Allottment gen

[Tin basher]

Update. Got all my raised beds in now and all stocked with soil + compost and ready to go, decided against excessive amounts of deep digging to much for an old git TBH. Many thanks to a fellow lottie for bringing me loads of compost in his trailer. The mint is on site and placed in half buried plastic container so it should stay put. My 3 different kinds of autumn onion sets are in, redcross, troy and radar. Also planted some overwintering beans "aquadulce claudia" seems you bung them in now and when spring comes as they are ahead of the game you get beans extra early we shall see. So far total cost £0 and 0 pence other than buying seeds and sets. Raised beds made from aquired timber. I simply asked a local builder if I could do a bit of skip rummaging. That paid off big time even got enough spare wood for fellow goater harry t'******* to build his raised beds. 8 old car tyres free from a tyre fitting place so Mrs TB can grow herbs and such like. All the stones dug up have been put onto plastic sheeting and that has made useful gravel paths between the beds. Just waiting to see what pests and nasties are lurking in the soil ready to munch through everything next spring.

 

[Harry B'Stard]

Freebies!

Freebies!

Thanks TB,

maybe one day I'll get around to utilising said scrap timber to build a raised bed.

And maybe I'll grow more than weeds and a few blighted tomatoes!

HTBDT_Xtremez_30:

 

[vim_fuego]

Get some more bin diving done and rustle up a couple of old baths...Put some nice sandy loam type soil in them and grow your carrots in total (99%) safety from the dreaded 'fly'...first year I've done it and its worked a treat...

 

[Tin basher]

Get some more bin diving done and rustle up a couple of old baths...Put some nice sandy loam type soil in them and grow your carrots in total (99%) safety from the dreaded 'fly'...first year I've done it and its worked a treat...

Funny old thing one of my boozing mates is a self employed plumber, bathroom fitter who regularly chucks baths in the skip as he does his job. Might have a word, thanks Vim.

How are yours supported and kept upright? Any chance of a pic or two on here?

 

[vim_fuego]

They still have the frames that you would fasten to the wall and floor of your bathroom attached so they just stand up by themselves...simply fill with soil and if you plant early enough you'll get two crops out of them...my late crop carrots are still growing nicely with this Autumnal warmness we are experiencing here in the flatlands...

 

[Tin basher]

Been down the plot today and things are looking fine. Aquadulce beans around about 10" high and looking slug free (thanks to jack frost) Autumn onions also doing well and no loses so far. Though even I would find it hard to c0ck it up using onion sets. Garlic has sprouted so is also off and running. Me and the mini TB's dug loads and loads of old leaves into the spud bed to hopefully set that up for around March time. Nice rotted leaves full of muck, worms and other creepy crawlies that Master TB found most interesting. Little Miss TB only selected nice looking leaves in pretty colours for daddies spuds, horse chestnut was her primary choice, though some hazel ones looked quite nice. I am in the process of producing some nettle tea to water my plants with next year will report back on wether it works or it's just tosh. Seemingly on some tree hugger websites if you put lots of nettles in an old plastic milk container fill with water and leave it for a couple of months you get plant food. We shall see.

 

[gemarriott]

TB, get some newspaper torn into inch wide strips, and make sure there is lots of it dug into the spud patch, works wonders. Apparently the composition of the ink has something to do with it but I know not what only that it works wonders.

 

[gemarriott]

Get some more bin diving done and rustle up a couple of old baths...Put some nice sandy loam type soil in them and grow your carrots in total (99%) safety from the dreaded 'fly'...first year I've done it and its worked a treat...

If your bath is more than 18" high that explains the absence of carrot fly, they seldom fly more than 18" above the ground. If you put a 2 foot high enviromesh barrier around your carrot bed you'll achieve the same result.

 

[Tin basher]

TB, get some newspaper torn into inch wide strips, and make sure there is lots of it dug into the spud patch, works wonders. Apparently the composition of the ink has something to do with it but I know not what only that it works wonders.

Tis true mate I used lots of the shredded paper from the Sqn shredder 2 years ago on me spud patch at home worked a treat. Still finding thin plastic strips from the viewing windows of envelopes mind. I think it works by adding organic bulk and aiding moisture retention during the dryer summer months. Either way 12 months after digging it in it's all gone bar the afore mentioned plastic strips.

If your bath is more than 18" high that explains the absence of carrot fly, they seldom fly more than 18" above the ground. If you put a 2 foot high enviromesh barrier around your carrot bed you'll achieve the same result.

This will be my second year of using enviromesh against the dreaded fly and it's damn good kit.

 

[Fairynuff31]

I am in the process of producing some nettle tea to water my plants with next year will report back on wether it works or it's just tosh. Seemingly on some tree hugger websites if you put lots of nettles in an old plastic milk container fill with water and leave it for a couple of months you get plant food. We shall see.

The nettle tea option does work a good un, but you may have to dilute the resulting mix about 2:1 or 4:1 - it can can be a might strong and neat can do more harm than good.
Also, if you can get hands on some seaweed, process and use it the same as the nettle stuff and hey presto a good source of food for all sorts of plants.

Its good to grow - my kids love helping and eating the results.

 

[Tin basher]

The nettle tea option does work a good un, but you may have to dilute the resulting mix about 2:1 or 4:1 - it can can be a might strong and neat can do more harm than good.

Nettle tea stinks like a crewroom the morning after a section real ale and curry night. However dilution rates 2:1 or 4:1 in other places on the web they quote 10:1 dilution rate. I suppose it 's down to how many nettles you have crammed into your container in the first place. I have crammed in loads. What are the issues if you use it to strong?

 

[grumpyoldb]

Nettle tea stinks like a crewroom the morning after a section real ale and curry night. However dilution rates 2:1 or 4:1 in other places on the web they quote 10:1 dilution rate. I suppose it 's down to how many nettles you have crammed into your container in the first place. I have crammed in loads. What are the issues if you use it to strong?

I believe it can actually burn the plants that you are feeding.

 

[Fairynuff31]

I believe it can actually burn the plants that you are feeding.

Grumpy is correct, apply a too strong mixture and you can kiss bye bye to whatever plant you are feeding.
Also only apply once a week prior to any veg/fruit actually appearing of a weak feed, in fact very weak at 10:1 as was suggested, on say tomatoes as the fruit sets and then twice weekly of a slightly stronger mix as they swell will work wonders .