Anyone with an allotment?

They’re really cool, I’m gonna track some seeds down.

I can d-bag & post you some if a struggle to find local. Else: https://www.premierseedsdirect.com/product/italian-heirloom-beetroot-chioggia-organic/

Sad seeing Wilkos in trouble - always a handy place for cheap seeds to fill gaps in the plot

^ and for homebrew stuff

Gutting. One of my favourite shops.

Some stuff

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Time to start thinking about onions and garlic for autumn planting I guess.
Will probably do elephant garlic again but anyone had any great success with anything in particular this year? Never grown red onions before :/

Apologies, totally missed this. Very kind offer but I'll see what I can buy from the allotment association catalogue first!

This beauty arrives next Saturday. This endless fucking rain has forced my hand. Hopefully at least this way I’ll still get up there and keep busy.
Recommendations for bombproof wood stain, preferably in exciting colours? It comes treated but I’d rather give it another good coat prior to assembly.

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How many grams of onion sets do people usually put in for overwinter? Am I right in thinking a 250g bag is roughly 60-70 bulbs?

I bought 500g last year and it was probably more than I needed I gave plenty away and stuck some in some vacant beds that didn’t do that well. 250g should be good.

Cool, I just went on a spree on seedsofitaly.com and got their 500g mixed bag along with garlic and a bunch of seeds. If 500g is too much I’ll give the rest away.
All the franchi brand seeds we did this year did really well and some good random stuff available.
Probably going to throw a bit of fertiliser in with the onions this year as they’ll be going in before we get the annual manure delivery. Blood, fish n bone or something else?

Back from a week away and finally have a tomato crop. Plants looked quite tired though.

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^ Nice!

Chuffing lovely up here this afternoon. Apart from splashing a bit of water around im just going to bask in our hard work this year. It’s still scruffier than many on here’s plots but it’s starting to feel real after 2.5yrs lol.

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One massive annoyance though, ordered Franchi’s ‘mixed basil collection’ assuming each variety would be in a separate baggy like when I’ve bought Tom/chilli mixes in the past.
The fuckers mix all 10 varieties together :/
This ain’t no salad and I don’t want to germinate the damn things individually!

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Whack em all in big tub and pot up individually when they’re big enough?

Yeah that’s what I’ll no doubt do, but separating out seedlings is way more of a faff than just sowing a row of each variety ;)

Wet July causing white spots on my spuds apparently lenticels, swollen gas exchange pores.

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First sunflower of the summer

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Excited for shed building weekend.
Loose tonne of gravel for the base grids arriving 8am, approx 200m to the plot, shed due anytime between 8am and 6pm.
Whatever time it arrives I’d ideally like to paint it prior to assembly so I can get all the end grain etc.
I’m guessing the time screwing the shed together will be a drop in the ocean compared to hauling all the materials up to the plot. Haven’t done a solid morning of brainlessly barrowing gravel since I was an apprentice.

Can we talk about winter tomatoes. I’ve never grown any before. Are they a thing? Why aren’t we all growing them

I’m not growing them because I’ve never heard of them.

Presumably indoors/heated greenhouse job? And I assume you’d have to hand pollinate?

Sounds cool though.

Shed day 1- just shy of 1 tonne of gravel moved, first coat of paint on, 90% assembled.
Just roof felt, second coat of paint and trim boards tomorrow. Oh and the internal shelving as well.

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