Following on from here I thought I’d start a thread dedicated to allotment chat, advice, local tips and, if it works out, a seed swap/plant exchange.
I have a plot in Brockley and have been doing it for a while but always willing to learn new tricks.
So to kick off - Has anyone sown any seeds yet?
I put my Chillis on last week and pleased to say that a few have popped their heads up.
I have not started yet. Too cold. We dont have a green house. I start planting seeds under cloche when it gets warmer. The same with the ground, will start cleaing and turning in March. But I alsways keep in mind that the latest plats should be planted out by the middle of May the latest and start planting out early types or ground sawing in late March, early April. Always worked for me.
Thank you for starting the thread, already gave some questions…
Chilli Seeds - do they need to be in a propagator or just warm sunny spot?
Potatoes - Do most people tend to Chit them and if so when do you start?
I find that Chillis do best at a nice constant temp so I use a heated propagator but I don’t think it is essential. A warm spot will do if you can guarantee the temp won’t dip too low.
However some of the long season varieties take a long time to germinate so a propagator can be handy.
Chitting spuds - Personally I am not overly fused but I do chit my earlies (I don’t do that many) and I have them in the garage now. By the time I get my maincrop in they have started to sprout anyway but I don’t purposely chit them. Some folks are religious about chitting but I’m not overly sure it makes much of a difference on main crops…
@kat.standlake.point - Yes a bit early for anything really except chillis but it’s nice to see some green shoots. I have a poly tunnel in the garden which is really useful for getting stuff going a bit ahead of schedule - not quite as good as a greenhouse as it is a bit leaky!
Hey Nick, great idea for a thread. This weekend I am gong to put my broad beans in pots. The idea is to get them well underway before the black fly season. Her indoors bought me a mini greenhouse (like the one in the picture here) for xmas so they will be protected from the icy cold. 
I overwinter mine and they either all die or I do really well - nothing in between!
This year going to try some as you suggest - get them potted up in the poly and plant out later…
Its so exciting isn’t it Nick, some of the signs of spring are appearing already, I heard the first blackbird singing yesterday morning at about 6.30 am as I walked to the station in the black freezing rain !
Have you heard one yet ?
I do believe so - we have a green alley out the back so we get a few birds in the garden and I saw a blackbird yesterday on the seeds that the sparrows and tits had chucked on the floor from the feeder.
Yes I have to resist the urge to get carried away in Feb. Green shots of life and the rhubarb popping up - all very exciting but we can still have another few weeks of freezing temps.
Ill have to make do with checking my seeds and looking at catalogs!
You are right Nick, but its a good time of year, because its all there ready to come and not a drop of it has been used up, like having all your money in the bank.
I’ve not started anything and still need to get my plot (or bits of it) ready for planting.
I’m not sure if I will have any spare this year, but I will aim to bring back some ‘spanish’ peas from my wife’s families farm in Spain which I’ve grown successfully in the garden the last 2 years and have outperformed the ones I bought in seed packets and happy to share some of these out next year if anyone wants to try them.
Went to sort my seeds out yesterday and WEAVELS!
I guess some beans has one or two buried inside but they had hatched and were everywhere. Had to chuck out a lot of beans and then check all my packets for any strays…
Still an excuse for getting online and buying more seeds.
Right off to do some digging and building of compost bins!
I’m just digging for now but need to get around to compost bins next week as lots of grass to strim off and add to them.
Anyway got here just before 10 and it’s a beatiful day for it, if a bit windy
Also have this mustard plant I was going to dig up before being told what it was first time I’ve ever tasted a leaf that tastes of mustard - was great. If anyone on the site wants to come and sample one and take a cutting (not sure of they propogate that way) then feel free to pop down.
@oakr Nice to see you down there yesterday! Such a nice site and what a lovely day was yesterday - we got our Pallet compost area sorted and we have a couple of spare pallets if you need them, just help yourself - they are just laying around at the top of the plot.
Had to curtail the day somewhat when a large hailstorm arrived late afternoon!
Hi Nick - yes was good meeting you and your wife as well.
I’d love the pallets if you still have them - I’ll grab them Friday or Saturday if they are still there. I grabbed the other 2 by the hut also as I was told they were indeed left for anyone to take, so I’ll soon have my first composter!
I just avoided the hailstorm - it was an odd day weatherwise in the end!
I can’t wait to actually finish clearing an area and get something planted! I ordered some seeds last night - probably too many but let’s see. Am debating a polytunnel at the moment to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in, and maybe melons. First though clear the plot!
Al
Spent most of yesterday down there and will be back today. I grabbed 2 pallets - thank you very much. One was resting against your compost bins - if you actually anted that one and I’very taken it in error let me know as it’s not screwed in and I’ll drop it back down.
Hoping to get most of the beds down today and next weekend and then get some onions and garlic in. I was advised to start getting some tomatoes sown under cover around now which seemed early but I may give that a go.
That fine - pallets were left for you if you wanted them!
I still think it is early for toms - a lot of old timers get them going really early but you can’t plant them out till all risk of frost has gone which means they go leggy unless you have a nice greenhouse to harden them off in. I do an early variety, Red Alert, about the end of the month and the rest I leave until mid March. I do get itchy fingers now though and want to start going but having just been out into a frosty garden I know it is too early!
There are some things you can get going with now @oakr. Nice progress on the plot mate - that looks like it is hard work with all the grass.
Garlic can go in now - no urgency but they will be fine if you wan’t to get something in. Same goes for onion sets too - no rush but they be perfectly happy - just plant them direct although can can plant them in pots indoors to get a head start/ Shannon’s has a pretty good selection.
Broad beans will also be fine with low temps but they are not to everyone’s taste. Likewise some people prefer to start them off in pots now and transplant later.
We just put in some Autumn raspberries - they should put on enough growth to get some fruit this year. Other fruit bushes can also go in now if you have space.
I have only sown peppers so far - hot and sweet as they don’t tend to bolt and go leggy like toms do, Other than that I will try some celeriac soon and then get really going in mid march…
Great thread Nick. My boards for my raised beds arrived yesterday and I will start assembling those this week. Then its a ton of topsoil and some very well rotted compost to be mixed up. Hopefully still have time for garlic to go in. Want to try some salad ingredients and then move onto squashes and the season progresses. Have planned out my herb bed both potted and unpotted and once I get rid of a desperate old shed I plan to install a greenhouse. Also planting the first of my chilli seeds in the auto propagator along with some Thai Basil. Looking forward to starting the regrowth after the last 9 months of reclaiming the garden from everything that lives and is covered with thorns.
Thanks Nick.I had a look at your plot when I left and it’s something for me to aim for!
My neighbours had their plot down with the tractor in I guess 30 minutes or so, so 4 visits in it’s slightly depressing we’ve still only done about 1/3 of the plot! I’m hoping hard work now pays later and I don’t start having nightmares about couch and dandelion roots! It’s not too bad, just a lot to clear, and it could be worse!
Going to get the bit we have cleared so far ready for planting in 1-2 weeks with onions and garlic, and realise now I have no chance to get the other bits ready in the next few weeks so focus on that and then move on. Hopefully taking a shed down next week, which then needs going up, and needs earth levelling (a lot!). All said still enjoying it!
Kids came down today and I’m pleased to report loved it. They did run over my newly turned soil and compacted it again to the best of their ability - for anyone else with kids their favourite bit was going into the compost bin ‘jail’ and escaping.
For anyone with kids, bar my debatable compost bin jail, I have found some of these recommended for growing for \ with kids:
Squash Turks Turban
Swan Gourd
Yellow Stuffer Tomatoes
Tiger Tomatoes
Multi-colour anything
Peas (straight off the pod)
Pumpkins (for Halloween) and Giant Pumpkins
Cucamelon
I should add I’ve not grown a lot of this, first year trying for many.
Anyway, @kat.standlake.point and @Cara how are you getting on?
We did a bit yesterday - cleaned out the shed we took over and cleared the rubbish from the site - wasn’t that much and someone took most of the old plastic pots so they didn’t go to the skip which is good. Started on one bed - was hard work! Full of grass and tough to dig so is going slow.
Have some raspberries growing on the side of plot but not sure whether to cut them all back or if they will fruit on some of the stems. I’ve looked at some images online but still non the wiser.
I grew chillis last year from plants and saved some seeds so trying some of these out on the window sill at home (nothing sprouting yet) but will see!
Oh and had some winter garlic cloves left - planted some in our garden before Christmas - a bit late now but have put the rest in soil and seeing if any of the leftover cloves might take. Heard it’s good between plants to deter pests so hopefully some take!
Raspberries are tricky if you don’t know when they are supposed to fruit.
If they are Autumn fruiting then you cut them back now and they fruit on this year’s growth.
Summer fruiting ones fruit on last years growth so you cut back the fruiting stems from last year and leave the new growth to fruit the following year.
Natch you don’t know which they are and there is no way to tell by looking.
Maybe cut half back and leave the rest??
@oakr - Looks like your kids will be a huge help on the plot! I’d recommend Sungold toms - lovely little yellow bursts of sweetness. You will never get to take any home though.
Did not strat anything. I am waiting for the weather to warm up. It is still winter. Will be frost at the end of Feb.
Will start planting seeds in March on my balcony under cloche. It wont take long to prepare the patch soil - 2 days max (one to clean, one to plough). Potato, onion, beetroot, carrots, etc. will go in at the end of March, April - end of May for the rest of the plants. I dont particularly like to haverst too early. Harvest in August is what i am aiming for.
I would cut out any obvious dead canes (those that have no buds) but I cant tell. Maybe ask the neighbours? I do see some cut off stumps in there so it could be that the old wood was cut off last year after flowering which may be an indication they are summer fruiters…
Good luck. I used a mixture of spade and fork for digging and have discovered the fork is the one I prefer most in the grassy bits. What I was told, and now do, is dig a trench, then turn the soil into the trench upside down (I give it a good shake now as well). I’ve found it faster and easy to get the weeds out though I am still at novice level.
Something to share:
Before planting seeds (probably not the carrot ones or those tiny-tiny), put the seeds in the water for 15 min. The seeds that are floating can be thrown away as they are empty. The good seeds usually sink to the bottom or middle. Also, keeping seeds in the water softens the shell thus giving the seeds more chances to germinate and germinate quicker.
I usually use this method for tomato, cucamber, courgette, corn, cabbage seeds…those that I dont plant in “bulk”, like beetroot or carrot for example.
Raised beds are a great way to garden esp for veg. I have them on my clay plot in Brockley and it makes life so much easier. I have been piling them up with anything I can get but so far have refused to buy anything other than a few blocks of coir. It is amazing how much stuff they take to fill though. My chillis are up now and need potting on really but I popped a few more in yesterday as my seed shopping addiction overcame me - I have some Brain Strain which I only bought because of the name.
Nicky’s Nursery is a great seed shop if anyone is after seeds - good price and a huge range (and nothing to do with me!)
There is a special treatment you can buy for clay soil. Maybe it is worth trying as I know one of our plotholder had clay soil problem. Got that staff and it worked.
Found it… The clay breaker https://m.greenfingers.com/p22511/vitax_clay_breaker_25kg.aspx?campaign=426022100&adgroup=27561685460&keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAiKrUBRD6ARIsADS2OLlNkNRhsVo1ux5Yc3mhqi746yXHPp29a_P7erx-Awqk2CeplMxUIr8aAjYFEALw_wcB
Thanks - I may go back and have another look at this. We used to use plaster of paris which is supposed to be very similar but I did have my doubts about it!
hi all, liking the thread.
I have had a plot at Kent House Leisure Gardens (KHLGA) for about 14 years now, originally in a bit of a state, heavy clay soil, loads of bindweed, but it is more or less under control these days and settled into something of a routine through the seasons.
We are currently harvesting the last of the leeks, plenty of kale, last of the carrots and some celeriac which have overwintered in the raised beds they grew in, plus Swiss Chard. Rhubarb is just starting up. Loads of Crown Prince squash harvested in October still in store for use- It’s a great thing to grow to get thru the winter.
We won’t sow much for a few weeks yet, but have potatoes chitting in the front porch.
On raspberries, I agree- cut down half - in fact I saw an article just the other week suggesting this strategy when you don’t know what type of raspberries you’ve got. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/feb/04/double-your-raspberry-crop-its-a-snip
On clay soil, digging in vegetable matter over time also makes the difference- we dig in our household compost, and well rotted horse manure, which enriches the soil too. I too built a compost heap out of pallets, about a cubic metre. Each year I fill this very high with horse manure/straw from Dulwich stables on the south circular - you can get it free supplied in black plastic bags, Two carloads fill the heap. As it subsides through spring and starts to compost, we grow courgette plants directly in the heap - they love the rich feed and we get a bumper crop from 2 or 3 plants in the heap.
Over the winter the heap subsides to a fine and rich compost, which we spread over about a third of the plot. Doing this means we feed each part of the plot over a three year cycle. Then fill the heap and start again.
Thank you for the tip - i have some more seeds I saved so will try them out in water first to save me planting any duds.
Another question - how concerned do I need to be about woodlice/pill bugs?
Oh, you will have plenty of that)))
Also advice from experience:
The compost bin. Use compost maker to speed-up ‘production’ of good compost.
http://www.wilko.com/plant-food-fertilisers/wilko-compost-maker-15kg/invt/0135397?nst=0&gclid=Cj0KCQiAq6_UBRCEARIsAHyrgUwbaNqatpwFyBhpuUgMPiqaqgrtStt0Q9xLmFE2h4ZrSYdA94fKhjgaAhGmEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
I usually sprinkle it between layers throughout the summer/autumn… So good compost can be prepared for the next spring during the winter. Our bin is full now and we will be emptying it before ploughing.
Yes they make a nice home in my celeriac!
Seriously though they are everywhere and I wouldn’t worry too much about them - they do get into some root veg but I dont really count them as a pest. I just worry about snails, slugs, white rot, clubroot, carrot fly, allium leaf miner, cabbage moths, flea beetle, blight, blackfly, BER, Pigeons, rust, foxes and other assorted blighters and critters!
I also “sprinkle” on my compost heap!! Very effective, home produced and a never ending supply!
Have you tried Nemaslug? I tried it a few years ago after encountering Godzilla sized slugs in our garden. Applied it and we never saw another slug that year.
Thank you, noted)))
We had good last carrot, the year before that was quite bad because of this fly thing.
The trick is not to move/shake the green carrot leaves because this fly is attracted to the smell, particularly when the carrot is young. The last year was good one because only few seeds getminated and produced, i did not have to thin out - that is when you cannot avoide shaking the tops.
Did once and results were promising but having so many plots close by means they just waltz in, eat everything and bugger off again. It did work well when my neighbour and I did it at the same time…
I have always tried to grow carrots with a barrier - some sort of mesh but frankly they really don’t like clay anyway and don’t do well. Quite excited to try carrots on my wife’s plot as the soil will be well suited to it and it seems like the fly is not quite so prevalent as it is on Barriedale.
That is exactly what happens!
We use standard treatment - slug pellets
after poor results sowing direct in the soil, have sowed carrot seed in raised beds for last couple of years with v good results. re carrot fly- I’ve followed advice that when thinning or harvesting, dispose of the thinnings well away from the plot, preferably off site, so the smell that attracts them is is somewhere else. Definitely not on my nearby compost heap.
Then it’s time for beer in a pint time. Hate to waste beer but most pubs will give you the slops. Glass in the ground every meter round your plot half full of beer. Slugs love it. Empty every week because if you leave it longer the smell will kill you. RE the carrot fly, sadly a barrier to around two feet seems the only prevention.
Yes, we need to get a fork was tough going with the spade!
I always use a fork for weeding - so much easier to get bindweed and couch grass out as you are not cutting the roots with the spade all the time. I even use a nice small lady’s fork and the chairman keeps taking the pish!
I once collected about 100 snails form the garden and left them in a bucket of salty water, in the garage, for a week or so. Damn that was fruity.
@Cara - I may be wrong but I think we are allotment neighbours. We are just by the skip and 2 plots east of the enormous fire area and my wife thinks you are just north of the fire?
Went down yesterday and it was very quiet. I suspect the fact that the soil was frozen solid may have played a part in that! We did get some tiding up done though and we are off down there again in a mo. Such a friendly place - the chairman left about 20 strawberry plants out for us!
I will have a few spare chilli plants going if anyone wants one or two. My resolution to only have one or two this year has gone south rapidly as I potted up 20 yesterday with at least 8 more to go!
Was great meeting you both earlier. Back home warming up now - smelling somewhat of bonfire which we will have to get used to!
Peppers and Chillis are doing well considering. Always go early with the hot/long season ones.
Sowed a few Red Alert and Sub Arctic Plenty - both really early toms. The Sub Arctic are new to me so I’ll see how they go but the Red Alert are my standard toms - should get a few fruit in June in the tunnel.
I may pop down the plot but I figure the soil is probably still frozen so getting onion sets in may be hard!
To lock or not to lock? (The shed)
I have never bothered @Cara but then I never had much of value in the shed.
I think that if someone wants in to a shed then they are going in regardless and if there is a lock there is more chance of damage. Virtually none of the sheds on my site are locked and we have little trouble but KHLA are a bit more in the public eye.
for me, its a padlock on the front, and hinge bolts too so they can’t just unscrew the hinges and get in. We had a spate of shed thefts at the allotment one year. It’s only tools to lose really, but I think if your shed is reasonably secured then opportunist thieves- and it’s usually kids- will go and mess about with someone else’s stuff instead. A more determined or person with a crowbar will get into a shed whatever you do though…
I don’t have a shed yet - still need to build it! But when I do I will have a lock.
I’ve read conflicting advice about whether to have one or not, but will take a similar view to Thor and have one. If someone wants to get in ultimately they will, but a small deterrent might be enough for some.
I’ve not been to the allotment in 3 weeks now at least - need to try and get there Sunday though the weather looks decidedly unpromising!
I might suggest OH gets one for her plot if we end up keeping a few tools down there as the cost of replacing them is quite considerable.
Weather hasn’t been conducive for much recently and this weekend is a write off too as I am sorting out my Dad’s house. Hope to get something done on Sunday even if it just sowing a few seeds indoors.
We initially put one on but were wondering If it was necessary as not much in shed to take vs potential damage but will leave it with lock for now.
Planted some more chilli seeds on window above radiator so will see if have any luck but probably not consistent enough for them.
5 hours up at the allotment last Sunday though you wouldn’t be able to tell!
I think if you have nothing in the shed there is an argument for not locking it - it’s hard to know. I asked and was told the site was generally pretty good in terms of problems like this, but as Nick said it is relatively open.
All I know with these things, if you always wish you’d done it the other way after the fact!
Suppose we will store more as we go along and did buy a good fork following the advice so I’d be annoyed if someone wandered off with that.
Still can’t tell if spring has arrived but I have started sowing seeds in earnest now.
Cabbage, kohl rabi, broccoli, peas, basil, some toms (more at the weekend), celery, celeriac and a few other bits and bobs. Window sill looking very congested and the ploy tunnel starting to fill up nicely.
I just wish my plot was a bit more advanced though as it is still a sticky clay mess. Got a few broad beans in on the OH’s plot, garlic and onions coming on nicely.
Just waiting on some decent weather now but the weekend looks dull.
I just experienced what can only be described as sleet on Forest Hill station.
Happy Easter
Shannon’s Garden Centre have tomato plants in stock, including some grafted ones. Picked one grafted one to try (Shirley). I also got some non-grafted tomato plants in, to see how they fare against the ones I have planted, and in case I am too late with some.
I’ve had a busy weekend of planting seeds in degradable pots which hopefully I will be able to plant straight into the ground, assuming they come up. Some heritage tomatoes, pumpkins, french beans, carrots, swan gourds, cucumbers, cucuamelon, sunflowers and cosmos - more to do this week and weekend. Will try the peas now, in pots as it’s getting so late.
I did go to the allotment last night to plant my peas straight in the ground, but ended up weeding instead 
. Still the onions are showing some signs of life!
How is everyone else getting on?
Well I potted up my 60 tomatoes yesterday to go with the other 20 or so already done. So I may have a spare or two if you if anyone else needs some. Black Krim, Shirley, Tumbling Red Stripe, Super mama, Big daddy, Green Zebra, Beefsteak and a coupld of other varieties should give me a nice range!
parsnips have gone in in OH’s plot with some onions, garlic and beetroot. Strawberries seem to be taking root and the raspberries are just shooting. The currants and gooseberries we moved also seem to be flourishing.
I did plant some peas that I test sowed into some biodegradable bags but I haven’t been back to see how they are going but not overly hopeful!
It isn’t too late Al! Plenty of time and some of the old crew down my plot havent really got going yet. Late sowings of carrots seem to do better and it is still early for beans, squash etc.
My plot is unbearable to work on at the mo. Some bits are fine but it is so wet and the clay so sticky that it is impossible to do much good on. One good thing is my overwintered Broad Beans which are in flower so I should be good for an ealry crop and I still have some chard to add to salads along with lambs lettuce which has self seeded everywhere. First spuds are poking through in the poly and the weather looks set to improve so I am hoping my energy levels return and I can find some time to get to the plot(s) which is proving difficult atm.
Anyone else got much done yet?
Was up there today with some half term helpers. Still weeding and digging mostly but let them put in a few of the tomatoes that have been growing from seed (have a few back ups to go in later if these fail) and started digging a bed for possibly asparagus. ![IMG_6342|375x500]
(upload://WQTWUqlxCJMxNb5lVaHNT6ylMP.JPG)
This is my back garden by the way. It was such a long wait for an allotment, I converted my back garden into an allotment. What’s not to like !?
Imagine you can keep a better eye on things when it’s just outside the back Door.
Nothing at all at the moment. I will be buying plants and will probably give a little rest to some parts of the allotment this year. The spring was too cold to grow my own seeds. Will try to make the best out of the weather this year.
From experience, i used Seaweed Plant Food ( you can get it in any DIY store) last year to grow from seeds. Recommened. It helps seeds to grow faster and stronger. It can also be used to feed plants throughout the growing season alongs side with other plant food.
https://www.diy.com/departments/verve-liquid-seaweed-plant-food-1l/943677_BQ.prd
Feeling inspired, to do something with my gardens this year now. I shall have to have a careful read back through and see what ideas I can get from you all.
Then the questions will begin.
Great thread @foresthillnick
I use it too - mostly for stuff in pots but it does seem to give seedlings a boost. Bought some for OH as a Christmas pressie - such romance…
My actual garden is a mess so I need some inspiration and energy too. I am not very good with flowering plants, shrubs and the like. I have a couple of trees that should have been cut back a bit over winter, the grass is full of weeds and there is lots of work to do…
Still - when I go part time in July I will have much more time yay!
I don’t have an allotment, but I have a lovely mature garden we inherited when we moved. However I want to spend some time in it this summer to personalise it a bit more and one option is a veg patch.
So a simple question. What value is a raised bed?
A good question and one that it is quite divisive believe it or not.
For me I have raised beds on my plot as it is solid clay. For me this has advantages…
You can build up a nice depth of good soil without too much digging. You just add more soil/compost/manure and you can get a great productive fertile area quickly. This goes to the idea of “no dig” - you can just layer cardboard on your lawn and build up a nice bed without having to dig out the turf and weeds.
The soil tends to warm up a bit faster\earlier - this is marginal though.
It helps me be more organised and manage crop rotation.
I never walk on the beds so the soil retains a good structure - my paths between beds are all covered in wood chippings so I dont slip and slide all day.
It can be less far to bend down!
Done right they look nice and can minimise mess as the soil is contained.
They can add a nice extra dimension to your garden too - esp if you are creative with what you use.
Dealing with weeds can be a lot easier as you are effectively making your own soil.
Drainage is excellent.
However there are disadvantages too.
You will not believe how much stuff you need to fill a bed. It is either expensive or hard work to get the amount of soil required to fill the beds.
If you are filling with top soil/manure/compost or any organic matter you can get then it easy to get the balance wrong. I have over manured previously!
Slugs/woodlice etc tend to like the little hidey places that often comes with rougher materials.
Wood rots quicker than you think and you need to be careful when using preservatives…
Drainage is excellent! This means you probably have to water more in hot weather.
I think they are good for a back garden and they can be erected quickly so you can get going without a lot of agro. If you have a nice looking mature garden then raised beds can help to maintain that look.
Great feedback. Thanks.
Ah. Good point and therein lies a possible issue. We don’t have side access to the garden except through the neighbours. All that soil would like have to come through the house.
Maybe I’ll start small with pots.
I made a start clearing and stripping the front the other day, removing a mature pampas grass is no mean feat! Cue the garden waste bin!
Next for the front is replace the grass, get some little gap fillers around the shrubby bush things I planted a few years ago, and get it back to being manageable.
The onto the rear, that’s where ideas and inspiration are needed really.
Would love to grow some bits, it’s that time in my life now lol.
Raised beds for such things sound ideal, just got to dog proof them… Maybe I will stick to buying carrots from Tesco lol.
Quite excited about the idea of a decent garden, mowing the grass etc.
Green fingers, here I come.
Yes did some mid March - Chillies, Basil, Coriander … Think it was a little too early. Did some last year at the same time and everything came out. Think this year is a little different. Will send some pictures.
At Kitchen Skills we use the garden a lot for classes for the little ones. … get them to recognise smells/tastes etc. and let them add these to food they cook.
Last year we had at least three different types of chillies, basil, mint, coriander … loads of stuff mostly all in containers.
Please come visit Kitchen Skills … this year we are planting strawberries and a few vegetables too.
Really like your greenhouse … need to get one too
@anon30031319 in my limited personal experience, it can be good to start with some more reliable crops. It depends what you want of course but good things to start off with re things like Rosemary, Mint that will last and come back year after year also with minimal intervention.
Runner beans are fairly easy to grow and give you a great crop, same with courgettes. I’ve also had issues with Peas (you do need support for these and runner beans). Raspberry and blackberry plants are also fairly easy once going. Lettuce is also relatively easy and you get so many seeds in a packet easy to plant again! Loads other things as mentioned above.
Fruit trees in pots or small cordon type trees can give you a decent range of fruit - we get a lot of plums from one plum tree in a container. Our cordon apples trees have been less successful but are only a few years old and may improve over time.
In terms of flowers, I try to use ones that are good for bees \ butterflies, and perennials which come back year after year where possible.
Anyway for winter \ spring flowering
Daffodils, tulips, primrose, hellebores (really like these), crocus.
Others I like:
Helleniums, Verbena bonariensis, Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Sea Holly (never grown it properly but coming back this year it appears!), Foxglove (careful around kids), Sunflowers, Canna, Cosmos, Scabious, Hollyhock and lots more! But all these are relatively easy to grow, though some will only flower in year 2. I’ve bought some miniature budleia this year to try in pots for butterflies.
Growing things from seed can be cheaper but is more expensive in terms of time, and if you are buying a packet of seeds I’m not sure it’s worth it for one plant by the time you add in the cost of the pot, compost etc, and possible failure rate!
I have found both homebase in Catford and B&Q in Bell green periodically give huge discounts on plants. These can be really useful buying perennials end of season - plant them and next year you will get a lot of plants for little money. B&Q specifically seem to have an issue watering plants so sometimes they discount pants to 50p that in reality recover in a day or so after a good soak! Some allotment open days you can also buys seeds and some plants for cheaper than elsewhere.
Sorry for the long post! Good luck and just try stuff - it’s a learning experience!
Try Bug Clear
This one is bearable when you spray. Tried other brands, they stink and cause skin reaction as they are obviously pesticides, aggressive chemicals.
Are those definitely aphids \ pests - I can’t tell from the picture. Could it be powdery mildew?
RHS site has some useful hints here dependant on what it is RHS link to Rose problems
Hi oakr
They are definitely creatures! Although very close to last year’s powdery mildew on an adjacent bush.
For starters I am spraying with water + washing up liquid. Maybe add vinegar?
Not sure about vinegar as it is also used to kill weeds. I generally use soapy water for aphid issues - I used to have some neem oil that was good for adding to soapy water to kill aphids. I try to garden with as little intervention as possible but sometimes nature needs a helping hand.
Not heard about vinegar either, washing up liquid people seem to use so worth a try. I mainly use my fingers but maybe no ideal on a rose bush!
What do people do about seedlings on windowsills. I’ve tried sunflowers like this before but they ended up quite weak and ‘leggy’.
Do you move them to a greenhouse straightaway once they emerge or do people grow them successfully for a while on windowsills? Or does anyone just grow them in pots outside?
I currently have sweetcorn, cucumber and dwarf french beans coming up nicely, and tomatoes are starting with other bits.
As the weather is nice this week, I did debate leaving them outside each morning an bring them in each night also.
Thoughts?
I tried growing tomatoes on the window sill. They came up thin and when we planted them out, they died. There is a method of growing seeds indoors then adapting them for outside to be planted out in the proper ground. I find it too fiddly and time consuming. I use what people call a cold frame to grow seeds - outside on the balcony (i dont have a garden) when the weather permits, covered with cloche or transparent plastic. Works for me all the time if weather shows some mercy. I planted seeds of tomatos, kohlrabi, lettuce, cauliflower last weekend, but will be buying most of the plants. Will be leaving some parts of the allotment to rest this year as well, so i am not too much worried about the quantity at the moment.
Getting stuff going on a window sill can be a bit of a challenge but I am lucky to have a garden and a 8x10 poly tunnel. The issue with window sills is that they got very warm and light is concentrated in one direction. So they plants get leggy and lean lean over sometimes collapsing completely. Also the lack of air movement doesn’t help. Some stuff like chillis seem to do fine while most stuff esp brassicas get too long and leggy and look like cress. With early stuff I wait until they have sprouted and then move to the tunnel or outside on a table if it is nice and warm. They “harden off” like this as long as you keep the pests at bay.
Most of my early stuff is potted on now but I always sow extra in case they fail - kohl Rabi, cabbage, tenderstem broccoli, peppers, chillis, caulis, brussels and more are all in the tunnel. Lots of toms in various stages are doing ok but a bit slow.
I have done the shuffle before - out in the morning and back in again and then lost all my toms in a cold snap overnight when I forgot to bring them in. Needs discipline!
we’ve been abroad for a few weeks so a bit behind on sowing seeds at home this year, but there is a cheat’s way to catch up… B&Q at Bell Green has a good stock of small plants right now, with loads of vegetable seedling pots reduced to 50p. Including tomato, butternut squash, cabbage, sprouts, carrots, beetroot, courgettes and much more. Despite all being reduced in price, most of them are in good condition, some with a quite a few plants to a pot, so ideal for potting on or planting out as you see fit.
Thanks @kat.standlake.point, @Foresthillnick and @ThorNogson.
I thought as much re the windowsill though am disappointed my fears are confirmed! I will start to put them out from tomorrow and see how they get on, and try to remember to bring them in.
I may get one of those small greenhouse things @Thewrongtrousers shows at the top of the thread to put them in.
I’d love a polytunnel but I suspect my wife and 2 young children might object to the garden takeover!
I may well need it! Have started the in out day night with the seedlings but might be too late for some!
All my celeriac seedling seem to be keeling over so I may have to pop round too.
Had an hour before work down my plot today and was enjoying it tremendously until I ripped my finger picking up a sheet of glass which broke. Apparently hands covered in mud / manure and open wounds do not make good bed fellows - who would have thought! Off to Lewisham for a tet shot after lunch…
Question about beans.
I’m going to plant out some beans in pots on the patio. Is it too early? I’ve also got some tripods for support. Any other hints to ensure success?
Technically it is a bit early but you should be ok.
Beans are not frost tolerant and prefer some warmth. While it seems odd given the heat of the last few days we could still get a frost or some cold night temps - all the manuals will say not to plant out till mid may.
Beans like lots of organic matter and plenty of water. It was traditional to make your self a bean trench early in year and line it with paper and fill it with any organic stuff you could muster… But if you make sure they are well fed and watered they will be fine
What sort of beans - runner or french or other?
One is a french bean but a purple/black colour. The other is a dwarf broad bean. Picked up a coupel of trays of each at Shannons yesterday. Got carried away with the sun.
easily done…
Dwarf beans should be fine but the tall purple ones (my favourite actually) might need a bit of a feed up up and an eye kept on the watering if they are in pots. One thing to help fruit set is to spray them if it is hot but other than that they are great to grow…
Hemp nettle weed?
I’d agree with @JS above
http://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flowers/H/HempNettle(Common)/HempNettle(Common).htm
Thanks @Foresthillnick and @JS – It does look that that.
Looks like white comfrey or related Symphytum species to me__
White comfrey, from your picture.
Like this?
I believe you can make your own organic fertiliser by stewing the plants in water for a few weeks, then watering with the resulting liquid, but I’ve not tried it!
The usual type of comfrey to do this with is Bocking 14 but you can try it with anything similar - even nettles. Bocking 14 is sterile though so you have to clone it via cuttings… At least it doesn’t seed everywhere.
The idea being that the plants have deep roots and will drag up lots of nutrients from the depths which you can release by stewing it in a bucket for a couple of weeks.
Beware though - it stinks something awful! I made some last year and spent 20 mins wondering around the plot wondering what had died.
Ok, half of the allotment is sorted
Planted potatos, onion, 2 types of beans, tomatos, cabbage - 3 types, 1 sweet pepper, 1 chilly pepper and 1 courgette, 4 corns - found them growing in the ground, replanted, 1 grape vine, celery. I thought i will let half of the ground rest but turned out i hardly have any space for beetroot, carrot, spinach and kohlrabi 
If smbd here is a bigginer, when planting cabbage, any type, make sure you cover plants with net, otherwise birds will eat them and you will be left without cabbage. Once they are strong enough, the net is removed.
And, of course, stock up with slug pellets - sprinkle them occasionally, starting from the time of putting in the ground young plants - slugs will eat them alive and wont feel even sorry, and throughout the season.
My gardener swears by Nemaslug. I just had my first box arrive in the post and they are now resting in the refrigerator until tomorrow.
Nemaslug, beer traps, manually squishing, pellets - still lose out to them.
Read about that, people say it works , i should try it 
Thank you!
Few years ago, when got the allotment, there were tones of them. But once strarted regularly using pellets across the whole patch, not just where plants are, there are much less of them in comparison what we had before.
My wife’s plot seems virtually free of them! So far we have not used a pellet and I have only seen a few snails hiding under an old pallet. So it looks like all the tender stuff will go down there. Maybe it is because we are a bit isolated and the soil is very dusty but so far so very good.
My only issue with nemaslug is that you are supposed to do it every 6 weeks so it can be expensive…
Any tips on dealing with snails, which I find more of a pest than slugs, and last time I checked there were no nematodes available for targetting snails?
Garlic butter?
Try the same slug pellets, those critters are of similar type. Should work.
Question. I bought some spuds to grow in those fabric potato planters. They probably should’ve been planted out by end of March/beginning of April. Could I still plant them now? Or should I head to Shannons for some more age appropriate taters?
Yes as far as I know nematodes have a minimal effect on snails.
Beer traps are quite effective but are pretty icky and need constant topping up.
Pellets do work but some don’t like them for the effects on frogs and birds etc. You can get “organic” ones!
Physical barriers and the like work but are hard as you need to keep applying or they can be expensive Copper Tape or Wool based are available.
One easy method is to provide a nice area for snails to overnight - a slightly raised sheet of plastic or similar. Then you have to dispose of them!
I have found that having chickens is a good way to get rid of them and they also give you eggs. However they seem to east exactly what the slugs\snail like too.
Encouraging frogs by the use of a pond is great but not easy. See also Hedgehogs.
I only put mine in last week. What variety are they?
"Early"spuds just means they don’t take as long to form so you should still be fine just wont have them as early as you could…
Can’t remember. I’ll come back to you on that later. I’ve been very focused on specific projects when I have time so potatos kept getting pushed back. But a window has opened between supporting Dartmouth Road shops tomorrow and Eurovision Song Contest final so will try and get these planted.
Have I missed something - is this some sort of event??
Not so much an event but a happening. Officially no start or end date/time but all the cool kids are doing it.
Your plot looks very nice! I hope to get it near that in a few years.
For now mine is still too overgrown over too much of it, going to get a strimmer to try and keep things in check and maybe cover the parts I won’t get round to this year.
It’s been a steep learning curve the first 4 months and for next year I hope to have the ground ready much much earlier.
I’ve got sweetcorn in, some French beans, potatoes are coming up nicely, onions doing ok, peas not looking so good but may get better.
Need to pay out soon stuff I’ve been growing at home from seed : pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, melons and various others!
Have discovered I have lots of bindweed which is disappointing!
As we got to the end of our plot it got increasingly worse. Lots of bind weed, almost a thick mat of roots, mares tail and couch grass - so we have slowed down a bit with ours and may have to cover and plant squash through the last 1/4…
Still despite it being an odd start to the season we have got a lot on - all from seed except for celery which got cripsyfied in the poly tunnel!
So toms are all in, all 50 or so of them, beans, celery, celariac, carrots, parsnips, spuds, onions, garlic, courgettes, shallots, raspberries, starwberries, blackcurrants, blackberry, gherkins, kale, cabbage, broccoli, brussels, kohl rabi, lettuce, broadies, cucumbers and much more waiting to go out - the back garden looks like a nursery at the moment. Still have had first pickings of lettuce, radish, BBs, rocket and overwintered chard.
The slugs on my plot are a nightmare and after last night they will all be out and despite nematodes, beer traps, pellets and the dance of death they seem to be more numerous than ever… Still I just keep planting more seeds in the vague hope they will give up and OHs plot is pretty free from the buggers.
This weekend is going to be a big one for getting lots more stuff in - ground is wet, the temps are good and it is a long weekend so I’ll be out with my spade and fork!
I want to cover a weedy area until I make a plan for it. Does anyone recommend any particular type of membrane / covering?
Can I get my weekly veg box order in with you now?
You basically have a choice between
The classic cardboard - beloved of many a spendthrift gardener. It works fine, looks horrible unless covered, will rot quickly and blow away. However it is free and used by a lot of the no-dig garden crowd.
Plastic sheeting - works really well but is impermeable so the ground dries out.
Proper weed suppressing membrane - comes in a variety of flavours and does what it says on the tin. Shannons sell the latter in packs. Still needs a bit of waiting down…
Thanks Nick.
Here’s another question: can anyone identify the foamy spittle substance on my strawberry plant?
Please see attached picture
a white frothy liquid secreted by the nymphs of a sap-sucking insect known as a froghopper but nothing to do with cockoos or frogs!
Could one find that on new lavender growth too?
They love lavender and rosemary - my rosemary is covered in the stuff
Should I try to evict them, or just accept as part of the scene?
They are regarded as fairly benign but they aren’t particularly nice to look at - I generally leave them be but if they are on your fruit I might turn the hose on them…
Are these the critters that can dry out plants? One of my Rosemary plants had dry rusty leaves last summer.
I have never noticed any damage from them but they are sap suckers so it is possible - I mainly get them on my Rosemary which is a big tough old plant and doesn’t seem to be affected.
Turf advice wanted. We have just started digging up our lawn and plan to put in new turf (all DIY). (a) What can we do with the old turf + soil – Is there a service/waste collection that we can pay to to come and collect it? (b) What is a good place to source new turf rolls?
I’m in mourning - having grown a beautiful squash plant from seed, with it’s whole life ahead of it, I planted it outside and the slimeys have destroyed it within a day. Not a shred remains.
Squash and courgettes seem the most popular with snails/slugs … I’ve got another one ready to plant, but my squash has a right to life, dare I expose it to the garden?
Nemaslug , seriously go for it.
I’ve just got some - heard good things about it.
@DevonishForester I periodically also go out and catch a lot and dispose of them -seems to work to an extent. Think I read eggshells around the base of plants can help - never tried it myself though.
If it makes you feel better I’ve lost a number of seedlings to slugs and snails before even planting them out!
I did it two years ago, and it works for slugs, but I haven’t found a product that targets snails.
Also I’m reluctant to interfere in a food source for frogs and slow worms … on the other hand I don’t want to see another of my babies destroyed by these creatures.
Having seen two newly planted Hydrangeas chewed to stickers I resorted to this prior to my parental visit. I expect slug fertilised soil when I’m back.
a sad loss………a little reluctantly we use the blue pellets - that gets the squashes and courgettes thru their early growth to the size after which they don’t seem to be at risk and you don’t need to protect them anymore. If you need another butternut squash, pm me - I have a few coming on nicely in the porch that are nearly ready to go out.
That’s really kind offer, but only if you have too many plants, more than you can use. I’ve never grown Butternut, the squash I have grown have all been from seeds taken and dried from squash I have bought - possibly Crown Prince or Hokkaido variety.
I’ve realised that another garden creature - besides frogs, toads, and slow worms - that might be poisoned by blue pellets (even though they claim to be organic) is mice. We seem to have some kind of mice in the garden (not the house), and one was very obviously sick around the time I was last using pellets.
Maybe these further observations belong on a different thread, but today I saw two new things n the garden - one was snails high up on a cherry tree. I had no idea snails would climb trees! The other thing - in an area of thick undergrowth, a mouse about 2 feet above ground, on top of plants presumably feeding on something - new leaves? buds? insects?
If anyone is growing Acorn Squash I will buy!
@starman are you not still in time to start some? I admit I don’t know what Acorn Squash is but I assumed there was still time to get some going (just).
The ups and downs on the allotment continue. On the bad size, quite a few of my onions have some fly larvae which means I am going to have to take quite a few up - on the plus side, they can be used as spring onions!
The number of weeds ha sbeen eye opening, as well as the speed in which they come up. Bindweed, brambles and couch grass, never mind me digging up various bits of consumable veg I don’t recognise 
I still have lots of the plot to clear - a depressing thought!
On the positive side of things the kids discovered a load of ripe strawberries which should led to their return, and I discovered yesterday I have a grape vine at the back which I am very happy about, will see what we get off it this year and work out how to trail it probably next year. I also have lots of fennel growing, as well as all the plum trees that were already on site.
I’m very much looking forward to hopefully growing and tasting some things - have planted out some cucamelons, tomatillos, turks turban and some more unusual tomato varieties.
Overall for anyone undecided Id say it’s a great experience, quite time consuming, you meet some great helpful people and must be ready for some disasters. They say each day is a schoolday, it definitely is on the allotment.
Nice to see you down there at the weekend Al.
To say the least - My entire weekend seemed to evaporate after “just popping down the plot for an hour”.
I must say how much I like the site, you are right about friendly helpful people - the folks on the plot to our side turned up and totally smashed it! The plot was completely overgrown but they have cleared it, built raised beds and started planting. Then they gave us some scotch bonnet peppers and some aubergines too! We see a lot of people as everyone comes past to use the skip and everyone has been really nice and positive.
We have made decent progress and have been busy planting up and trying to get the last but dug over - it has got worse as we have got to the end with lots of bind weed and mares tail but we are just about there…
We were lucky enough to have a load of rhubarb so we have been munching through that and looking forward to some fruit off the blackcurrants we inherited. We have been eating broad beans all week and a lot of veg is starting to come on line - first courgettes will be ready very soon, peppers and chillis starting to form up, lettuce and salad aplenty and toms are just starting to fruit… Self sufficiency - here we come!!
View into the poly…
I finally worked on my raised beds and got them ready and sorted and soil put into the bed. Sadly they are now filled with flowers and shrubs as our garden is being dug up for drainage and patios etc and I need to keep them somewhere before replanting them. Oh well, I have had to console myself to a single marrow plant and some herbs.
We are so behind, with partners knee surgery and a family member in hospital we haven’t manage much at all recently. Hoping to find some time this week.
Sorry to hear that @Cara - hope everyone is back on the mend soon.
Went down tonight, got some strawberries for the kids for tomorrow- picking strawberries in fading light does lead to some errors, and picking up some slug infested ones…
Allotment at the weekend - managed to add some more pea support tonight and do quite a bit of weed removal with the hoe- so many weeds…
Hi Nick - similar for me though in my case my first ever ones - I have left them all there to show the ones that came up too early, but the kids were there so we said we’d take the whole plants up. Not cooked ours yet though.
Also got a load more strawberries and we took some ice cream down to have with them!! Effectively ate 1 pots worth and had more to bring home.
The potatoes look great.
So long since we’ve had rain, it must be close to becoming an official drought.
Any suggestions for planting in the next few weeks? I’m thinking of digging up my strawberries as they have spread and take up a lot of space, and the squirrels and slugs take a lot.
I’ve got a few chard seeds started indoors, which will go out in a few days. I planted some last year and they survived through the winter, producing leaves, but now have bolted.
I’m not sure, it’s my first year so I may not be the best for advice.
I am going to see if I can plant some more peas.
I guess you can plant lots of stuff from garden centres, but if you mean growing stuff from seed I’m not sure - might just be in time for sunflowers?
I might also try to plant some potatoes - someone told me you could plant some so they are ready for Xmas but I’m not sure how true this is!
Will let you know if I find anything.
I was just wondering what can be planted at this point in the season. It’s too late for many things. I have some beetroot seeds someone gave me, so I’m going to try those.
I don’t have a lot of experience and just my roof terrace (so growing in lots rather than an allotment), but I planted and harvested radishes throughout the summer last year.
Radish are good for a long season but there are other things you can get away with now.
Dwarf beans will still crop if planted now - I am going to do some today.
Turnips are great for a quick crop but don’t plant 20 at once like I did! There are some really nice varieties now.
Beetroot is good now too - esp the smaller round varieties.
Spring onions are great and dont take up much space…
Carrots, bulb fennel, all sorts of salad leaves and herbs like basil, dill, coriander and chervil and , kohl rabi, maybe peas but mange tout or sugar snaps are better, courgettes for a late crop works well, beet spinach or chard, oriental brassicas like pak choi, mizuma and mustard greens can crop well now.
You might also get away with cucumbers (small varieties like Diva) and gherkins although it is a gamble.
I might try and dig up the rest of my potatoes and plant some carrots. Unsure when to take my onions up.
My boys had their first peas off the pod this week which they loved.
Tomatoes, sweetcorn, dwarf beans are coming on nicely.
Can’t remember if I mentioned above but my plant labels washed out so some things I planted out appear to not be cucumbers but pumpkins or squashes of some sort!
First year trying cucamelons and the first ones should be ready soon - never tasted one so interested to see!
Is that hardy - will it survive outside? Would be lovely to see it grow on
Lovely! How long does it take to mature and bear flowers? It is called Gulmohar in India and you find it everywhere.
I doubt it’s very hardy - may well have to come indoors unless I can find a sheltered spot for it. I’ve managed to get a second one going so I might split them 50/50 and see what works!
Honestly I have no idea how long it takes until it flowers! It’s a bit of an experiment 
Same issue - my “permanent” marker pens are anything but so I have no idea what variety my carrots, toms, squash etc are…
That isn’t a swan gourd and I would guess pumpkin over melon. To be honest though I have never grown a melon as they normally fail badly for everyone but I wish I had planted some this year as I am sure they would do well in this heat.
I’m going to be digging up quite a few strawberry plants, as I want the space for veg. Would anyone like these? They produced well, are a vigorous spreading variety, and have survived two winters in the ground.
Send me a PM if you’re interested.
Nice! I don’t have any yet though they are hopefully coming soon. I truly am showing my first year beginner status - I possibly have 2 plants that are courgettes, or maybe something else. I definitely have 3 courgette plants but they are still small as planted them late.
No tomatoes yet though single virtually there but looking good and much better than the ones I have in pots at home that I may move if I can.
Peas dying in the heat but sweetcorn looking good.
Dug up most of my shallots and onions and garlic quite happy with them.
Going to try and get some beans in now of all sorts, and plant some more cucamelons which my boys love.
So far I have picked one tomato but Debs has some cherry types of which a few are ready.
Your onions look good. I picked some shallots that I swear are smaller then I put in!
Just finished on my plot so now off to KHR to water and pick more courgettes… Blimey it’s hot!
Just picked 12 cucumbers that I didn’t know where there
Potato Question
I am growing potatoes in a bag. I went on holiday during the heat last week and when I came back the once upright plants were now drooping. They are still green courtesy of the wonderful services of Cat Calls cat sitters (highly recommended) but bigger and falling over.
Should I have staked my potatoes? And when can I harvest? Do I wait for flowering?
What did you plant - as in earlies, main crop - do you know the variety?
Getting too big and collapsing is fine - ugly but fine - it just means they are growing well. Often one would add extra soil - “earthing up” which
Flowering is a good sign that spuds are forming below but there isn’t always a direct relationship. If they are main crop then they need to be in for longer to max out but you can help yourself to a few if you don’t mind literally getting your hands dirty and having a feel around in the bag…
Thanks.
They were Yukon Golds. I had bought them for earlies but hadn’t got them in so planted them in May to see if they would take. The seed potatoes had already begun to get some roots before planting. There were looking beautiful when I left on hols. Not so nice when I got back but looking okay otherwise.
I’ll top them up on the weekend and have a root around to see what’s there.
When I was young dreamt of my holidays with anticipation- now I hope for rain when I am away so everything does not die!
Good luck and show us how they have hopefully turned out!
What animals eat ripe tomatoes?
Prior to the weekend, there were a number of low tomatos on my one large tomato plant ripening nicely. I thought to leave them for the weekend while away so they’d be juicy and red for my return.
On my return, it looks as if something local has eaten them.
What could that be? And how do I stop?
Someone just posted the same question on one of the forums I use.
The answer seems to be that the heat and dryness is forcing mice, rats, squirrels and other creatures to find moisture where they can and your toms are fair game. The only real solution is to net them.
Thanks. Thought I might have to. Just ordered some netting. I might also cut off the clusters nearing ripening and allow to ripen off the plant.
Maybe put some water out away from the toms at ground level to give the little varmints an alternative?
Just had the first of my courgettes. No photos, they were gone in minutes 
Campsis radicans or Trumpet Vine - I think…
It must be. How did you identify it? I suppose it must have been planted by previous occupant.
Stop it. You’re making me jealous. And in mind of some midnight robbery. Where’s your allotment again?
What do you do with all the tomatoes Nick?
Busy saucing them for the freezer - they will end up feeding us over winter in curries, pizza toppings etc… Some in the dehydrator for the “sun” dried effect…
Still loads more to come too!
Seriously, do you have a dehydrator? Can you post a picture or some details?
Also can you or anyone else anyone use some straw for your chickens? I bought a bale from the pet shop in Bell Green for my strawberries. Far more than I could use and I don’t want to keep it over the winter in case creatures make themselves at home in it. PM me if you’re interested, I don’t want to bin it.
It’s a fairly small one - not a posh job with trays and all.
Really similar to this
Good for small stuff like chillies and toms. We should be more creative with it really…
Actually the straw would be useful. I can come pick it up anytime if you PM me your address or whatever you prefer… Cheers!
I’ve been trying to save some seed as I guess some of the season will come to an end before I know it. Does anyone else do this?
I recently stayed with a relative abroad who is a farmer now, and he, for tomatoes, simply opens them up, washes the seeds in water in a colander, then leaves them to dry for a day in the sun. I was advised by someone else to freeze the seed for 24 hours, before storing as this would kill any bacteria etc.
Elsewhere I finally worked out what these were:
They are in fact Cucumbers - my youngest loves them, though the first few were not ideal as I’d left them there so long waiting for them to grow into pumpkins…
Anyone else tried to get manure delivered in bulk? I’ve had emails with Biffa, who have a contract with the Met for getting rid of their stable clearings - so unrotted - but previously there’s always been a problem with finding a place to dump 10 cubic meters plus of the stuff. Some was delivered to Mayow Park a couple of years ago, but not repeated, I assume because it stayed around, and people complained. I think I ended up barrowing most of it away. I’ve also suggested a place closer to me where a load could have been dumped, but a lorry driver thought they’d damage the pavement backing in
It seems ridiculous that there’s no solution to this, hence asking if anyone one else has found one
On our old plot in Tottenham we used to get deliveries by the lorry from the Zoo but I haven’t tried to source any major amounts for a long while. There are a couple of stables that have mountains of the stuff but you’d need to hire a grab truck to get it on board and delivered…
Probably Tiger Worms - they are still earthworms but thrive in compost heaps…
So I got an early birthday present and its a VegTrug. I wanted one for summer herbs and soft other soft veg which could use special attention.
I want to trial some winter crops in it though. What veg should/can I grow over the winter?
The obvious things are garlic and onions which should go in about now or in the next week or two.
Broad beans are the other thing I would plant now but they take up a lot of space.
There are a lot of things to try but the issue is that it is a little late to get things to germinate. You may be able to buy plant plugs online or pick something up at Shannons. You can still sow seeds indoors of course but watch out for them getting a bit leggy. Failing that cover your trug or use a cold frame.
So a lot of oriental brassicas are fine over winter - things like mizuna, pak choi, mustard greens and Tatsoi. There are several lettuce varieties that will stand over winter - Arctic King, Winter Gem and Winter Density come to mind as well as lams lettuce.
Spinach might be worth a go especially for baby leaves in salad. Coriander can do well into winter too. Radish might just be worth it - Mooli specifically but it may be a little late…
Spring cabbage if you can get plugs will over winter.
There are of course lots of thing that you can over winter but they should have been done a while back! Carrots, leeks, parsnips, caulis, broccoli, brussles, swede, turnips are all happy with the cold to various extents…
Thanks so much. So if I can get plugs very soon and a cover and plant this weekend then maybe?
Planted my Elephant Garlic yesterday. It’s a first for me so hoping for good things.
Did you just plant cloves or had they germinated? I bought some Autumn Garlic at the RHS Autumn show last week with the intention of planting out.
Cloves. Giant things. Look forward to using them. Was given them by a neighbour in our garden share. Quite expensive apparently.
Cool. I’ll plant out some of the cloves I got then too. We can compare notes.
Any recommendations for a compost for a raised veg planter?
Absolutely. Try some lettuce from seed too - nothing much to lose!
How much do you need? Personally I’d go for a mix of top soil and some bog standard multi-purpose stuff.
However if you fancy a drive out to Bexley then you can bag up a load of quality manure
330l. Bagged and delivered is my preference
Shannons will deliver and they will offer good advise too.
Wicks do 70l bags for £4 and 35l top soil for £2 and they deliver…
So the season is coming to an end for me. I have no winter crops bar the weeds that In have partly lost the battle too.
What are people’s plans over winter?
I’m aiming to try and dig the whole plot to clear it as much of possible of weeds so that unlike this year I am a bit ahead of myself to get ready. I will possibly put up a polytunnel and work out where to plant raspberries, mark out where to plant other crops and if I can add some manure (I may go down the suggested Shannon’s route above).
I have managed to save and store some seed which is strangely satisfying.
I’m unsure whether to cover the soil - will decide once I’ve finished digging and whether I can get some manure.
What about anyone else?
I still have a load of stuff in so a good 50% of our plots are still in use - leeks, lettuce, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, caulis, broccoli, swede, cabbage, brussles, celery, celeriac, fennel and even tomatoes are still going. Then we have the over winter garlic, onions and broad beans which have just gone in. Plus the freezer and pantry are full of pickles, chutneys, sauces and veg - it has been a really productive year and I wont be buying any veg before the new year.
As to winter plans…
Some people like to dig the plot over prior to winter to expose the earth to frosts with the aim to break up the clods. Some like to cover their plots with green manures (a bit too late to start now) or rotted manure to let the worms drag it in. I just generally let it go - maybe a light fork over on the clay but I will probably cover a bed or two with the contents of the compost bins…
Planing fruit now is good - they wont do much but they will put down some roots so come spring they will race ahead but get them in quick before the cold comes. Also garlic, onions, shallots and broad beans can all go in now if you have space.
We will probably dig the last remaining bit of the plot that we haven’t properly weeded - it’s full of bind weed so it will be slow going. That and collecting leaves and manure and making big heaps to spread around next spring. Also a good time to tidy up, do building projects and sit with a cuppa! Time to get the seeds catlogs out and dream bug for next year
Getting a polytunnel up will revolutionise your growing habits. Not only does it give you a longer season it also gives you the ability to grow things like melons, peppers etc properly… Mine is tiny but I have just sown corriander and spinach and there are some nice red peppers and lettuce going strong… They come into their own in spring when you can use them as staging posts for all your seedlings…
So 2019 is upon us. I went back down today to the allotment to start my determined efforts to clear the plot fully of weeds before March. Have a new neighbour now opposite my pot who I met today, great guy, one of the best things about this site, how many nice people you meet.
Anyway, for anyone who wants to sign-up for a plot on an allotment, there are I believe, 3 primary ways - I think these were posted further back, but for convenience:
Apply via Lewisham Council - my experience is waiting lists tend to be long (many many years) but worth applying for anyway if there is a site close to you. You can apply for up to 3 sites, and will be contacted once a space becomes available.
Lewisham Allotment Applications
Apply to for plots in neighbouring boroughs. This is what I and several other members on here have done via Bromley. Allotments in Bromley work differently and you apply to each site (you can apply to as many as you like) -either by email, post or in person.
I and several other members here are at Kent House Road allotments (not to be confused with Kent House Leisure Gardens Allotments - also nice) - this is a great site, over 100 plots and a decent turnover - I was on the waiting list less than a year, as was my new neighbour. Now is a great time to apply for the waiting list as people will have given up plots now and waiting lists reduced, which go up again more in summer after open days and good weather!
Private sites
There are also in Lewisham some privately run sites, such as Barriedale Allotments and others - you will have to google and ask around to find them.
There are also community gardens you can volunteer at etc.
Dependant on the size of plot you have, it’s hard work (at the start especially clearing the plot unless you get very lucky), but very rewarding and enjoyable at the same time.
I’ve decided to make a real go of carrots this year which I’ve never been able to grow, and sunflowers. Lots of other stuff, but those are my main goals for this year.
Going to try and get some garlic in tomorrow or next weekend also, but then nothing but clearing until the spuds go in around March.
Is anyone trying anything new this year? I may also have some spare seeds if anyone wants to swap seeds (and if you don’t have any, am happy to simply pass some on - if anyone is interested I can list what I have, once I’ve itemised them).
Al
We’re planning to try some quinoa again this year - gave it a go last year but the weather was against us at the seedling stage and killed everything we had. Hoping for a better start this year! 
With this incredible summer weather in February, is it too early to start tomato seeds?
I’d wait although no harm in trying if you have spare seeds. Toms tend to go really leggy if there is too much heat and not enough light and day length is key in this. Toms started now are likely to go leggy unless you have a greenhouse or somewhere cool and light to keep them in once they have sprouted.
I generally leave it until 2nd or 3rd week in March.
Thanks, I’ll hold off. I’ve bought new seeds … as the old packet had passed the ‘use by’ date. Are the dates there to tick a box or do seeds really not work after a couple of years?
On another matter - I planted shrubs towards the end of last year. One of them no longer has any buds - I think they’ve been scoffed by birds. Should I do anything? Prune the ends?
Depends on the plant - Parsnip seed really doesn’t last more than a year while cucumbers last maybe 6 but seed suppliers will tend towards the pessimistic. There is never any harm in trying old seed but germination rates will fall over time for all seed.
Shrubs are really not my thing (I am mostly a veg grower) but they are generally really hardy and will come back once we have a real spring! I’d leave them and see what happens in March-April…
Going to pop along here on Sunday as tried a few potato’s last year and hoping to do more this year.
I went to one near Waterloo a couple of weeks back. It was absolutely rammed - all good fun but I did get a bit claustrophobic at one point as I literally couldn’t move. Still great for picking up a few different spuds and they do good value bags of shallots, onion sets and there was a great selection of seeds too.
Anyone have tips to keep squirels away from our poor young sprouts?
I find the main issue with squirrels is their habit of digging holes! I planted some radish in a deep tray in the garden and then the squirrels dug massive holes in it I guess hiding food or trying to remember where they stored some previously. However mice, squirrels, pigeons and foxes all seem to eat or destroy young shoots and of course slugs and snails are always hungry. Half my onion sets were ripped out - I assume by birds.
I grow everything I can in modules and plant them out as young plants. It’s a faff and I am lucky that I have space and time to do it but as the plants are reasonably sized they can normally put any damage behind them and they get growing pretty quickly.
The only real solution otherwise is to cover with fleece or netting or use some sort of barrier but it is a constant battle. At times our plots look like a miniature Bedouin encampment!
Planted my first peas and potatoes today. Has my kids with me, and they wanted to plant some, so we did, although I was not quite ready.
Think I am going to be behind on most things this year as am trying to have really good go at clearing the couch grass and bind weed, which is slow and heavy going. Have cleared most of the front 3rd now. Plot next to me got their ploughed which was demoralising to see! And I saw someone else do most of the plot (which had no couch grass) in the time I did about 1/5th of what he did - hoping for that next year!
Still got lots of peas, onions and potatoes to go in, but and still need to get some seeds going as well!
We actually got to the end of Deb’s plot yesterday - it was full of bindweed and an enormous horse radish which I doubt we have eliminated!
So we are fully dug over and ready to go. First row of peas are in - started off in root trainers and planted out last week. Sowed a row of beetroot, radish and coriander but no spuds yet.
Indoors it is all go - caulis, kohl rabi, toms, peppers, aubergine, tomitillo, more peas, turnips (apparently they taste like melon!), broccoli, brussles, cabbages and a few other things.
Still picking too - yesterday got a nice lettuce, some spring onions, rhubarb, PSB, leeks and a good bunch of coriander- still got carrots, spuds and squash stored at home so I wont starve in the hungry gap!
Is there likely to be another frost? Our tomato’s and chillis have taken over the windows and are suffering a bit for light and getting too big for pots - was thinking of putting a few in the ground this week. Worth chancing it with a few?
Technically you could get a frost still but it looks increasingly unlikely. Mid May is given as the last frost date but I have only ever lost plants to frost in May once. BBC has no chance of frost prior to the end of the month so in all probability it will be fine.
However your home grown plants are tender and fragile and are susceptible to damage from pests and the environment so taking them direct from their pampered windows sill into the ground can be an issue. Some sort of staging area is useful - obviously a greenhouse or poly tunnel but also a cold frame or just opening the window to let some wind blow them around a bit. Also just covering them with a cut off bottle or some sort of improvised cloche helps to get them accustomed - even fleece propped up over them can help…
I need to secure about 350-400 litres of compost. That’s a lot of bags to carry from Shannons. Any suggestions on how to get a bulk order?
Silly as it sounds, Amazon.
Have you asked Shannon’s if they will deliver? I’m pretty sure they can do, but not sure on minimum quantity.
Actually scratch that, just reread your post and that would cost a fortune. As suggested Shannon’s delivery or possibly any local garden centre for that matter. Homebase deliver as well.
Actually. I popped in after voting. And they will deliver. Tah guys.
I was going to say that Shannon’s deliver! One thing though is that depending on what you are doing with it I would be tempted to mix compost up with some top soil.
I “knew” they delivered… they have done so before. But I forgot. And thought 350 litres was a lot more than it is.
I don’t have access to a ready supply of top soil. This is to fill a veg trug I got for Chrimbo, and some window boxes.
How about mixing in some John Innes 3?
Shannon’s do top soil in bags as well as compost!
Oh. Whst ratio would you suggest?
The classic mix is equal measures of compost, sharp sand and soil but you can do without the sand and do 1 soil to 2 compost.
Got my first potatoes out of the ground yesterday (well the kids did) - perhaps a bit early but big enough for new potatoes.
Strawberries coming good (though not really from my new strawberry bed which needs some attention) and some spring onions also.
Looks like first peas might be ready next week, certainly the week after - the first row is full of pods now.
This week I are mainly been eating Broad Beans!
Tons of em…
Had some spuds already but they were from some volunteers that escaped the spade last year - the ones we planted look like they are just about ready.
Lettuce, rocket, radish, chard and some of last years spuds and squash are keeping us going but it is fairly slim pickings at this time of year.
Do you or @Cara need any tomatoes - I have a few that are surplus to requirements and will be culled soon?
Hi Nick - if you have any spare I’ll take some please - happy to share with @Cara if she wants some also. I need to clear a bit more space so hope to do that this week.
Are you fully healed?
Thanks
Al
Not fully healed… I was a bit optimistic and it could take 6 months to be fully fit but I can plant and I can ride my bike…
I’ll be around over the weekend so I’ll take spares to the plot and can drop them off for ya…
Thanks for the offer - I’m good for the old tomato’s - overdone it a wee bit myself. Lost a lot of the name tags as well so no idea what variety is where!
Flower garden question. And remember, I’m new to this so don’t judge me.
Last year I planted two peony plants which this year came up grand with big beautiful blossoms. Then bowed over to the ground. Research now shows I shoud’ve supplied support, even a special peony cages. So, now that the drooping has happened, is there any way to save these for the rest of the summer?
Nick, or anyone else, please can you advise on how to dry garlic? In particular, when and how much of the above-ground greens should I cut off?
Thanks!
I pick normally around the end of june when the tops are dying off. I put them on a wire rack in the garage or outside if sunny and leave until the tops are almost completely dried. If they are picked at the right time and dried then most of the above ground green will have died off anyway. If you can be bothered keep that on and plait them! If not just leave an inch or so on and store - it will pretty much just be paper when they fully dry.
Not really a flower grower but can you not tie them in to a bamboo tripod type affair??
Apparently I should’ve done that as the new green came through. I can save some but have to mark it up to a lesson in peonies and wait to really enjoy them next year 
I probably picked too early, but most of the plants had fallen over.
That’s normally an indicator for them being ready…
Just off to find a large plastic barrel. I have got tired of filling my brown bin with weeds every two weeks so am now going to turn them into fertiliser.
Get two!
I have two and while one is rotting down I fill the other.
That reminds me I should go empty one of them…
Good plan! My other half wants more water butts as well. I think she is competing with her brother who has seven connected together. Something about drought?? 
Looks like you have enough for a stall at the farmer’s market!
[This thread is huge, I was wondering whether to start another?]
There’s a creature digging holes in my garden, which I assumed was a cat or squirrel, but this morning there’s a big hole which is making me think there might be something else going on. The picture doesn’t really do justice to the scale of the hole and how much earth was dug out overnight. Badger? Fox?
Other things to report from this season so far: The dry weather (lack of slugs and snails) helped courgettes and squash to get established, but I planted green beans which are 80% eaten by slimeys. I have regretfully put slug pellets down to protect the remaining plants.
There are ants in the compost: will they scare off the red worms that usually seem to be part of the composting process?
Not sure on the hole- I’d guess fox as I’m assuming we don’t have badgers or rabbits around here.
My french beans escaped the slugs (but I did start them off in root trainers before planting out). I’ve had more issues with aphids on the beans and have squashed somewhere near 5 million if them - that and a decent ladybird population seems to be winning the battle. I think it was mentioned before but nematodes are meant to be good against slugs - no use against snails. I use beer traps sometimes which seem effective though a waste of beer.
This is my 2nd year having an allotment and I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel clearing the plot - it will take me til winter to finish I think but I now it will make things easier next year and I can properly plan where to out fruit bushes - mainly raspberries.
My son was excited to go and get some potatoes today but was tired by the time we finished the row!
Nice spuds @oakr!
I took a row up or Rocket spuds yesterday - not a bad crop at all and so tasty.
Oddly enough though there was a huge hole in the potato bed with few spuds littered around. It had to be a fox and there were claw marks on some of the spuds. I think there may be young ones around that are venturing out and being “trained” by the vixen…
We have started picking stuff in earnest now - caulis, broccoli, courgettes, onions, herbs and salad, cucumbers etc. I’m off for a few days and already worrying about the veg!
I guess the raised temperature in London must help as my Cauliflower are no where near that.
That’s a lot! Think I’ll have my first courgettes at the weekend but will be a while for Tom’s and cucumbers.
Hoping to do broccoli and cauliflower more next year.
I’m happy to pop down and water if you want me to at the weekend? Can’t do tomorrow or Friday though.
@Londondrz I guess that’s one of the benefits of the London ‘microclimate’ !
To be honest I was surprised by how quick they were.
Variety is Snowball so goes on the list for next year.
Cheers that’s a really kind offer but I think everything is pretty bedded in now. Debs has Friday off so she will go down and water and we will be back on Wednesday. The weather doesn’t look too hot so I think it will be ok…
Yes indeed. Polytunnel for me next year!
We planted a couple of tomato plants early last month, and they just flowered this week. Is there any chance that we’ll get decent tomatoes before the weather turns, or have we planted too late in the season, do people think?
Yeah I would think you will get something. There is still all of July, August and September and if we escape the dreaded blight we should be fine…
great, thanks.
I really really want a very large one but I would have to move!
Just installed a large greenhouse- a little late for this years crops but it should transform things for next season.
I’m going to get a greenhouse or polytunnel for next year, mainly to help with seed germination, growing things on earlier, but also to hopefully grow melons and some other warmer weather crops in there.
I do have a little poly at home and they are great for raising seedlings and for growing on peppers, toms etc. Changed the way I garden.
I would love a great big green house though - they are a little easier to control temps and humidity…
I am eying up parts of my garden for future poly use. Less lawn, more food. With the amount of deer and birds round here we should live like kings!
Well blow me down. Courgette and tomato are growing out. From zero to hero in a day!
Looks like my first tomato of the season is nearly ready! Thanks @Foresthillnick! Have about 30 tom plants in and have cut all lower foliage on the cordon ones below the first flowers and quite a few leaves above - they seems to be coping so far. I do have quite a few that have forked as as opposed to me not pinching them out properly - odd - have decided to keep them and adding in extra supports- maybe I’ll get double the Tom’s, maybe half! Have about 10 plants of unknown varieties growing to looking forward to seeing what they produce.
Have worked out that 8 or so rows of potatoes is good for working the ground but probably too much! That said will probably repeat it next year!
Getting quite a few beans now from the dwarf plants, not much from the climbing ones so far. My Turks turban plant is looking amazing and looks like I will get something decent off that.
Peas nearly done now - mainly just going to collect for seed. Might try a sowing in a few weeks to see if I can get some autumn ones.
How is everyone else getting on?
I’ve been cold composting for years with 3 bins in rotation at home and one at the allotment, but wondered if anyone has tried hot composting? The issue at the allotment is that there are a lot of weeds inc bindweed and weed with seeds that we don’t put into cold compost. Hot composting allows you to get even this into the soil, and also to put your kitchen / food waste in along with all grass clippings etc So much less , maybe hardly anything needs to go into the brown bin for collection. And it produces compost really quickly. Downside is those hot composters are pricey. Article here. https://www.hotbincomposting.com/blog/tumblers-compared-to-hotbins.html
I’ve not but love the sound of being able to compost bindweed and couch grass of which I have a plentiful supply! I currently have a large pile of about 5 wheelbarrow loads or more of couch grass roots at the back of my plot.
I’m going to look into getting a poly tunnel next year and trying to have some form of hot composting with a seed tray over it for heat in late winter to help germination.
Courgettes, toms and beans as well as spuds starting to come through now.
Hot Composting is a bit difficult to maintain so I do a bit of both.
I have two bins at home that are just topped up with food and garden waste slowly over the year. They don’t get very hot and now I have tomatoes popping up in all my pots as the seeds are still viable.
However I do, towards the end of the year, collect loads of Dulwich stable waste and make a very big pile of it. I mix in bags of shredded leaves and any other organic stuff (Brockley Brewery hops are great!) I can get. I filled two square pallets of it on OH’s plot and similar down mine - it is a lot of work but boy does it get hot - too hot to put your hands in. However it soon runs out of steam (literally) - turning it over will get it going again but it never reaches the initial intensity. I then leave the heaps for 6-8 months and let the worms and “fermentation” do the rest.
I leave bind weed etc on the paths to die before adding to any pile or bin - some soak them in buckets and let them rot - it stinks but can make a tea for feeding plants.
I am using last years piles as a mulch now.
There is some great advise from Charles Dowding on composting here
Forking hell… is something I’ve wanted to say a few times today, but does anyone else have an issue with their tomato plants forking?
I have a number which appear to have simply forked, this is not a new leader I’ve forgotten to pinch out, just two branches looking the same and nothing in the middle. Is this normal, and do people cut one off - I’ve done a bit of both but mostly left both and added extra canes to support them .
Anyone else have this issue?
Yes. I made sure I pinched out all of mine, or thought I had. Suddenly, bang, another from nowhere.
Mine are not to do with not pinching out though, they are just where the branch literally forks into 2 - it’s strange.
They do that every now and then and I have at least 2 plants that have gone blind!
You can leave them but make sure they get plenty of water and maybe a feed up to cope with producing more toms.
I was at Hampton Court last year and they had trained a tomato up four our five canes - it was huge and still producing.
Sorry, that is what I thought I had done but it wasn’t pinching. Just like a tree with a single trunk and two boughes.
Google Charles H. Wilber or look at YouTube 
So things looking good so far.
Today’s harvest in a brief interlude between being a taxi driver for my kids. Long one is a trombocino squash I’m growing up a trellis of sorts, Latah toms , neighbours cucumbers, 4 different bean types including my uncle in laws tall white beans which are yellow and not what I expected! And some courgettes of course
Turks turban and toms going well
Trombocino
Looks good! Do you feed any of the plants?
I must admit I’d forgotten about the bbq but think I won’t make it - my eldest been in a show and with rehearsals has been getting back around 10.30am the last 5 nights and still going to school so we’ve agreed a chilled out day at home. Though we had discussed kayaking at Beckenhma Place Park so who knows - I’ll come and say hi to you two if we do go. If not enjoy weather looks good this morning!
I’ll take some of your hands if you can’t get through them - looks delicious!
I really don’t like you My toms are still tiny and green. Mind you, have had the first courgettes and the peppers and chilli’s have finally decided to show up. Red onions look OK so far. Giant garlic was a wash out.
Going to roast some over the BBQ in a moment
Got to get em in early
My tommies are still pretty green and not really growing. I’m hopeful we’ll have some to enjoy before we head off for the holidays in three weeks time.
Mine have gone from one last week to quite a few in a week but still small and green. Cherry, Money Maker and Beef.
Sungold are a good early Tom and tasty too. Red alert are also good for an early bush type but they are a bit untidy!
Mine are still tiny flowers. But just got my first glut of cucumbers. I know not what to do with them.
Superb, shall make a note for next year, plus, will grow out of plastic greenhouses and let nature take its course.
Picked a load on Sunday mate. I can only suggest Tzatziki or pickling. Shame they all come at once isn’t it
Sugar and vinegar should keep it in the fridge for a few weeks. Doing that with red onion, which seems to go with everything.
I think he’s got used to my presence, which I think is probably not good, for the fruit and veg, or as a reflection on my social life!
What is that - a melon, or a pumpkin - I can never tell!
As an aside, I dug up a whole load of slate buried for reasons unknown in the ground. I’ve started using it under the pumpkins and squashes and it seems to be working well - not sure if it’s coincidence of the heat it absorbs etc but they are all growing quite quickly now!
I was meaning to ask whether squash do better if they are off the ground… is it recommended? The baby squash seem very vulnerable to … mice, birds, insects. Most don’t make it.
I’ve read so, but I thought it was more to stop them rotting on the ground (no danger today!).
I’ve only just started doing it this year so time will tell, but I believe the advice it to put something under the winter squash definitely.
I think next year I will try growing more of the smaller summer squash up trells etc and see how that works.
It is a watermelon!
I don’t normally raise my squash but a lot of people do…
My squash plants are flourishing, but the squash themselves are not surviving. There are ants on the plant, could that be the problem?
What type of squash is it? And when you say not surviving what do you mean?
I think ants tend to harvest aphids - have a look under the leaves - I just tend to squash the aphids with my hand.
I believe if not much happens with them growing I think this can be lack of pollination - I had this at the start I think with my courgette plant but all good now.
Ants are unlikely to be much of an issue. Often the first couple of fruits on squash or courgettes tend to rot off or fall away. Do you actually have some fruit that are not growing or are that not setting fruit at all. If the later just give it time… they will eventually set fruit. If the former then make sure they are well watered.
Well it’s full on now down on the plots.
Spend the day making plum jam, carrot top pesto, pickled gherkins, dried tomatoes, piccalilli and beans in tomato sauce for the freezer. There is too much to eat at the moment so it is all go to try to preserve some of it. Now what do I do with 10lbs of purple beans!
Insanely jealous!! I have had two cherry tomatoes so far. However, the flavour was out of this world.
Hey! Now that I’ve filled all available space outside with plants, can someone recommend somewhere fairly local to get indoor plants? B&Q in Bell Green and Alexandra Nurseries are great but they are mainly outdoor. Thanks!
If you want something close to Forest Hill, I think Shannon’s has indoor plants
Shannon’s Garden Centre
Stanstead Rd, Forest Hill, London SE23 1HH
020 8291 1507
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AGetCPPApFWWhahg9
Or a little further out is the Nunhead Gardener
The Nunhead Gardener
1a Oakdale Rd, London SE15 3BW
020 7635 3443
https://maps.app.goo.gl/W6jvraE7uHzeV9p16
HI
Thanks for the mention! Yes we sell indoor plants and have just had a nice delivery this week- pictures on twitter and instagram if you’d like to look first.
Shannons Garden Centre
On the basis of its great reviews I’ve got a hot compost bin now and early signs are that it will make a dramatic difference. After filling about a quarter full inc some already warm grass cuttings it reached over 50 degrees in a day and looks like it will produce compost very quickly indeed and I should be able to dispense with a couple of my normal bins. image|375x500
Can I ask where you got it and an idea of cost?
Sure. All details here. As I said originally upfront cost is high. But it’s proving to be fun as I compulsively check the temperature every day and over time we should get bags and bags of good quality compost. https://www.hotbincomposting.com/
Looks good. Do you know what constitutes the “bulking agent” they refer to? Do you have to purchase it from them, or can you substitute something you already have? Is the bin sealed - would you be confident of it being rat-proof if you added cooked food waste?
The bulking agent to aid airflow is just wood chippings or twigs. They supply a bag to get started, but any shredded bark or woody stuff from the garden etc would do. and I have access to a free supply so will just collect a bucket full every now and then. A handful to every kitchen caddy of waste. You also add cardboard and or shredded paper to absorb the water contained in plant and veg matter. Easy to find cardboard and I’m working my way thru shredding old bank statements. I’m only in putting garden waste and vegetable matter to start. I’ll let it settle in before seeing about adding cooked waste eg chicken bones - we have only extremely small quantities of cooked waste anyway.
It’s a bit like having something living that needs feeding every week or so - like keeping a sourdough starter going.
It is a sealed unit with a thick base and sits on concrete so claimed to be quite rat proof.
Thank you very much.
Have been away for 2.5 weeks so not sure what I will find later tonight or tomorrow morning- I suspect a lot of very large courgettes and beans, and hopefully some ripe tomatoes!
Our courgettes went from courgette to Godzilla in a couple of days so take care
Well I went for a quick look this morning and it’s like a jungle! I don’t think my neighbour picked anything to eat so I think I have literally a wheelbarrow load of veg and I’m not sure how edible most of it is! Did get a load of plums though - will head back later and post a photo if the rest!
Need to tie up lots of tom plants that have buckled a bit under fruit load and growth!
Now you are just showing off
So this was the courgette / squash collection- not grown any of the strange looking squash / courgette (now marrows some of them).
1.5 bags of both french beans and cucumbers, quite a few tomatoes though all small types, as well as a few bo us strawberries and more plums.
I needed the wheelbarrow plus another trip!
All in pretty happy just a shame I was not here to get them when they were sweeter - loads more to come. Might need to get an additional freezer…
Lots and lots of weeding to do
That is a superb haul. Roast squash, sauteed squash and curried squash. Mmmmm🤤
That looks great - I am going to need to be making stuff this weekend I think!
I always love the different shapes and colours you see from people growing their own stuff.
I can’t believe how may ripe tomatoes you have - have you cut them off at the top to refocus the energy? Most of mine are still not ripe?
Most important question - how did you grow the beer can! 
Nice haul of squash there @oakr!
Toms - to get early toms you have to start eary plus I always grow a few varieties that will fruit and crop early (Red Alert and Sungold). The keep picking the side points out to focus growth on one stem (actually Red Alert are bush toms!). Only once they tall enough do I stop them by pinching the top out - say 4-6 trusses depending on the type. I also have loads of plants, around 50, so I get a decent haul. However they have slowed right down with the cold weather recently…
Thanks Nick - will hopefully have a greenhouse or poly tunnel of sorts next year to give me a head start. Think I need to trim off the tops of the plants to give them a bit more focus now - all the side buts were done (bar when I was away when they seem to have gone crazy with leaf growth).
These were the cucumbers and beans etc - only got about 4 small ones last year, got at least 40 already this year!
Ah - I can see why you didn’t want any more cucs!
Thanks for offering but I am ok myself.
In good news harvested my first Turks Turban Squash
In worse news for me @Cara @Foresthillnick and possibly anyone growing outdoor tomatoes blight appears to have hit all over out allotment- I had it on at least 5 of my plants and I guess the rest will follow soon. One lady has all her plants infested 
Not sure if there is anything to do - maybe harvest the green ones and try and ripen inside or make lots of chutney before they get infected also. Anyone have any experience with what to do?
My RHS book of Fruit and Veg gardening suggests a copper based fungicide. It also suggests a more drastic approach which involves deep digging out the whole plant and burning.
It is a complete bugger…
Once you have it there is little you can do and this time of year is favourite.
Preventative spraying with Copper Sulphate (Bordeaux Mixture) was possible but you cant get it now. I actually have some left still but even then I still shouldn’t use it.
There are other copper based fungicides but they really only slow down the disease once you have it…
Green tomato chutney is good though!
I better go and check Deb’s plants later.
I’ll head up and check after work - we have a lot of ground to make up as let the weeds get out of control but was at least happy some tomatoes were still doing ok - maybe not anymore, Oh well at least there’s the potatoes!
Thanks @Londondrz and @Foresthillnick - I’ll pop back tomorrow morning before work and see how things are going! I’m genuinely gutted!
@Cara hopefully yours will still be good!
I’ve enquired about getting some chickens and may well proceed with that if I can assure myself that I can get down each morning to feed them and change water etc, which hopefully I will.
Happy to help out with chickens mate - if you need it.
They make great recyclers for veg you don’t want…
Thanks Nick - I’ll give you a shout when I go forwards with it (well if). Certainly be good to have something to do with all these overgrown courgettes!
We had marrow courgettes in a lemon cake today and in spag bols!
I stayed at my cousin’s recently in France and her husband would go into the woods to look for mushrooms. He tried to explain how he knew which ones were good and which not but I think I’d need to go with someone if I was to get any myself.
How do you know it’s good to eat and not a lethal one?
That said, enjoy, nothing better than fresh produce!
This one said “eat me” so I did.
I would take this to a reclamation yard, they are lovely.
I did ask Dulwich Reclamation in Kirkdale, but they weren’t interested. All sawn up now and taken to the dump.
Does anyone use green manures over autumn \ winter, and if so what? I have some mustard type seeds that are meant to work, and was wondering about using broad beans - I don’t eat them though but could give them away or try them again, then cut down the plants etc. They seem to do a great job of growing quickly and stopping anything else coming through.
I have never used a green manure mainly as my plot always seems to be full even over most of winter.
Broad beans is a good idea but I love them and grow them anyway…
Wow! That is impressive.
Hello all, just recently moved to Forest Hill. What opportunities are there for getting an allotment in the area?
Hi @AnToibin and welcome to the area (and to SE23.life!) 
We have a number of topics about allotments, including details on local options and their notorious waiting lists (click here: #allotments to see them)
Hi @AnToibin - I put some information on this further up the thread somewhere- will try and dig it out and repost it. Basically Bromley is much easier than Lewisham.
Here you go, any questions please ask!
Impressive! Were these toms in a polytunnel or outside, or green ones you’d left to ripen?
All outside mate… Some from Deb’s plot and the big ones from mine. There is still plenty left to pick - If you can get through the blight then they can stand till the frosts hit. Although with all this rain they will probably succumb to blight before that…
I managed to get my spuds up and they have done well too.
I only planted 15 this year as we had too many last year but they really performed well and I weighed them in at just shy of 80 lbs!
Last Autumn I planted garlic (for the first time) and it worked out very well. Is there something else that does well, in the Forest Hill climate, being planted just before winter? I was thinking of onions, but apparently most varieties need spring planting. If someone can recommend a variety for Autumn planting, that would be appreciated. This may seem like a daft question, but do you get one onion per set, or multiple onions from each set planted?
BTW I have had a tremendous tomato crop this year, but very poor squash and courgette quantity, also green beans very light harvest.
Onion sets can be planted now (or in a week or two) - Autumn Champion, Radar, Electric and Senshyu are all good. You just get one onion but you can plant winter shallots and they will bunch. @Shannonsgc will have some…
Broad Beans go well from about the third week of the month and they are a great early crop.
There are some peas that will overwinter but I have never done them.
Coriander is a good winter crop but it may be too late to plant out…
Shannon’s definitely have some as I got some from there! Was going to try and plant some today but will have to wait a couple of weeks now to get garlic and onions in.
The squirrels always seems to get thr blame for stripping the sweetcorn but found another culprit today (there were 3 of them in fact!). Have also noticed the green parakeets eat the sunflower seeds.
You have the greenest fingers of anyone I know!
The only downside is you can no longer eat at your table now! That is impressive!
What are the torpedo shaped ones on the chair and are those all butternut type ones at the back of the table?
I’ve had lots of patty pan this year, it truly is staggering how much you can get, and the fact you can keep it for so long.
\ should we soon start a new thread for 2020 as people start to look to next year. Happy to do another seed swap with anyone interested again, can maybe do it earlier than last year before people go ordering stuff online / I’ve already over-ordered on toms…
Torpedo ones are North Georgia Candy Roaster - new to me but supposedly really nice.
The rest of the butternuts are Sweetmax, Hunter and Waltham and the big ugly ones on the right were grown from seed that Sandra gave me. They really do keep well if stored properly - I ate one of last year’s about a month ago.
Yes I think new thread is in order as this one has got a bit long - maybe one per year?
I am staying away from seed catalogs for now!
Winter advice for novice gardener please.
I have a Vegtrug which is effectively a waste height raised bed. For winter it has a frame and polycover
I’d like to grow some crops over the winter. Any suggestions? I was keen on planting winter garlic but am uncertain whether growing this under cover is a good idea.
Tah.
Yes winter salad. I am following this excellent advice from this article on salad leaves and already we are self sufficient ie no more bags of lettuce from the supermarket. Still time to sow I think.
Or for a head start buy some plugs like these. https://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/bright-and-spicy-salad-leaved-mix-x24-plants-pid7588.html
Just to add that oriental brassicas also can do well overwinter - Pak Choi, various mustards, Tatsoi etc…
Good for a stir fry and some for salads…
Spring onions can go well - it may be a bit late to germinate but if you have a cover that will help.
Onions from sets and garlic are what everyone will be planting now but you may be right about the garlic as it does like a cold spell. May be worth a few cloves though…
Micro greens might be interesting under cover - lots of choice too with coriander, radish, basil etc…
That very helpful. But excuse my ignorance. What are “sets” as in onions from sets.
A set is an onion that has been partially grown and then stopped - they look like very small pickling onions. You can buy them by the pound but @Shannonsgc sell them in bags of 50 (which is still quite a few) - you just stick them in the ground and they get bigger over winter ready to really grow on next year so they are an early crop. A lot of folks prefer to grow them, as onions from seeds can be a bit fiddly…
Barring the obvious answer of “it’s a weed”, does anyone recognise what this is? Have showed it to a few people who didn’t know… pulled a metric shed-load out of my raised bed yesterday as I certainly didn’t plant it!
Just curious, new to this ol’ putting things into/pulling things out soil malarkey.
That actually looks a little bit like rocket - did it smells or even taste of anything…
Smelt like generic green stuff, grass smell I guess, and didn’t think to give it a taste! I’m bound to have missed some so will have a look later, seemingly weeding is never over…!
Don’t think it’s rocket, which tends to be a single leaf, this has leaflets branching off a leaf stalk. It could be an asian ‘green’ called ‘shungiku’ or edible crysanthemum. suggest leaving one to flower to be sure before eating it though. Even that doesn’t look quite right though, your leaves are growing from the base of the plant rather than from an elongating stalk.
If you are a member of the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) or know someone who is you can send them a sample to identify.
Try the Plantsnap app.
Great info, thanks! The bulk of it is in my neighbours compost bin now, however I spotted some growing on the grass and also on someone else’s raised bed so there will certainly be some for experimental observation.
Yeah, tried that, and also Google Lens, but nothing really stuck out as an “ah-hah, that’s it!” Closest I saw was some kind of daisy, or even chamomile.
Anyone got any suggestions as to where to get some rotten manure ?
If you have transport and you are willing to shovel it into bags then Shannon Leigh Stables in Bexley has an enormous pile of it. There is a bit of a bumpy road down to the stables though.
A mate just got a load from Surrey Docks Farm but I am not sure if it was free - it was bagged up though.
Southborough Lane Stables, Bromley generally has a huge pile but again you need to dig it out and bag it up - take wellies!
Dulwich Stables has loads but you’ll need to wait a year for it rot!
There are some stables on Catlin Street, New Cross but again I haven’t been for a while and it probably needs rotting down a bit.
You can off course buy it - @Shannonsgc will have some bags and you could order in bulk online if you need a large quantity…
Thanks for that amazingly informative and helpful reply Nick. I shall think of you as the Manure King of Forest Hill from this point on.
