What you did on the Allotment today?

...I forked over enough of the plot to plant two rows of spuds. Once forked over, I dug two trenches, planted my seed spuds, watered (not too much don't want the spuds to rot!) & filled in the trenches. Haven't earthed up the rows yet, I'll wait until the plants start to show.

The spuds are 'Carlingford' are were mail order from http://www.kingsseeds.com/index.asp and took just 9 days to arrive after ordering online. 4 kilos ordered, saw 67 potatoes delivered.

Cut a few courgette, picked a few tomatos, strawbs, dwarf beans & runner beans.

Have watered everything on the plot, as, although we have had rain today and it's started to rain again now, I know we won't get enough to make any impact on the long dry spell/conditions we have encountered.

Sat down for a few quiet minutes then got my things togther, and left, ensuring I locked the gates as I did.

Oddly, I never saw another soul on the allotment today, the blackbirds were not interested in the worms I had turned over & the friendly fox didn't show!

Hello Mr Potato Head

I'm new to the allotment world and late starting to plant, but I have put some late carrots swede, salad a few things that I have read about. However in your blog you say that you planted some spuds can I do that its not to late to put them in.

Thank you
amandag

Absolutely you can plant spuds now and they will be ready before Christmas.

Many of the online companies are selling 'Christmas Potatoes' which are basically early salad/new potatoes which have been stored at a constant low temperature, by them, until they despatch them to you. As soon they leave their premises they will begin to warm and slowly start to chit. You do not have to wait for these poatoes to chit, like you would when planting earlier in the season, but many would prefer too see this before planting. These potatoes can be planted straight out into your warm summer soil as soon as you receive them. They can take as little as 12 weeks to mature, but can be left in right through Christmas without any issues.

The thought of homegrown, tasty, organic new potatoes on Christmas day really fills me with joy!

Have a shop around, because the price different between sites can be huge and ensure you check the P&P prices at the same time. Potatoes are obviously heavy, so postage can be expensive.

There are a number of trusted sellers with lots of +ive feedback on eBay selling these, so if your an eBay fan, and know how to 'weed' out the dodgy sellers from the more reliable types, then there are bargains to be had!

'Christmas' Shopping in August?? You ladies should be well up for that! ;0)

A late finish from work means very little done today, as nothing was 'pressing' anyway, I had a good natter with one of the other allotment holders before cutting a few more courgettes (do they bloody grow or what!?!?) and watering over.

ok so who did you buy your spuds from to save me a lot of internet trawling ?

From Kings, see link in second post!

Very little done on Friday, half an hours weeding, harvested dwarf beans and watered.

Then spent some time playing all things 'Lego' with my little lad.

I used my Mantis Tiller for the first time today, I had to cultivate a piece of land 6m x 5m, first making sure the tines were in the correct way round for tilling, yes it does go down a good 10” but I had to stop every 2 minuets to clear stones from the tines as they jammed and stopped them spinning. But after a while this was not a problem as I tried to clear any stone before tilling. After tilling I turned the tines around and cultivated the plot trying to make a fine surface for planting my onion sets. All in all I am very happy with the mantis its is very quiet, did not use a lot of petrol and did a good job.

Picked runner beans, carrots and of course half a dozen courgettes,

Apologies Mr Potato Head, always complaining to my daughter that she doesn't read things properly and then asks silly questions - Touche.
Dave G

Digging over, prepping ground in readiness of transplanting some winter cabbage, PSB, Cauli & broccoli.

Yesterday was a brilliant day in the allotment. Reminded me what it is all about.
I took my nephew with me. He is nineteen and has special needs. We dug up potatoes, beetroot, leek, carrots, snowball turnip, onions and picked the last of the broad beans.
We had an allotment lunch of cooked chicken (not allotment reared) with potato salad with chives and a green salad of various lettuce, spinach, rocket and corriander leaves. Followed by stewed strawberries with yogurt, and rice pudding with stewed summer fruits (strawberry, red gooseberries and raspberries).
We planted cabbages and cauliflowers.
We then weeded until we had nowhere else to put them.

The local manure man then arrived from the stables with a load of muck. I am usually at work during the day so I have not seen the chap before. After a bit chat about the benefits of manure, I gave him some fresh veg. I was very surprised to find out he has never been given veg from any of the 7 allotments where I am now. I almost want to start a "Look after your manure man campaign". I do have to ask myself some fundemental questions, though, when I see how happy I am to see a six foot pile of horse muck. And what's more, shovel it with a smile on my face. My nephew declined that task. Lol.

you're not the only one who gets excited about manure ! I get as much as i need from a friend who has 3 horses,in exchange for lots of lovely fresh veggies !

Hello all including Mr Potatohead
Im lucky enough to own a Howard 350 rotavator which I put into high speed and just flick over the top surface of any free space on my 4 plots it has a similar action to hoeing. I'll put a spring dressing on my onion bed and some fertilizer where I am going to plant the eary cabbage
In the tunnel the sweet peas which I deliberately set late in order to get some top quality blooms for our open day are finding it too warm on the rare occasion when the sun comes out so they will have to come out into the cold frame as will the early cabbage plants.I shall hopefully be putting out the broad bean plants which have filled their 3.5ins pots with roots with the tap root growing out the bottom outside for a few days before planting in the plot The turbo onion sets are now showing 1ins green shoots so they too will be coming outside to harden off for a few days before planting in their prepared bed
All this hopefully after I have spent a couple of hours in the Association shop selling from our vast range of horticultural goodies
Happy gardening
Lottyman

Couldn't stay long today, which was a shame as we had glorious sunshine this morning so just tackled the little weeds around the onions and shallots and gave the row's a good hoe in between, although the onions are looking so disappointing I don't really know why I bothered. Also had another little weed around the fruit bushses as I gave up the other day. Any tips out there for weeding at the base of gooseberry bushes?? Before long I am gong to purchase full body armour!!

Hayley

Couldn't stay long today, which was a shame as we had glorious sunshine this morning so just tackled the little weeds around the onions and shallots and gave the row's a good hoe in between, although the onions are looking so disappointing I don't really know why I bothered. Also had another little weed around the fruit bushses as I gave up the other day. Any tips out there for weeding at the base of gooseberry bushes?? Before long I am gong to purchase full body armour!!

Hayley

Hello all especially Hayley
I am very sorry to hear you are inundated with weeds. To get topside the weed when your time is restricted either use weed killer at the correct time or cover unplanted ground with weed supressing fabriic Do not be tempted to use cardboard or carpet. I know it might sound silly to some people but you will sve time if you allocate more of your precious time to using the hoe. As I have said before hoe all your ground once a week or no more than every ten days. If you have got a good sharp hoe it should take no more than one and half hours to hoe through a full plot of some 300 sq. yds. Let the weeds germinate and grow and it can take one and half hours to weed a row of onions
The onions could be in poor condition because as the onions are very shallow rooting you must be careful not to hoe too deep and when pulling out any weeds do not disturb the sets
Pick a calm day and spray round your fruit bushes with weed killer. As it becomes inert when it touches the soil it will definitely not damage your plants
Invicta is one of the best gooseberry's you can buy and its easy to grow as a half standard. Try putting a high nitrogen feed round your onions to give them a boost but DO NOT FEED THE WEEDS.
Happy gardening
Lottyman

well today I took my 2 and a half year old to the plot for a bit... Cant say i got much done, apart from doing some final prep to what will be my carrot bed, and covering it with some fleece to get it a tad warmer before sowing. (i think my daughter was slightly confused that i was covering the soil with this white sheet-like thing- i told her the soil was getting cold at night, so we should tuck it in to keep it nice and toasty!)
Apart from that and a little weeding, we spent about ten mins playing with one of the friendly local cats that hangs about the allotment, looking at frog spawn and spotting frogs in the pond (in the wild-life area) and counting the fish!
Not quite as productive as I had hoped, but what should I expect with the help of a toddler!

I have two boy's and some days it feels like you acheive nothing with their "help". For me the hardest time is in a couple of weeks when things start going in, the boys get used to where they can walk and what beds they can dig in, then the seeds go in and because there is nothing to see they quite often get trampled on. We have little short bits of fencing we put round things like the asparargus before it is up and I put cloche hoops over things like the rhubarb, before it is up properly. Still it is a lovely environment for them to grow up in, even if it does make it very hard work.

Hayley

Hello again
In your local pound shop you can buy bags of tennis balls which are ideal on the end of short canes placed at strategic points and joined together with string. It should then be possible to teach the youngsters to trample and dig elsewhere
Just trying to help
Lottyman

Hello all I was on the plot all yesterday clearing the last of the brussels etc and preparing the ground for broad beans which are hardening off outside and turbo onion sets which have been started off in cell trays The tatties are sprouting well and will be ready for planting in the next few weeks All the ground is now rotavated and ready for being planted in the next few day depending on our unpredictable british weather.Today I have been to the plot's to deliver more horse do do's and because the weather has been foggy and damp I've been in the poly tunnel setting more early peas in cell trays. Have now cleared all the rubbish and bits and bobs away to the local dump Now thankfully everything is ready to get going proper weather permitting of course
Happy gardening
Lottyman

Lottyman, we need to rename you! I only wish I had the time like you do you are so lucky. You really need to learn how to upload photo's, I would love to see your plot (s). Tumbledown was very helpful with my photo troubles, if you are not sure how to do it. I was thinking of starting a new forum link just for photo's, there isn't enough of them on the site, I sometimes find photo's more inspirational then just written info, just like having a nosey round everyone else plots to see best practise and what looks good, I love it.

I expect you are on the plot, so happy digging I'm back off to work again!
Kind Regards
Hayley

Hello all especially Hayley As I am an old wrinkly of more than 3score years and ten I think I've done my stint of work work and more work I did several years in the mines then worked in electronics before going back to British Coal and when the mines closed I ended my working life working as handyman at a hotel in derbyshire owned by Haddon Estates near Bakewell. I suppose at my age Iam lucky to be reasonably healthy and have got 4plots on a site which I cherish very much and don't regard it as work because I like it so much
Thats the reason I joined this site and decided to pass on my knowledge and experiences ammassed during many years of gardening
I also think that Hayley is very lucky to have a nice family a job and a plot in this very uncertain country which we call home
Happy gardening
Lottyman
PS Been on the plot today to rotovate part of an old timers plot so that he can get his early peas and onion sets in which he has grown on in his greenhouse at home

Hi Everyone.
Lottyman, I think you have misinterpreted me, I did not mean to offend, I was just trying to show admiration at your meticulous planning and organisation. I don't doubt that you have worked hard to get to your four plots, I am just jealous I have about another 35 years before I would be in a similar position, I only hope the body holds up that long and I am in deed very lucky myself.
What brilliant sunshine today it was gorgeous. My first job was to cut the paths, I always make sure I do that first as it is my pet hate when paths aren't kept maintained. Then I sowed Coriander, Carrot, Parsnip and some little Gem's, only a row of each as I will successionally sow more. I also started de runnering (not sure that is a technical term) the Strawberry plants, which should have been done in autumn and are in a bit of a mess.
When I came in I found the King Edwards on the door step, so I will get them chitting tomorrow.
May the Sunshine continue
Hayley

Hello all and Hayley
I didn't take offence from any comments at all I was just trying to put the record straight to show that I like millions of others used to work for a living.
Anyway back to the plot I was up there Saturday digging all round the soft fruit and turning in the potash and manure which I applied a few weeks ago.
To keep good quality strawberries always try and transplant only the runners next to the mother plant making sure to remove the dead or diseased leaves.A good way to clean up your strawberry beds is to while they are dormant cover with dry straw and set fire to it. I use a sheen flame gun BUT ONLY IN WINTER WHILE THEY ARE DORMANT.
An excellent variety is an ex wimbledon strawberry called topper which makes big lushious fruit and are excellent doused with lashings of nestles milk. can't wait. Always try and replace strawberry plants after 3 years by setting new runners preferably in the autumn
Happy gardening
Lottyman
PS Wife is taking me to see her sister today Wow!!!
I hope to start setting spuds this next week

Hi all
Lottyman, I am glad I haven't upset you. Setting fire to my strawberry bed just sounds soooo wrong I have never heard this before! Every year we have the same problem, they just go crazy and so I am tempted by this plan.
I think I bought a cambridge variety??? (Might have made that up) They are lovely traditional strawberrie and very prolific, some days last summer we were picking 12 lb of fruit. I do know you have to change every 3 years, but to date have no real system in place. As I said I am currently tidying them up, so am I right that I should only keep the runner right next to the plant and if there are additional runners of that compost them? Do you put your runners directly where you want them or do you bring them on for a while in a pot?
Any Strawberry advice welcome before I tackle them this week.
Hayley

Hello all and Hayley
The strawberry is best grown in double rows so that it is easier to cover when fruiting. Your plants at this time of year should be showing new growth. Be ruthless and remove any dead or diseased rubbish and dispose of it Any weak or sickly looking plants get rid of them too. As I have said elsewhere its not the right time of year for runners if you are short of plants replant any runners that have rooted keep them moist and fed and you will get a good fruiting plant NEXT YEAR. I think that Hayleys variety is a really good old one called cambridge favourite and is one of the early fruiting varieties. Feed with potash and keep netted when ripening also keep the slugs at bay. The blackbirds go mad for the red fruit.It is now possible to buy a yellow strawberry but as yet I don't know the name
Note.
Near the end of fruiting make the soil soft round the plants,then when the runners grow just peg them down with a bent piece of wire similar to granny's hair pin and when they have rooted severe from the mother plant and plant in A NEW ROW.
Happy gardening
Lottyman

Hello all
I am out this morning repairing a friend's greenhouse then hopefully after lunch start setting the early spuds in (can't spell potatoes ) My earlies are Arron Pilot which always do well on our site
Happy gardening
Lottyman

Thanks for the advise, the kids are visiting their Nan's at the weekend, so hope to get the strawberries sorted then. Cambridge favouite, I will have to remember that! they are usually at their peak the 3rd week in June, I always net them, although there is plenty to share with the birds. I made some lovely jam from them last year.
Thanks again
Hayley

Hello all
Have now got Arran Pilot and Kestrel Potatoes planted,shallots turbo onion sets which were started in cell trays are now planted as are broad beans. Kelvedon wonder peas set 4 to a cell in cell trays are growing away nicely and will be ready for hardening off this weekend. The fruit is now all showing leaf. There are Apples
Lord Derby and Russet, 2 plum Victoria, Green Gauge variety not known plus black currant red currant gooseberries and strawberries and rhubarb and raspberriies
I realise it sounds a lot but my wife's sister makes delicious jam, we make wine and when I have given some fruit to fellow allotmenteers less fortunate than me I soon get through it. The biggest job is harvesting
My house has a cellar which is full of old wine racks which I acquired from the hotel were I used to work and there is now plenty of space to fill hopefully with this seasons crop ( mainly black and red currant) Raspberries go in the freezer
Happy gardening
Lottyman