Hobbit Allotment!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Allotment - Horticulturalhobbit Wiki

I got one. At a bargain price too!

Have just had a butchers, and I have my work cut out for me. I do have help, for which I am truly grateful and thankful. As you'll see, there is a lot to do. So any advice will be gratefully received.

[VirginVegGrower]

Yes, so pleased you got it at last. No more broad beans in pots for you Missy. Look forward to tweets back and fro with tips. Maybe some visits/exchange...?!
You know where to come for your Mr VVG funny Basil Fawlty measuring device

[VirginVegGrower]

Just looked at pics - not in a bad state. Ours was worse. Build a chicken wire cage for your leaves. I can bring you loads or you can come over here and rake some up. Two years before it's great leaf mold though. Would suggest you don't try to tackle masses all at once. It may be a half plot, but it will feel full size once you start! Look for fruit tree offers this month.
Garlic
O/W onions
Early peas
Broadies

[horticultural_hobbit]

Its not bad at all. We have loads of leaves, our enclave in Hobbitland has loads for us to collect. Pops and grandad mike spend the autumn winter months raking and collecting. Just need to find chicken wire mesh.

Going to do it in bits, yeah, with covering sections with cardboard and plastic. There are onions, garlic and shallots expected. And I will sow claudia aquadulce.

There was a basil fawlty dance! The lottie secretary did it. Am glad about the size.

[VirginVegGrower]

So you'll be there at 8am tomorrow?

[horticultural_hobbit]

little and often, my sweet, little and often.

Pops has already told me to give it back. Whereas Ma is plotting what we are going to grow, and sister wants us to grow only what we eat, and no pumpkins and butternuts. Courgettes are a favourite! As is spinach, Ma wants spinaches and moolies.

[VirginVegGrower]

I'd put money on it that you will start hell for leather - we all do

[Bren In Pots]

Congrats on getting your plot

[horticultural_hobbit]

Thank you, Bren.

See, I would go hell for leather. Only, I've realised that going into fifth gear straight away means you don't get to appreciate the gear changes. Having containers has taught me patience amongst other things. The hard work will be getting rid of the grass, bramble and nettles. Secretary has already killed the grass with weedkiller. I don't know what sort, but the soil is lovely looking. Will definitely take my time with it.

I think I was one of the last, and one of the many who got a plot. Mine was the lesser of the evils. Two of the half plots had grass and weeds that were twice my hobbit height and would have been a serious mission. I know that there is clubroot in patches, so that I will have to watch for. Apparently spring hero has been all right on the bit I have got. I might struggle with over wintering onions apparently, but I would like to try. Else I won't know!

Have sketched out my plan, much to the amusement of Ma
who thinks you can put stuff anywhere. Luckily my sister indicted crop rotation.

[VirginVegGrower]

Check out that free online planner - free for two months anyhow. Long enough to get a three year rotation worked out

[Two_Sheds]

HH, are you sure it's comfrey? I wouldn't describe comfrey as a "bush", is all ?

[horticultural_hobbit]

Evening, my lovely,

It is Comfrey, yes. Secretary pointed it out (tis his old plot that I have), and since I am hobbit sized, anything that isn't in a container, looks the size of a bush. It is massive, and has a life of it's own.

Ma and Grandad Mike got stuck in today-they were comparably more excited than me, I am being very measured and realistic-and cleared a nice section of the grass. It is going to take time, to get it all ship shape. Ma very nearly gave me a coronary and made some noise about having a whole plot so that she could plant her palak and stuff. There is more than enough space on our 8X11. Have had to talk her down, since I don't want to take on more than I can manage and more than the family together will have time for.

It is however, hard to communicate a nice, calm measured plan to a bollywood ma who is in a constant rush to get the job done. Anything worth doing, is worth doing well and with a bit of patience. Today, all I wanted to do was get a measure of the thing, pull out all the crunchy tall plant things that were dotted around.

[rustylady]

Congratulations Hobbit, I know you've wanted this for a long time. Enjoy it.

[reetnproper]

Lol, well done you. Here's hoping you have many, many happy hours on your plot. 'N tell sister that you aren't allowed to have a plot of any size or description without a pumpkin plant or 10 and several species of wintersquashes . It's the law (and if it isn't, it should be ).

Reet
x

P.S. One more thing - pictures!!! Lots 'n lots of pictures. Please

[horticultural_hobbit]

I do have a couple of questions, if anyone can help.

What I would like to do, is get rid of all the dead grass and brambles and dig over. I think the soil may be clay in places, I have to go all mad scientist on it. Then, I would like to sow/plant my over wintering stuff. What isn't cultivated, will be covered with black plastic/cardboard til the new year.

Before I cover it, can I put some blood bone fishy stuff in it, or poo pellets?

And, apparently, my plot can get quite wet; especially with a lot of rain. So any ideas how to work around the drainage issue? As it stands, I just have a normal crop rotation plan sketched out. I will be sticking to what I know, and what I have been told.

And lime and brassicas? The lottie secretary said that if I wanted to sow brassicas, I should lime to combat club root.