Last post of 2007

Hello all

I have no photos today but I thought I would end the year on a positive note considering the past 12 months appear to have been fairly fruit less. I have decided to try and get my Lottie really sorted this year and I have now started to get things sorted for the next 12 months. I have kale and broccoli already in the ground as well as some broad beans.

I am looking through lots of my old seeds and deciding which to keep and which to swap with others. I may even see if anybody has something I may want to try growing my self in exchange.

But again I look forward to the new year with hope but a wry eye on the weather man a little more and more knowledgeable than last year, thanks to the lectures we have had given to us on our Lottie site.

All the best to you all and a good new year and lots of bumper crops as well.

Yours Miriam

The Miracle has happened

Hello All

The miracle has happened the Hubby has arrived at the Lottie.

He could not understand why I wanted his picture, so I told him I always take the camera to the Lottie with me in case I see anything unusual and this counts as 1 of those times I think.

Well he got stuck in digging for about an hour and then it got too dark so we came home. The tatties I had put in for Christmas have not done any good at all. In fact we have none anywhere.
Here is the strange sight of the hubby on the Lottie.

Whatever will I find next?? Alan Titchmarsh in my shed!!!!!!! Yes please. Even better still Sven Wombwell. He is so cute.

Here is my new planting area. I have put in the broad beans Aqua........ whatever I can't remember the name.

Talking of water does anyone have any ideas for a small pond. I have never done one before and could use some advice on all aspects.

Anyway I will go now

Yours Mim

What a Year????

Well Hello all

I hope you are reaping the rewards for your hard work. I have not got much out my Lottie this year, so I am starting to look towards the winter and the crops I can grow now and try to recoup a bad yield so far this year. I did get some potatoes and a few runner beans but not a lot. I did very well on the sweet peas which are still going very well indeed.

So what about next year?

I am going to really look at the plot and start to plan it better. I have started some more spuds and I have some broccoli, winter cabbage and some sprouts to put in.

But I also have some Chinese veg which I am starting off in the greenhouse and will have to transplant this week, they were only planted on bank holiday Monday and they are already nearly 1 1/2 inches tall. Wow I thought. I will have fun with those.

I don't have any photos this week as the Lottie is looking very empty and not much more than weeds are growing at the mo.

The open day at the allotment went very well and the Sandwell Show was a huge success,despite having to move because of the foot and mouth disease threat to the rare breeds at the usual venue.

The Green Pennant we got was the 1st one to be won by an allotment in the whole of the UK we believe. The Committee work hard every year and they deserve it. Let's hope we keep it next year.

I shall sign off now and hope to hear from some of you soon.

Mim

Hello Again

Hello All

Some new just in we got a Green Pennant award this week for the Lottie site.

We also got the results of the allotment competition; I did come last but 1, so what I have plenty to aim for next year.

The best bit about it is though I beat the couple who got me the Lottie into last place. Who cares we only did it for a laugh. The Lottie site got the prize for the best allotment for over 50 plots prize though.

Hear from you all soon
Mim

Weeds have gone part 2

Hello again

Look what we found under all those weeds

Sweet peas growing very well this year I got none last year and this year they are doing better on the allotment than in the garden.
The cabbages, cauliflowers and sprouts have all been eaten by the pigeons but they are still trying so we are giving them some more space, and we have planted the courgettes and marrows at the end of the bed so we have some more stuff in for the competition judging this weekend.
The corn has done well, it was only put in 4 weeks ago before all the rain and the wet weather appears to have done it good.
The broad beans have done very well and not too many black flies on them this year so I will try them again next year but I will plant more of them and try putting some in the ground directly in Oct/Nov.
Look we found the spuds and they are doing fairly well considering the blight that is plaguing Britain at the mo. we are going to put some more in within the next 2 weeks so we can have some for the winter. I have done it before and they are really nice dug on Christmas Eve and then eaten on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
This is a photo of the Lottie from the same angle as the 1st photo in Part 1. Can you see any real differences?

I hope the hard work pays off and we get some good pointers and suggestions for what we can do next year to improve.

When I get some feed back I will let you all know.

Until then we will keep weeding and growing

Mim

Weeds have gone part 1

Hello Lottie World

We went down the Lottie on Saturday and this was the sight that greeted us. We got there at 9.30 and didn't get home until 5.00 in the afternoon

Weeds were everywhere and they were worse than expected. It took all day to just weed.

But when I have put the Lottie in for the local authority allotment competition I could not leave it like it was.

The potatoes are supposed to be here, but where are they. We may find out later.

Here you can see mom and Val working hard. Come Aug they will both be pensioners. Val already is mom has a couple of weeks to go. Just goes to prove that you are not too old to have a Lottie.

Here are me and Val after all the hard work have been done we are getting ready to go home and get some rest. In my next blog you will see what we uncovered in the Lottie after we did all the weeding.

See you soon

Mim

My new lawn yippee

Hello All again

This week I decided that as my Lottie is a disgraceful weed filled mess I would let you see what we were doing last month over the 2 bank holiday weekends.
As you can see we have done some work on the garden. When we moved here in Dec the garden was a mess, lumpy, clods of grass and full of weeds. Where the greenhouse is there used to be a very big playhouse which was recycled to a friend for their children. It took 3 days to get the earth cleared and level. We actually used a weed killer that we got from the allotment shop that seems to have stunted the Horseradish for a year.



We knew we wanted some flower beds and so we put 2 in we did them like a diamond and just guessed where they should go; they appear to be in the right place, and the same shape etc.



We went for a diamond shape as it was not the same as other people. It was quite difficult to get them the same, but it looks nice from the window. They have been planted up since they were done in May, and so they look much prettier now, I just haven't taken a photo yet.

As you can see the lawn has been laid and is looking quite good here. Even though it looks small the lawn is 16 foot across minimum and about 65 long. so it is not that small. If only we could all look smaller in photos that would be wonderful for some of us.

Anyway I hope you like the photos. Next time I promise it will be the Lottie.

Signing off for now.

Mim

Weeding started and stuff is growing

Hello Again

I told you all I would be back. Anyway I spent 2 1/2 hours at the Lottie weeding, Mom and my friend Lyn came and gave a hand so 80% of the weeds I wanted to move have been dealt with.

Yesterday before we weeded you could not see the 4 beds I put in 2 moths ago. Now we can see the empty spaces. They are starting to be planted up. In the foreground of the photo you can see the 3 lines of green twine tied onto the blue wool. They are only there to show where my seeds are planted. 1 row of Purple Carrots, 1 Early Nantes, and 1 row of Beetroot.
The potatoes are coming up nicely and we are going to try planting some more before it gets too late. They should then be ready for Christmas we hope.

As promised here is a better photo of the Nasturtiums. They are in full flower and looking very nice as little bit of colour until the Sweet William comes out fully. Alongside them are the lettuces and they are doing very well to compete with the weeds and 'Mare's Tails' ( The bain of our lives.)



Next we have the peas. Again they are competing with the weeds but they have grown about 2 feet since the last photos and already have peas on them. I cam considering sowing some more and see how we go towards the late summer for cropping from them. They are a pretty sight for sore eyes and look really healthy. No pea moth around them at the mo, unlike the last plot.



Whilst we were at the Lottie yesterday, we decided to harvest the Rhubarb and so Lyn decided to get the best and we caught her in the act.

Any ideas what is being said or done. All captions gratefully received.

Anyway I must go as I have a Rhubarb crumble to make.

See you all soon

Mim

More work not done

Hello All

Long time no work done. These photos were taken a month ago, but I did nothing with them as We were too busy laying a new lawn in our new garden and trying to sort out some flower beds, which I still haven't finished planting up yet Since then we have both been really poorly as so had to just go to work, come home and then just do very little.

So I thought I would let you see the photos from the beginning of the month and then let you see the new ones took today in about a weeks time.

The Lottie has grown lots of weeds and the horseradish is still coming up and it has moved. We are trying to get rid of it with some success from where it was growing last year, before we had the plot.

Anyway, back to the photos

This is the best broad bean plant I have in the plot. They were started in Jan in my conservatory and then put n the plot in Feb. Everyone said I was mad putting them in so early as tender plants. But look at them now. Everyone on the plot said I would loose them and I haven't; in fact I have added to them and I should have a nice set of broad beans, which I will freeze for later on in the year.

Guess what ? NO BLACK FLIES YET


These are just 3 of my lettuces that I planted in the latter days of Feb and they seem to be doing fine. There are these 3 left after the real torrent of rain we all suffered. But I wont be disheartened as there are more seeds for me to plant and we can start again.
Here you can see my Nasturtiums. They brighten up a very dull corner of the Lottie and it is a real pleasure to see them growing and give some other colour apart from Green. Green can be boring on it's own some days. But on other days it is the bet colour in the world
Here we see my Pea and bean plants. They are doing very nicely except for the weed growth. The peas have some lovely white flowers on and are doing very well.

For those interested I managed to get some butter beans and they have germinated and are doing better than my French Beans at the moment. They are still in my greenhouse and I will not plant them out until we are getting some very hot weather.



This my Lottie taken as we were leaving on the afternoon after laying the lawn at home.

So it would now be a good time to say goodbye.

Until next time

Mim

More work done today

Well hello again Lottie world

I have been working hard again, lovely weather and still too hot for me, but they say we have this sort of summer coming or maybe even hotter. Not good for me then. Not much fun for me in the sun any time of the year.

Anyway I have marked out 4 beds with string and started to dig one of them over. The hubby saw the photos and wants to know why I am putting stuff in beds. I don't think I will tell yet. The advantages, more stuff from the plot, less weeding, can sort the work before you go to the Lottie and so more accomplished in less time. Why should he think I am not doing enough work. Hehehehe

I put in a new path along side the previous fencing . This should divide the six beds when I have finished doing the beds. There are 3 beds about 7 x 4 foot wide. The last one is 7 x5 foot. There is a 1 foot path between each bed. I am going to use the larger one for the cabbages and sprouts etc. I have started to grow and as they take up a lot of space then I did a bigger bed for them.

I have started to dig over the 1st bed and weed that one. I am not sure what I am going to put where, but I now have the framework for my deep raised bed at the Lottie I only need to put it together and then plant it up with the carrots and parsnips. I know they are a bit late gong in but they should be in before the end of next week. We will have to see what happens next week with the weather. I will need to use a drill so I need to charge up the battery before I can use it. Enough of my ramblings again.

This is my mom as you all know, she looks very fetching in her green gloves and lovely hat. But the sun has been very strong today and she needed it to keep her cool even though she loves the sun. Someone on the Lottie said she looked like she was going to the Queens garden party with that hat on.

Anyway tea is calling me so I need to go and start it soon

Happy Digging Mim

More to do than time to do it.

Hello again Lottie people.

Hope then weather is being good to you.

I have been busy at the Lottie again. Now I have planted some sweet peas and some sunflowers on my plot.
I planted 8 sunflowers and I hope they will do me well again this year. They have always been reliable for me. We have to think about the birds and the bees and giving them some food don't we.
As you can see the broad beans are coming on and they have been attacked by something or other but they are still coming up The flowers have started to form and so I will leave them for a while to see what happens to them.
My sweet peas are coming along very nicely even better than the real peas, so we will have to see what happens with them. I have started some more peas in the greenhouse and we will have to plant them out as soon as they come up now. Time is pressing on.
This is just 2 of the inherited Rhubarb and I reckon another 2-4 days and it will be ready for picking.

I have a long day ahead of me at the Lottie on Saturday with weeding and digging and more planting to do before it is too late to get anything else in. 2 more ranks of spuds to put in and my raised beds to finish off makes for a long day tomorrow.

That's all for now Lottie folks

Mim

Good Morning everybody in Lottie Land.

I only have a small blog today. I went to the Lottie yesterday and spent 2 1/4 hours down there doing a job that should only have take 1 hour max. The weather was so nice I spent most of the time chatting to other plots holders. Me and Mom even helped another lady with the bark chippings for her path. They are on the edge of my Lottie and she is 3/4 of the way back from the gate. She was very grateful for the help and it gave us a chance to find out more about another plot holder.

Me and mom planted some dwarf beans plant which I brought for 99p and each tub had 3-5 seeds already sprouting in. I thought they were a bargain. I have also started some of my own to prolong the growing season a little longer. We also planted a couple of sweet pea plants on a wigwam. These can be seen in the background.

Here you can see mom planted another 2 rows of peas for me. The first lot appear to be settling in okay. With all these plants gone my greenhouse looked very empty until I started on the next lot of sowing for veg and flowers for the garden.

Told you this would be short.

Yours Mim

New Fence and more veg planted

Hello again.
I went to the Lottie again today and took my camera this time.
I think the fence looks very nice and makes the Lottie look tidy even though it isn't. Here it is from the other side of the Lottie!!! Told you it make it's look tidy!!!!!!

Anyway the broad beans are doing well and I took the other I had started in Feb down to the Lottie today. They should be doing well by the end of the month.
There are now some of the 30 Broad Bean plants in the Lottie. I tried something different with the poles and netting today. I wove the canes at the ends of the netting through the holes in the netting. I am trying this way for the first time and I will tell you how it works out. I hope it works ok as it is very easy to do and should hold all the peas.
Here is the Lottie form the road on the site. I think that it will look much better when we have the sweetcorn and the parsnips and carrots growing and the horseradish gone.
Hope to get to the Lottie again in the coming week and the 'better weather'.Looking forward to hearing from all soon.
Mim

Work is Progressing slowly

Hello everyone,
This is just a quick update on the Lottie. Spring has still not really arrived except for March Winds and are we going to get April Showers. We just have to wait and see. These photos were taken before I put a path in and divided the Lottie into a couple of smaller beds and leaving the rest for raised beds.
As you can see I transplanted the Rosemary from the old Lottie and it is thriving well. Also moved for most of the Sweet William, Rhubarb and Raspberry canes.
Here you can see the 2 small ranks of potatoes (running at 90 degrees to the water butts ) and the broad beans (only 6 plants in at the moment) and I think I may lose them yet. Good job I have the greenhouse so I can grow some more.
The Rhubarb that was on the Lottie is doing very well and we should get some good pies from it. I was surprise to find what I thought was 2 crowns and it appears that there may be as many as 8.

Here we can see that I have got half of the plot weeded and started. I still have great plans for the Lottie and am starting to get them put into operation. We have decided to not put a shed on the Lottie as it would take up valuable space. We have use of the neighbour's shed to put our tools in. Most people on this site appear to share a shed if they have half plots . It is a good idea and gives both plots more space in the end.

The site is having an open day in Aug and we have all been asked to put in some extra stuff so it can be sold fresh on the day to the public. This should give them a taste for good and well grown veg. It has been and interesting 3 months on the new Lottie, we have met some really characters on this site and have had a really good laugh.

I am not comparing the 2 sites I have been on but the people here are very friendly, helpful and you can have a good laugh at them and with them. The character of the new Lottie site is fun and joviality. A pleasure to work on.

The biggest problem I have found is the wind and how cold it is on the site when it blows.

Any ideas on making a wind break.

I must go now as I have plants to attend to.

Yours Mim

New Greenhouse

Hello All, my new greenhouse, is starting to get up and running. My conservatory is now getting clear of pots and propagators and so the hubby is pleased. The greenhouse only took a day to dismantle and re put up with the help of 3-4 people it was done in a only a few hours and only 1 pane of glass was broken in the transportation of it. Well done them I say.

As you can see I already have a lot of seeds started and some were only started a week ago. the peas want to get a move on. I have got broad beans and a courgette called EIGHT BALL. it should produce a lot of courgettes only 2 inches around and spherical in shape. I will let you know how they do.


In this tray we have Nasturtiums and Tomatoes, I have showed mixed seeds this year, some tumbles and some other varieties that do not tumble; cant remember which at present. But having the greenhouse means I can try some in there as well as having a go at some cucumbers. I have never grown them before because I've never had a greenhouse before.
The allotment is going alright at the moment. I have put some very early spuds in and some of the broad beans in. I haven't put my paths in yet but I have the wood I need to start them. I have roughly worked out where I want the raised beds, but having been off work for a month with my asthma the lottie and the rest of the gardening has been put on hold. But now I have gone back to work we can start again in earnest with the work. I am aiming at having just 5 raised beads this year and see what happens with them. $ will be edged with the wood we found in our garden and the 5th will be made from the sides of the shed salvaged from 1st lottie I had. I recently gave that one up and can now concentrate on the new one.

Anyway I will go now and hope to hear from you all soon.

Mim