Anyone with an allotment?

Much as expected. I’m sure if it was dug in better it’d survive a summer but not another storm. Honestly I’m not surprised/bothered. The frame still appears rock solid at least. If I buy plastic it’s still 1/4 price of equivalent size from First.

Anyone got any experience with grow lamp bulbs(like e27 or bayonet type to go in a desk lamp). I’m familiar with strip led ones for seedlings.
Decided to grow a weird variegated chilli as a houseplant and know it’ll need a little extra help over winter.

Greenhouse ventilation massively improved thanks to the storm. Recovered some panels but not all. What a faff.

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Was very grateful I hadn’t glazed mine pre Darragh. I went up my plot yesterday for the first time in ages. Dug a few beds over and put in some onions and garlic (very late). Also remembered a few pots of second earlies I hadn’t emptied out. Most were ok, so had some for dinner.

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oof, bad luck.

Makes me realise when I set my polytunnel up, should the curved sides face prevailing winds or the ends (could open them to allow through flow of wind on storm days)

I haven’t been down to our plot to check. Expecting carnage

My low tunnel(about chest high at apex) is perpendicular to the prevailing wind, it survived the storm no trouble but partially sheltered.
Main trick seems to be not letting any wind get underneath it. We put a 10” berm of woodchip all the way around ours which appears to have protected it

There was a Jerusalem artichoke on my plot when I got it but it's right next to the path between mine and my grumpy neighbour's plot so I dug it up and moved it somewhere more sensible. Turns out I left a bit in and it grew to a 14ft monster. I attempted to dig it up again today and got myself 1.5kg of chokes. Hopefully I got it all out this time.

Skully has shared this chutney recipe with me which he is super excited about
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2011/nov/09/jerusalem-artichoke-chutney-alys-fowler

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Last years garlic is starting to shoot. Can I get it in the ground for bonus garlic or is it game over?

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Yes if it’s shooting then it means it’s ready to grow. Good time to plant

Awesome thanks. It’s been sat in my garage for the last 12 months

Feels like it’s time to buy/plant asparagus crowns. Any tips? Varieties that are particularly good? Suppliers? Anything else to think about?

Think about what you’re going to do when you’re twiddling your thumbs for 3 years

You can pick it in the first year, just be selective and ensure you don't pick too much.

It's pretty easy to grow in my experience. It likes a lot of compost/organic matter, but once it's established it'll crop well for. years. I don't remember what variety we have, will ask the other half when she's home from work.

Haha, i’m after low intervention growing. Bit of weeding around the edges and let it proliferate suits me.

Cheers, there seem to be a few varieties generally available but as its a long term thing thought I’d see what others recommend

I have an asparagus bed. It’s in its 5th year. It’s about 12ftx4ft

Lots of gravel, horse manure and I cover it over in winter after the growth has died back to keep the weeds down.

Nice sounds like I can manage that. Think ours will be a bit smaller than that, but gonna measure up and figure out how many crowns we need over the hols

Plant as many as you can, some will die.
Fill the ground with as much gravel and grit as you can afford/find.

Anyone grown samphire before? I know it needs salt water occasionally so would do it in a pot on my balcony.
Just wondering if anyone’s got any experience with it?
Plan is to outsource salads and ‘daily’ veg back to the balcony to free up space at the allotment- I can’t seem to manage salad there without the sluggy bastards destroying every crop.