I am proud!

[Droppey]

Wow nice transformation Mrs C

[SarzWix]

'Before and After' thread is up and stickied

[Alice]

Well done Mrs C. A real transformation - and an inspiration for the before and after thread.
Hope you get lots of great veggies.

[Snadger]

Is that because you've got obsessed by the Chooks and have neglected the veg growing?

Ahh but thats where you're wrong! My apparent obsession with chooks is a relatively new thing for me.
My long lived obsession with gardening has developed from straight lines and monoculture to randomness in my planting (not easy to achieve, with my engineering/ engineering drawings background!) which some people see as 'messyness' and lazy gardening!
Age brings with it a 'sod it, I'll do my own thing, whatever others think" attitude
Eventually the messiness WILL make it fruitful, productive,colourful and pleasing to the eye...........we shall see!

[zazen999]

My long lived obsession with gardening has developed from straight lines and monoculture to randomness in my planting (not easy to achieve, with my engineering/ engineering drawings background!) which some people see as 'messyness' and lazy gardening!

Still having trouble with the planned messiness???

When Mother Nature grows in lines, so will I. I've got garlic, brassicas, celeriacs, courgettes, beans and beetroot all in 1 bed at the moment. Alongside those are some nasturtiums just because, and one swiss chard plonked in the middle.

The best thing about random planting is that nobody knows when something has been eaten or dies - expect me. And I can pop something else in its place if it bites the dust.

My lottie neighbour a couple of months ago was telling me that I had planted my onions too close together. I explained that what I do is remove the biggest ones and leave the rest to grow on. Last week he was telling me that he isn't going to grow from sets again as my seeds [sown last autumn] had far surpassed his sets and he is a tad jealous.

The only bed with only one crop in it is the spuds. Even that bed had some limanthes in it but it went to seed last week and we chopped it all back. Once they are out, all sorts will go in - including plenty of winter squashes that are going onto the corners very very shortly. Infill will be leeks, onions [as those planted in modules will soon need more space so will get transplanted], some brassicas, and anything else I've got left from the tomatoes/cukes range.

Polyculture - love it!!!

[Mrs Dobby]

'Before and After' thread is up and stickied

Cool! Thanks Sarah, I'll go and pop our bit in it then!

[MrsC]

Thanks for your kinds comments, good idea re - thread. I think it will spur people on, because when you first take on a plot it can be overwhelming. Just to answer, I got my plot end of Sept last year. Before pic was taken in Oct time after I had started clearing after pic last week

[plotman]

Think youve done marvels, I had similar prob 4 yrs ago, new allotment with three foot grass. Great feeling in the evening, when yr sat looking and reflecting. I actually constructed a woodenplatform what i call my patio lol. Where i sit as sun sets and tell myself how well ive done. Arrogant? no, Just proud of what i achieved. You should take a bow Mrs C. Youve earnt it

[SarzWix]

Thanks for your kinds comments, good idea re - thread. I think it will spur people on, because when you first take on a plot it can be overwhelming. Just to answer, I got my plot end of Sept last year. Before pic was taken in Oct time after I had started clearing after pic last week

You're right, it gets very overwhelming doesn't it? You can be doing fine and then all of a sudden it washes over you that it's all too much, you'll never get finished, you don't know what you're doing... It's horrible isn't it? Thank goodness I had the Vine to whinge to at that point, or I think I'd have given up!

[Two_Sheds]

it washes over you that it's all too much, you'll never get finished

Oh yes. I was feeling like that yesterday. So many weeds all the time, the ground is too hard & dry, I have trays & trays of stuff to go out but it's too dry ...