Anyone with an allotment?

Your onions look happier than mine :)

Think the garlic are probably the better looking ones in that photo, some of the onions are doing ok some really look like they’re waiting for the weather to warm up.

Stunning weather here today.
Planting up a bunch of seed trays, giving some early toms and peppers a dose of fresh air and throwing a few flower seeds around.

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Is your plot in Waltham Forest?

Struggling to work out how I get one in WF
Borough website, waiting list etc is hopeless

Yes, we’re on the Sinnott Rd site.
We were on the waiting list for two years, only to eventually be given a plot that had been vacant for ten years.
If you want I can dm you the email address of the allotment officer.

That would be wonderful.
Thanks

Just looked up where your allotments is; that's a fair way from Whipps Cross
Assume that if you get offered a site you take it.
Very few sites in my part of the borough, though as Whipps used to be part of the Epping Forest the land is best suited to growing trees!

Have sent you a message :)

First try of some seed tape today (early carrots). Hopefully mean less thinning later.

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Pallets seem to breed around here so have been collecting them. Took them to the plot today to build some structures. Far one is hinged together, going to break down that little one leaning against to for cross bars and then staple gun some chicken wire to the front so I can grow something up that side too. Near one is just a big pallet wedged upright with a small one.

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Nice. I’m lucky to have a limitless supply at work.
I only use them for compost bays though at the moment.

What’s everyone’s jobs this weekend on the plot?

I'm spreading manure this afternoon, pulling up thousands of sycamores and tying in hops then off down The Kernel for a well earned beer. Tomorrow I'm watering in the first nematodes of the year.

Talk to me about nematodes- seen them in the garden centre but never looked into it

I've been using them in my garden for the last 2 years, got no slugs now. Sadly don't get rid of snails though. Slugs have completely destroyed my broad beans down the plot, the ones in my garden are untouched. I subscribe to the program where they send them out to you every 6 weeks. You dissolve them in water and then water them in.

Get mine here https://www.nematodesdirect.co.uk/

Waltham forest waiting list is awful. Seem to remember when we moved 1 year and a half ago I could only put my name down for one site and had to specify which. So presumably if a spot on another site comes up I won't get offered it even if I might want to take it as I am only on the list of one site ? That said I have seen sites near me with hand written notes on the gates saying they have a spare plot, and to call a certain number-
seems lots are run by allotment groups themselves in partnership with the council and are filled ad hoc by the site admins themselves. That said I have tried to call one of these and the number was wrong so hit and miss. Very unsatisfactory system all in all sadly.

Greenhouse looking more ready now. Local coffee roaster giving me their hessian sacks and coffee chaff

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Is there any reason why garlic that's started sprouting while in the fridge shouldn't be planted out and grow?

No. It will grow. The ones you buy for growing are supposed to be better but yours should still grow

Excellent, I'll give it a go.

Had a little burn up, filled 2 big propagators, rearranged the shed, barrowed up some chip for the paths and generally fucked around.
Looks like I’m a day or two early for the tulips to be in full bloom.
Still not feeling quite brave enough to plant or sow anything else out just yet.

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Not strictly an allotment but veg beds at bottom of the garden, potted on some tiny tomato seedlings today in the greenhouse, and sowed some more Turkish peppers ( for the 3rd time as first ones never appeared- (no idea why) all in the propergator now. Also sowed some brokali, lettuce etc in the greenhouse and a few rows of spinach, more lettuce and some radish direct in the outside bed. Hope this takes better than the lettuce and radish in the greenhouse which has barely shifted since sowing in Feb, just stayed very small and leggy

Nice! We started prepping beds.

I’m running a bit behind this year and just remembered my onion sets and garlic are still sat in a box. Would there be any advantage to planting them in root training pots in the greenhouse or should I just get them in the ground?

just get them in the ground?

^ this

Where were you in my time of need? 😂

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