Hi Everyone

[tzatta]

Hello Everyone
Just a quick hiya!
About 20 years ago I had an allotment that I kept for about 7 years. However owing to an accident in work I had to give it up. The good news is that I was able to convert a small piece of land at the back of my garden into a smaller allotment.
Over the last few years its been more and more difficult to continue maintaining it and has now deteriorated into a wasteland. My back just cannot cope.
My next door neighbour has expressed an interest in taking over but I am reluctant to give up my greenhouse etc. So I am thinking along the lines of sharing the site and letting him use it.
That way, he can help me keep the site neat and tidy and I can show him my 'expertise'.
I think my days of double digging are well and truly over so I am hedging towards just growing fruit. I have established (but neglected) Apple, Pear and Cherry trees, and somewhere out there a Gooseberry.

Anyways, just a quick hello.

[JILLY JACKSON]

Good for you!! welcome to the vine and we can also use some of your expertese as well.

[sweetiepea]

Hi tzatta and welcome! It's hard to give up something you've worked on for so long, but I think your idea is good. Do it on a trial basis first though, just incase you have a change of heart.

[lettucegrow!]

Hello and welcome. Sounds like a good idea. You obviously don't want to give up totally and fruit growing is probably less labour intensive. It's all the rage now this communal lark,you know!!

[NOG]

Send the Mrs up to Morrisions and get some bug pots and grow veg in them. I am growing Lettuice in pots in the Greenhouse this year.

[NOG]

Oh and welcome.

[Maximillian]

hi and welcome. can you raise your beds high up? then not too much bending. also i agree with nog - lots of pots, surprising what you can grow in them. i grow all my carrots and spring onions in them.

[tzatta]

Hi again
Well unfortunately my plans havn't worked out. Just to explain....the guy who lives there (on his own) was glad to let me take the land off his hands, but now his son has come to live with him and the young lad wants the land back.
I am not complaining really because as I have said, its all getting too much for me.
Anyway, the son wants to fence me out which will mean that I cant get to my stuff. I dont see the point in arguing about it because I can no longer manage the allotment so I have decided that at the end of the growing season I will be uprooting my trees and re-planting them in my proper garden.
Can someone advise me the best way to uproot them without doing too much damage?

However, the greenhouse will have to stay there. To be honest, he doesnt seem interested in the greenhouse either because, having spoken to him, he seems only to want a (very) long lawn!!

Yawn!!!!

[NOG]

Don't water them for a few days, Big a BIG hole round the tree. Then lift out with a fork.
Make the hole bigger if any roots are trapped. Then replant and Water then in well and keep watering for a few months.

[tzatta]

Thanks NOG

I know that I should take as much of the surrounding soil as I can but is there something specific I should be looking at? For example maybe large a taproot?
I would expect the trees to suffer while getting used to their new environment, so has anyone done this?