Please help cheer me up

[bubblewrap]

Hi Ian,
Winter is always a bad time for allotment holders so don't be put off come the better weather you will soon catch up.
Only been down the allotment once myself since Christmas it's too wet for a start and too cold.
I'm going to buy seed potatoes & onion sets later this week.
But I will not be putting the potatoes out till mid March(earlies)& mid April(lates)
Other stuff I will be starting off in the greenhouse in a week or so.
Don't get down hearted come the better weather you will look at things in a different light.

[Jeanied]

How about cheering yourself up by doing a few bits that don't rely on the weather - doodling a few layout ideas on a piece of paper or the odd crop rotation, sorting your seeds into some sort of seasonal sowing order, setting a few potatoes to chit, starting off a few early things in seed trays indoors, and having a good old chitchat on the Vine?
Whad'ya think?

[Headfry]

Hey you have done really well! really really well. It is always hard to get going on a new plot, but once you get going and get a few things in place it will all come together over the years!
I have not sown any seed yet and tend to hold back until weather warms!
have a look round garden centers, read up, draw plans. or just sit and wait but dont give up please. Most of us have not done much yet apart from dream!
Good luck Ian and keep us posted!

[braders]

Hi guys and Girls

OK then as you know i am new to all this and i have just got an allotment in November of last year,I went over today with a bag of scraps to put on the compost pile.

As i stood there i had a feeling that it's not for me all i have done is bulit a compost bin from pallets strimed the plot down and dug some of it over.
I just feel i should by now have much more done by now and dont think i am going to be ready to plant any thing soon

Or am i being to hard on myself

All the best,Ian

Hi Ian
I felt a bit like that last year, but it all takes time...I have attached a few pics for you to see, this is hours and hours of work, but boy do I feel better now after all the hard graft and full of inspiration too. Dont give up yet matey...all the best..!

[binley100]

Rome wasn't built in a day and allotments definately aren't. Bit at a time is the best way. Dig a bit plant a bit and when you see something growing that is meant to be there then you'll be surprised at the buzz it'll give you.

[Snadger]

Hang in there dude, you'll be reet.

Aaaaaaaal reet on the neet...........You been taking Geordie lessons Wayne?

[Snadger]

This should cheer you up...it did him!

My Son is in hospital and it was touch and go. His bairns sent a message to him saying they would visit him every day.

Yes........we'll visit your grave every day, they said!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Ian, you are definately being too hard on yourself. Its hard work digging ground, and if it hasnt had any TLC for a while, it takes even longer.

Its also hard work during the winter when its either freezing, or too wet to do any decent work.

Don't forget you are supposed to be enjoying yourself - if it takes longer than you thought, don't worry about it. Most importantly, don't push yourself too hard, else you'll end up with a bad back like me.

Why not take some photos as you go along? You'll be able to see just how much progress you have made.

Do let everyone know how you get on.

Best wishes

Bernie and Dexter

[lizzylemon]

My veggie patch is just the other side of our drive so I see it every day - I also ignore it every day too. Its far too cold and wet to even think of planting anything at the mo (even the weeds aren't up to much).

Maybe you could get some second hand carpet (freecycle?) down and start to suppress the weeds & bring earth temp up as well ready for when you want to 'spring' into action.

[jogette]

Hi Ian - it's been too wet/cold/snowbound or frosty to do anything much on the allotment this winter. If you walk on the earth when it's sodden or frosted then you will compact the soil and ruin the soil structure.
This is the time to plan what you want to grow and get an idea of seed sowing and planting schedules i.e. what goes out first and what has to wait until frosts are gone.
I went up to the allotment today (I couldn't stay away) but it was snowing and the ground was far too wet to work so I stood in the shelter of my shed and decided what would go where. I went home feeling much better although I hadn't actually done anything!

[Ian White]

Thanks all,i decided to sit and work out what i am going to grow last night that did the trick,again thanks for all the advice and help :-)

All the best,Ian

[HeyWayne]

Just a little something else to help cheer your mude dude - look outside.

It's quarter to 5 and it's still light out!

That's gotta raise a smile.

[lizzylemon]

I hear that! A sight to gladden my heart too.

[SueA]

Don't be too hard on yourself Ian, it's been a rotten winter & I bet lots of people are way behind where they'd hoped to be (me included!). As Wayne says, it's actually starting to get lighter now & you'll be able to get down to the allotment in the evenings & start enjoying yourself.

[mogs]

Can you not at least get a couple of container fruit bushes in? I did this last winter (having taken over the allotment in autumn) and didn't think I had a cat in hell's chance of any fruit - but was sending out Carol Klein like squeals of delight whilst picking and eating blackcurrants and gooseberries I'd grown myself, and even more so when I looked at the cost of a very very small punnet in the supermarket - go on lad, yer can do it!!