Feeling lost - what to do next?

[Snoop Puss]

Sounds like you've got lots of good advice here. Just thought I'd drop in to give you a virtual hug and moral support. Good luck.

[FlowerpotGirl]

Sounds like you've got lots of good advice here. Just thought I'd drop in to give you a virtual hug and moral support. Good luck.

Thank you

[the big lebowski]

hi all, yes i agree about drawing out how you want things too and having a greenhouse in your back garden will be great for keeping an eye on your seedlings ,the green manure is also a good idea to keep topping up your soil ,if you put some manure in a compost bin and let it rot down you can put it on the soil early next year as a mulch and it will not burn the veg (i think thats what you ment about some plants not liking manure ,the fresh stuff will burn some veggie ) good luck and keep cracking on it sounds like your doing well and are just abit nervy about what to do next well we have all been there ,as you have already had a virtual hug ill send you a virtual bacon sarnie and a cup of tea ,cheers

[Kirk]

What are the dimensions of the plot, 10 poles means little to me, especcially as it is a length and I guess your allotment is an area, sort of N feet by M feet makes it easier. Meters may be better, just make strips across of 25cm and that is a row.

Easiest thing is to use something like Word, draw a rectangle the same proportions then put in spaced lines of different colours and thicknesses. Where each realtes to a veg or plant species. Simpler still is a few sheets of paper get a cheap pad from Wilkos in Eastcheap, LGC centre.

My little area I worked out a spacing and said 10 veg and simply 10 veg on a small "postit stickies" program. Since the sticky is rectangular it matches the approximate shape of the bed.

Not sure what you like but try a couple of rows of carrots, or more. They come in packets that tend to hold a couple of thousand seeds.

Root veg like turnip and swede should be OK for later in the year. Row of each ??

Rocket and Spinach are options for greenery, also kale, which seems to be in favour at present.

Maybe a row of leeks (Hitchin market), also say 2 courgettes, 2 squash, 2 cucumber in a row.

Cannot advise on bean and peas, cannot really stand the things but there must be a few to put in. Used to be able to buy rubber connectors that located 3 bamboos in them to form a frame from Wilkos, also get their long bamboos.

Not sure if Hitchin Mkt has many veg now, Biggleswade sometimes do but not sure which day the market there is on, Baldock the same. Stevenage garden centre has a selection, Bickerdikes out on the Norton Rd does not have a lot (mainly a coffee shop now), never tried Tapps GC as you head out of Baldock, may be worth a look. Most now have reverted to flowers. The Ex-Harkness place is likely to be poor also on the veg front.

[Snadger]

What are the dimensions of the plot, 10 poles means little to me, especcially as it is a length and I guess your allotment is an area, sort of N feet by M feet makes it easier. Meters may be better, just make strips across of 25cm and that is a row.

Easiest thing is to use something like Word, draw a rectangle the same proportions then put in spaced lines of different colours and thicknesses. Where each realtes to a veg or plant species. Simpler still is a few sheets of paper get a cheap pad from Wilkos in Eastcheap, LGC centre.

My little area I worked out a spacing and said 10 veg and simply 10 veg on a small "postit stickies" program. Since the sticky is rectangular it matches the approximate shape of the bed.

Not sure what you like but try a couple of rows of carrots, or more. They come in packets that tend to hold a couple of thousand seeds.

Root veg like turnip and swede should be OK for later in the year. Row of each ??

Rocket and Spinach are options for greenery, also kale, which seems to be in favour at present.

Maybe a row of leeks (Hitchin market), also say 2 courgettes, 2 squash, 2 cucumber in a row.

Cannot advise on bean and peas, cannot really stand the things but there must be a few to put in. Used to be able to buy rubber connectors that located 3 bamboos in them to form a frame from Wilkos, also get their long bamboos.

Not sure if Hitchin Mkt has many veg now, Biggleswade sometimes do but not sure which day the market there is on, Baldock the same. Stevenage garden centre has a selection, Bickerdikes out on the Norton Rd does not have a lot (mainly a coffee shop now), never tried Tapps GC as you head out of Baldock, may be worth a look. Most now have reverted to flowers. The Ex-Harkness place is likely to be poor also on the veg front.

FPG has mentioned she has two half plots totalling a full plot of 250 square metres. This the equivalent of 10 Rods/Poles which are an old imperial area measurement.
As a matter of interest this was the size of plot deemed large enough to feed a family of four during the Dig for Victory campaign of the last war. It is a sizeable area for one person to manage.

I'm not sure about the drawing of plans scenario as my plot changes and evolves every year. FPG mentions the two half plots are completely different and I would keep it that way to find out what works best? One with beds and one traditional would allow for experimentation and find out what works best.There is still loads of stuff that can be planted or started from seed right up until November.Spring cabbage,kales,broad beans,Japanese onion sets are just a few of the veg that can be started in the next few months.
My advice would be to grow only stuff which you enjoy eating and experiment with varieties of each. A pond, shed and soft fruit bushes would be a must.

[FlowerpotGirl]

Thanks everyone you are all FABULOUS! Feel much better after a proper weekend of working on it and some rain free time - finally! Also listening to all your advice My plot neighbour had a bonfire and kindly took some nice big forkfuls of my dried now epic compost pile which is becoming overloaded with chopped down grasses, brambles and weeds. I haven't seen how much has gone (he had it last night) but anything less is good.

I've been given some lettuce and Brussels from other plot holders and I've brought some carrot seedlings, Brussels (I'd brought them before being given some), a Pumpkin, and some seeds that can be sown now. My Atlas carrot tops have been chewed away and I have a grid over them so I think its mice. Going to change the grid for some netting and hope they bounce back. I brought a square ruled notebook and have a rough plan of what to do next. I think keeping a plan will be good for me as I'll forget what went where. Going to keep the front plot as a Cottage Garden/Fruit patch which is basically what it is and the back as the Veg plot. I have a very large square of Raspberries to clear of weeds and prune. They seem to support each other which is great, but they are planted so thickly you can't get into the middle to pick the fruit so it seems pointless.

I also put the greenhouse up in the back garden and have sown some Spring Onions

[Jay-ell]

If the raspberries are ready no then they fruit on last year's canes. Once you have taken the fruit of a cane cut the cane right back which should let you get towards the centre. Lighter green canes are this year's growth and will give fruit next year so don't cut them out just yet - you can thin them down later.

If the fruit ripens in autumn then they have fruited on this years growth an you can remove all the stems after harvesting.

In either case old woody canes that aren't producing can be cut out.

Remember to wear thick gloves and long sleeves unless you fancy a bit of impromptu acupuncture

[FlowerpotGirl]

They don't look like they've been trimmed in years. Thank you for the explanation. They are all helpfully colour coded aren't they Dark woody brown = dead last years growth, lighter brown with fruit = this years growth, lush green leaves on pale lime stems = next years growth. Hopefully they'll still support themselves next year when they've been pruned back Have made some lovely jam from them