Joe Swift and his allotment

[Potter]

After reading this thread I had to go watch it on iPlayer (not in on a Friday to watch GW). I quite enjoyed it myself, though mostly through noticing the observations grapes had made . It seemed very important to him to produce a 'designed' allotment I think (and quite a lot of pressure I would have thought too), rather than listen to the advice given. A shame really, I would love the plotholder of the year to come visit me!

I do kind of understand where he's coming from though, I had loads of ideas to make my plot original - some of which I realised where quite impractical thanks to comments from the 'old boys'. The point is I listened to all the advice I was given, some I've chosen to ignore (time will tell), some I changed slightly, some I followed (like changing my WHOLE rotation plan). I ALWAYS say thanks as I never want them to stop giving me advice even if I want to do things my own way.

Saying that though, I'm not totally sure how practical triangle beds will be!? Interesting though!

[TPeers]

bet the corners dry out fast!

[smallblueplanet]

I wasn't so keen on JS' attitude towards the old boys either - either do it the tried and trusted way and be happy with it, or do it your own and accept that people might be interested in what you're doing, and may just think you're a bit mad. Whining and b**ching about people who have a lot more experience than you sharing some wisdom with you just seems impolite and childish.

I'm a big fan of Monty Don though. Don't know enough to rate him as a gardener, I just want to make him a nice big mug of tea.

Thats what I meant to say!

I like Monty too - he's a male Carole Klein, lots of enthusiasm, but a better communicator I think.

Don was the first amateur to front the show and there were rumblings about his lack of horticultural training which swelled to a chorus of disapproval. "The fellow can't garden," grumbles Peter Seabrook, veteran garden writer and a former Gardeners' World presenter. "He's got no qualifications and he gets up there and tells people how to do things." Older, traditional gardeners and commercial nurserymen hate the fact that under Don's influence, Gardeners' World has gone totally organic, eschewing bedding plants grown in peat, for example, and banning all chemicals. "The majority of people want to use Growmore and slug pellets and they're made to feel like criminals," said one. Garden writer Val Bourne defends Don's stand. "He's absolutely with the Zeitgeist," she says, "a campaigner who champions natural gardening as a sensible way to protect the planet. People are very unfair to him: he has energy and real edge and that's important in a tough medium like television." The Times's Stephen Anderton describes him as having "huge professional flair".

Monty's world - Times Online

"The key is balance," he says. "Nature will always win, so it makes sense to work with her, rather than against her."

[HeyWayne]

I never realised it was called "cooch" grass, I thought it was "couch" grass, as in couch potato.

Speaking of couch potatoes, anyone know if they're 1st's, 2nd's or mains?

I enjoyd the programme for what it's worth.

[FoxHillGardener]

I enjoyed it too. It's meant to be "here's a newbie starting his allotment". He's entitled to do it in his way, as are we/you on ours/yours. He may well have made a mistake by chopping up all the couch and mare's tail, but who can say they've never made a mistake? Likewise, if he wants triangular beds, then that's his choice, if he finds they don't work he can change them. Or be stubborn and not, but that's his choice.

It's not meant to be an expert showing you the way to do it, that would be a completely different programme - perhaps more along the lines of last year's Grow your Own Veg with Carol Klein.

As for choosing his site, I've seen threads on here before about how to pick which plot you want and not necessarily go for the first you are offered. He lives in Hackney and is going up to Enfield as he didn't like the Hackney sites he was offered. Enfield is further out of town, less densely populated likey to have more available sites. Seems fair enough to me. I know it's annoying for those who have long waiting lists for the sites accessible to them, but as Safia says, that's not the case everywhere.

And anyway, Joe's many years on a waiting list would make pretty dull telly wouldn't it

[piskieinboots]

Totally second FoxhillG

[Geo]

It's not an allotment it's a stage set..

I wouldn't mind being paid by the BBC to tend my plot

Geo..:

[Arachne]

And anyway, Joe's many years on a waiting list would make pretty dull telly wouldn't it

I dunno, it'd be an improvement on Big Brother and the like

[allotmentlady]

lottie

I switched off when the digger came out...........its not a real portrayal and this show has lost me as a viewer. Did you hear him say 'old boys', ????? Swift needs to go to a real allotment site and see the women who work a plot.

Please Director General of the BBC, give me lots of cash to make my lottie look supreme and tidy!!! Diggers............next he will have an army of people building everything for him, wonder who will tend to it, when he is off filming, probably some monkey from the BBC........

Tis not a true representation of a proper lottie holder.

[petal]

It all seemed a bit too good to be true to me, people helping you with wheelbarrows, lockers to store your stuff in, a friendly council delivering things on time?? Give me a break!! I do look forward to seeing the mares tail strangling his silly triangles and will be very suspicious if it doesn't...

[yoanbob]

Hmmmm.
for what its worth my plot is less than a minute away!
but I dont have any old boys and I really wouldnt know how long the waiting lists here are as my plot is offically classed as "garden" by the council.
The triangle beds looked good but arnt raised beds supposed to mean you dont step on them and compact the soil? Isnt that the point? so how will he weed the middle bit?
my council wont send me a skip so I can remove the old falling down and dangerous buildings, nor will they collect the aspestos sheets that are too big for the car.
free compost???? free scraping????? I know it happens in some places, I'm just envious.

[slooky]

am watching gardeners world and was paticularly interested in the allotment feature. however where i am out in the country (5 min drive but would not bike as up a big hill) we get no water, no scraping off and our local timber merchants do not give away wood i do pay a minimal rent though. cant wait to see what his kids feel next week mine hate going to mine bored in 5 mnis

[Headfry]

!!!!!...... " and it's not just because I am with the BBC" how out of touch do they think we are!!! once I heard that....well I just could not take it any longer.
Did he do any work on his plot??? nice to have water so close!!! cloches for triangular beds??? what to plant in the corners? oh please.....no more I just cant take it ;-)
"and it's not free just because we are the BBC"
Pigs at two o'clock ginger ......rat a tat tat

[piskieinboots]

see - it is my understanding that Joe put the idea to the Beeb and he is funding* it and I think there is a touch of meaness going on here. If you notice he doesn't often even have a camera-man, he is self-filming**

True that his beds are a little odd, I laughed so much when Lottie-Man-Of-The-Century said 'St. Geoff's beds were 4 foot for a reason' ROFL.......
......however, remember that Joe IS a garden designer, he can't help bringing some of himself and his 'day work' into the plot and again - why shouldn't he!

Good luck to you Joe



*true he will be able to claim it against his tax bill and that is how it should be

**wonders if that is legal

[smallblueplanet]

......however, remember that Joe IS a garden designer...

...and therefore knows little about growing stuff!

What a wasted opportunity from the BBC, no doubt they felt we needed yet more examples of where 'controversial' and adverserial' are what tv programming is all about!

You're welcome to him Piskie - I wish the Beeb had chosen his mate Cleeve to do the programme we might have had an enjoyable programme and something interesting to watch.