[Parsnip]

Am I the only one

This is a long post - prepare yourselves...


I took on my plot at the end of October, it was hugely overgrown (not been used in 15 years, so I've been told by the site secretary)..but they cleared it of the brambles and long grass etc and the rotovated it for me. ( NOT GOOD)

Then came Christmas and the new year. Some of you will remember it was a quaqmire, so I had to wait for ages for it to dry out.

I kept popping up, cos I was so proud that I'd got myself a little plot . The plot holder next to me, an elderly gent who is lovely...had been up and turned his over at least twice in that time


 But is was so wet, but not as wet as mine

I've got to know him and he's been keeping allotments for years - in fact he was the site secretary of his last one, until he moved out to the village.

Well he's the " professional gardener" that's what us newcomers call him. His pile of weeds.. couch grass etc is a perfect oblong type shape

I've had to ask him what most of it is, hadn't got a clue..I sure know what Horseradish looks like though...I could start a business on the back of it

I couldn't get up to my plot to work on it cos of a horrid lurgy bug and of course time has dragged on..me and hubby have been working hard to at least get the honions in and the first earlies.

So at the weekend we managed to get them in, despite the fact I'd been waiting for a trailer load of manure to be delivered for four weeks.

Well, we went up last evening only to find that some of the plot holders had had there manure delivered .....oh deary me, mine hadn't been, of course it blooming hadn't. I'd not left enough room for it

I assumed that a trailer load of poo, was a back of the car sized trailer load of poo..oh NO  it's a farmers trailer load of poo.. It's enormous!!!

That'll be all over me onions and spuds then

Anyhoo, I got to speak to the farmer as he was leaving today ( I've been up a few times to catch him ) and he said he'll drop half a load for me so as not to cover my darling new spuds and honions.

Even worse...    It seems I'm going to have to bin all my seedlings, I was so chuffed when they started coming through..I go in every day to look at them..

'They've germinated, I must be something right I thought to meself'..


then I saw all the piccies and posts about the toms and stuff and thats exactly what mine look like

It's a huge learning curve I know and I love my lottie, but I'm feeling so overwhelmed.

I just felt the need to blow this off more than anything, I think...........


Snippy xx

[Aunt Sally]

Don't worry too much snippy just learn and progress.  None of us were born knowing how to do gardening.  I've been doing it for 40 years and I'm still learning !

[jonny_tinslecat]

chin up there, all gardening is a battle agains nature - but you seem to be doing fine so far - just stick with it!

have you thought of just stockpiling the muck until next year, or even just mulch around your seedlings when they get a bit bigger?

just think of all the goodness thats in the manure, and the good it will do your allotment in the seasons to come, it'll be worth it in the long term!

[SnooziSuzi]

Don't worry about it... chill.... 

At the end of the day, you need to do your plot they way you can manage and to the best of your ability so don't worry that your seedlings are leggy; you could always sow more and don't feel guilty that others have dug more than you have; as long as you do what you can without excuses then who can say that you aren't doing enough

:happy:

[madcat]

Am I the only one   It's a huge learning curve I know and I love my lottie, but I'm feeling so overwhelmed. 

No - its not just you!  Honest!!  I'm starting year 2 with half a lottie and my toms are leggy and my courgettes wont germinate and dont mention the rabbits and the pidgeons! Or the <bleep> snow. Deep breath, good nights sleep and it will feel better.

The idea of stockpiling the muck you cant use this year is good - it wont go wrong and you can use it to mulch during the year or dig in next. 

And remember - if you were perfect you would be just soooo scary!  :blink: Human is good, we can cope with human  ... feline is better still, but they dont see a lot of point in veggies!   

[peapod]

Its your plot Snip,YOURS,and theres no need to worry about everyones elses seedlings or set-up or time or anything thats not YOURS.  Believe me,I was downhearted last year too..I (and not everyone will agree with me) made the mistake of bunging stuff in willy nilly and have paid for it this year by trying to get it set up as quick as possible. Bad mistake for me. Youve plenty of time, its yours for life, a few months is neither here nor there

[poultrygeist]

We've been failing to grow much of any worth for years on and off. It's brilliant !
This could be the first year I actually do most of it half right. Mainly because I've stopped being scared of it all and am just going with the flow. If it all dies, it all dies. We'll just sow somethign else and hope to get something edible between the weeds 

There is a lot of pressure to be seen to be doing it all by the book but see this year as a bit of fun while you wait for the manure to bed in a bit for next year. just do enough to keep the others happy.

Rob

[Trillium]

Every experienced gardener can tell you that they first had to write the book on how not to do things first, which is how we all learn the right way. Don't be dispirited Parsnip. Things will work out. If your plot is still soggy then perhaps you should be considering raised beds or mounded beds for better drainage (no lumber involved, just heaping). And there's still lots of time to start new seedlings. As for bad timing on things, we've all be there, experienced or not

[DD.]

I've PM'd you!!

[crowndale]

I did that with the pooh last year.  i'd built an impressive 3 part compost bin and then (fortunately for me just in time) got the advice that the trailer wouldn't be able to drop anything into them, it needed to be an open pile.  ANyway, I still have a pallet bin for the pooh but an enormous pallet bin that opens out onto the track that runs through the site.  I used a little of it last year on spuds and onions but most of it I just covered and left and this year the stuff is beautiful.  but a full trailer only covers half my plot so I'm going with half a plot each year being poohed on!

[sunshineband]

Just look at what you have achieved - onions and spuds in, despite all those set backs,  :)and the friendship of a gentleman on the next plot, who will be invaluable.  :)Manure is coming now, and not a massive trailer load all over the plot either, so that is a good thing. 

As for the seedlings, some of these can be potted on at home and if any get to big, you could share them with the man on the next plot as they won't die/be wasted perhaps.

And of course you have this forum you can turn to  to let it all out

Don't worry, life is sometimes just really overwhelming for everyone and you are not on your own here. Keep smiling and there's time to do it all, just not all at once 

[woodburner]

Oh Snippy, (hugs), you're actually further ahead than me and I've had my plot longer! 

Three main reasons why I am so behind, first I got my plots in a hurry as they were going fast, (I still had a lot to do at home), second I had a very upsetting summer thanks to a mean spirited neighbour who doesn't like cockerels, and last but not least that wretched long wet winter.
Oh and then there was that glass and junk, that set me back about a week, (three visits actually, but that's all I can manage in a week atm).
I've been getting rather stressed over it, and keep having to remind myself, not everything has to go in yet, lots of things can be grown through mulch, and the potato beds don't need to be totally weed free.
Reading your post and thinking about what advice and encouragement to give you has made me realise I can do this, and I know the 'secret'. You just have to keep at it! Sure I've only got the willows and half the fruit bushes planted, but it's still a heck of a lot better than it was this time last year!
I have planted the willows and half the fruit bushes, I have got all the things I need for the fence ready, and the area is all measured and marked out, I have cleared enough for three lazy beds (and more than enough for for sowing artichkes besides), I have repaired a water butt, taken it up there and filled it, and I have a leaf bin half full (they've sunk of rotting leaves) and a tool chest.
Sure I have a list just as long of things that should have been done at least a month ago, but it's not the end of the world, I can do them. Next on the list is to plant the blackcurrants, (I've already dug the holes) move some more of a big pile of earth to fill in a depression, so I can plant the last of the rasperries, that will clear the space at home that is to be the onion beds. (I foolishly heeled the fruit bushes in where they would be in the way come spring  ). Then I can make the beds up where I've cleared the ground (easy job without pesky wood ) plant the onions and shallots and crack on with sowing!

We can do it!    

HTH

[Parsnip]

Hubby has been telling me I'm putting too much pressure on myself..

I'm going to chill out ( well try anyway)

Thanks for all the positive replies...it's good to be able to share it 

[Kristen]

"then I saw all the piccies and posts about the toms and stuff and thats exactly what mine look like "

I raise all my plants indoors (apart from carrots) and plenty of my seedlings go leggy, particularly Brassicas.  When I prick them out I bury them up to their cotyledon seed leaves, and then try to give them enough light that they behave and stay stocky!

[gimli]

 :tongue2:hey dont worry im new to my plot only got it last year and im just clearing and doing the best i can.my first tom dident make it either lol.
also dont try to push  yourself to much its your allotment for a long time  :lol:and you have time to make it as you like it.