STW – Garderners and allotment users – Friday chat

Moved into house in November, it's been rain / snow ever since until last week or so. Have now planted carrots, broad beans, onions (all seeds) and garlic in veg patch, really a trial of several things to see what will grow well. Existing rhubarb suddenly exploded from the ground a couple of weeks ago. I didn't know it was there!

Dug in a young apple tree last week (Wheelers Russett) where I had removed a silver birch tree that was attacking the telephone cables above and generally doing far too mcuh growing near the house. Soil seems good at the surface, but within a couple of inches it's thick claggy clay (the stuff that usually wraps around my bike at this time of year!).

Everything else has mainly been pruning and cutting back last year's bushes and plants etc, wondering what is actually in there.

Looking at the weather this morning, I can't believe yesterday I actually cut the lawn!

Really looking forward to "proper spring" and for things to realy start growing.

I've also dug down to create a level area for a paved path next to this bed, beside which will be three small square beds, edged with sleepers, for our two kids (one each)

Don;t use sleepers, the creosote (or whatever it is in them that turns them that colour – some kind of chemical) will leech out and poison the beds.

has anybody seen or heard of a company making smallish triangular greenhouses to fit in a corner?

our little plastic one isn't really that good and i'd like something more attractive.

you can use new sleepers or some recycled ones, a good supplier will tell you which ones are good.

They're new sleepers, so think they'll be ok. They're not really sleepers; they're a square section. I think they're support posts for decking – brother-in-law got them.

Advice please.

I'm sure I heard on gardeners world a few weeks ago that when building a raised bed on your lawn, you can just turn the turf over and start layering your compost, soil and manure on top. Is this correct or will the weeds all just grow through?
The last one we made, all the turf was taken out.

thanks.

As long as there are a good few inches of soil on top of the grass it should be fine. In fact, I'm sure you could just build the raised edges and then dump a load of compost/topsoil in on top of the grass.

Anyone actually used nematode worms as a form of slug control? Or do they unwittingly uleash the forces of evil on some section of nature's harmony?

I just finished the second bed. This one is 4.35m x 1:35m, edged with 15cm 'sleepers'. This is going to be the bed for my two kids and their friends to grow stuff in.

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The path between the two beds had a tree stump in the way, which needed a little gentle adjustment to allow the sleeper to go in straight.

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Playing with axes and spades is fun 🙂

Advice please.

I'm sure I heard on gardeners world a few weeks ago that when building a raised bed on your lawn, you can just turn the turf over and start layering your compost, soil and manure on top. Is this correct or will the weeds all just grow through?
The last one we made, all the turf was taken out.

thanks.

For the time it would take I would dig the grass out, just in case you have any couch grass about.

Boy do I hate couch!

😉

ononeorange – we built a pond, which in turn attracted loads of frogs, these little creatures will naturally help with the slug control.

Thanks Bunnyhop. Already have a pond thanks to previous owner (apparently there are newts and I've already seen a fair few frogs), but definitely have a major slug population too, hence attempts to control them. I don't want to use pellets if I can help it and read about the nematodes somewhere.

we are trying nematodes for slug and cabbage white control this year.

I'm planning on growing some sacrificial cabbages for the whites though as they are rather pretty

We've got a second path in now, and one side of the third bed, thanks to my brother-in-law. It's starting to look 'proper' now.

Now have potatoes, strawberries, onions, garlic, peas, spinach and beans in the ground, and a host of seeds in the greenhouse.

The last of my parnips were dug up and cooked at the weekend, so, so sweet.

We had our first bbq at the allotment at the weekend this year, had a great day, meeting lots of new faces, we cooked bacon baps & chilli jackets, all washed down with some of last years home made Red wine and Cider!

Some other allotment holders cooked some amazing stuff, but we had no complaints and all the Wine and Cider dissapeared 😉

Early peas are going out this week. First crop of rubbarb ready to try.

Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers plants now transfered from my window sills to the polly, first batch of potatoes planted out.

Grape vine has started to bud at last, we planted some more this year, so keen to see how they come on this year. Managed to make 90 odd bottles last year, mixture of red & white. Hoping to improve my wine making skills this year.

Its all loooking quite bare at the moment, but will do some pics to see how it all comes on…

Just a thought, if anyone here has any spare seeds and is looking at do some postal swapping? Drop me an email & I will sort out a list of seeds to swap.

Going low maintenance this year, due to time constraints.

Garlic already growing at an alarming rate, also growing peas again (broad beans get too much blackfly), spuds, onions, carrots, beetroot, spinach and (soon) courgettes and squashes.

Blackcurrants and raspberries look like they're coming back good too.

ski – i'm a little worried as our vine hasn't started to bud yet. It seems very 'crisp' and i wonder if the heavy frosts have killed it. How established are yours?

on the plus side, Peas, Beans, Courgette, Aubergine, Mint, Mixed leaves and Rocket all doing well. Perpetual spinach is still mental, making some amazing curries.

Did you try growing garlic now mrmicheal? Think it was you asked about it before.

yeah, we planted last year and overwintered them. They are going well. I'll take a couple of pics later.

mrmichaelwright – Member

ski – i'm a little worried as our vine hasn't started to bud yet. It seems very 'crisp' and i wonder if the heavy frosts have killed it. How established are yours?

If its established I am sure it will be fine.

Mine vary from cuttings taken last year to an established vine of 15/20 years old which i have adopted, I have 7 different vines planted all over the place.

Done some secret guerrilla gardining of vines last year, on a couple wastland urban sites local to me, which are real sun traps 😉

So far only my 5 year old seedless Lakemont has budded yet, but it is in a hot spot in my garden & gets most of my tlc.

No vine expert btw, its all still quit new to me, but addictive.

yeah, we planted last year and overwintered them. They are going well. I'll take a couple of pics later.

Overwintering has always worked really well for me, but forgot last year and only stuck them in a fortnight ago.

I'm amazed how quick they're coming up now though.

we dug one up by mistake and it was like a fabulously garlicy spring onion. Sadly looks like we haven't grown a variety that produces shoots. mmmmmmmm garlic shoots.

Newest pic:
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More of the rest of the garden on Flickr (click above photo).

I just started growing this year but am a complete novice at it but I will keep on reading!

I did come across this today which made me smile!

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Bugger, just popped to my allotemt at lunch time to water the polly and my shed has been broken into again!

Who said having an allotment was relaxing!

lost my spades & forks and some hand tools this time, but they decided to leave the mower and rotovator?

On a positive note, they did not dammage any of my seedlings or plants, so that was a blessing I guess.

Looks like I will be plodding the car boots for tools again this weekend 😐

Hope everyone here is having better luck with their gardens and allotments.

Commiserations ski on the shed 🙁 the locals round here seem to carry their tools down.

MrMW I got plenty of garlic last year – and it's self sown itself again this year 🙂

ski – that's terrible.

Luckily our raised beds are in the 'secure' back garden and tools all locked in the shed.

Where are you based? If nearby you're welcome to borrow any of mine.

sorry to here that ski

couple of pics:

Onions, Garlic, Red onions, spring onions, strawbs and (not visible but on their way) Parsnips, Parsley and mixed leaves

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Perpetual Spinach, more Garlic, Turnips, Kohlrabi, Carrots (not up yet) and Spring Cabbage

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Peas, Beans, Courgette and Artichoke all doing well in the greenhouse 🙂

Bunnyhop – Member

ski – that's terrible.

Luckily our raised beds are in the 'secure' back garden and tools all locked in the shed.

Where are you based? If nearby you're welcome to borrow any of mine.

Thanks for the offer bunnyhop

I am based in Worcestershire, but should be fine as everyone on our allotment are good for borrowing tools.

That's one thing I love about the comunity you get on allotments, everyone is keen to help in any way they can.

mrmichaelwright – those raised beds look great, turned out well.

Are you using sleepers for the side walls?

mrmichaelwright – Member

Perpetual Spinach,

Wow! What is Perpetual Spinach? Is it sersiouly perpetual? I'm hopefully about to buy my first house with the opportunity to start growing some veggies – and I love spinach (even more than I love celery)

Please tell me that it is a real thing which genuinely keeps going and going? That thought might actually make my day!

ski – thanks, new sleepers were used

Helios – yes, we've had bucket loads of amazing tasting spinach since December

Our veg growing attempts were a bit lame (my wife also had a baby) – just rhubarb, some herbs and apple trees and blackberry bushes left now!

Hard work though – about 0.75 acres of roughish grass to strim/mow and loads of other bits to keep under control. This weekends plan? To use the brushcutter to cut through the brambles to the woods beyond. About 50 yards of cutting needed. Scratched arms and much sweating coming up.

Excellent – that'll be on my list of one of the first things to plant then… Omn Nomm Nomm!

Helios – our perpetual spinach was delicious. Use the baby leaves in salads when it first starts to grow, so sweet and tasty.

Loads of seeds sprouting in our greenhouse now, and I noticed our peas were sprouting in the raised bed when I had a look down last night.

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meet the chickens: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mike_mc/4561316474/%5B/url%5D

just planted out courgettes and first sowing of mange tout and runner beans

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second sowings now in greenhouse

peppers, aubergines and new chillies doing well on the windowsill in pots, artichokes still got a fair way to go before potting on i thing, very flimsy plants.

also came across my first cat shit, got to get me a shot gun

carrots, parsley and parsnips now starting to show their heads

how's everybody else doing?

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Far bed: spinach, onions, garlic, peas, beans, sweetcorn, purple sprouting broccoli, sprouts, squashes
Next bed: our 2 girls' beds, with a mix of the above, divided by kale
Next: potatoes (only just starting to sprout – should they be further on?)
Nearest: strawberries

We had our first harvest this week – salad leaves from the greenhouse:
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Loving having a veg garden!

On a slightly different scale…

I strimmed through about 200 metres of brambles last weekend to get to the woods that form part of our land (previously inaccessible!) – took about two hours with the brushcutter blade (on heavy duty Stihl strimmer). The view from the woods are lovely! Might cut a trail in their too.

Mrs Matt also got the bug and mowed and strimmed the rest of the garden (about 1/2 an acre). Looking lovely now with all the Spring flowers!

On the fruit front – our rhubarb is still okay…!

looking good mt

it seems you are doing what we did last year and growing a little of everything. be interesting to see if you go the same way as us and change to more of less next year