Newbie seeking advice / opinions / help! Possibility of an allotment!

[Mrs Dobby]

Well done the Dobby's

Looks as though it's not too bad for all those weeds. Is the site the one at the end of Broadway or St. Marys? Next time I'm up that way I'll nip round for an inspection

I bet you sleep tonight.

Its the one on Moss View, off Broadway, and ours is plot number 2, the one with the fantastic crop of weeds! lol!

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Dobby, this is the one I followed this year, post #5:

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...rb+schnapps%22

I have no idea why but it seems more potent than normal vodka. Makes no sense as no more fermentation takes place to increase the alcohol content

Cool, thanks for that, amy just have to try it asap!

[dexterdoglancashire]

gosh! you have both worked really hard! the photos are brill! hope you dont have too many aches and pains in the morning! dexterdog

[Jaxom]

Well done. the difference between photos is quite marked. As NTG says there is a lot of promise and structure under all those weeds. Good Luck.

[Earthbabe]

Well done Mr and Mrs D. You've done a great job on your first day. Our second plot has a good crop of weeds but your's beats it hands down. Keep up the good work and keep us all posted on how it goes.

[Mrs Dobby]

Thanks DD and Jaxom!!

There is some structure (very much like what we were planning anyhows) underneath the weeds, which is both fortunate and good, cos its going to save us a lot of hard work!

The plot has only stood unused for this year, so the weeds although large and fairly thick arent too bedded in, so once we've cleared the plot and got the paths sorted (one is concrete, the others are wood / carpet which we are planning on covering with bark chippings - free on the site) then a good turn over and pull out as many roots as we can should give us a good base to start from.

The soil is great, very rich and loamy, and not too compressed either, it turns out the gent who had it before us had it for many years before ill health meant he had to let it go, and he used to add manure every year and do a lot of work to get it the great condition it is now in! Guess we are just lucky!

As to the difference in the piccies, well, we got 2/3rd of one bed and 2 paths cleared, but that still leaves another 2 paths and 2 full beds to clear, so we arent even a third of the way in yet, probably about 2/9ths compete of clearing, then diggin begins! Should be fun tho!

Hopefully we are back there on Wednesday (both our next day off), so we will see just how much we can get done in a full day!

As to aches, I'll let you know tomorrow, but isnt it said that a little hard work is good for the soul?

[Mrs Dobby]

Thanks Earthbabe! We anticipate much more hard work until its under control, but then hopefully it should get a little easier! Well, at least I hope so!! Lol!

[nick the grief]

............., but isnt it said that a little hard work is good for the soul?

I bet it was a Boss who said that

[Mrs Dobby]

I bet it was a Boss who said that

ROTFLMAO!! So funny its gotta be true!

[Mrs Dobby]

Hoping to be back on the plot again tomorrow, at least for 4 or 5 hours of clearing, will try and post some more piccies of what we get cleared afterwards, but busy tomorrow night, so may well be on Thursday!

[dexterdoglancashire]

so how did it go Mrs D? hope you didnt work too hard! dexterdog PS recommend a long soak in a hot, soapy bath with a glass, or three of the old vino!

[Mrs Dobby]

Lol! Thanks for the advice DD!! Unfortunately we had something on last night so couldnt take the advice, but wish I had been able to! lol!

We got access to the plot at 11am (they havent had any keys cut for us yet and are still waiting for some to come in from those who have surrendered their plots, so we were a little hamstrung), and stayed til about 230pm, when we went off to get a gate key cut (took 3 attempts to find a key cutters who had a blank in stock and were open!), so we can now get on anytime we want!

We got about the same area cleared again, so just under half the plot cleared of standing weeds, not bad considering we've only really had 8 hours down there so far! Wish we hadnt had to go out last night, as we'd have stayed til it went dark, but its probably a good thing as it stopped us from doing too much and not being able to move today! (I can feel the muscles in my back, legs and arms, surely this gardening must be doing my fitness levels some good! )

Mr Dobby is off tomorrow (lucky beggar), tho the house is such a bombsite that I think he is going to be spending most of the day tidying up (yep, he is very well trained! lol! - Actually, I work about 55 hours a week - if you include travelling - and he only does 3 13 hour shifts, so gets 4 days off a week, so he has much more time than me and doesnt mind doing the washing and tidying for me, bless him!), but he may well decide to take advantage of the good weather and get off down the plot instead! Whatever he decides is up to him, tho I do know he is chomping at the bit to get down to his plot!

Sorry no piccies to post, I forgot the digital camera (oops!), but will take some on Tuesday (my next day off) both to show where we are up to and how much we get done then!

Both still thoroughly enjoying it, the sense of acchievement when you look and see what we have done so far is great! May even have to persuade hubby to take another plot when we have this one sorted out! (Well, gotta figure a way to keep him busy somehow! lol!)

Anyhows, more to follow as we progress further!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Nice to hear your news Mrs D - this GYO lark is very addictive isn't it? dexterdog

[Mrs Dobby]

Adictive???? It should come with a govt health wearning, 'Growing Your Own is not only addictive, but could result in serious improvement to your physical form, diet and wellbeing, as well as being highly relaxing to your mind! Proceed with caution!'

[Earthbabe]

They can't do that Mrs D we might end up with healthy, happy people who can think for themselves and want to get on with their lives with minimal outside interference. Where would that leave the suits then. We might even have beds in hospitals and unstressed staff.

Almost utopia.