Anyone with an allotment?

I also have news on the rhubarb gin.

Really good!

I dug one out at the weekend but it straight went back in as bulb not well developed.

Ace!

My garlic all started bolting after the frost so all out weeks ago, i grew it in pots to save bed space which was a mistake i think.

Received a group email along with all other allotment tenants asking what plans are / if we're struggling etc as "some allotments aren't looking their best". Feel very attacked.

Glad our allotment association is a bit more forgiving. Half my plot looks like a meadow, chest-high grass all over the shop.

How long have you had yours?

4 or 5 months! Presuming they'll show some leniency given current situation.

Was very overgrown when we got keys in Jan/Feb. Dug a lot of ground (but didn't repair the broken door on shed or broken panels on greenhouse). Planted a lot of stuff and was there every other day for a few weeks then things got covid'd so we've been lucky to get to it to water once a week. Haven't been for two weeks or more now. Needs a serious strim and the beds need a weed. At least the rain is making up for things a bit. It's made trickier by having to attend with 3yo who doesn't do patience or careful footing. Stressful experience and frankly we've had better harvests this year from our back patio (potatoes, radish, beet, spinach so far). Allotment has given us some rhubarb from previous tenant and some maggoty radishes. Would love to go on my own early morning and spend the day there. We'll see.

Those sort of notices seem to go out blanket-like about this time of year. I think some of it’s just to prompt some to throw in the towel so people waiting can get in for Autumn and make a start. It’s annoying when you’ve just started but I suspect it’s not aimed at you / persecution :)

Apparently it's us! Mrs CYOA had an 'urgent' voicemail 'demanding a response' along with a personal email. Tempted to borrow a muck spreader.

That's a bit of a shit thing to pull as you're only just a season in - anyone else on the plots had similar? Maybe just go and cut all the grass/weeds down and say you're on it, and point out what a state it was in when you took it on and remind them it's only four months barely?
Or, yes, frozen muck sausages hammered into the council office planters.

Good times on the plot

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This does seem a bit much, on our site someone previously had the front of out plot for three years and done literally zero. They've have moved them to an easier plot and given them another go, people are managed out but literally once they've had time five months in the current situation is madness

My partner has been growing some veg in the garden. Stuff in the pots is doing well but the little raised bed we allocated has gotten eaten by something. We had a fine mesh cover over to stop snails and slugs but something else has been in there. All the leaves are now eaten. I’ve seen quite a few ants in the bed. We found a dead mouse in the garden the other day too. Any ideas on how to ID what is eating the veg patch?

slugs

live in the soil, fine mesh won't stop them.

Looks a bit of a mess in the pic but this is massive progress! Finally managed to get some actual plants in the actual ground. Tomotoes, beetroot, and squash in. 900l of compost moved. Massive weedy patch covered until next spring when the beds can be extended full width.

Still got a load of cavalo nero to go in but got to sort some sort of netting contraption to keep the pigeons off first.
What's made the difference is the allotment rules being relaxed and I can let myself in any time so can pop down in the evenings after the kids are in bed (previously the site was being locked at 8pm).

Still have a LOT of weeding to do.

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Do you live in a very middle class area? All sounds a bit Hyacinth Bucket.

This was ours on Monday after an hour or two with a mattock.

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I should point out there is another half off picture which does actually have some veg on it.

This tomorite substitute was £1.99/L in Aldi last night if anyone’s in need.

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Looks good to me. Covering ground is so helpful for suppressing weeds. I wish I'd made a bit more effort over the winter on my plot. Hacking up rock solid ground with a mattock in the heat on monday was far harder than it needed to be.

Our mangetout has grown so quickly and is cropping loads now

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Few strawberries that weren't eaten, starting to realise why they are about £4 a punnet!

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Thompson and Morgan currently have all seeds at £1 a pack. Generally save about £1.29-£1.99 a packet.

Where's that? Just jumped on the website and courgette seeds are still 2.99

If you click on the individual courgette variety you're interested it drops to £1. Or at least it does for me.