down at the allotment and in the garden what are you up to

[JR]

Tee Hee!

Its a funny thing, I seem to have ruffled a few feathers on our allotment. It seems they all race to get the first everything. Its very funny as I am more like old Ted on the plot opposite and in truth am not bothered whos first with what, as long as I can take stuff home to cook knowing its fresh and not packed with chemicals. It very funny watching Ted wind them all up though. Arent old people with all their smarties in tact very funny?

[Christine]

give it a couple of years and I'll tell you what it's like from the other side of the coin (hmmm - not sure that makes sense - a senior moment, obviously!)

Having hedges all round each allotment does mean that we miss out on the jealous and aggrieved inquisitive neighbours but we also miss out on the fun and socialising bits.

[JR]

Ted is in his 70's but still very funny with a sort of worldly wise manor, I think everyone knows someone similar. I hope I make my 70's.

Allotments are strange places I do find some of the charcters very odd, mind you glad to say we have some very nice people on the plots too. My partner and I reckon we are suffering from poly tunnel envy at the moment and we caught it up the plot!

As they say takes all sorts.

[oldfella]

[quote="JR"]Ted is in his 70's but still very funny with a sort of worldly wise manor, I think everyone knows someone similar. I hope I make my 70's.

Why what happens when your 70? I only ask because I might have missed something. :tard:

[JR]

Its not someting you can put your fingers on but I reckon you get a certain awareness which is far superior to those 69 and under. I found it with my grand parents and many other 70+ people I have met.

Perhaps I am talking nonsense! It might just be the ability to know when to speak and not!

[Christine]

I hear recently some research that people who suffer from depression have fewer instances once they're aged 50+ From experience, I reckon that might be true - but I suspect it is the effect of having sufficient history to know that everything passes eventually.

[Christine]

I can't believe the extent to which creeping buttercup has taken over the allotment - one half is completely swamped, except where brambles and bindweed are competing successfully. The beds i cleared in autumn are completely full and I have to do something about the others now. Someone suggested using lime to correct acidity. What I don't understand is that the soil was neutral up to last year and i haven't done anything drastic to the site - so where did they all come from and why are they thriving? All you can see at the moment is a sea of yellow blooms. I keep chopping off their heads but they bounce back and it's impossible to get all the roots out of the clay-ey soil.
Any ideas?

[JR]

I think you have to keep on top of them until that perfect time when the soil is not too wet and not dry and dig the things out. I have some and although they are at the base of a fruit tree I am going to attack them in the Autumn.

[Christine]

Cheer, JR - can't wait for that perfect day!

[Christine]

Now then - can you believe this?

On Wednesday, the gazebo that a dog-walking allotment pal had given me, and which I'd spent hours making into a temporary greenhouse, vanished as if it had never been there. All the ropes, metal bars used to brace it, etc., were left just where they were.

tonight I went up to the allotment and hosepipes, tools, radio etc, etc have equally mysteriously vanished. But no! they're in the shed two allotments up!

Each allotment is hedged and gated but we don't usually bother about security between plots - we're all allotment holders, aren't we?

I reported it to the police (but, let's be realistic) and then went back up with a neighbour (also an allotment holder) and digital camera. All the neighbour kept saying was 'how thick is that???'

Thing is, they also took a sprayer (value £1) and glyphosate (value, the plants on my allotment) so how safe do you think I feel?

[JR]

It's not good is it!
Did you get everything back?

Went up today very warm, did some weeding and netted up the fruit.
Brought home some lettuce and first new spuds!
We had fish, salad and new potatoes sat out on the patio, first time this year.

We also had family round last night and we made spagetti and meatballs. The spices were home grown and the onions, caugettes and spinach (lots of it on the side too) were from the plot.

Good weekend!

[MKG]

Doing as little as possible until this evening - it's just too darned hot!!!!!!

[Christine]

[quote="JR"]It's not good is it!
Did you get everything back?
We had fish, salad and new potatoes sat out on the patio, first time this year.
quote]
Waiting for the police to phone back again now - they say they're keen...
The hubby of an allotment committee member came up on Saturday to take a gander and to share sorrow - their fence has been nicked.
While we were standing there talking, looking towards the 'suspect' allotment, he suddenly said 'wait a minute - that's my fence!' A bit of asking-around and we discovered that loads of people have had stuff vanish and quite a bit is in this shed, so I don't give much for their chances, even if the police can't quite get round to it!

Have a picture in my head of lovely fresh potatoes and basking in the sun now...

[Christine]

almost a result - the police have been to see me, allowed me to take the tools of mine that were within reach and seem pretty confident of a result once they find out who is supposed to have that allotment ...
Here's hoping!

[JR]

Good News, looks like they might do something about it.

I need to take some more pics, the plot seems to change each week so much. Went up to water last night and was shocked at the size of the caugettes and pumpkin plants. Even have a baby atlantic giant!