I got an allotment!!!

[nickdub]

world's your lobster in terms of seeds to sow - lettuce, beans, carrots come to mind to start with.

[mrmauy]

Courgettes, beans, salad leaves, beetroot, peas .... you've got time for most things still.

[Mudsweatandtea]

Thanks
I forgot to add I have some beans and peas on the go and plan to direct sow some also.

[Jay-ell]

Chard, beets, kale, coriander, peas, dwarf beans, soya

[Mudsweatandtea]

I got the key!!!
So down i trotted in the rain, dragging the kids behind me

The weeds had grown significantly since my previous sneaky peek but most were easy to pull out, and i made a start on that and very few docks and dandelions that require digging.
Todays discoveries were a bit of a mixed bag but go as follows:

PROS: Its definitely an apple tree, I found strawberries, rhubarb and some raspberry canes. The soil in the beds is still in good condition and could be planted into almost as soon as i have de-weeded.Ive found some useful odds and end like weed membrane stakes, fairly new chicken wire and some bailer twine and a bag of woodchip in the shed. I also had some leeks which are going into tonight's tea

CONS: The shed is pretty rotten. if i stood on the floorboards my foot would go through so its beyond salvaging. I am 90% certain i have mares tail, as does the rest of the site by the look of it. but its still small so imagine its been managed until recently and i have a chance against it.

I have also discovered i will have another newbie next to me (who despite having a plot much smaller looks to have a lot more work so all in all I guess i feel lucky!) so I will hopefully make a new plot friend fairly soon

[SarrissUK]

How exciting! I wish you the very best of times up there!

[Mudsweatandtea]

Took the day off today and gathered supplies but spent the two previous days grafting down the allotment.

So what i took to be an apple initially was a plum. There are also two smaller trees lurking behind it, a Pear and a Blackthorn. I may need to move these come the winter, although i think the blackthorn may have developed from the root stock as its been buried beneath the graft and as a result they are half a foot apart and I'm not entirely sure if trying to separate my Siamese-trees will kill them??

Cleared the ground, took down all the framework on the fence and kept the good bits to make some raised beds and borders. i have one of these assembled and ready for the squashes and corn.

I am aching EVERYWHERE.... but its been so satisfying seeing the difference already. I've also become acquainted with some of my plot neighbors who for the most part have been friendly and helpful. I've even been given a few spare plants so all in all off to a great start.

pics of progress are here:
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...+clearing.html

[nickdub]

So what i took to be an apple initially was a plum. There are also two smaller trees lurking behind it, a Pear and a Blackthorn. I may need to move these come the winter, although i think the blackthorn may have developed from the root stock as its been buried beneath the graft and as a result they are half a foot apart and I'm not entirely sure if trying to separate my Siamese-trees will kill them??



pics of progress are here:
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...+clearing.html

Don't think it would be a blackthorn if used as a rootstock - doesn't look like one on the photos either.

Anyway as long as you wait til the trees are dormant late October say, then there would be no problem moving and/or separating them, if it is a sucker from a rootstock.

I'd suggest hanging on to the rootstock and planting it somewhere out of the way if that's what it is - since it means you'll have something to practice grafting on, if you can get a scion from somewhere, and so make yourself a new tree.

[SarrissUK]

Looks good!