Hi from Teesside mark two

[amybee]

Hello!

Thought I better say Hello and introduce myself! Especially after reading Mad dads post!

I too live in Teesside and have just (five weeks ago) got myself a lovely, , allotment! Well it will be lovely once we have cleared all the rubbish and weeds but I believe that this goes with the territory of taking on an allotment!

I have been growing a variety of plants, some edible some not, for about eight years now but have become limited by my garden hence the allotment.

In reality I don't want to be self-sufficient, too much like hard work! But we are aiming to be as near as possible self-reliant when it comes to fruit, which will be the allotments primary task.

[amybee]

Oops pressed submit instead of return! That in itself probably says more about me than the message itself!!

Anyway love the site, it helps keep me motivated on days like today when I ache from too much digging and the sun is nowhere to be seen!

Amy

[cheap&cheerful]

Hi Amy,

Welcome to the site. I'm new too, although already I'm up to Jerry. My school report always did say Jill talks too much!!

You sound delighted to of got your allotment.

I love fruit on an allotment. While your working you can go and help yourself. Bit like having natures sweet shop on your doorstep.

Take care

Jill..

[Wombat]

G'Day Amy,

Welcome to the site. I don't think I'll ever get to be self sufficient, but i will be content if I can call myself self sufficientish! What sort of fruit are you going to grow, will you be doing it organically?

I suppose one of the drawbacks of the allottment system is you won't know what the person before you has used

Nev

[Andy Hamilton]

Hi there Amybee and welcome to the site.

Its the weeds that are the real problem on allotments, have you covered over any of it as a supressent or do you plan to real get 'dug' in and sort it out for getting things growing this year?

Really happy to hear that the site keeps you motivated

[amybee]

Ooh thank you for the warm welcome!

I live very close to my plot and the difference in the soil is amazing, I think my plot was very well looked after before the weeds took hold!

I grow all my plants organically, it just seems to make the most sense to me but I appreciate I don't know what happened to the soil before me and even what my neighbours are doing - ah well just have to try my best!

I will be putting in rasps, gooseberries, blackcurrants etc and cherries this autumn. The plot already has a thriving rhubarb patch and fab pear tree. Other than that I have cut the weeds back and covered the area for veg until next year but the area for fruit is being dug over and I have an amazing supply of horse by-product! Black gold apparently!

I need the motivation because time on the plot is limited due to my 15mnth old son - lovely as he is, he isn't all that handy with a spade yet!

Thanks again for the warm welcome - just have to work on my posts and get past my Margo phase!

Amy

[shiney]

Hi Amy,

Welcome.

Lucky, lucky, you to have an allotment. We have a four year waiting list here and even asking the council to allot more land for lotties, they said that building houses was more important. GRRRRRR!

Good to know you are a 'fruit bat' as far as growing all your stuff goes. I love fruit and eat tonnes of it. I would love to have a goosegog bush as you just dont' see them much these days. Have you had any fruit from it yet?

[amybee]

Hi Shiney

Yes we are lucky as we got the last available allotment in our town although I am pretty sure our neighbour's plot will be up for grabs in autumn (4ft high grass already!).

I had to pick the fruit off the ones I have just planted as they had mildew and as it hadn't spread to the leaves I thought it would be best to pick them off. There weren't many and it might help them concentrate on getting established. However I have a red variety at home in the garden which is lovely and the fruit are nice. I am aiming to make gooseberry ice cream at some point but have to find the recipe, my great aunt used to make it and I have fond memories so hopefully it will live up to them!

[shiney]

Ohhhh gooseberry icecream sounds fabulous. I used to like goosegog fool. (custard and goozies whizzed up more like) Delish.