Hello there :)

[Lavenderblue]

Thought i had better introduce myself before I start posting

Well I am 36 and will move in with my partner Simon next year all being well. I have long loved gardening, thanks to the careful instruction from my Mum and Uncle and have been growing veg on a microscale for a few years now - I am most proud of getting aubergines to grown in pots on the patio two years ago

Most excitingly, Simon and I have recently been offered a hidously overgrown lottie that hasn't been used for about 15 years. There are brambles and all sorts but we are determine to get it cleared and productive again by the summer. The lotties are all in a neglected state but there is an asparagus crown and a whole load of raspberries and blackberries already on site. Its going to be such hard work but I can't wait to pick and scoff my own strawberries and tomatoes in the summer.

Outside of growing stuff, I am a mature student at uni in Leicester studying speech and language therapy, I like swimming, yoga and blackwork (a type of needlework).

Anyway thats me. I can't wait to get stuck in, get to know everyone here and learn and grow with my plants. Oh, if anyone knows anything about permaculture, Si and I are particularly interested in that style of organic gardening.

Thanks for reading

[scarey55]

Hello Lavenderblue and welcome to the Vine,

You'll get loads of great advice from some very clever Grapes (I know I have) but you'll also have a great laugh .
How exciting, getting your lottie and an asparagus crown (presumably 15 years old) lucky you. Here's to next year and a productive lottie for you.
Have a look at the special Christmas Sunday night chat later on this evening and you'll meet some of the nuttier ones of us .
Welcome again

[Lavenderblue]

Yes the crown is productive, a chap who has become the allotment society leader (and usefully is a JP so he is arranging for the allotments to have protected legal status) says he has been cutting asparagus from the crown for a number of years.

Everyone seems so friendly here I will try to get online tonight for some forum fun - have essay to finish though so will see how things pan out.

[smallblueplanet]

Hello LB, an essay to finish? Is it due tomorrow, if not you're doing it too early!

[Newbie]

Hello Lavenderblue, congratulations on the lottie, it sounds like it will be fab. I too am new here (if the name didn't give it away!) and have found everyone to be very welcoming & helpful as i'm sure you will too. This year was my first year with a veg plot after having moved into a new house so am hoping 2008 will see me being a lot more productive - i'm raring to go!

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome to the vine Lavenderblue. Good luck with your lottie and getting it all under control.

[Snadger]

Welcome to the vine Lavenderblue!

Make sure you take plenty of piccies before you start then you can look back and see what you've achieved!

They are a strange lot on here you know (not me of course) and love seeing piccies of derelict allotments!
There's plenty of knowledgeable contributers to the vine and a lot of newbies who will have similar questions to yourself (don't be afraid to ask!) so hopefully your stay here will be a pleasant and informative one!

PS I forgot to add the main thing..........and that is to enjoy it!

[Seahorse]

Hello and welcome I took on a hugely overgrown lottie this autumn and I can't tell you how much I love it!!! Best of luck with yours!

[seasprout]

Howdy

Welcome to the Vine Lavenderblue, and Merry Christmas.

Whereabouts in Leicester is your Lottie..? (Thats Allotment speak on here)

[Lavenderblue]

oh we are in Countersthorpe - so South Leicestershire really.

Its nice to see a fellow Leicester person (I never know the correct noun!)

Where abouts are you?

We don't even have the keys yet to the site so as soon as we do, I will post lots of pictures of you like. Its very open and exposed, about 16m x 18m and lies east to west with no shade. We have a chainlink fence at the far end - I can visulise sweetpeas growing up there already. I can't wait to poke around the soil -the site is on the clayey side , but on initial poking, looks miles better than the heavy Warwickshire clay i have tackled in the past. Just want to get stuck in now, though the ground is miles too wet and frozen for digging - we intend to clear the rubbish and chop down stuff so we can see what we've got. The worst area we have earmarked for a couple of great big pallet compst bins and have spotted a handy pile of leaves to start making leaf mold with. We have already found two old but intact water butts and a plastic barrel just abandoned on our plot. Oh I can't wait to get going

[Nicos]

Hello there Lavenderblue!!

Good to have you on board!

Just think...this time next year you will be digging up your own carrots, Parsnip, Sprouts, cabbage and using your stored spuds and omions to make your first Xmas Dinner in your new home!
...now that IS something to look forward to eh??

[seasprout]

Its nice to see a fellow Leicester person (I never know the correct noun!)

Where abouts are you?

In the Living room.

[HappyMouffe]

Hello Lavenderblue,

Welcome to the Vine

Congratulations on the allotment. We've had ours for just over a year now - it's great

[Snadger]

oh we are in Countersthorpe - so South Leicestershire really.

Its nice to see a fellow Leicester person (I never know the correct noun!)

A Leicestershirearian?

A Leicestershireite?(Nah!!!)

A Leicestrean?

A Yokel?

[Lavenderblue]

A Yokel?

Yep that will be it.

i only want the lottie so I can grow turnips, stack them in a big pile and show them off to my neighbours. Its what we all do in Leicestershire you know.