Anyone with an allotment?

A lot were hiding under the cardboard put down to kill off grass & bindweed so I don't think that helps either..

Slugs killed off the cima di rappa and corn I put out last week.
Need to top up the beer traps and get a few more.
Sowed radish, mustard and some spring onions. Really seem to struggle with the latter compared to other alliums.

Looking mega and making us feel part time!

Haha thanks but rest assured it’s not that impressive and I feel like I should narrow all of my paths considerably this winter to make a bit more growing space. Might have gone a bit overboard with the amount of space given over to flowers but I dig it. We’ve added 2 new beds this year but still feel full already.
Need a giant planter for the back still as well to mask the compost heaps.

I love the flowers too, I've just stuck some in as it adds a lot to the look. Especially now when things are just starting.

they love tyskie

Slugs of great taste.

I have also noticed our plot is absolutely heaving with slugs and snails.

I have chillis starting to form on the plants in the tunnel. No pics but Turkish snake and sugar rush bell are happening already.

Fires banned Apr-Oct at ours

Yes, in relation to German officialdom I felt a bit like Hemingway fly fishing in the Black Forest nearly hundred years ago.

That led me to an interesting short read, thank-you.

Some get around it here by having barbecues.

it was hard to get it going so we threw some dry allotment waste on as kindling

Seems to work if challenged.

At plot, realise nesting box on shed veranda is now a bees nest. They don't like me.

We have beekeeping crew on site, hopefully they can rehouse.

2 Attachments

^ update: not honey bees (they're missing a queen so had hoped this was them) so he's gone away to think about best approach. He knows they're moody as he got stung.

Nothing worse than angry bees

Yup. Tree Bumblebees I'm told. Docile but violent if pissed off.

Hard to move due to way box is fitted. May be that shed & veranda is out of bounds all summer. No picking the Golden Raspberries this year if so.

I’ve got a similar situation with honey bees making my compost area pretty much out of bounds. Hopefully you get yours moved on.

Could you, and hear me out here because this may sound bat shit. Wait for a time when the bees are quieter and then take a plastic bag and quickly tape it round the back of the box. Remove said box and then take it somewhere and undo the bag.

As I’m writing this it seems bizarre, but bizarre enough to work and possibly worth the risk so you can actually enjoy your plot and not get stung. 🤷🏼

You're welcome. Snows of Kilimanjaro and then I found out about the travel and journalism.

Huh, just realised we see plenty of bees at our plot but I’ve never seen a nest anywhere. Guess they mostly hang out in the dead trees or abandoned plots/boundaries where they won’t get disturbed.

Visited our sister in laws plot out in rural Oxfordshire today, their site has communal chickens and geese which is kinda fun. Sadly they have no running water there which totally sucks so reliant on water butts from the sheds. Also super tiny plots, maybe 1/3 of what we have.

Beekeeper reckons I could cork the nest hole at night when they are dozing & move them, similar as you suggest. He said if it went wrong though it'd be very messy & painful.

Hoof a brick at it and run?

I heard recently that beekeeping is banned on our site, apparently 10ish yrs ago a couple of plotholders had hives and neighbouring houses complained to site management about bee poo on their windows and washing - so bees were banned. We have some weird neighbours on site.

Potatoes have broken through and are looking strong! As reported above, the rain has brought a huge no of slugs and snails this year. Have been doing a lap of the back garden c 6am collecting them up. Dispatched into the compost bin.

1 Attachment

That’s why I’m thinking bag. A bit more margin for error and maybe some seconds to act

Same at ours, but for people allergic to bee stings.

Just my selfish opinion but if you’re allergic to bees would you spend time in a place full of them

I'm open to visits from volunteers willing to attempt this. There is beer in the shed as payment for success. I won't be there to hand it out, the shed is not locked though.

Gah, life was just too hectic at the weekend and now I’m gonna have to spend double the time untangling my runner beans in order to plant them when the next rolls around.

1 Attachment