Sam's Lottie update

[sammason]

You might remember that I planned to dig over an old strawberry bed, 8' x 20' with a lengthways path, this winter to make 2 new beds (each 8' x 9' with a crossways path) for my veg rotation. That was part of this winter's plan. What I didn't know was we'd have more snow than usual so the ground has been snow-covered, frozen, or waterlogged from

Comments

[angelchrome]

Allotment holders make me jealous! I've been on the waiting list for over a year now with no allotment in sight. I do know people who've been waiting longer though...

And hey, most things in life are one barrow a day. So long as you keep working at it. Good luck!

[sammason]

'most things in life are one barrow a day' What an incredibly kind thing to say. Thank you - you cheered me right up with that.

I hope you'll soon reach the top of your site's waiting list. When I first had an allotment, in a different city 15 years ago, the committee were trying to persuade me to take on as many plots as possible so that they could ward off the treat of house-builders. But for this one, on which this will be my 4th growing season, I had to wait 2 years. Fashion has changed so much. I hope there'll be new allotment sites opening across the country but I don't know how likely that is. Meanwhile, I hope you have some containers to garden in.

[angelchrome]

I have a nice yard, but little sunny space. I can grow all sorts of great woodland things and I am working hard on an awesome shade garden but I'm running out of space for vegetables. Of course if I get granted a plot I'm sure I'll just end up feeling overwhelmed because it's been so long since I had space for more than a couple tomatoes and cucumbers. My biggest issue is rotation - there's nowhere to rotate the crops to and I certainly need to keep the soil healthy. I'll get there though, and it's taught me some new space conservation and creativity in growing skills!

[thagirion]

Sounds like you have a lot of land to work with. That's great. I understand about not being able to do much in the garden and wanting to do it all too. I have a bad back and knees and it's really reduced the amount of work I used to do.

[sammason]

Yes it's not always easy to adjust your expectations is it? Esp when you can remember being so much stronger and fitter, as you and I both can. But yes I do feel blessed to have so much land and it's looking so much more cared-for now than when I first took on this plot.

[bailey36]

good for you, even without the snow here and frozen ground, I doubt if I have the gumption to do that much hard work, Let us know how it's going when stuff starts coming up. Pictures too!

[sammason]

Oh thank you! Isn't it easy, in gardening, to see only the jobs that didn't get done and not to bask in the joy of what you did achieve. Yes I'll update... possibly ad nauseam! But probably few or no photos - I personally like to paint word-pictures more than to take photos.

I don't recall where you are gardening but when spring does come, you're going to have such a good time :-)

[tracy6167]

You must feel very accomplished! That is a lot of work that you're done with. Now comes the fun stuff, picking out your plants/seeds, designing your layout, and actually planting! Have fun and post pictures!

[sammason]

You're right, I do feel proud and I'm focusing on that instead of on the frustrations. Today, as I often do, I was gardening while shuffling around the ground on my bum because my legs gave out. But so what? Those trousers went into the wash and now they're clean again, and the allotment's bank is now freed of its black-plastic mulch ready for me to start digging it out.

Actually I've already got nearly all this year's seeds! A great way to cope with the cabin fever when the ice kept me indoors. As for planning, I'm excited about the way these 2 new beds will expand my veg rotation from 4-course to 6-course.