Allotment news

Went to the allotment today, as the rain thankfully paused, briefly for us.

Picked a carrier bag of runner beans - they are loving this cool, wet weather, 2 huge courgettes - also loving the weather, but not as productive as I would have hoped, the last of the blackcurrants, 2 heads of brocolli - never had success with summer broc, so very happy with these, they will be eaten with our tea - cod provencal), kohl rabi, a bucket full of tomatoes (some had split due to the rain, they have already been cleaned and cooked down to go into the freezer as sauce) and some spuds.

The spuds are a wash out. I am very disappointed. I really do think that when I planted them in early spring, we didn't get a lot of rain, and of course, we then had a long long dry spell, so they never really grew like mad. Now the rain comes, and it is to late. Each plant is only turning up a few spuds.

I have made a radical decision. There is a rumour that they are going to open new allotments in the village where I live. I have put my name on the petition list. If it has water, and the rents aren't toooo high, I think I will take a new plot. I will keep one of my originals and turn it over completely to fruit, as fruit does great, and I do have 2 lovely apple trees on the plot, and the new one will grow veggies that I will be able to water. Eeek.

Pleased that everything is growing well, thanks to the rain, including the darn weeds. Once the kids go back to school next week, I will spend several days on site whipping things back into shape.

moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic

 

I understand how disappointed one can be with a garden.Yours always does great.I think you changing the gardens might be so great.Having water nearby will help so much.

 

It's been getting cooler here at night so I've been able to get out early in the morning to pull weeds. Maybe tomorrow I will rake them into a big pile. We can't burn because they started a burn ban this week. I hope you get your new allotment with water. It will help for sure to have water. dooley

 

Well your allotment visit had mixed news, EJ. I am very disappointed for you that your spuds did so poorly. Ther chain of events there was similar to the ones here, but much more severe apparently.
That warmish and prolongued dry spell had a negative effect on our spuds here. I dug under the plants a couple of times to check on the progress--the taters count was low and what there was, was small.
On the news there were scare predictions that there would be a potato shortage, so everyone wass already bracing for high prices.
Then rain came and the temps went up and a decision had to be made Leave them in and hope that Phytophthora wopuldn't come with the ideal weather conditions....or lift them and take our losses.
What we did was to remove about 1/3, or somewhat less. And it would be a wait and see stragedy for the rest. If signs of the blight showed itself I could then lift them then.

The Phytophthora never came and more rain fell....I lifted a plant when I wanted a meal with them. This turned out to be the right thing to do for here, as by the time that I finally did lift all the rest of the spuds the plants had many, many more taters on them and they were very much bigger.

You guys there never get as much water as we do here, and that was a shame. Like you said, --it's raining like crazy now...but too late for the spuds.


I know that you are over the moon about your brassicas, innit. Finally some decent success. I think it shows the effect that cooler temps and proper watering has on brassicas.

I was thrilled to hear that there was a rumour about the possibility of a allotment complex starting in your town. All fingers are crossed that there will be water on site. it will make such a difference. Everyone on here knows what a terrific gardner you are....but if there's water on those new plots--you will be super dooper!

It sounds like you have already got plans. When will you hear if it will truly become available? It would be nice if you could already begin preparing the ground for spring planting.
I so hope that it goes well for you.

 

A new allotment...how exciting!! You are going to be very busy next year with 2 allotments to tend to!

 

Sounds great. Can you tell me a little about water restrictions at your allotment? And I'd love some pics of your current allotment, and the new one if it gets off the ground?
Thanks

 

Fingers crossed that you'll get yourself a shiny, new plot to play in. So sorry about your spuds, but it seems the rest of your crops are doing fine though.

 

Year before lastI had way too many of the tiny potatoes so after the summer I just left them under the tree where they had cured. Fall I threw a bit of hay, grass on them. They stayed there all winter. Following spring they start growing and produce new potatoes way before the main garden. Just a thought for you EJ. Hope you get the new garden space and it has water.

 

Thanks for your kind words everyone.

I am delighted with the brassicas again this year as, like last year, I have grown them through black weed supressing membrane and they have done so well. I am sure this is because it keeps the soil damper.

Debbieteale, basically, we have no piped water on our allotment sight at all. Our allotment complex is a small sight of under 40 plots. It is land given to the village by a local and ancient charity and the land, I believe, was once part of the priory whose remains are in our village. Some of the apple trees are believed to be very ancient. The site is also within a protected conservation area and is almost completely rural, surrounded on one side by farm land, and the other by National Trust common land, rich in wildlife including pesky muntjac deer. There is no piped water near our site, so we have to collect rain water - I currently have 7 waterbutts, but can quite easily empty them in one planting and seed sowing session on the spring. There is a small ditch at the end of my plot, fed by a natural spring on the common land, and years ago, it used to flow very freely along our site and provide plenty of water, but over the years, nature and human intervention has lessened the flow, and usually between about April and November, the stream is dry.

I love my allotment and have put in a lot of hard work and time, so would hate to part with it altogether, that is why I think I will keep the plot with the trees and the fruit cage but give up the other plot as there are at least 10 people on our waiting list. However, we have to wait and see what happens with the Parish council about these newly proposed plots. We currently only pay £5 a year per plot and I know of another site a couple of villages along where they pay £30 per month per plot!!!

There is a parish meeting about the proposed plots in September, which I plan to attend, so should have more news after that. Fingers crossed.

 

Wow an allotment close to home is more fun.
We all get washed out now an then. More like all summer here. The grass is so High I cant keep it out.

Good luck on it.

bali

 

Thanks so much for the info.
How interesting that the fruit trees are so old.
Good luck with your plot search.
Our plots her are AU$90 per year. Not sure size though.

 

Who tills the soil for your lots? Debbie?

For the price they should come tilled.

;o) bali

 

I don't really know, but I would have thought it was the plot owners responsibility. Perhaps i should go find out this sort of thing. Interesting question. Do you guys have hard and fast regulations about who does what with your plots?

 

I own a small farm. No plots in our area. Everyone owns a small garden. Well most do.

I enjoy reading about yours.
If a farmer tills your garden you pay him.

Small garden tractors .