Hi folks

[Professor Peabody]

Just joined up. I got my allotment last year after badgering my local council for months. The attached (hopefully) picture is me and my Dad on our first day. We did manage to grow spuds, beans, peas and Jerusalem artichokes. We tried growing some toms but it was a disaster and slugs ate all our strawberries!

Things have been a bit slow this year since my Dad had to have a kidney removed and so hasn't been able to help out so much. I want to have a bash at growing squash this year so if anyone has any advice then please feel free.

[lumpyjumper]

Wow! Looks like you've got your work cut out cultivating what appears to be an overgrown field.

As no doubt several people on here will advise...take it a bit at a time and it won't be as daunting.

I lost all my tomatoes to blight last year, hopefully better conditions will prevail this summer.

Welcome to the vine, enjoy!

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine. Look forward to seeing an 'after picture'

[gemlady]

Hello and welcome. Must have been a lot of hard work judging by the picure. Sympathise about the strawbs, slugs got mine too last year. Hope your dads improving and you will have a productive year.

[carlseawolf]

hello and welcome

[lainey lou]

Hello, nice to meet you!

[bramble]

Hallo and welcome. Just keep taking pics as you progress. Cordon off small pieces of your lottie dig these one at a time and you'll feel you're getting somewhere. Don't aim to do it all in one go. Perhaps even do half this year and half next. Any tips that can help are a bonus. Good luck, it will be all worth it when you're bringing home all that fresh grown produce.
Hope your dad will be ok soon.

[HeyWayne]

Welcome aboard Professor - there are several learned people on here so you'll be in good company.

Similar situation to myself. I started with my plot last year having never grown anything before. Dad helped me out a bit getting started, then had a bad angina attack and hasn't really done much since. That said, I've well and truly got the bug, so plan on doing a great deal more - with our without the old boy's help.

Good luck with this year, looking forward to seeing some "after" pics too.

[Flummery]

Welcome to the grapevine - hope Dad's progressing well.

[yoanbob]

hello prof, welcome to the mad house.
plant 4 squash for the slugs and one for you.

[HeyWayne]

hello prof, welcome to the mad house.
plant 4 squash for the slugs and one for you.

How do the slugs know which ones to eat and which one to leave?

[yoanbob]

well the one they leave will be sickest leggiest smallest plant thats the hardest to get to. the ones they eat are the ones your nuturing and proud of.
they think they are getting one over on you but really the one they leave is allways the tastiest you have ever eaten

[gardenplot]

hi Professor Peabody & dad
Im also going to have a go at growing squash this year, you sure do look like you have lots of hard work ahead, Hope your dad will be better soon

[Professor Peabody]

Hi folks and WOW what a friendly bunch. My brother (who is the family tech expert) has taken some new pics of my lottie as it stands now so should be able to post them over Easter.

In the meantime here is a another picture of that fateful first day and this one includes me Mum (a real family affair we grow 'em n she cooks 'em). Please admire her pink wellies as she was upset that the folks in the trading shed didn't!!

Many thanks for your kind words regarding me Dad, he is slowly on the mend and restricts himself to light weeding (suits me) and general pottering.

[Flummery]

Crackin' wellies Grommit!