Anyone with an allotment?

I'm going to plant some spuds and onions in garden at home as well as at the allotment. We had a lot of plot thefts last year and that's unlikely to change this year. Also concerned about "lockdown" preventing plot care.

Our trading hut has loads of seed potato and onion left over so I can stock up more this weekend.

Lots of tidying up and weeding, making the most of sunshine and fresh air, hardly a soul about on the plots. Spuds should ready to go next week, leeks and garlic looking good, but feel bad for people stuck in and without spaces like these.
Cut all the grass of the older couples who we’re adjacent to though.

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I'm doing the same grew a load of extra potatos in bags last year, I've brought them home to the flat to do that here this year.

I'm also worried about a lock down - we're in London in zone 2. I've put so much time into the plot to get it ready this year it will be gutting if we can't use it particularly when it would reduce our reliance on shops.

Any clever idea on compost heap construction? I have a big fuck off pallet but using that as the main structure seems like a bad idea going on the way the last one went - rotten. There's a massive scaffolding job going on nearby which I'd dearly love to get my hands on but can't see them giving any of that away.

Considering just putting it in liberated plastic tote boxes as it would make turning a doddle and I could use it in small batches as it matures.

After finally being invited for an allotment viewing after 2years wait, only to receive an email this morning saying they’re pushing the viewings back til September now because of Covid. Boo.

I'm going to write to my cllr's and MP to ask them to consider lobbying for allowances for allotment holders to travel to & from plots in the event of total lockdown.

There's a massive scaffolding job going on nearby which I'd dearly love to get my hands on but can't see them giving any of that away.

They have to change planks fairly regularly due to safety legislation, as damaged planks can cause accidents, so a lot of scaffolding companies sell their planks off cheap once they've been even slightly damaged. We got a load for a tenner when we took on our allotment and used them to build raised beds.

Nice, yeah I had heard that before. It's some of the giant Mechano that would be really great to get hold of, but probably unlikely. I'll go and ask some questions on Monday.

My old plot holder had got some scaffold poles - I have found them useful for pallet fencing posts & at one point for propping up our shed until I could brace it internally.

I found one idle today which I will put to use at some point.

In other news, first earlies in. Casablanca & Orla.

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hardly a soul about on the plots.

Our place was quite busy.

Looks like you're well set for leeks & onions.

Tips for building a basic raised bed?

I'm going to write to my cllr's and MP to ask them to consider lobbying for allowances for allotment holders to travel to & from plots in the event of total lockdown.

Yes this - and I've started to think about possible break ins/veg theft if things get to that point.

This is why splitting with some home growing is our plan. It's a luxury some won't have I appreciate.

We had a high number of plot thefts last year, mostly fruit from trees. I can't see this year being any different at all, just worse so affecting more plots & produce.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=428

Try this? I went out and bought a cheap, flat-pack 300l job in the end but this is what I was actually planning on doing...
https://youtu.be/Tj_goluMKO8

allowances for allotment holders to travel to & from plots in the event of total lockdown
I've been thinking about how great it will be to escape to the allotment to grow food all day if we were locked down.

Moved house last year and now got round to an allotment, lucky we only had to wait a few days!

Previous owner left us a shed and a nice arrangement of plum trees, raspberries/ blackberries and red currants.

Plan is to get the “orchard” tidied, fence around the whole thing (so kids can roam and know what’s ours easily) and then get to work on the other half.

First job was to rip out a few over the line blackberry brambles and start getting wood for the fence; our mini has hauled so much now, always amusing to see the faces of those donating items.

Lastly, £0 budget plan. Really aiming for this to cost us nothing more than the £15 a year! All through donation/trading on the local FB reuse/recycle group etc.

Any reason not to keep well maintained grass around the tree section?

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Grass around the tree for picnics :)

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I think you have inherited a Globe Artichoke ...

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we had... just removed it!

:(

not our cup of tea and a friendly face said they would happily take it on! not wasted!

No not mine either - glad it has been rehoused - they transplant well.

I think someone painted your shed in emulsion.