How do you all manage your time?

[plotman]

How to priorities life.
Get an allotment, Build a shed, Install gas hotplate, Chair Table and tea making facilities. Sit down, sip yr tea and it all becomes clear )

[Flummery]

Hi and welcome to the Vine, weekendwellies (love the name!) - I can cope with bombsite living. I just don't notice - it isn't a priority. Sometimes though, my Ma will say 'I don't know how you can live like this!' I know where everything is.

You'll soon get your plot the way you want it - good luck with it!

[Flummery]

Flummery, I think you're right - we must be twins

We've suspected that before, haven't we? Separated at birth because the world wasn't ready to face us both at once?

[weekendwellies]

Thanks Flummery. Looking forward to getting lots of tips from all the more experienced lottie folk. And lots of digging and hammering for me this year.. whooohoo.. Hopefully it will be worthwhile.

[jackie j]

I too would rather be at the lottie than doing any housework. Housework is for wet days. I also have the luxury of working just one night a week so I can do whatever I want. I do try and escape to my shed at weekends though and leave OH and daughter at home lol.
Just work a small patch at a time cover some with cardboard or something, that will help with the weeds. Try planting something, that gives a great feeling that you have achieved something.
Good luck and happy gardening.

[BilboWaggins]

Like Capsid I make lists. I used to have a list for "today" but have now moved to a Weekly one. That way I don't beat myself up at tea-time if something is not done 'cos there's always tomorrow!

I also try to be fairly efficient about running errands (which I hate to do). I wait until I need to get to about six different places and then do it all in one go, saves on petrol and time.

The other thing which helps me greatly is to batch cook. I'll make a HUGE bolognaise, or casserole, or whatever and freeze about 12 - 18 portions at once. Yes, it takes time but I'll do it when the weather isn't good enough to be outside and I'm in the mood to chop veggies. That way, I can pull a 'proper' dinner out of the freezer in the morning and we eat a decent meal with only the effort of cooking rice, or pasta, or whatever necessary to go with the casserole.

[OverWyreGrower]

I work a full time job, have 18 animals, an orchard and a large veg plot and I never have enough time!!!

My morning routine is very structured, as I have lots of jobs to do before I leave the house at 8.15. I walk the dogs (1 hr), let out the chickens and ducks, feed the chickens and ducks, clean out the chickens and ducks, empty and refill the duck pond, feed the rabbits, feed the dogs, feed myself, make packed lunches for me and OH, put dishwasher/washer on and get ready for work.

I do a huge amount of meal planning and batch cooking, which really helps. It means when I get in from work, I know exactly what we're eating that night, and it's either defrosted and ready for heating, or a quick thing to make.

I tend to do most of my gardening at weekends, and when the nights are lighter, try and get an hour in after work.

Notice that I have hardly mentioned housework?? It only really gets done when the weather is rubbish, when it's dark or when we reach critical mass of mess/clutter/stuff in the house.

My mum, who is a compulsive cleaner doesn't know how we live like that (do all mums say this??) but I keep telling her that my priorities are different. I really don't care about having sparkling clean skirting boards - I'd rather have a beautiful and productive veg patch!!

[Pumpkin Becki]

We're self building our new home (nearly finished), renovating our old one, have one lottie (small one), starting a new garden at the new house including room for chooks and soft fruit as well as maintaining the old garden, and have full time jobs.

We don't have kids, we make enough mess without them! As both houses are in uproar, we do very little housework at the moment (just keeping on top of the washing and ironing), but that will change soon.

The best thing we did at the lottie (which was uncultivated sheep pasture when we took it on) was build raised beds. We did three in the first year and four more the next, and now weeding is so easy. I did the whole plot in less than 5 hours (spread over Saturday and Sunday) including topping up compost in the beds, planting onion and shallot sets and sewing broad beans, peas, parsnips, carrots.

We don't go to the lottie every week (though I'd like to), maybe once the houses are done...

[Farmer_Gyles]

I make To Do lists ....

i make To Do lists ..... the new one says "finish old To Do lists before starting another" .....

[Matt.]

I work full time and now I have a young family its getting harder to find the time. I'll probably only get friday afternoons (finish early) and the odd weekend day maybe once per month. I'm growing crops that require minimal effort so I can spend most of my time weeding. The best thing I did to manage time is to make my plot split into beds. I can dig and plant one in a session which is good for this time of year. I've now got a second plot strictly for squash. These will get planted then forgotton pretty much. I'll check in again in September to pick up the goodies

[Two_Sheds]

I need to have lists ... there is always too much to do, so I prioritise.

1) sowing or planting
2) weeding anything in flower
3) watering ONLY WHEN NECESSARY (capitals because you don't need to water as often as you might think)

that's basically it. Those things HAVE to be done, anything else gets slotted in as and when, such as rigging up more water butts, painting the shed, turning the compost, pruning etc.

[Snadger]

............................................. Housework is for wet days..................

Your house must have been spick and span last year then!

[Winged one]

Dig over as early as possible in autumn, cover in plastic and ignore all winter.

Grow veggies that don'r need too much tlc - spuds, onions, brassicas, leeks etc - that can be ignored safely enough.

Cover as many plants with netting to save from predators as possible.

Pull a few weeds as you go all the time - and clear beds as well as you can initially too to make it less likely to get weedy later.

But I only go to my plot about once a week in a good week, for about 2-3 hours. I do have peas and beans and salads too, but everything in moderation and I do manage to get reasonable amounts of veg.

[Two_Sheds]

Dig over as early as possible in autumn, cover in plastic and ignore all winter.

What, and go without PSB and sprouts?

[Flummery]

What, and go without PSB and sprouts?

and leeks and kale and parsnips!