Hello

[Rohen]

They get scared....

Dont know why... Im not at work when I meet them and work stays firmly in the 9-5 slot when I am working. I often shut the door of work and suddenly all the things I was thinking about in the morning before work come flooding back ...


I went to Morrisons they have some seeds at 20% off Fothergills ones

I bought some dwarf beans, Kelvedon Peas, sweetcorn, purple sprouting broccoli carrots cucumbers lettuce and tomato seeds

That should keep me going for sometime....

[Lou8]

Hello dentist! DH and I were having a conversation only the other night, wondering why dentists (in our experience) have far better bed-side/chair-side manner than GP's and doctors generally. My NHS dentist actually talks to me as if I have reached the same evolutionary level as he; my GPs (all of them in our practice) would obviously be more happily employed as pathologists. Hope this doesn't offend any medics on here - my experience of doctors so far is fortunately fairly limited, and I know there are decent ones out there. I'm a lawyer, and everyone is rude about us.

You should know better. I am a GP and get fed up with all the moans about GPs but my husband is a lawyer and he has it worse - all the hugely unfunny jokes and insults he has to put up with when he says what he does.

[Eco Worrier]

Think I need to spend more time at my allotment digging there, rather than digging myself holes here.

[alcina]

You want a conversation stopper job....be a mortician! No-one ever shakes your hand again!

Welcome to the forum, congrats on the allotment (I'm saying this through gritted teeth because I've been on the waiting list a year and I've another 2-3 years to go at least!). As has been said, the best thing is to try to tackle small areas at a time. Dig a couple of square metres, plant them. Dig another couple, plant them. Weed the areas you've already dug...put up squirrel and pigeon traps and replant the areas you've already dug

Do take before, during and after pics! We want to see them even if you don't!

Alcina

[Millymollymandy]

So, do we have any estate agents on here then?

[Rohen]

OK here we go

Here is my allotment

As they say read it and weep


It'll take me two years to clear it.....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46785529@N ... 120967861/

[alcina]

What a nice sweet little wood. But...where's your allotment?

Well...you have your work cut out!! But it's a good start! Looks like it could get quite shady you might also want to prune back the trees if you're allowed. 'Tis a pity you couldn't have taken it over in about September then you'd at least have had loads of blackberry jam to fortify you!

The greenhouse frame could be handy. At the very least all you need is some polythene and you've got an instant, if not very pretty, greenhouse (and shelter from the rain whilst you take a well earned cuppa!). Or you could just use the upper part with some polythene and you've got a large cloche.

I'm not sure if the hessian backed carpet thing works with something as strong as blackberry, but it's worth a go. Strong back and stronger gloves...

Good luck!

Alcina

[Rohen]

I spent 2 n half hours there this evening its amazing what you can do with a pair of gloves and a secateur
I show you the progress tomorrow

[Millymollymandy]

Good grief! I wouldn't know where to begin with that. I think that I just wouldn't begin - I'd have a window box!! Good luck to you Rohen!

[glenniedragon]

Good luck there, You'll have to do a bit of digging to I'm afraid as brambles have very persistant roots too........on the up side they've probably smothered any other weeds!

kind thoughts
Deb

[Rohen]

Well I see Im not the only one who had reservations but I figured 5 poles of overgrown allotment was better than three years of further waiting.

The trees I cant manage with the secateur that are overhanging or growing up I have ringed ( removed strip of bark in one circumferential strip) so that they die and then are easier to cut down

I managed to clear the apple tree of brambles yesterday... and cclear a path around a square part of brambles and cleared some of the rubbish around the greenhouse frame

[justkate]

Hi Rohen, it's nice to meet you :-)

"No Im a Psychiatrist "

And people don't want to speak to you, because you are the person who declared Pat Hewitt sane, when the glint in her says otherwise LOL

Kate

[Ermintrude]

Hi, I reckon you've just got to dig. The best way is to dig a bit, make the soil nice on that bit and then plant it up. Meanwhile, cut back your brambles and cover them with something very heavy, pull back the carpet, ply, plastic sheeting whatever when you feel like more digging. Brambles are a bugger and it will be really dis-spriting to think your plot has to be perfect quickly. Or, perhaps you could hire a rotivator, though I have absolutely no expereince of these whatsoever !

[Rohen]

Mmm I think the allotment fox took my gardening gloves! I felled two trees today and chopped bits off the privet trees that are overhanging

[Lou8]

It will be all the more satisfying to see the progress when it's such a challenge.