[Tugster]

If you want my advice deezkatz, I would go for gravel. My friend has used bark because it was free but she wishes she had used stones. The bark tends to blow everywhere when its windy, plus it sticks to your boots in the wet and get spread everywhere. I did a job for a mate who owns an aggregate company and he paid me with 2 ton of stone. He charges £25 a ton, so do not buy it from a diy store as it will cost a fortune. Use a company that sells it by the ton.
I never added any extra soil into my beds. I just turned the soil that was there and used a wacker plate to squash the paths before I made the raised beds, making the paths lower than the natural level of the allotment by an inch or two.

I am available for all allotment design and work around the country but I am not cheap
 

[deezkatz]

I am available for all allotment design and work around the country but I am not cheap

lol may take you up on that considering i had to dig out half a car first! then a carpet big enough to cover my house with!!! lol

[Tugster]

All joking aside, I often think about retraining and move over to this type of work. I would love to be given someones project and told "do what you want"

Forget working on Top gear, or being a poledancing employer.

Give me a load of old pallets, a bit of stone, a piece of land and loads of imagination.
Thats my dream job!!!

[peapod]

All joking aside, I often think about retraining and move over to this type of work. I would love to be given someones project and told "do what you want!

Ive got to do this for a primary school in a couple of months, Im scared to death!!

Paula

[Sadgit]

That's fantastic!!!!! Where are the weeds?....It looks really good {{green with jealousy!!}}

I was thinking exactly the same... Mine is totally covered in them again. finding it hard to get to the plot at the moment and with the rain and rain the weeds have taken over... I am so gutted.

[themidnight_rambler]

Sorry to be dim, but what are those tall things by your shed and greenhouse, beyond the tunnels? The ones that are all meshed in!

[peapod]

Tugster it looks fab!

Did you ever figure out what caused the plant damage to your plot buddies stuff? Did they recover?

Glad to see she aint getting you down :-)

Paula

[Tugster]

Those "tall things" that are inbetween nextdoors shed and my greenhouse belong to the lady nextdoor.
At 1st I thought they were comfrey plants, I am not sure now. They could be sunflowers but I would of thought they would have huge heads on by now. She planted them and when they grew she earthed them up. I don't talk to her so I have no idea what they are.

No we never found out what killed the plants on my lotty partners plot. She did replace loads of stuff and its all been fine since.

[Tugster]

I have just realized what you are on about now. The tall plants that are meshed in are Brussels!!!
 :oops:

[rainie]

Tugster, you are a star. What a wonderful set of pictures. Absolutely fantastic and I can appreciate how much hard work you have put into that veggie garden.  And you have now given me the incentive to enjoy my patch at the bottom of my garden, even more. Enjoy your meals.  

By the way, where did 'tugster' come from? Tug of war maybe?

[themidnight_rambler]

I have just realized what you are on about now. The tall plants that are meshed in are Brussels!!!
 :oops:

Thanks! They looked like overgrown savoys and I was beginning to worry about mine!

[Tugster]

The name Tug came from when I was a kid at school, a few girls thought I looked like a chap called Tug off Neighbours on TV.
They started calling me Tug and it stuck from then on and I am 33 now.
Plus it sounds a little tougher that "Paul"

[rainie]

The best names stick when you are a child. My brother is a Paul but is known as Charlie, has been since i called him it when i was 4yrs old.

Keep us posted with your garden, I am off to net my brassicas like yours today, rather than just throwing a net over the top. This is my bravest year in the brassicas. I have never squashed caterpillar eggs with my fingers before - its disgusting.  

[Tugster]

Lets hope the brassicas are still there, I lost all of mine to birds before I started again and built the netting.

[rainie]

Hmm yes, the pigeons stripped my brussells but fortunately i netted them before they took the hearts out, and the brussells survived.  And catching the cabbage white with a net is much harder than i imagined.  :oops: