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Post by serrakunda on May 5, 2014 12:37:23 GMT
Just been up to our local may day festival and it seems that our local allotment site has a number of vacant plots. I've wanted one for so long but a bit worried that I don't have the time to commit to it. I think I could definitely manage a couple of hours on Thursdays and Fridays, and some time over the weekend if Simba will play ball. Simba will be at scouts from Christmas which would give me two hours on a Monday. I was thinking if I jumped in now whilst there are the plots I could start off small and build up as Simba starts with scouts and secondary school and I get a bit more time, the plots might not be there in 18 months.
Feel quite excited about it, we are going along on Sunday to have a look and see what's available, and have a good think about it.
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Post by moo on May 5, 2014 13:16:05 GMT
Oohhhh serrakunda how exciting.... I am a dreadful gardener but I have got the boys into it coz they love food esp veg.... So we are planting out runner beans,broad beans,peas,cabbage broccoli & courgettes.... Plan on doing carrots later & butternut squash.... A lot can be planted out without growing on first in May / June for a later harvest apparently.... Bet all ours die coz I'm so useless... I think we will need a veg plot blog between us.....sounds really good fun....
oohhh keep us posted xx
xx. moo. Xx
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Post by cowgirl on May 5, 2014 16:53:20 GMT
Hi could you ask for a half plot ? Our allotments had a long waiting list so they split the ones they had to meet everyone's needs Mind you I've not been to mine and I've had a notice to quit if I don't pull my finger out. My excuse is I had a race this weekend so I am back to my half plot during the week. Goodness only knows what awaits me ! My mum reckons plant spuds for the 1st year to break up the ground and a few strawberries & take it easy. Let us know how you get on
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Post by sockthing on May 5, 2014 17:58:24 GMT
We don't have an allotment but have a little veggie area in the garden, and we found courgettes really easy to grow and fun too because of their massive yellow flowers. I a m a useless gardener too - I just plant stuff a bit haphazardly and hope for the best.
We did well with carrots last year too...they were a bit deformed but tasted great and it got kipper eating carrots for the first time!
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2014 19:15:24 GMT
Think a half plot would be a good start as a whole one would require quite a lot of work/maintenance.
I've never grown veg before, despite being quite a good gardener. Both my parents were avid gardeners so I suppose I learned a lot through osmosis and just picking things up from them, but I've never had a go at veg because of always being away for the whole summer and having to get someone to take over for 6 weeks isn't really possible. The only veg I've grown are chillis as I can take them to France with me in the car, sad I know but I can't be without my chillis and it's bloomin' hard to get good ones in rural France! I have just bought a tomato plant and a green pepper plant from Tesco's for £1 to have a go at branching out LOL. Ambitious moi! They are on my kitchen window sill and are growing rapidly so I'll have to look at planting them up soon into grow bags or pots or something. Think an allotment would be one step too far for me.
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Post by monkey on May 5, 2014 20:04:29 GMT
How did you get on Serrakunda? Have to say that I'd echo starting with half a plot. It could be quite a good social experience sharing and might give you the opportunity to share watering etc. MMx
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Post by sivier on May 5, 2014 21:50:30 GMT
Sounds exciting - hopefully it's not too much of a walk away, and there's space there for a shed so you don't need to keep carrying everything to and fro.
We have a long skinny garden and I have room raised beds in the end section - I love growing stuff as does AD but I do think the social aspect of an allotment is a real plus.
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Post by serrakunda on May 5, 2014 23:09:07 GMT
The site is close , a half plot would be plenty big enough, there's only so much two of us can eat. Fortunately I'm not totally clueless, I've been very successful growing things in pots but you can control things so much better in a pot, and don't ask me anything about pruning or propagating!
I'd be happy with space for a small greenhouse for salad stuff, and room for soft fruits and a few things like carrots and parsnips, peas and beans, nothing too complicated
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Post by moo on May 6, 2014 6:32:58 GMT
Oohh D'ya know ??.. One thing I know is if you have always 'wanted a go ' then you just gotta!?!? Do it girl.... What's the worst that can happen.... You don't get time & then the slugs will be your new best friend.... I think you will just love it....
Good Luck....
xx. moo. Xx
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Post by moo on May 6, 2014 6:35:55 GMT
Ohh & planted out courgette plants,runner beans & a few broad beans.... Nearly killed me ( couldn't stand up my back went ...ooohh quelle surprise !!) baa & skweek totally underwhelmed after the first few plants Wasn't a huge success....
Xx. moo. Xx
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Post by loadsofbubs on May 6, 2014 12:59:16 GMT
I took on an allotment about 8 years ago, waited ages for it! it was what most allotmenteers would recognise as a half plot becoz they split all the full sized ones when demand became so high. I managed it well until last year when I gave it up. the babies mostly tolerated it and I was able most weeks (in fine weather) to get down every day when needed, am lucky that its only100 yards from my back gate (but considerably longer with a pram becoz my prams don't fit through the back gate so need ot go another way). I was just getting it to a point I was happy with it when I gave it up and to be honest I gave it up becoz it was something I enjoyed with the bbs and I simply lost the inclination to do any vege growing or garden work at all when the ss moved her, am only just now getting back into a mindset where I can begin to put some work into the garden and still wouldn't manage an allotment. but it was fun while it lasted, and there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of eating homegrown stuff, the spuds is the biggest loss from last year, home grown spuds meant I rarely buy shop bought ones now, the taste is so inferior! and sweetcorn, again, no comparison to shop bought. anyway, hope you get one. my advice when starting out is to work backwards when digging, that way you see what you have done and not how much is left to do! and start small, if necessary cover the bits oyu cant dig over just yet becoz it take seconds (literally I swear!) for weeds to establish but years to get rid of them!
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Post by serrakunda on May 6, 2014 14:00:02 GMT
I intend to assign digging duties to a certain hansom young man with whom I'm aquainted
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Post by littlemisscheerful on May 6, 2014 18:24:50 GMT
I had one before the girls were placed. I have fond memories of them playing in the sand pit. My top tip would be to cover the bit that you aren't using with old carpet/plastic to keep the weeds under control. Have a veg plot at home now - weeding is like painting the Forth Bridge!!
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Post by moo on May 6, 2014 18:45:22 GMT
I think the Hansom one will be an Xcellent digger.... Sounds like you've got one.... Well done serrakunda....
Xx. moo. X
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Post by serrakunda on May 11, 2014 14:46:53 GMT
Passed first stage of allotment association vetting process, they have taken my name and number. Have to wait to be interviewed.
We had a little wander about the site. Simba is very excited about the idea but the bridges issue has reared it's head again. The site gate is next to a road bridge over the railway so we had mild hysteria about that. Seems to be satisfied that the actual plot will be nowhere near the track.
Some very 'interesting' people up there, and some very posh sheds, which look more like bungalows
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Post by moo on May 12, 2014 6:35:44 GMT
Good Luck serrakunda & simba....
Hope your call comes soon.....
xx. moo. Xx
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Post by cowgirl on May 12, 2014 8:04:32 GMT
Good luck I'm venturing down to mine today with large slice of fear. I saw a rat scamper through the plot last year & it put me right off. I'm not normally such a townie.
I suspect the grass will be as high as me !
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