Unwanted Advice - How do you deal with it?

[Flummery]

I got my plot last month. Been growing for 30-odd years (some VERY odd!). Last year, for the first time, I entered 3 of the veg classes at the village show and got a 1st, a 2nd and a 3rd. Now, they know I have an inking of what I'm doing! No-one has tried to tell me how to grow my broad beans (They were my 1st prize!) However, I do value the chat - you get to know that, for instance, the site is not good for onions - mine are all in the plot at home thanks to this. They could have waited for me to fall on me face but they didn't. You also get to know more of the people in your community which can't be bad.

[Pootle]

HeyWayne - if only I could grow to 6'7"! But I suppose at 5' and female I make an easy target!

I hope you don't all think that I'm anti-social...I do appreciate advice and love to chat

I think you're suggestions for what to say are spot on and I'll give it a go! I do want to be able to ask for help when I need it so its a case of not upsetting anyone really.

And as for the doomsayers (we were told by one allotment holder not to bother with a shed because they end up being set on fire!) I think I'll politely ignore them...

[Two_Sheds]

And as for the doomsayers (we were told by one allotment holder not to bother with a shed because they end up being set on fire!) I think I'll politely ignore them...

I'd find out if just one has been set on fire, or if it's a regular event. We had one shed fire, but it was a grudge match between neighbours.
However, we told some newbies that local yobs will throw stones and bricks at their greenhouses. They ignored the advice ... and got them all smashed up.

Now, people are being a bit smarter, and disguising their greenhouses or providing some cover (6 foot high netting or fencing to deflect bricks).

[matthew2riches]

I just plug my headphones in an "listen to the music" or you can have the bluetooth earpiece and be having a conversation with someone.

Or just get on with what you are doing and nod...

[sandy]

Being the only woman on a 74 plot site, I got that a lot when I started. I hadn`t the heart to tell them that I had been gardening for 35 years so I just smiled and said thank you and went back to doing it my way. They stopped telling me how to do it when I won the best allotment prize.

[piskieinboots]

Grow until you're 6ft 7. Nobody comes and talks to you then.

We do - talk to you I mean - we love ya

But I suppose at 5' and female ....

Yep, that describes me accurately - and I have to take care with what t-shirt I wear if ya get me

I'm lucky here, the chaps (I haven't seen any women yet) are very nice, chatty but only just enough to make it friendly

[HeyWayne]

We do - talk to you I mean - we love ya

Awww shucks *shuffles awkwardly*

I have to be careful what t-shirt I wear too.

[Flummery]

Awww shucks *shuffles awkwardly*

I have to be careful what t-shirt I wear too.

Like, you never wear the one that says 'I'm a big girlie!'

[HeyWayne]

I bought one recently that said "gardeners do it with hoes" on the front, and it had some gold stitching, and was a little bit snug. Made me look a little bit "fashionable".

I didn't think my parents could cope with having two "fashionable" sons.

Needless to say, I sent it back.

[Flummery]

Could have worn it with tights and changed it to "Gardeners do it in hose!"

[joolzabb]

i have to say i agree it is nice when someone actually speaks to you.lol.
my new neighbour only spoke to me after an hour watching me coz i went to him and introduced myself. he looked me up and down and said 'oh, i though a man had got it'.!!!!
i smiled politely said 'nope, its me and im a woman!!'. i introdcued myslerf and my five yr old daughter and then went about my digging. after another hour of him watching me single digging he decided to speak to me as i presume he realised i was in it for the hrad work.
i think the best answer is to smile and wave and let it go in one ear and out the other as you never know when you might need someone to help, offer advice or even water for you if you want a hol.

joolz x

[Wormcast]

ask them to show you how to do it give your fork and stand there drinking a cup of tea they soon get bthe message it worked for me and nobody got hurt

[lozza_9]

I don't really have that problem with my plot, thankfully. When I first arrive and I spot someone I know, I normally go to them and say hello, have a quick chat then they all leave me alone. If anyone arrives after or goes home we just wave when the car go past.

Advice is good, we have a chap who has 3 plots and he has loads of knowledge and I sometimes go to him for some advice. He always starts with - If it was me I would do 1 2 3 BUT they are other ways but this is the way I do it. Which is great. BUT he has been growing for about 30 years so he's advice is normally spot on.

Loz

[bluemoon]

What the old boys seem to be after is a good natter. Like you at first we got little work done due to being constantly prevented from actually doing anything by continual offers of advice. Now we've been there for four years they just stop for a chat. My OH has limited time available and occasionally pops up in an evening before work. If I ask him the next day what he did, if his answer is; 'Ah, well. Fred was there' (name changed to protect the guilty) I know that the real answer is, absolutely nothing. It helps if there are two of you, send one person off to do some work whilst the other chats, then the chattee can say to the chatter, 'Right, well I'd better not leave him to do it all on his own, had I?' and quickly make your escape.

[TPeers]

One one site I had my neighbour was fantastic - if he wanted to chat he would wander over with his hoe or a spade and offer to help - after some work the chat would start.

Alwasy ended up with a cup of tea leaning on our hoes - but at least he *knew* he might be delaying someone.

Other sites, other people - Chris could talk all four legs off a donkey! But she took a polite brush off well. The private plot was all men - they never talked to me unless they wanted to borrow something, like my rotovator!

Terry