End of an era!

[battybird]

Today we made the decision to give up our allotment, which we have had in the family for 20 years. Not an easy decision but necessary as something has to give...not enough time for everything in our life at the moment. Really sad in many ways but also it is a relief as it has not had our full attention for the last few years due to OH health issues. We also go to Portugal often in the springtime and have, several times, returned to the allotment and had to start over to remove knee deep weeds and replant everything again, which we feel guilty about. We will be rethinking our little garden and growing as much as we can there in pots, troughs and beds. Trying to treat it as a challenge but I will really miss the raspberries especially...not enough room here for them. Has anyone grown them in a really small area? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Thomzo]

Ah sorry to hear about the lottie but best to give it up if it's causing you stress.

Alys Fowler did a TV series a few years ago where she filled a fairly small garden with edibles, including raspberries. She grew them against a fence, I think.

If you have a wall or fence, you could try growing loganberries up it instead. I prefer them to raspberries. Much more reliable and the fruit is more substantial. Really long cropping period as well.


Zoe

[Zech]

Someone on a waiting list is going to be very, very happy that there's an allotment available now

[oldjerry]

Completely agree with the loganberry,my favourite soft fruit (though mulberries are pretty good,but our new garden 's far too small.)
I could be making a virtue out of a necessity,but since we moved to a far smaller garden (still bigger than many,so I'm not moaning) I've had to be much more thoughtful about what goes where,I s'pose it 's the essence of ish...i.e. doing the best with what you've got.

*I've always admired people that make the most of small spaces,now I'm getting to put it into practice...Yesterday I bought 18 apple trees,and they are going to form the perimeter of my fruit area,a mere 30'x30'( I'll cordon them,and they're all on M26).....tomorrow I drive fence posts through the snow!.....Happy Days!!

[frozenthunderbolt]

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I have successfully grown raspbs in a 10 L pot to fruition. You just need to divide every year or two.