it's Green Day!

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slow_worm

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Re: My New Allotment
« Reply #14 on: March 06, 2007, 13:48 »
Quote from: "dickpiggot"
Hi All, - got my first allotment on Sunday so very green to all this - Ive just got a few questions if anyone can help me out...

It was cultivated last year - there is a dark raised bed in the corner with what looks like rhubard unfurling from it - is it Rhubard? isnt it a bit late for that?

There is also a line of what looks like chard - very shiny thick leaves in dark green and browny red???- with red stalks that looks like mini rhubarb- leaves 6-8 inches, any ideas if it is a chard of somekind?


There is what looks like a huge pumkin rotting in the middle of the site - can i fork this in or should i remove it?

The site is grassing a little - say 25% of the coverage_would you recomment rotorvating or digging ?

sorry so many questions but im aware i am running out of time for this year!

Dick


I took on my first Lottie in Feb too!  I found some spuds left in the ground, some spring onions, leeks and Rhubarb too which I have split into smaller chunks and replanted.

I was going to remove the spud sas they are all slug-ridden and frosted
There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature? the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter. -   Rachel Carson



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