Hobbit Allotment!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Psst Aunty two_sheds, I got broad beans! Think Ma wants to use them like peas. Boil, freeze, save.

[binley100]

At least you've got stuff growing ...there is a fullsized 20 rod plot next to me which is waist high in weeds .......and they better not be thinking about spraying it

[horticultural_hobbit]

It looks a disgrace though, Binley! I am just waiting for someone to wag their finger. That said, I'm taking as hint that mother nature does as she pleases. Doesn't half make me feel
Abashed though, when people walk past. Looks very wild and untidy.

I might dig around on my tato patch, great deal have failed. Should have come up by now. Disappointed by the number that haven't.

[binley100]

My horsetail gets drowned in a bucket of water .......If I've got something to plant out or sow then I weed that area , the rest gets done as and when. A couple of our longest serving members never seem to weed but they get some fantastic produce so don't stress about them .

[Two_Sheds]

There are of course weeds... firstly, to chop down the long grass

I don't kill myself trying to get rid of every weed that appears: you can't. Just let them grow until they start to flower, THEN pull them out.

By letting them grow big, they shade out other weeds, so at the end of the day: you end up doing less weeding, less work. Plus, you have some nice big weeds to put on the compost heap.

I don't even stress about the horsetail (school's Wildlife Garden is riddled with it). It doesn't compete well and other plants soon swamp it. I'm pulling the biggest ones and bagging them up in black sacks to make a super-nutritious leafmould

[horticultural_hobbit]

You know what, Uncle Sno, it's just the borders. Where I had sown tulips and anemones. There are of course weeds in the beds, where there is nothing sown.
This is the one side:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.ph...type=1&theater

On the other side, the potato bed has potato in it, but weeds where some of the spuds have failed. That in itself is disappointing. Most of the half dozen king eds have come up. Only a few of the maris pipers have come up.

Have put newspaper mulch down, as an experiment. My next couple of tasks are to firstly, to chop down the long grass and mare's tail. Just so that it looks neater. I can pull out/ exterminate that later on when I have the proper impetus. I have a box of dahlias and summer bulbs to plant; simply because I want to. Thirdly, I need to fill the new raised beds with soil.

Cucumbers are dead or nearly so. I really wanted cukes, but the temp drop was too much for them even whilst sat inside.

[snohare]

Tis very depressing. Only get to pop to the lotment briefly at the moment; and it's starting to get carpeted by weeds that are rising with the rain. Can't see to get a window to bash them all.

Cor, tell me about it ! Haven't been to the allotment in two weeks and I'm getting flashbacks to the year that I had my allotment in town and was trying to garden in about half a dozen places, all separated by miles of arduous journeying. It just about ran me ragged trying to do it - I had always forgotten where half my tools and gardening kit was at any time - and my allotment weeds grew like...weeds. It was extremely disheartening...verging on soul destroying.
I will say though, it fairly taught me (the hard way ) how to be super-organised with things in transit, in organising priorities, and shoehorning (or not) extra aims into my plans. In the end, I simply had to learn to say "No, it can't happen - yet."
Only quick fix which occurs to me Hobbit is, do you have any cardboard to lay down on the worst bits, while you wait for better weather ?
Don't be disheartened by your family's high expectations of you - it's only because they are treating you as fit to bear the burden. (Ha ! There is considerable irony in me saying this.) You may or may not be, but it's a compliment anyway. And you can always point out to them your problems in getting stuff done, tell them how many other time consuming things you have on your plate, ask them to help you...then watch them disappear at a rate of knots...
Anyone know what pests affect mooli ? Is it really hot ? I have to watch my ulcers with anything too pepperish, but I love growing roots that like to survive...

[Two_Sheds]

i may sow a row of them today

I'd wait until August, personally. Most Asian veg likes cooler conditions (and I'm still hoping that July & August will be hot in the UK)

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...oli_59412.html

[Matt94]

ooh ive been wanting to grow mooli too - ive got the seeds, i just didn't know what to do with them , i may sow a row of them today

[horticultural_hobbit]

Yes, yes, aunties. Will sow them.

In amongst the weeds that would make your hair curl.

[binley100]

Even I can grow Mooli .......

[Two_Sheds]

Mooli is dead easy, just sow it (late summer) and leave it ~ whopping great big roots for no effort at all

[horticultural_hobbit]

And another order from Nanaji. He's said to grow Sauf (Fennel).

The way he said though. Translated to throw droplets. Which I think means to broadcast sow. Then again, he told me to that with everything. And mooli's. Have to sow mooli's.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Have just repotted cukes to see if that makes a difference; the roots were creeping out.

Tis very depressing. Only get to pop to the lotment briefly at the moment; and it's starting to get carpeted by weeds that are rising with the rain. Can't see to get a window to bash them all. This first year is definitely a learning curve. Have some raised beds that need making when life allows.

[Two_Sheds]

It is depressing. I've lost a lot of French beans and sweetcorn this year, and look like having no chillies at all