Allotment tales 2009

It's lottie time again! This year I've already cleared most of the weeds and grass that grew over winter.
There are 40 plots at the allotment, which are used to grow vegetables, flowers and fruits.
My plot is number 36. It's nearly time to plant out seeds and young plants, join me and share your flowers and veggies!

My potatoes and onions are in the ground, I have some cabbages and cauliflowers under the green netting to keep the birds away!
The chives have started flowering this week.

View of my plot from the main pathway.

My flower garden is at the front, with the perennial Knautia starting to bloom.

Old fashioned Carnation, has a lovely perfume.

Strawberries ..

The allotment shop is next door to my plot on the right!

The plants are grown by commitee members and are for sale to plot holders at a cheap price!

Ready to put my veggies in...... next time.... LoL!

Hey friend, I used to have that very carnation, lost it and now it is back on your lottie!!! Lookin great and lookin forward to a new season

Yay, A new lottie thread! hello Candee, I'm excited! *doing a jig*
Its looking very well cultivated Terri. What a tease having the shop next door! They did that on purpose you know! You probably have plenty of your own seedlings coming up anyway? Maybe you could sell them yours! he he. I must get those gourds in!
Heres a bit of my patch. A bit overgrown, but with all things good! Show me MORE!

Well your patch looks wonderful Sue. May have to come and get some veggies from the 2 of you. I had 36 tomatoes started and then we got those awful rains and I don't believe any of them are going to make it, dang. As for the cauliflower and broccoli only time will tell. The taters are sprouting and carrots and onions but that is about the extent although I almost forgot that I had planted some seed from those weird gourds and they are coming up.

Hi Sue and Candee!! I'm doing the jig too!
It's great to be back at the lottie getting some work done and planning what goes where.
Dirty fingernails here we come LoL!

What have you got in your veggie patch (lil lottie) Sue? I have seedlings growing in my greenhouse, nearly ready to go in. The last risk of frost is the end of May usually.
It's very tempting having the shop so close,. I did buy a little Rosemary plant for 60p last week!
Sorry about your tomatoes Candee, will you buy a few plants or start some more? Love home grown tomatoes they are the best for flavour! Thanks for the carnation... wondered where it came from.. lol!
It sounds like you two are ahead of me with the Gourds, I still haven't found my seed packet!

Here's a bit I haven't cleared yet, over by the shed !!! Love in the mist has seeded itself amongst the grass.

it's everywhere!

Mint and flat leaf parsley are growing well and survived the winter.

Lavender and perennial cornflower in the flower bed.

Is this Thyme? or Oregano? I can't remember!!

OOps that pic was blurry, it was windy today! Will take a better pic next time.

It's always Time - Or Can I Go - LOL, I can't tell the two apart and now made myself silly!

come in no 36 you're thymes up. LoL!

That is significantly different that the lottie you started with last season. You have been very busy and must have done something to keep the weeds down for this season as well! lookin good!

Hi Candee, It's raining today so I'm not going to the lottie!
The fabric paths I put down really helped over the winter to keep the weeds at bay and it was way better than last year, when I came back to it. I have been busy though, I removed one main path to make a bigger growing area, did you notice? LoL!
I'm still working on the area around the shed, behind the compost bins, which will be the 'den' where you can come for a cuppa!!!
Better go and check on the seedlings in the greenhouse and look for my gourd seeds... LoL!

How is your veggie plot looking??

Not sure where you mean

Hi All - you guys are all way ahead of me. The only thing I have planted is 5 tomato plants, and a couple of self-seeding cherry tomatoes. i looked for some of the Japanese eggplants, but they are very scarce this year. I found a small three inch pot for $2.38, but did not want to pay that much...normally I can buy a pack of 6 plants for that price. And, I can't blame it on the weather either. But, I should have much more time now.

Sue - is that a young papaya tree you have towards the right of your photo?
Terri - I can never grow carnations - lovely to see yours.
Candee - cauliflower and broccoli are summer crops for you? Sorry about your tomatoes.

And I am one of the those people who has proverbial dirty fingernails.

Dianne, I don't expect them to mature until late fall. I think we will have to bite the bullet and go get some tomatos cause I dont think that even the ones that survived the rain are going to amount to much.

Sorry, I missed this thread somehow. Terri, I have brocolli, cabbage, cauli, peppermint, mint, parsley, leeks, marigolds, nasturtiuns, papaya (paw paws), macadamia tree, kaffir lime, salvia bonfire, edible fig, fejoa tree, greek basil, fennel, edible ginger, chillis, lettuce, strawberries, Achillea, weeds, red hot pokers (don't know how they got there) silverbeet (chard), pumpkins, and probably lots opf other things. They all grow on top of each other, and self seed, so all I have to do is move them about. I have another patch with sweet potatos, bananas, turmeric, pineapples and pumpkins aswell as garlic.
I love the love in a mist. I tried to grow it once, but it doesn't like it here. Its really looking good this year terri!
Sue

Geez, you sure have a lot of variety in your garden, do you use the nasturtiums for something to eat? Wondering as I have a lot of them started this year.

Hello lottie ladies.. welcome soilsandup!!! dirty fingernails are a must around here.

Hope you have some luck with your Tomatoes, mine are still in the greenhouse just about getting the first true leaves after the seed leaf, might put some out in a week or so.

Lots growing in your lil lottie Sue!! pictures please when you get a minute... lol!
The love in the mist seeded itself all around the shed and in the cracks, seems a shame to clear it really!!
I did cut some and bring it home to make an arrangement.

Candee, the den will be outside, no cover! so we will olny be having breaks for a cuppa on nice warm days!!!
Hope you get some more Toms soon. I'm sure the broccoli and caulis will pick up when the weather improves for you.
The area behind the compost bin infront of the shed is almost cleared. I will be putting the black fabric down
to keep the weeds away, asap!

I got some new plants from the lottie shop today...

Cornflowers, I tray of black and 1 tray of blue
Lavatara white
Hollyhock yellow
Zinnia 1 tray
Godetia 1 tray
Nicotianna 6
Echinacea 6
Asters 1 tray

Going back tomorrow to plant them all in, or should I take some home for the garden? Whadathink???
Had trouble with the computer tonight, keeps losing internet connection. Catch up with y'all tomorra!
Bon Nuit mon amis.....

Neither!!!! Bring them over to my garden. LoL
I had some godetia years ago and loved them. Did not save any seeds though.
Those lottie shop plants look very healthy. I have never seen an 8-pack before. I have trouble finding vegetables in 6-packs anymore. They tend to plant them in small individual pots and charge an arm and a leg for them.

Black cornflowers, can't wait to see them, you could send a few my way! WEll if Dianne doesn't get them first? Why not split them half and half, sounds like a great conglomeration you have selected.

Nice healthy seedlings terri. I agree with Candee, take half home! Some potfuls either side of the Den might look nice too.

Thanks Dianne, Candee and Sue! I planted in half of the plants I got and took the rest home.
The trays were 12 packs Dianne, really good value for £2.40. The single pots were all 60p.
Good idea to have pots around the den Sue, I'll get on to it!

Had a busy weekend and great warm sunny weather. Got these planted....
Runner beans, sweetcorn, carrots, turnips, courgettes(zuccini) brussel sprouts, transplanted califlowers and cabbages.
Didn't have time to take pictures, next time!

You really were busy tez. The weather here was pretty nasty again, but we managed to dodge the floods this time. An hour each way of us got flooded though, and Bill couldn't go anywhere till last night, because the highway is shut in both directions, due to floods. Anyway, not much happening in my vege garden, as the brocolli flopped, the paw paw fell over in the wind and so did the macadamia tree. I'm going to look into getting a corrugated iron garden bed. I'll have to save for it though!
I'm back on the job with painting, and started the computer room today. This is the finished lounge. (No curtains yet)

Sue so sorry to hear of your damage. The poor macadamia tree, what a great loss.
Your lounge looks fresh and new, even without curtains. I dont care for curtains myself, I like to be able to see outside from everywhere in the house so it is prime for a peeping tom LOL!

Hi Sue, the decorating looks lovely and fresh like Candee said. I bet you are glad that room is done!
Heard about the floods, terrible time of it you have had this last year. Sorry about the plants but at least you and Bill and the dogs are ok! Hope it gets better soon.
It's been raining here the last couple of days. So glad I put some veggies in the ground at the weekend.
Too wet to go to the lottie today again. There's plenty of housework to do ..Booooooo!
Will check the green house and see whats next to go.....

Hi lottie ladies! Here's how the lottie looks today.

A few flowers popping up in the garden bit.

I don't remember what this is, but it looks nice LoL!

Lilac Penstemon

Bee's all over the Chives here too!