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Post by cheerypeabrain on Dec 1, 2008 21:00:01 GMT 1
Coo Ali...that looks fantastic. Is it far from where you live?. I'd love an allotment, but I think I'd need OH to be on board.
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Post by Bennetts on Dec 2, 2008 10:11:12 GMT 1
All the best on your new venture, at least water shortages will not be a problem and the ground should be very fertile.
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Post by alicat on Dec 2, 2008 22:55:54 GMT 1
Hi all 4P – Hope it didn't keep you awake most of the night like it did me. :  No of course I don't mind, all ideas gratefully received. Already ahead of you for checking out skips, ;D had my eye on one down the road with loads of wood in it, and today brought back floorboards that we can use for path edges and maybe raised beds. ( probably have to waterproof them.) Also brought back a double glazed window for a cold frame lid. Boy was it heavy. They also said I can keep going back to get anything else I would like – wow how lucky is that. ;D I also know a place that sells manure for 50p a bag. (storing no problem.) The children scheme sounds interesting I will have a look out for it, although they are quite interested in sowing their own veg already just don't like following instructions. : They love the pond though so thats a good start with nature. Don't think I should get any plants yet but thanks for the Tip, I would really like some fruit trees/bushes eventually. Sorry If I sounded despondent, but i'm all fired up again now  (see below.) Hi Mrs B, keith and The witch – The location is great and very tranquil. I bet you are all jealous of the pond.  ;D But it will be the last part of the plot to have a face lift. All ideas very welcome though. Keith given half a chance i'm a big kid at heart.  The witch - thank you so much for the link, looks like a pain but not too bad. ( 80 years though and it could still spring into life.  ) Hi Cheery Only five to ten minutes walking from home which is great and there is parking too if I need to take stuff down. It would be a lot harder if I didn't have Rob to help but not totally impossible as there are lots of people on the site and some have offered help already. - Go for it, get your name on the list. Thanks Bennetts – No, no shortage of water and we have a tap on site if needed. I hope the soil is fertile too. After a lot of tossing and turning in the night we got the keys yesterday morning  Then straight to the plot armed with my goodie bag of food, hot flask etc.( Plot 24 btw.) Rob and I measured up - 55ft x 25 ft. which is just a bit smaller than our garden. - wow. It was blinkin cold and thank goodness I'd taken Karen's advice and put plenty of layers on. Rob couldn't stay long - work beconned., but I stayed on and dug out a fair area of weeds roughly 10ft x 5ft. Found some Rag wort, I know this is on the top ten list of nastie weeds. But how do I get rid of them ? All the rest were general weeds. Before rob left we manage to check the area over again and to be honest it doesn't seem as bad as first thought. There is a lot of clay, total opposite of our garden, so digging is very hard work, ( 2 hours was enough.)  Before I left, I sat down for a cup a soup and looked over our plot - it was so peaceful and 2 robins had a fight over the ground I had dug. - Wonderful and bliss.  |
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Post by floweringcherry on Dec 2, 2008 23:07:03 GMT 1
What a lovely post Ali - as you say you are all fired up again. I had an allotment for 4 years and loved it, but life took over and I had to give it up.  When I took it on, it was shoulder high with weeds and the Marestail was dreadful. BUT I really got some good crops ;D . After reading your thread, I googled about plots in our area, not sure if I could cope with it. Just a thought at the moment. You will love it. I did ;D |
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Post by roan on Dec 2, 2008 23:11:16 GMT 1
Sounds like you are in Heaven Ali!
I take it you didn't get the snow that others like 4P said they had?
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Post by alicat on Dec 2, 2008 23:21:11 GMT 1
What a lovely post Ali - as you say you are all fired up again. I had an allotment for 4 years and loved it, but life took over and I had to give it up. When I took it on, it was shoulder high with weeds and the Marestail was dreadful. BUT I really got some good crops ;D . After reading your thread, I googled about plots in our area, not sure if I could cope with it. Just a thought at the moment. You will love it. I did ;D Thank you FC, I really struggle to write when the children are around so i'm really pleased it came across well. I thought you'd had a lottie before, something in your post before made me wonder. Why not put your name on the list you never know things might change. Rob put our name down last year, I was uming and arring back then. Still wondering if we have time now but if we don't give it a go we will never know. It's almost like being on holiday. |
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Post by alicat on Dec 2, 2008 23:26:15 GMT 1
Heaven at the moment but ask me again when i've been digging for a week. - And I was digging yesterday in snow but it didn't settle. Much to my childrens disappointment
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Post by floweringcherry on Dec 2, 2008 23:29:10 GMT 1
What a lovely post Ali - as you say you are all fired up again. I had an allotment for 4 years and loved it, but life took over and I had to give it up. When I took it on, it was shoulder high with weeds and the Marestail was dreadful. BUT I really got some good crops ;D . After reading your thread, I googled about plots in our area, not sure if I could cope with it. Just a thought at the moment. You will love it. I did ;D Thank you FC, I really struggle to write when the children are around so i'm really pleased it came across well. I thought you'd had a lottie before, something in your post before made me wonder. Why not put your name on the list you never know things might change. Rob put our name down last year, I was uming and arring back then. Still wondering if we have time now but if we don't give it a go we will never know. It's almost like being on holiday. I did love my allotment, started with a half plot and then made it a full plot. I loved it, but it was all down to me. OH did help me clear it and after that I did it all. At the time my children were young, they used to love coming down and built a camp in the surrounding trees. I used to go down when youngest was at Playgroup everyday and water, weed etc. I was working evenings at a residential home and it all worked well. I then started working as a gardener with my SIL and had some clients of my own. I just couldn;t cope with it all so the lottie went. I'm toying with the idea, but I do know the work involved and I am a few years older now. : |
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Post by alicat on Dec 2, 2008 23:48:54 GMT 1
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Post by floweringcherry on Dec 2, 2008 23:56:11 GMT 1
Well done, you'll be amazed how quickly you can get it sorted. Love the wellies ;D
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Post by madonplants on Dec 2, 2008 23:58:13 GMT 1
What a lovely post Ali - as you say you are all fired up again. I had an allotment for 4 years and loved it, but life took over and I had to give it up. When I took it on, it was shoulder high with weeds and the Marestail was dreadful. BUT I really got some good crops ;D . After reading your thread, I googled about plots in our area, not sure if I could cope with it. Just a thought at the moment. You will love it. I did ;D Thank you FC, I really struggle to write when the children are around so i'm really pleased it came across well. I thought you'd had a lottie before, something in your post before made me wonder. Why not put your name on the list you never know things might change. Rob put our name down last year, I was uming and arring back then. Still wondering if we have time now but if we don't give it a go we will never know. It's almost like being on holiday. When I realised the waiting list for the ones around here were over 5 years, it put me off even putting my name down. Still think I should, but what if we move again, though hope we don't! Just seen the new pics, you've done well already. Soil doesn't look too bad, does it? What have you dug in? There looks like a baby gorilla in that wire container/compost bin? I'll get me coat, shall I? |
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Post by emseypop on Dec 3, 2008 14:11:43 GMT 1
Great news Ali, i hope it all goes well for you, all those fresh veggies, will you still grow some at home, or will there be more room for plants in the garden now |
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Post by alicat on Dec 6, 2008 15:32:52 GMT 1
Hi all Sorry I haven't been on for a few days, been busy doing xmas shopping. anyway just to let you know we have all just got back from the lottie  we had a great time ;D and have dug over about a third of the plot now. Also marked out where the greenhouse and shed will go. Even the kids had a great time. Must go now, will post pics as soon as I can and reply to the above messages. Take care all. A.x |
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Post by madonplants on Dec 6, 2008 18:29:55 GMT 1
Hi all Sorry I haven't been on for a few days, been busy doing xmas shopping. anyway just to let you know we have all just got back from the lottie we had a great time ;D and have dug over about a third of the plot now. Also marked out where the greenhouse and shed will go. Even the kids had a great time. Must go now, will post pics as soon as I can and reply to the above messages. Take care all. A.x WOW!!! You have done a lot already. Did the kids help? |
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Post by karenwl on Dec 6, 2008 19:51:09 GMT 1
 you are cracking on well done x
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Post by alicat on Dec 10, 2008 1:05:53 GMT 1
Hi, sorry I didn't get back the other night - things just took over. :- [ Anyway here are a few more photo's of the plot, well what we have dug really and all the sticks are the markings for the shed, greenhouse and path. I know you can't tell much from the photos (sorry) but it gives us a sense of size and space that we can work from. The ground is really heavy and in one area almost clay, about 2 inches below the decent soil. Oh heck. ( although at least clay holds the nutrients in, but of course poses a problem with drainage.) Of course We will have to build this area up, which we intend to do using all the compost we have in the back garden. ;D it won't go far though.  - Anyone with suggestions for making clay soil work to our advantage, would be very much appreciated. I have also heard of Gypsum which breaks down clay soil - has anyone tried it ?   Lastly this is a clay model my daughter made with the clay dug up from the plot. ;D - not sure what it is though.    I reccomend an allotment to anyone - Yes it is hard work but it's well worth it in so many ways. ;D Happy A.x |
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Post by Sleepy on Dec 10, 2008 10:31:50 GMT 1
You're doing well Ali ;D
I hope you will let me come and see it next year.
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Post by alicat on Dec 10, 2008 11:00:59 GMT 1
Thanks Sleepy and of course you can come and see it next year, bring your wellies and a spade and you can help dig. ;D
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Post by madonplants on Dec 10, 2008 12:09:48 GMT 1
I have used Claybreaker here and once before, when we lived in Whitstable. It helps, but doesn't cure. It's not a quick fix, but does help the texture of the top few inches of soil, without affecting the pH of the soil. After you dig, sprinkle it over the top and give it time to work, though the frosts will help with that as well. The more compost/manure you can dig in, the better the clay will be, but you know that, don't you?!  |
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Post by bogmyrtle on Dec 10, 2008 12:21:54 GMT 1
Wow Ali, you have done a lot already, well done - not one to let the grass grow are you! Perhaps the animal could 'guard' your greenhouse? Sorry I missed you when you were on earlier. |
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Post by alicat on Dec 10, 2008 18:10:32 GMT 1
Sorry FC that I didn't reply the other night bed called. I can see why you miss it, lots of happy times and my kids would love to build a camp, not sure if they will be allowed though but we shall see. - have you got any photo's ? I'd love to see it. If you have got a little more time on your hands, go on Put your name on the list, you might be lucky and get one that doesn't need quite so much work done to it. And if you change your mind you can always say no. We only had a week to decide if we wanted this one after that they move onto the next person on the list, so you won't be keeping anyone hanging around for long. Good luck. Hi Keith Five years seems a long time, But it's surprising how many people give up because they find it too hard or just haven't got enough time. The sooner you put your name down the closer you will be to getting a lottie. And if you move (hope you don't) you can just take your name off the list. We haven't dug anything into it yet just got the weeds out and turned the soil.And no the kids didn't help with the digging it's too heavy for them at the mo. It does look a bit like a gorrila doesn't ;D ;D Thanks Em's Not sure if we will still grow at home, Rob is thinking of turning the bottom of the garden back over to the kids.
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Post by alicat on Dec 10, 2008 19:01:30 GMT 1
I have used Claybreaker here and once before, when we lived in Whitstable. It helps, but doesn't cure. It's not a quick fix, but does help the texture of the top few inches of soil, without affecting the pH of the soil. After you dig, sprinkle it over the top and give it time to work, though the frosts will help with that as well. The more compost/manure you can dig in, the better the clay will be, but you know that, don't you?! I was wondering if we dug down to the clay and sprinkled some on, it would help to break the clay down and so aid drainage. the soil on the top (A good spades depth in places) is really very good. I'm hoping these frosts are working there magic. ;D Shame it's too hard for me to dig though. |
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Post by alicat on Dec 10, 2008 19:12:58 GMT 1
Wow Ali, you have done a lot already, well done - not one to let the grass grow are you! Perhaps the animal could 'guard' your greenhouse? Sorry I missed you when you were on earlier. Thanks BM, I just wanted people to know it's mine all mine. ;D ;D Sorry I missed you too, I read plottys thread then had to get on and do jobs. |
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Post by madonplants on Dec 10, 2008 19:33:56 GMT 1
I have used Claybreaker here and once before, when we lived in Whitstable. It helps, but doesn't cure. It's not a quick fix, but does help the texture of the top few inches of soil, without affecting the pH of the soil. After you dig, sprinkle it over the top and give it time to work, though the frosts will help with that as well. The more compost/manure you can dig in, the better the clay will be, but you know that, don't you?! I was wondering if we dug down to the clay and sprinkled some on, it would help to break the clay down and so aid drainage. the soil on the top (A good spades depth in places) is really very good. I'm hoping these frosts are working there magic. ;D Shame it's too hard for me to dig though. I've only used it for the soil on or near the surface, not sure how it would work further down. It's not subsoil you are getting further down is it? I presume you are doubledigging the plot? I only used the Claybreaker here, and the previous place, as I had to dig the plot over with limited resources, so the manure went further down (one to two spades depth) and didn't have enough to put a layer on top. On the top I left it rough and sprinkled the CB and over the weeks it certainly improved things. Don't forget though, I was doing this, when the frost wasn't going to be as hard, so used the CB instead of allowing the frost to do the work! Hope that makes sense! |
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Post by debbiem on Dec 10, 2008 20:04:13 GMT 1
Love the clay model! Well done Ali, you've done so much already! |
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;D But it will be the last part of the plot to have a face lift. All ideas very welcome though. Keith given half a chance i'm a big kid at heart. 
) 
When I took it on, it was shoulder high with weeds and the Marestail was dreadful. BUT I really got some good crops ;D . After reading your thread, I googled about plots in our area, not sure if I could cope with it. Just a thought at the moment. You will love it. I did ;D 
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