Hi Everyone

[lbt]

Hi Everyone

I have been sent over here by some of my fellow gardeners on MSE - they are a lovely bunch so I thought I'd come and join everyone else on here too

I have been on the allotment waiting list for a couple of years, but while I am waiting I am working one of my friend's plots . I think she got fed up of hearing me go on about how much I wanted one!

This is my first year on the plot, and next year I want to take it all a bit further. I am going to have a go at asparagus, and grow some more fruit (raspberries, honeyberry, gojiberry, pink currants, sloes etc).

It is likely that I will keep the plot, but the only black cloud is the person on the plot next to me. He has been caught stealing three times, and last time the police were involved. Our allotment watch person asked them to go and put the frightners on him so he wouldn't do it again. Fingers crossed that it has deterred him but I am not sure whether I should put a fence around three sides to make it a bit more difficult for him to pinch things. I have got some lovely willow trellis (really cheap from Sainsburys sale) so I was going to use that because you can see through it but would have to walk round it. It's really sad to have to think of such things.

Anway, if you have made it to the end, thanks for reading and look forward to getting to know you all better.

Claire x

PS Would love any tips on asparagus growing. Do I need to build raised beds?

[Jeanied]

Welcome to the vine LBT - sad you have a thief to contend with along with the trials and tribulations - I mean joys and sucesses - of growing your own!
I'd put a barrier up if I were you - I suffer from people walking over my plot when they climb in - I have put up some thin wire strung between wooden posts - very flimsy but it has stayed intact this year and provides a psychological barrier if nothing else. I'm planting gooseberries along the row now - so it will have a prickly deterrent!
Is there anything particular he steals?
In terms of asparagus beds, do prepare it really well - no trace of weed roots or anything and good rich soil. An asparagus bed is a long-term investment! Mine is now a raised bed but it started off as an ordinary bed - it gets regular mulching with good compost, so the level has gone up.

[lettucegrow!]

Hello and welcome Lbt. How sad to have to deal with a theif while you're trying to enjoy the pleasure of growing stuff. Interesting choice of fruit. Are you into jamming/jelly making or cooking other stuff with them?

[lbt]

Thanks Jeanied. He has been caught stealing beans and tomatoes, which isn't too bad I suppose, but he has also been caught digging up the seed potatoes on our plot (before my time), which is worse

The stupid thing is, if he had asked, most of the time the answer would be yes anyway. I have only seen him twice, and I nodded to him but didn't get into any conversation. The second time I saw him he was watching me plant my seedlings and I had some spare so I gave him some. I don't want to be unpleasant but I don't want to be too friendly either.

You have given me a great idea there though - I have two gooseberry bushes at home in pots. I wanted to move them so I could plant my blueberries in the ericaceous soil so now they have a home where they will also serve another purpose

On the subject of asparagus, if it was my plot I would go for it and put raised beds in but I am not sure I want to until it's in my name.

[lbt]

Also, now that your beds are raised, did you move the crowns of just leave them where they were and keep putting mulches on top?

[lbt]

Hi Lettucegrow

The raspberries will all be eaten before I even get home. I don't think I could grow enough of them! I eat at least a punnet a day - it's costing me a fortune!

The honeyberry and pinkcurrants can both be eaten as they are. Not sure about the gojiberry because i haven't tried them (can only find them dried) but it was one of those freebies where you just pay the postage so it only cost about £4.

The sloes were definitely an impulse buy, and I'll have a go at making sloe gin.

Most fruit I grow is eaten as it is, but I also make jams, smoothies and desserts from them too.

[Jeanied]

Asparagus is a long-term planting thing, LBT - so it is not something you disturb once it is planted. Mine only get disturbed to remove weeds round the roots - and they resent that even!! Mulches go on top.

[Two_Sheds]

I have been sent over here by some of my fellow gardeners on MSE -

Oh, you'll find it a breeze on here in comparison (they get a bit nasty on MSE)

[lbt]

Oh, you'll find it a breeze on here in comparison (they get a bit nasty on MSE)

Lol, you're not the first person to say that. I am lucky - I haven't been on the receiving end of any of it.

Hope you don't mind me asking, but I have a huge glut of courgettes (and so do my neighbours thanks to me and my two plants) and I have seen a post where you mention pickled courgettes. I have never tried them and I'd love to have a go - could you share the recipe please?

I am off to search the forum on more ideas for how to use up gluts of courgettes, carrots, and french beans. Better planning next year, I think

[Two_Sheds]

pickled courgettes. ...could you share the recipe please?

It's Andi and Di's recipe. I'll try to find and bump the thread

edit: here it is: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tml#post727685

[ighounds]

My neighbour on the plot only seems to have two tools - a spraygun and a rotovator! He doesn't seem to be able to control either so parts of my crops regularly get weedkilled or overfed (whoever wants cabbages nearly two feet across?) They have two plots and leave large spaces between everything, so they can rotovate between, so they're spraying mostly bare ground while the rest of us are intercropping and wondering where to find space for the next crop.

[lbt]

Do you have an allotment watch person? Perhaps you could speak to them about it to have a word if you don't feel comfortable broaching the subject yourself.

[lbt]

Also (mini rant coming on) how annoying that they leave such big spaces between their crops! They should plant closer together and let someone else have the other plot. In our area, you can wait years for one!

Ahh, that's better

[ginger ninger]

Hello lbt and welcome to the vine, I'd rather give my veg away than have some low life take it without asking. It's got to be one of my pet hates. I hope ya catch who ever it is.

[lbt]

Thanks Ginger Ninger.

I'm with you on that one. I don't intentionally grow more than I need but I have to admit that I do like sharing my gluts. I knocked on the neighbours doors on Sunday because, on coming home from my holiday, I found that my courgettes had gone insane - and the neighbours were delighted with them, in particular because they were home grown.