Hi from Shropshire!

[Niall]

Hello everyone!

Bought a couple of issues of this magazine and just discovered they have a forum!

I'm pretty new to the world of gardening and like growing veg as a bit of a hobby in my spare time.
I'm 26 and this is only my third season trying out various veg on about an acre of land I have acquired from my parents! Loving it so far and haven't really had a "decent" summer the last 3 years so my hayfever hasn't affected me going outside too much

Still learning and don't really know too much but have a couple of books that are helping me great along the way.

I have also started a blog so I can share my novice journey over the coming days, months and years: https://niallsgarden.wordpress.com

You will find pictures of my veg plants here with regular updates on progress and stuff, I am always interesting in hearing what people have to say and getting help/advice and giving advice where I can.

Niall

[bearded bloke]

Hello & welcome bud

[Jeanied]

Welcome to the vine Niall - do add your location to your profile so we know where you are in the world!

[Niall]

Thank you guys! Location added!

[taff]

Hiya
Apparently local honey made from local blossom can help with hay fever. Tried that yet?

[Niall]

Hiya
Apparently local honey made from local blossom can help with hay fever. Tried that yet?

Have tried that, nothing seems to do much I am either completely fine or my nose needs sorting out every 5 minutes and I go through 100 tissues a day...

I have found the best cure is a shower which washes the pollen off of you but that is only a temporary fix because it will find you again in a couple of hours!

[veggiechicken]

Hi Niall and welcome from me. A whole acre of ground to play with - you're going to make a lot of people very envious!! Especially those who can't get an allotment for love nor money

[taff]

Have tried that, nothing seems to do much I am either completely fine or my nose needs sorting out every 5 minutes and I go through 100 tissues a day...

I have found the best cure is a shower which washes the pollen off of you but that is only a temporary fix because it will find you again in a couple of hours!

Shame. I had to move from Wales to England to get rid of mine. Want to move to Wales and I'll look after your acre?

[Niall]

Hi Niall and welcome from me. A whole acre of ground to play with - you're going to make a lot of people very envious!! Especially those who can't get an allotment for love nor money

I am quite lucky, the acre was an acre of weeds on ground that went about an inch deep originally... It took nearly a year just to make it so I could actually plant veg in there... even now though the soil is not fantastic but it still grows things

[veggiechicken]

Shame. I had to move from Wales to England to get rid of mine. Want to move to Wales and I'll look after your acre?

Shrewsbury is almost Wales - we must have a lot of pollen blowing across the border. Better raise Offa's Dyke and keep it out
With your acre, Niall, do you have fruit trees? That would be my inclination, but I have a weakness for fruit in any fashion.

[Niall]

Shrewsbury is almost Wales - we must have a lot of pollen blowing across the border. Better raise Offa's Dyke and keep it out
With your acre, Niall, do you have fruit trees? That would be my inclination, but I have a weakness for fruit in any fashion.

Yes, Wales is 2 miles down the road!

In the weed-infested area that I sorted out for veg there aren't fruit trees but there are 2 apple trees and a pear tree elsewhere in the garden and also some Raspberry canes that seem to be all over the place!

There are some pictures although not incredibly detailed, on my blog showing how I have set everything out and divided it up.

[donnakebab]

Welcome to the vine Niall. I've had a look at your blog and I love what you have done.

Have you ever grown Butternut squash? We all love it but have never had much success so am trying other squashes this year. I always do well with Halloween type pumpkins though they aren't so good for eating.

I have an allotment but no polytunnel...this is one of my dream lottery win plans.

How lucky you are to find such bargain seed offers and free 'dead' rhubarb. I look forward to seeing and reading about your progress.

[Niall]

Welcome to the vine Niall. I've had a look at your blog and I love what you have done.

Have you ever grown Butternut squash? We all love it but have never had much success so am trying other squashes this year. I always do well with Halloween type pumpkins though they aren't so good for eating.

I have an allotment but no polytunnel...this is one of my dream lottery win plans.

How lucky you are to find such bargain seed offers and free 'dead' rhubarb. I look forward to seeing and reading about your progress.

Thanks!

I grew Butternut squash last year but planted them a bit late, out of about 20 plants I only managed to get one squash... the others rotted off in the start of the frosts. However, this year I am a bit more ahead and have some plants waiting to get transplanted next week about 20cm tall.

There are bargains everywhere a lot of my seed is bought from previous year too, Wilkinsons have seed at 75% off about now through the summer too depending on what it is (usually when you can no longer plant this year) and I am still using seed that is 2-3 years gone with no problems.
I'm not completely tight though! I have invested in some quite expensive show-quality seed this year to try and compete in show... most of my money is being spent on 1-tonne bags of compost though as the soil quality is very poor where I am.

The poly tunnel was purchased and built by my dad in 1992 when I was 6... I think it was just under £200 back then and I think prices have gone up a little since!! The plastic cover was supposed to be replaced every 5 years, but is still there from '92. It has rolls and rolls of waterproof tape covering holes everywhere! Its still as sturdy as ever and does the job... just a shame about the current weather (temp on thermometer was off the scale 40+ Celsius during that mini-heatwave we had 2 weeks ago, now it struggles past 15 degrees...)

[donnakebab]

Hayfever is a bitch isn't it? I have eczema and have to remember to wash my hands after touching all sorts of normal things including my tomato plants. This morning I took my mom shopping to her local Sains place and within 5 minutes my eyes were itching like the devil and a rash had appeared. Came home, took an antihistamine and went to bed for a few hours. Better now.

Not that simple with hay-fever though is it.

[Bigmallly]

Welcome to the vine Niall, love the poly........just wondered if a mask would help with your hayfever.