Anyone with an allotment?

Not saying that this maths translates, but the small pot concept could be valid as you are giving your plants about half that volume?

Can't work out if this is an endorsement or critique :)

I think the 4 earlies idea is because they're determinate potatoes so only grow on one level and don't (wouldn't) need mounding up. You sow two opposite each other in the bottom third and two concurrent on the second third before covering again. I watched a video on youtube I'll find later. Anyways, I've still got some to plant and I'll assess the pot experiment at harvest time.

Neither my friend- just idly thought I’d do a bit of maths and see where it led to!

This year I’ve just planted seed spuds in holes and covered the lot with manure (No mounds involved). Mine are looking super vigorous too (most of the earlies are in flower).

Experimentation is half the fun!

Here’s the video. Business part starts about 3.30 in. I’m only doing it cos I get free spent compost from work.

https://youtu.be/VLna4I_ekP0

Spinach has gone crazy. Do I cut it right back?

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Is it perpetual?
I think if so just keep picking (and eating)

Also not sure what to do about the garlic

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Pickle it :)

Yes it is

Opened the dual bindweed/couch grass hellmouth today and put in some sweetcorn. Liberal use of a hoe for the rest of the season then cover and no dig after that.

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I cut all the perpetual spinach at out plot today. Bagged up and now in the fridge.

Raspberry’s are growing crazy big now.

My partner had a good week on the plot. Caulis in and fab bamboo/mesh cage for them.
Ton of tomato’s, chillis, peppers and cucs in today as well.
I’ve made a start on digging over the final strip of land. Probably not been cultivated in 10yrs+ according to the neighbours. Loads of surface roots, mostly just nettle and bramble. Soil is pretty contaminated with plastic and old carpet but doing my best.

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I get the impression having an allotment in a perfect state isn’t possible. With so many previous people doing different things. I keep finding massive bits of plastic in our soil. Like someone decided to cut up loads of tyres or something.

It doesn’t seem like there is “a way”

Even the ‘perfect’ plots (looked on with envy!) near ours go through phases of weediness and neglected corners
Seems to me the best ones are they ones that give the most pleasure, rather than ones tidied to within an inch
I’d take pleasing over perfect every time :)
But, yes, it’s annoying digging out the rubbish from the ‘one season’ tenants who tend to bring all the crap in and then leave
Anyway, sweet corn, pumpkin, french beans are in

As I’m next to the clubhouse building(and my plot was fully vacant for 6yrs but mostly uncultivated for more like 15yrs), down the side of that building has been a dumping ground for generations of plot holders. So far I’ve filled 3 ton sacks and prob one more by the time I’m finished. I have to leave a 1m wide path along the length of the building so all the shitty contaminated soil will be used along that edge after digging over then put 2 layers of membrane down. There’s zero chance the council will maintain it but I’m going to see if they can do me some gravel for the path so I don’t have to keep looking after a woodchip one.
I’m not aiming for perfect and I’m still trying to work out areas that can be a bit more perennial. So glad we didn’t bother with salad on the plot this year.
The question of a potting shed came up again over the weekend but the one we want is a solid grand by the time it’s delivered and a proper base put down for it..

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There’s one plot on our site tha probably could be filed under “perfect”, soil quality is comically brilliant. Turns out the old bloke who looks after it is the third generation of his family to have it, and the soil is the result of 70+ years of care

Alex, the allotment King on our site has been there 20yrs or more I think. Him and his son run at least 2 full plots, they both have gardens that back onto the plots so their gardens act as nurseries for the site. They’re always in there first with the manure delieveries and would say they’re the closest to perfection on ours. Aside from a couple of poly tunnels they just use it as a small field and cultivate the whole area and just use planks between crops.
Their soil is epic.

Spuds have gone mad with all the rain. Hopefully it's all show underground too.
Must be about 80cm at least.

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I need to put some main crop potatoes in and some corn.

Everything went in over the last couple of days, hope most of it survives.

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Gutter peas is an ace method btw

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I should have grown some peas :(
Whole plot looks really good
We spent the morning taming the flower plot, well half of it
Will take the mower up tomorrow for further tidying and some pictures

I should have grown some peas :(

You still could no? They grow quite quickly.

Whole plot looks really good

Ta. Happy with the routine now, it has taken many years to get to here and is much easier now than the forst few. Here's the standard pic I take each visit, there might be a timelapse one day.

some pictures

Yay.

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timelapse

Now there’s an idea :)

Enjoying the Aldi, brassiere beer bottle in the first photo. I had a lot of them on my canes but the kids have removed them to make potions in.

Stuck my last spuds in today (4x Cara, 7x blue Danube) they’ll be ready around October time 😳

Added a couple of squash next to the sweetcorn and picked some broad beans for the BBQ salad.

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Actually envy you’ve broad beans to pick
In a good way :)