Selfsufficientish.com

This is now my second year as a plot-holder at the West Tarring site in Worthing, West Sussex.

After taking over a 5 rod plot covered with couch grass (plus friends) in Feb 2005 and managing to work on just under half the area last year, the whole plot is now officially usable/cultivable. The produce from last year was great - tomatoes, courgettes, onions, garlic, potatoes, rocket, herbs! Maybe largely due to the fact that the plot had been unused for a couple of years.

So far in 2006 I've gone from excitement of planning this year's crops to vague disappointment because despite the fact that I've now cleared most of the weeds (for now!), it seems to be taking ages for anything to get going. Much slower & later than last year. Seeds I planted in March haven't germinated (e.g. parsnip) or show really poor growth (e.g. broad bean). I don't know if I should worry . . . I think I'm gonna keep planting and see what happens in May

One thing I've found very useful is keeping an allotment log - including photos, comments, dates & assorted titbits to keep me amused. 8)

Don't worry, Sven - everything is at least a month behind last year. I even heard somebody from Kew Gardens say, they were 6 weeks behind... The only thing that seems to be growing well in my garden at the moment is the creeping buttercup! And the radishes have germinated, at least. But no sign of parsnip or broad beans yet.

It might be worth sowing another row of parsnips rather than waiting to see if the first lot germinate. Sometimes things just don't germinate and you waste time waiting!

Your allotment log is a good idea. I have a 5 year garden diary so it's interesting to see what was flowering when last year (this year is a couple of weeks behind last year but catching up now). I also note what I plant and the date as far as my veggies go.

Anyway chin up, in no time at all you'll be inundated with produce and wondering what to do with all those courgettes!

Millymollymandy wrote:I have a 5 year garden diary so it's interesting to see what was flowering when last year (this year is a couple of weeks behind last year but catching up now). I also note what I plant and the date as far as my veggies go.

Gosh, you are soooo organised, MMM... I did start out with a proper list this year - and then I couldn't find it. Shouldn't have tidied the living room, I suppose.