Anyone with an allotment?

The half plot next door shed has vanished. Possibly vacant. Committee emailed.

Otherwise by chance it was Potato Day so I've 5 x6 seed potatoes to chit 1x6 first early, 2x6 second early, 2x6 main crop

Plot not fully rewilded over winter

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Don’t have any big jobs to do at the moment but sowed some beans in loo roll tubes today and weeded the bulb patch.
Few things starting to pop up there.

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Mulched a few beds here, and got on top of the weeding. Lovely day for it - the daffs I put in are starting to flower too.

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Chit Happens

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Thinking about a brick oven for the plot, probably a bloody stupid idea.

Project thread plz

I’ve just posted in the bbq thread as well but think this little range ticks all my boxes.
Bit less of a faff than building a dome pizza oven(I helped a mate build one years ago and they’re fun).
Just chuck it on a couple of slabs, add a chimney and job done. Could store it in the shed over winter.

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Just caught up with that chat on the bbq thread - it paints the most idyllic picture of allotment cuisine, I genuinely would love to get 10% into that.

Also I can’t do anything but read “get their groove on” in a Fred durst voice and now Sunday night is taking a wild turn

There’s a few plots with good cooking facilities at our site.
One family down the bottom has an oil drum tandoor oven, pergola dripping with grapes and a pretty decent sized dining table.
The Cypriot old boys have a prep kitchen in the shed and a couple of exciting bbqs with rotisseries etc.

I’m a big pasta fan so being able to do a pan of water or big pot of sauce is really appealing.

My Polish plot neighbour has a fish smoker.

Saw you mention the table top smoker. I'd definitely do some reading up on them, as waaaay BITA my mum bought my dad this Canadian portable smoker. I've never got it to smoke nicely - could be me, but I think they either aren't great, or require particular steps.

I know you said you didn't want gas, but honestly given your brief for pasta, gas + a thoughtful pot selection really is the way to go. So I'd say gas and your existing set up would do everything you want.

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I hear what you’re saying as gas is instant and fast. I’d have to look through the bylaws as not sure if there’s any specifics on gas(we’re not allowed to store petrol in the clubhouse though for example)
I have a limitless supply of free firewood which is a factor.
Fully accept a bottle, regulator and a big burner would be a lot less hassle than any wood burner.
Obviously as it’s an allotment being whimsical is important as well ;)

My run of luck continues, old boy up the road just gifted me two large cloches and an unused cold frame in exchange for sorting his green bin permit.

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Great score! Nice one.

Anyone sowing anything this weekend? I’ve got calendula and marigold seedlings I should probably divide up.

Flowers divided. Been colder in here than expected(-1°c) but the toms and peppers are looking good.

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Bulb village looking good too

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I've managed to get a few seeds germinated oin windowsills this last week while I've been on holiday, I was going to try some planting before we went but gladly didn't as we had a frost again last night.

The plan now is to pop the germinated seeds out into compost and put them in the mini greenhouse we've got then hopefully they'll grow from there.

A quick question, I bouhgt some seed potatoes a few weeks back and popped them in to a cold, dark cupboard until they're ready to plant. They've now started sprouting in the cupboard.
Should I just get them planted out this week when I get a chance?

I wouldn’t bother planting spuds until mid/late March tbh. Unless you want to be constantly checking the forecast for frost and thinking about earthing up/unless you do them all in bags/pots and can move them out of any late frosts. I don’t think you gain enough of an advantage. I’d just move them into the light and let the chits green up a bit.

mid/late March

^ depending on what it is & where in country, end of May. We've had mid-May frost up here a couple years.

I'm in London, I'm planting my first earlies next week

21* 'Cambridge Favourite' bare roots delivered and planted ...

• I got 27
  
  

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Planted more onion sets. And some rather optimistic lettuce and peas in my bodge job hotbeds.

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Checking my notes, we had a 15th May frost four years ago 😖 knocked back my earlies a fair bit.

Rhubarb showing encouraging signs of coming to life. This is a new crown that I got from a gardening buddy and I put it at the base of the hot bin so will hopefully go on to good things.

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Rhubarb

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