Was thinking of starting a blog

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Bumble,

[QUOTE=BumbleB;458778]Hi Suzanne, thanks for that. I had come to the same conclusion. When we look at our photographs from last summer we cant quite believe it is the same garden.

Lol, yep, can totally agree with you there! Looking back 2 1/2 years ago to the 8' of weeds, brambles, bindweed, thistle, nettle and mares tail that we took on it hardly looks recognisable as the same plot now!

Our efforts are purely a home garden with a small veg plot and we know that we will never be as successfull as 'proper' growers and allotment folk but never the less if we are able to look back at our records regarding sowing and growing and alter plans in future years as neccessary.

Nonsense! The size of your veg plot doesnt mean you cant be as succesful as anyone else, even those with multiple plots! All it means is that you wont be able to grow quite as much of everything, but on the plus side it will allow you to spend much more time on what you do have, allowing you to keep it in a much tidier condition and to raise the absolute best plants and crops that you are able, whereas those of us with larger plots have to contend with so much more growing space that we find it difficult to keep on top of the weeds or to lavish as much attention on individual plants as you can! At the end of the day its horses for courses, a smaller veg patch can still allow you to grow decent crops, whereas a large plot may allow you to become virtually self sufficient for veg for most of the year!

The question is, will the blog on the grapevine be the right place for this or should I start it on blogspot or blogger?

Its really up to you where you want to host your blog, it depends on whether you want to keep it within the vine and thus are bound by their T&C (plus the fact that in the (very unlikely) event that the grapvine forum ever closed, then your blog would disappear with it (although the same could happen with any hosting body), as happened with another forum I used to frequent for the Canon Eos cameras!)

Hosting it with an outside 'free' blog provider does give you full control of your blog, and means that you can share it more openly, but in the last analysis, tis down to you to decide for yourself! We use Blogspot, which is fairly easy to set up and customise, but thats only personal preference!

[BumbleB]

I think I will keep it on the vine for now as the vine covers every subject that we are likely to write about as in veg and flowers and preserves, wine making etc.

I didn't mean that we would not be successful in our efforts but that our efforts would be smaller than allotment folk - you put it much better !

Thanks for all of your info and I will see how I progress with my log and if and when there seems to be enough info etc I may well go for a full publish, lol

BTW, your site is looking great.

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Bumble,

I think I will keep it on the vine for now as the vine covers every subject that we are likely to write about as in veg and flowers and preserves, wine making etc.

Sounds like its gonna be a useful place to visit, do you mind if we post a link from our blog?

I didn't mean that we would not be successful in our efforts but that our efforts would be smaller than allotment folk - you put it much better !

Lol!

Thanks for all of your info and I will see how I progress with my log and if and when there seems to be enough info etc I may well go for a full publish, lol

BTW, your site is looking great.

Lol, thanks for the compliment, our aching backs are testament enough to how much work we've been putting in! Mind you, I sometimes despair of trying to keep the bark chipping paths weed free, they are forever sprouting mares tail, thistles and dandelions, but we will endeavour to keep pulling them up! Lol!

Went to the plot after work today to plant out some more pumpkins in the bed Lee had cleared today, got there to find it looked like it had snowed, the field next to the plots belongs to a school that is currently closed (it wont be needed for the next 5 years or so they recon), and its not been cut at all, so is absolutely full of dandelions, and the seeds have all blown over and landed all over our plots! Grr, looks like we are going to be facing a lot of hoeing and weeding for the next 7 years!!!

Have to say I love what you've done with the garden, nicely laid out, well designed and the hard landscaping looks like it is going to make it easier to manage, well done and please continue to share just what you're up to with it!

[BumbleB]

I think I have learnt to keep it updated. It was a lot to remember the order of things from July. Our backs too are suffering, its an uphill struggle.
I had always fancied a allotment and my son (WiZer) maintained 2 plots. But for me, I most wanted a multi use garden that I could grow veg in, entertain in, sit and gaze out to sea, read a book on a rainy day in the summerhouse and grow pretty flower beds. We hope to get going with preserves etc later in the year (OH is a retired chef lecturer) and also some winemaking (OH is expert wine drinker !! ).
I will post some more pictures to show what veg we have growing so far and if you wish to link the blogs that would be fine.
Good luck with those dandelions - would a sprinkle of salt stop them germinating??