[amc]

I'm going to be a father for the first time in late September - exicting but scary! The allotment isn't going to get the attention it needs over winter and into the 2009 growing season.

I really enjoy the plot and with Mrs amc's blessing I'll keep it on so the new little un can get into the growing lark, get some fresh air and fresh f&v's,  eat worms etc. But of course its rightly been made clear that I'll not be up there 2-3 times in the week and at the weekends as I'll be doing my fair share of baby duties (green nappies? Yes please!)

So the plan is to put the plot to bed, sorta care and maintence mode, using green manures to keep the weeds down and hopefully improve the soil too. (There are spare plots on the site so I won't be depriving anyone).

I've got agricultural mustard and thats going down as a patch comes vacant, but after 4 weeks or before it flowers and self sets forever this needs diging in. I got a couple kilos of red clover which from an autumn sowing over winters till late spring apparently - sounds perfect. (Both seeds from Kings, v. good price).

What other green manures can you suggest? field beans? What over winters? what do you think of the plan? What age can a child start double digging???!!!

Any advice appreciated.
amc

[Elaine G]

Sorry amc, cannot answer your questions but I would like to add a few more!!

I thinks some green manures are quite hard to dig in  - but which ones?
Not up to much heavy digging!!

Also, some have to fit in with crop rotation, but are  there some that are OK anywhere?
Its all very confusing!

After John's email I thought this might be a better idea than manure.

Good luck with the little one amc.

Elaine

[richyrich7]

I'm trying out different green manures I over wintered mustard last year untill a hard frost got it, that was very easy to rotovate in,

[amc]

Hi Elaine G,

I think that you have to be careful with mustard and following on with brasiccas if you have problems with club root.

I've bought a Spear & jackson brushcutter from argos (only £63) that richyrich7(?) had recommended on here - can't find the link -  which'll chop down anything. I've also use a large much abused petrol rotary lawnmower that I can run over most non-wooody plants upto 18" high - not recomended for your best mower!

The plan is to periodically hire a rotavator to dig the manures back in (as per richyrich's mustard suggestion), my local tool hire place does a great Camon C8 for £30 a day, £45 a weekend and a bargain £70 per week (all plus vat a course).

Oh, by the way my plot is v.light and sandy - its just a mile from the sand quarry! Drainage not an issue, water retention is...

Ta for the baby best wishes, amc

[chickchick]

prob not much help but how about growing something on just half of your plot? its always nice to see something growing (including a baby!!) and you can say in those wintery months, 'gosh look at that now, i planted that b4 baby amc was born'!!!
good luck with plot and baby, you may be grateful for a little time to yourself, peace and quiet and fresh air in the autumn!!  

[cudders]

Congratz first of all  

My son in now just 1 year old, it's amazing how much time you can still get if you plan it properly. I get one hour per day when he's gone to bed and about 4 hours at the weekend. Still managed to get loads in and the plot was ( and still is in places ) overgrown.

Go on, you know you can multi-task!

Cudders

[noshed]

You could just spread manure or compost on a couple of the beds. I did that last year and by the spring they hardly needed digging in at all. (Well not according to me anyway).

[amc]

cheers cudders and chickchick

There are parsnips in so baby amc will have to be ready for pureed snips by april! Plus all the soft fruits and apple trees will still be there. i'm also hoping to get some autmun sown broad beans and garlic in. The willow "dome" is filling out nicely in its 1st year so little un will have shade  next summer.

But its the bulk of the plot that I want to keep under control at least for this autumn- to next spring/summer. I'll keep a few beds reserved as noshed suggests but I know If I can get down for a month in spring for whatever reason I'll be right fed up to find even more weeds than usual...

ta amc

[allotmentnut]

Good luck with the little one.  We are going to be grandparents for the first time in September so are also looking forward to it.  

Luckily for us we will only be doing odd times with the baby so our plot won't get neglected.  We have already planned where her things are going in the shed.  In fact it has just been built and is 8' by 16ft, with kitchen end, logburner in the middle and baby end.  She will spend all the time she is with us on the plot.

We are going to plant a fruit tree when she is born so that it will be her tree and grow with her.  An idea you may also like.

Best of luck with everything and congratulations to both of you

[Little Dibber]

Hi there,

I have baby due at end of August, I have dreams of baby being in papuse and me doing some light activities on the plot (its at the end of the garden so that saves on the travelling).

Mum to be was thrilled with the idea, not sure how the practicalities will be, I guess in January gales we'll all be tucked up in front of the fire.

All the best with you and yours

[amc]

Ta lottienut, i reckon my dad (grand to be) would love to get a tree for the baby, be right time for planting one too and he could make a little plaque for it... tree, not the bairn...

cheers little dibber, noticed your location - think fire would be better bet for January. My mate is buying me a papuse thing (he grew up in Auchenheath, I visited once years ago - small world eh?) I'm also hoping to do some light duites using said contraption but think rotovating may not go down well with mum to be.

all the best to both of you and respective mums to be, amc

[compostqueen]

my lotty neighbour used to bring her baby daughter to the plot regularly, in warm weather that is, and if she woke up she had a blanket spread out for her to lay on. She used to feed her there too.  Her shed had a side lean-to so plenty of shade for the pram etc.  I never heard her cry, she was either asleep in the fresh air or kicking her legs on her blanket. She had a little boy too and a big dog and they all seemed to cope  

I put some manure on my beds over the winter and it kept it in good nick til spring.  My next door neighbour plotter uses winter tares and she rotovates them in using a Mantis

[Oscar Too]

Our son was up the allotment two days after he was born in early October last year.  OK, I didn't get a lot done that day, but he's now 9 months old and we've had our best allotment year ever.

Before he's mobile, you'll be able to get lots done.  You need to be ready to drop what you're doing and feed, change nappies, comfort etc.  but you can still work away. Light duties on the lottie were great for my wife - a nice, easy, satisfying way for her to get mobile and strong again.  She had a big cut, and found it difficult to walk, but could push a hoe (sorry to go all Mumsnet detailed there).

If two of you can go, it's easier.

We planned our work this year really well and it helped hugely.  Got the seed order in and wrote down what needed to be sown and transplanted when, stuck it up on the wall, and used it to keep us going.  Much easier than trying to remember or having to look at a dozen different packets and work out what you need to do next.

It's also really good for baby to be outdoors early - it helps them to learn the difference between day and night, if they're warm enough they'll happily lie there, good for their eyes as they can focus on distant things, and your lottie neighbours will be all gooey-eyed.

On other occasions, as the inevitable stress of the huge changes took its toll, the lottie was a great place for me to escape to.

Life doesn't and shouldn't come to a stop because of the baby.  He came into OUR life, not the other way around.

And one top tip - if you haven't already, buy and read "Sleep" by Beatrice Hollyer.  Our son was sleeping all night by 8 weeks, and now sleeps 13 hours a night, largely thanks to this book.

[owein]

I agree you can still get a lot done if you are organised. I have just come in from a very enjoyable hour of gardening with my new baby daughter (born on Thursday) in a sling. I hardly noticed she was there and the movement kept her blissfully asleep  whilst her mum had a well earned rest

[crowndale]

foster bub was up at the plot at 4 or 5 days old in mid feb!  she was in a pram and well wrapped up,  much easier to manage than a sling if you actually need to dig or do other heavy stuff.  did mean iwas up there at odd hours as trips fit in round her naps, but meant at least a couple of hours a day could be managed.  is much harder though now as i have a toddler too who doesn't sleep and doesn't like being on the soil.  hopefully she'll go home soon though.