Anyone with an allotment?

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Pentland Javelin 1e
Bambino 2e
Orla eM

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Golden Wonder
Cara
Sarpo Mira

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Just had a lightbulb moment, I have a little temperature controlled chamber, made from an old fridge that I use for making bread. Think I'm going to use that to get my seedlings going then move to windowsill then tunnel. I'd wrongly assumed they'd need light but it seems that's often not the case until they sprout.

Lots of weekend weeding, digging, mending in anticipation of a better year than last

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Strong work. What's the pest, rabbit/deer?

Ha! Mice, rats, pidgeons, pheasants, rabbits, deer (there’s a herd of the big ones about 100-deep in the woods around)
Can’t say we don’t have all the wildlife out this way, which is lovely, but not in our little plot :)

Hello fellow growers.
It's my first year trying some Rhubarb.
I put the pretty wizened looking crowns in in Autumn. I'm convinced that I should have seen some sort of action in the garden by now.
Are these red bits some sort of life?

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My rhubarb is completely devoid of life, was minus 2 this morning so don't blame it for hiding :)

Yeah the red bits are the stalks coming through. Mine looked like that a week ago and has leaves now.

You are not meant to pick any in its first year though, let it grow strong instead

Useful guidance

https://dontcropmenow.co.uk/keeping-a-tidy-plot/

Thanks for that ^, something to aesthetically aspire to as well. I’ve just about had enough with clearing grass and brambles from our plot, it’s about 50% clear and that will have to do for this year. I’ve been buying up piles of old scaffold planks (not too old cause chemicals) and can start the fun bit of mapping out the beds.
Measured our ‘1/2’ plot at 9x18m so I’ve definitely nicked a bit too much land from the back but in my defence I just kept digging up carpet and tarpaulin so figured it must’ve been in use not that long ago…

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And what it looked like in September.

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Good progress, right time of year to get started. Glad article helpful.

have you all bought your seed potatoes yet?

Just grabbed some in Wilkos. I wasn't going to do potatoes this year but for £3 it would be rude not to.

Have had some chitting for a bit but there’s still plenty of time to get them.

We're not far from you and this is the rhubarb patch today. Give it a couple of years and yours will probably be the same! Two years now, looking forward to plentiful cropping soon.

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First visit to the allotment today since November. We’re unashamedly fair weather gardeners.
Was in much better condition than expected as we did a much better job of tidying and covering beds last year. Harvested some carrots and the onions and garlic we put in last autumn are going well.
Really just need to tidy the paths and strim the edges and start digging.
Might put a proper deck in this year as we had more than enough growing space(anyone in e17 want to take on a bed?) so will put a bit of unused space over to making it more habitable so we spend more time there.

Was pleased, had been feeling a little daunted about going up over the last couple of weeks.

Next level! I really do hope ours gets to your level. I covet your patch.

Went to shift manure today but there's no manure. Moving stuff in shed told me the rats are back, prompting 2hrs emptying and bleaching / burning lots of the cardboard & wood things. Grim, but shed now much tidier.

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Squee, mines now got the smallest leaf appearing, I promise no more pics until mines as bug as yours. The fresh air from the South Circular is a recipe for it to grow huge I'm sure!

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Self-saved potatoes went in today. Quite green, tbh but the chits were good and strong so thought I should get them in.

Also finally sowed some tomatoes and hot/sweet peppers.

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Anyone used fresh bamboo instead of shop-bought canes as supports?

Just struck me that there's loads that grows on the side of a river down the road from me.... could be a money-saving endeavour.

Yep

I suggest you avoid inserting a node into the ground. It can, when fresh, grow new roots from the nodes.