Crest fallen newby

Newby,

When I had my original allotment, the site with the body in that was all over the papers a while back (Wife went missing in West London after taking her kids to school and body found burnt on an allotment site - five plots up from mine!!) , the old boys used to say things like that for fun. I had the self elected committee tell me that at 25 (which i was at that point) i shouldnt have an allotment - it was for OLD PEOPLE!!

I seem to remember telling him to go forth and multiply (just not as politely - they were weary of me. They knew I worked for the council, just didnt know what I actually did. They also knew I worked with all of the council staff who controlled/owned the allotments. When they used to visit they would all come and see me and have tea and have a laugh - which urked the old boys who thought they actually ran the site, not the council!!) and he said the similar thing to me about planting out at this time of year. He came back and complimented me later on for the crop, which he was dultifully reminded was planted out "early." Needless to say he stomped off with his tail between his legs.

Sometimes people are vindictive for the sake of it. What does he have growing at the moment?

Keep your spirit up, ask him what he thinks you should be doing at this time of year. You could always plant a few out as a test and hold some back. You have to work out if he's being nasty or genuinely concerned.

Learner,

Totally agree but my original site was like someone had taken all the grumpy old men, dodgy old geezers, a couple of dope smokin jamaicans and dropped them all on one allotment site - then that was our site and the moanin was unbelievable!!

Coltar, wait until you get to the 'Youse' stage    I really hate that one and its used around here far too often, usually by people who never did figure out what school was for.

As for when to plant, all experienced gardeners became experienced because we all learned through the 'what not to do again' school of mistakes. My old alma mater