My new project.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by Small Clanger

It's looking very productive.

Probably too late now, but if you've any spuds left over once you've planted the main crop, stick some in containers. Let them grow as normal and, once the foliage is turning, trim it back. Leave the spuds in the containers and then, in the depths of winter, just tip the containers out, rinse off the muck and, hey presto, fresh spuds to have with Christmas Dinner. Pink firs are a rather nice variety.

Has anyone on the other plots had success with carrots? We gave up eventually as our crops did'nt merit the effort. Likewise with broad-beans and peas. I prefer mange-tout and runnerbeans as you don't have to bother shelling them, just scoff the lot. Purple sprouting broccoli is easy to grow and so are leeks. Fresh ones straight from the garden smell lovely. Red onions are nice too if you can find them a small corner of their own.
Have fun.

I've a patch of wayward spuds at the moment, but I don't eat a lot of them, and they've already turned, the tops have sprouted green nasty ones on the stalks, so not entirely sure whats what underground. My gran said to leave the tops to die down then dig them up. I've restricted spuds to that area for now, as next year I'll be growing them in sacks.....bloody spread like wildfire!

As for carrots, yes, everybody has them here, but as said earlier, the success is in planting onions alongside them

Broad beans and peas are plentiful down here. Every plot has them. The site itself, is nestled between a reservoir and a large high wall and is quite a vast area, seems very sheltered at times, sun trap, but in the wind, its like a flippin wind tunnel! Soil is gorgeous, well, my plot is, and so is whats coming out of the well rotted heap

[dizzyblonde]

I won't be having chickens. Have enough with my own pets Theres already a couple of plots with them, old guys who've been there since the dawn of time!

I grew mangy tout once, best thing ever

When you cleared all the weeds, how did you get rid of them?

[dizzyblonde]

The jungle, was done by strimmer(literally no other option), a few weeks ago, and since then I've been slowly going round, a patch at a time, digging them out and putting them in garden sacks to go to the tip.
One large patch, which is apparent in the recent photos, I covered with carpet and cardboard for the entire time I've had it, roughly six weeks. Lifted it on Thursday, and bang the weeds have gone! Dug the ground over, as they all resembled straw, and the root balls were brown.

Some that have been around the edges of the plot, I have cheated and used a weedkiller that is safe to put in compost once the weeds are dug.

Any stray raspberry canes have been pulled and disposed of in bags.

OK. I wondered if you composted them somehow? Clearly not!

[dizzyblonde]

Nah, and the reason being is, that the weeds if they aren't defo killed off, start germinating again, and then you reintroduce the seeds back into your lovely soil. Some are really persistant growers. Couch grass is a major player on this plot.
I've got that much compost ready available I don't really need to compost the weeds anyhow.

All veg matter, old cardboard(good for mulch) and stuff goes in the new compost crate.

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

my mum and smudge really the only one who benefits from it, as nobody likes it here apart from me

ahem!!