Gave up my 3 plots ...... now got ....

[Muddy_Boots]

After 10 years with my first half plot, 5 years with my second full plot and 2 years with my 3rd half plot I've made the decision to give them all up as the rent is due next month and they are basically ..... crap plots.

I've been fighting a battle with 2 of them for years against Mares tail, with the 10 year old plot this year was the final straw when the Mares tail crowded out the Twitch grass which I thought was impossible. The 3rd plot I dug half this year and planted then tackled the 2nd half and found it covered completely in failed black plastic that was buried deep as well. I presume the previous renter decided to cover it so he didn't have to dig it but the nettles, blackberries, Mares tail. Bindweed and Dock were now growing through the failed plastic, it had been down for about 10 years so was degraded. 2nd full plot was not much better with Mares tail, nettles, docks, Bindweed and Blackberry appearing all the time and a bloom of weeds appearing on any newly dug ground within weeks of being exposed. All 3 plots had a mole problem and the whole allotment site had Mares Tail on ALL the plots.

I've now got a new plot, its covered in grass and has few weeds but NO Mares tail and has well drained soil and is easy to dig and costs nothing a year. I've already dug half of it and transferred my Asparagus from my 10 year Allotment plot as it will thrive in the new growing area. Had 2 trays of seed Potatoes left over from the allotments that I couldn't get planted so I thought to just bung them in to see if I get anything from them, earthed them up as I planted so it will be a couple of weeks at least before any sign of growth appears if anything, won't lose anything if they don't grow but todays rain is welcome as the ground was really dry. Tap for watering is close by and is included with the plot and is available all year and never turned off.

You might guess its part of my HUGE garden which I have converted to a veggie patch, the estate was built on allotments so it makes sense to grow veggie on part of the garden and its reducing the amount of lawn I have to mow (takes me 4 hours to mow with the petrol mower atm).

I'm going to be starting another plot next month on land 5 mins walk from my house I've bought that was a pig farm a few years back but has been vacant for years which is also just grassed and should be an easy dig judging by the test digs done already. Its between 2 water courses so Mr Mole isn't a problem there and there is also NO Mares Tail.

Watch this space for updates on if I get any spuds.

[Muddy_Boots]

I now have an update, no sign of any spuds showing which I'm not expecting yet. Planted 6 Tayberry bushes along the fence that I brought back and have put into large pots 4 Red Gooseberry bushes all from the allotments.

I'm currently attacking a large Ash tree stump with my chain saw that is where the compost bin will be located, I'm not going to attempt to dig it out as its too large but I will be cutting it up to remove bit by bit until what's left is under soil level so it can be covered over and slabs put on top ready for the compost bin. I'm calling it a bin its actually a collapsible wooden box with metal corner hinges that stacks on each other, the railway use them to make up a container for spare ballast at the track side.

I've also ordered my winter onions, shallots, garlic from Wilkos, seems the shops haven't got them yet but you can order and collect them online and mine will be at Tesco Express near me to collect with 7 days. Now just about to sow some herbs for a last sowing before winter sets in.

[Bren In Pots]

It sounds like your ‘new’ growing area is coming together.
I’m also a back garden grower I like it because I can nip out and do a bit whenever I have some spare time.

[Muddy_Boots]

Next update:

The spuds I planted are starting to make an appearance, yay. If the weather stays mild which I predict it will be until after Christmas and into the New Year then they may produce something, I might even have home grown new potatoes for Christmas dinner you never know. lol

Took two photos of the new arrivals, makes me feel like Matt Damon in the film 'The Martian' when he had a potato plant appear.

[mothhawk]

I'm currently attacking a large Ash tree stump with my chain saw that is where the compost bin will be located, I'm not going to attempt to dig it out as its too large but I will be cutting it up to remove bit by bit until what's left is under soil level so it can be covered over and slabs put on top ready for the compost bin. I'm calling it a bin its actually a collapsible wooden box with metal corner hinges that stacks on each other, the railway use them to make up a container for spare ballast at the track side.

I would put the compost bin direct over the remains of the stump without the slabs. The bacteria that break down the compost will also get to work on the remains of the stump and help it decompose faster.

[Plot70]

I would also go with putting the compost bin over the stump without a slab.
You will get lots of crumbly rotted wood after a couple of years.
The wood is untreated so it will rot much more quickly than fence posts.

[Muddy_Boots]

I would also go with putting the compost bin over the stump without a slab.
You will get lots of crumbly rotted wood after a couple of years.
The wood is untreated so it will rot much more quickly than fence posts.

Thinking about it the slabs can be re-purposed to my next project of steps going up onto the lawn and like you say just put the compost bin over the top of the stump, got to sharpen the chain on my saw anyway so I'm going to cut deep grooves along the top to help water penetrate to quicken the rotting process and then build the bin around it.

Had my winter red, white and brown onions, shallots and garlic plus winter Broad Bean seeds delivered from Wilkos thant I picked up from Tesco Express shop. The quality is excellent and the onions are in 2 packs of 50 onions, 20 x red + 20 x brown + 10 x white much better quality than you get from the stores when they are stocked on the shelves.

Noticed the Rhubarb crowns I lifted from the allotments have started to produce new leaf growths in their new corner home so they are happy, the 4 crowns should produce a good crop next year.

[Muddy_Boots]

Next update, I was in Bournemouth Monday to Friday and the weather was fantastic for this time of year with only a teeny weeny bit of rain. Driving back Friday the weather was horrible with torrential rain, a neighbour told me that the weather wasn't too good at home during the week. Checking the spuds I planted and all the rows have plants on them the first 2 rows are really growing well which is amazing for saying I earthed them up as I planted them. I'm still not expecting greatness from them but you never know as its staying mild and rainy for a while yet, even if I get nothing from them I've not lost anything.

Now going to tackle the Ash tree stump with my chain saw this week and cut it to below the soil line to put the planned open compost bin on top, then I can turn the soil and remove any Ash tree roots around that area so I can plant the winter Onions, Shallots and Garlic and then put next years early Broad Beans in, all depending on the weather as well.

[Muddy_Boots]

When I got back from Bournemouth I didn't really take much notice of my potato plants, took a photo the other day and I was surprised how well they are doing at this time of year as its so mild. Check these out:

Took a glance out the kitchen window today whilst it was raining and they are alot bigger now.

[Muddy_Boots]

Today I have been: shredding the Rowan tree I felled earlier last month and bagging up the resulting wood chippings for use later as a mulch when its rotted in the bags and is more stable as a mulch to cover the tops of my flower beds. Have another Rowan tree to fell that has not done much over the years it been in the garden and needs to be removed and shredded but will need to sharpen the chain on my chainsaw before I can look at removing the tree.

[Muddy_Boots]

Today: Planted two rows of winter Broad Beans, 45 seeds so lets see how many of these germinate and show their faces. Expecting them to be up within 7 days as the weather is so mild.

Planted 2 bulbs of garlic in plastic vending machine cups last week after 2-3 days in the fridge to give them that cold spell to get them to start growing when the cloves are planted, looked in the greenhouse today and can safely say that ALL the cloves have sprouted and are growing really fast and are about 3 inches high now. Will need to get digging some more of the lawn up and get the ground ready for them to be planted out.

This looks like its the best decision I could of made getting rid of those Mares Tail infested plots and converting some of my garden over to planting veggies.

[Nicos]

Good for you…it just takes a brave act to step into the unknown. So glad you are pleased with your decision

[Muddy_Boots]

Thanks Nicos, looking back at the never ending constant struggle with the persistent Mares Tail if I'd done this 3-4 years before I'd be at a point now that I'd have a very productive home plot.
What is exciting is the joy of discovering how good the soil is that's been underneath that huge lawn as its slightly sandy so got good drainage. The area has a slight problem with stones but there does need to be some in there to aid drainage but once removed they don't grow back unlike Mares Tail of which when you remove it because the roots go so deep its impossible to get rid of.
As an example one of the allotmenteers at my old place had it so bad he bought a herbicide that ONLY farmers can purchase in a bid to eradicate his Mares Tail problem which involved using a full protective suit and respirator when you sprayed it on. His problem was so bad when he first dug his plot over and covered it with weed barrier when the Mares Tail started it lifted the barrier up 2 feet like a bubble. After spraying it all started to die and he couldn't plant anything on the sprayed area for that year, the following year a few isolated bits appeared but nothing like the infestation he had the year before but it still wasn't eradicated entirely. I'm sure after about 5 years it will be back as bad again but I wasn't prepared to waste my time and effort hand digging it out on my plots.

[Muddy_Boots]

Just looked out the bedroom window and the weeds seem to be having a field day growing on the freshly dug area, time for the garden gloves to go on and to do some hand weeding where the Asparagus is so its doesn't get out of hand.
Potato plants are going well with all that rain we have had recently they are full of green foliage and have no signs of blight, nights have been cooler but no frosts to ruin my christmas harvest of new potatoes.
The winter Garlic are going mad in the greenhouse and will need planting out soon, rest of the winter Onions will get planted out at the same time. no sign of any Broadbean seedlings appearing yet but we have loads of time for that to happen.
Got plenty of stuff to be getting on with but its gradual when the weather is favourable and if I can be bothered to get out the armchair lol.

[Muddy_Boots]

Wow

Just discovered a local garden centre and Tea Room where we went for breakfast which was fantastic and reasonable price wise.

But the wow was when we looked around the garden centre and I discovered they had seed potatoes @ £1.95 a kilo and they were 'pick your own' so I could sort out the smallish ones rather than take a netted bag with some small and some large in them, also the varieties they had was huge I've never come across one with about 30 different varieties ever from all the garden centres I've been in. The red/brown onions and shallots was also pick your own with something to scoop them up and take what you want by weight, shall be going to that place again for sure for others I need to get later.