In the deep dark north, however last few winters have been quite mild/late
Post your allotment!
- Thread starter tres
- Start date
Are you planning to plant anything other than beetroot?
Next question - compost
Do you use the container composters? Does anyone have a big open compost pile? We've got a lot of green waste after the initial clean up and have chucked it all in a corner. I'm wondering if that's enough to compost down over the next 9-12 months. Should I cover it with tarp over the winter?
Do you use the container composters? Does anyone have a big open compost pile? We've got a lot of green waste after the initial clean up and have chucked it all in a corner. I'm wondering if that's enough to compost down over the next 9-12 months. Should I cover it with tarp over the winter?
Soldato
- Joined
- 16 Aug 2009
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Kind of have a different problem down here on the south coast can't really grow much compared to how things used to be mainly due to lack of rainfall in the summer used to love growing blackcurrant, redcurrants but its pointless now as they just gasp for lack of water and die. Veg is similar unless theres some kind of irrigation system in place its just too dry everything just fails. With the exception of lettuce give them a good soaking once a week and they come on very nicely. Runner beans too but they require semi permanent irrigation with a seep hose hooked up to a watering timer. Otherwise you're just wasting your time. When i was a kid used to grow all sorts but its just impossible now, rhubarb, forget it! Summers have gotten so much dryer than they used to be and winters so much milder (and wetter).
It will rot but its better if you organise into proper compost containers doesn't have to be anything special old pallets will do just line with board or cardboard or something to close up the gaps. Separate bins will mean you can separate material i.e. this years, last years. 9 months is a short time to produce decent compost if its a hot heap it will do that but most amateur heaps rarely get enough material for that. Generally speaking the larger the heap the quicker/easier is to compost small containers usually dry out too fast personally I have an active heap that contains this years material and a second heap that contains last years at the end of this year last year's heap will get dug out and spread on the garden after two years its very dense, dark material almost like potting compost. This years heap will get turned out into the now empty, other heap and then covered over with its basically like the heavy rubber you use to line ponds with but something dense and heavy like old carpet will do and then simply left to do its thing, tarps will flap around in the wind and are less than ideal. Basically you want to keep the moisture in or the top will dry out and not compost properly, same goes for any gaps in the sides/front.
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Associate
This is my allotment as of this afternoon
It's not a pretty allotment (it's not one of those Instagram allotments where everything is pretty and neat without a single weed), but it produces enough food for us to eat something all year round.
I've had an allotment of some sort for 12 years, starting with a tiny plot measuring 12m x 5m and eventually worked up to this. I've had this plot for 2.5 years and there's still some areas I need to work on and decide what I want to do with.
You can still sow some spring greens for next year. You may be able to get some fast cropping salad crops for a harvest later on this summer, but you need to get those into the ground quick. You can also plant some onion sets and garlic early autumn which will be ready early next summer.
It's not a pretty allotment (it's not one of those Instagram allotments where everything is pretty and neat without a single weed), but it produces enough food for us to eat something all year round.
I've had an allotment of some sort for 12 years, starting with a tiny plot measuring 12m x 5m and eventually worked up to this. I've had this plot for 2.5 years and there's still some areas I need to work on and decide what I want to do with.
You can still sow some spring greens for next year. You may be able to get some fast cropping salad crops for a harvest later on this summer, but you need to get those into the ground quick. You can also plant some onion sets and garlic early autumn which will be ready early next summer.
My little plot is going well, spent a lot of time clearing the weeds, rebuilt lots of the planters, laid some weed suppressing membrane and going to chuck a few ton of gravel in the paths
Thanks very much for all the advice. Planning to add compost and then start to plant for next year.
Thanks very much for all the advice. Planning to add compost and then start to plant for next year.
Soldato
I wouldn't gravel the paths personally. Just leave as is.
Over time you will get a buildup of mud underneath the gravel. Then stuff can grow.
Mine looks like yours does now. Quick brush down couple of times a year and all the dusty mud is gone.
Start collecting all your compostable from home. Tea bags, banana skins are two of my favs.
If you find after year 1 your not getting good crops might be worth a PH test.
Is that a pile of old wood at the end? If your not going to use it bury it in the beds at least 30cm or so down. It will decay over a number of years. It brings a lot of positives to the beds.
Or go for a single Hugelkultur bed.
en.wikipedia.org
Over time you will get a buildup of mud underneath the gravel. Then stuff can grow.
Mine looks like yours does now. Quick brush down couple of times a year and all the dusty mud is gone.
Start collecting all your compostable from home. Tea bags, banana skins are two of my favs.
If you find after year 1 your not getting good crops might be worth a PH test.
Is that a pile of old wood at the end? If your not going to use it bury it in the beds at least 30cm or so down. It will decay over a number of years. It brings a lot of positives to the beds.
Or go for a single Hugelkultur bed.
Hügelkultur - Wikipedia
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Soldato
Hi guys, finally managed to clear a bunch of weeds from my raised beds (busy year!). Anything good to plant out now?
I hadn't considered leaving it as is. Makes sense. Quite satisfying giving it a little brush this afternoon and it's neat again.I wouldn't gravel the paths personally. Just leave as is.
Over time you will get a buildup of mud underneath the gravel. Then stuff can grow.
Mine looks like yours does now. Quick brush down couple of times a year and all the dusty mud is gone.
Start collecting all your compostable from home. Tea bags, banana skins are two of my favs.
If you find after year 1 your not getting good crops might be worth a PH test.
Is that a pile of old wood at the end? If your not going to use it bury it in the beds at least 30cm or so down. It will decay over a number of years. It brings a lot of positives to the beds.
Or go for a single Hugelkultur bed.
Hügelkultur - Wikipedia
Good thought about the wood. That's the old planters etc. Most of it is soft and rotten. Will add it to the planters!
Soldato
- Joined
- 16 Aug 2009
- Posts
- 7,902
You could try with a late crop of lettuce or radish anything quick growing
Chaps,
I have some 5x2 treated timber, and I'll have a bunch of corrugated roofing sheets. I went over to the alottments earlier and it looks like someone has strimmed down and tidied up what was a 9ft mess. I am thinking I make some boxes and "frame out" the growing areas.
Any tips on what to then do, to get it ready for next year?
I have some 5x2 treated timber, and I'll have a bunch of corrugated roofing sheets. I went over to the alottments earlier and it looks like someone has strimmed down and tidied up what was a 9ft mess. I am thinking I make some boxes and "frame out" the growing areas.
Any tips on what to then do, to get it ready for next year?
Soldato
Looks like someone has taken over the unused plot 
I had a chat with the neighboring plot (by chance) which is meticulous . I said we'd rented it but it was too much atm with the house repairs going on etc, and the state it was given to us in was a bit much. I have a feeling they asked on our behalf (no compo face but my wife was about to burst and my 4 yo was running riot).Looks like someone has taken over the unused plot
Going to get my wife to drop an email to say thanks and see if they come back with any noise.
Man of Honour
I’m nursing this thicc boi but the vine is struggling so probably won’t get much bigger than the current weight of around 40-50Kg.
These were quite early too:
These were quite early too:
Man of Honour
Cover it for the winter and forget about it. Come spring time you should have clear ground. If you dig now you’ll end up with a load of seed throughout the soil which will be difficult to control next season. I find with the no dig method that any weeds that do take are relatively shallow rooted and easy to control.