On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 09:51:26 +0100, "shazzbat"
wrote:


"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...
I though I'd mention this to help any budding allotment growers.

Seen on our site this year...
1. Tomatoes not staked sufficiently strongly for the more exposed open
allotment site so they collapse when covered in fruit, it rains adding
weight and it's windy. Make a sturdy wooden/steel goal post type structure
and tie the canes to that.
2. Indeterminate Tomatoes not pinched out and allowed to do their own
thing.
3. Pumpkins and other cucurbits planted too close not realising their
ability to grow.
3. Onions planted late and not weeded so they got large spring onions in
effect as they grew to the light.
4. Tender plants bought from Garden Centres and planted immediately, much
too early. (they were very lucky we had no late frosts here) The very end
of May beginning of June is early enough.
5. Runner Beans planted up bamboo canes that are too short and again not
strong enough to take the weight and wind without sturdier help (wood or
steel poles) so they all collapse.
6. No compost bin made so weeds are thrown away on a spare plot.
7. No manure used (as far as we could see) so plot will suffer in the long
term.
8. Too much of one thing planted, probably used the whole packet of
lettuce seeds in one go, so most go to waste.


I've done several of those, especially the first year I got the plot. I
expect you did a couple yourself, no?

Well exactly - I'm afraid I read the list as people being "told off".
There is a way to write these sorts of things which would be much more
helpful and supportive rather than condemnatory. It is unrealistic to
expect brand new allotment gardeners to avoid mistakes and to have
garnered all relevant experience. Also who's to say there is only one
method of doing something - the GW programme on allotments showed a wide
range of practices being used and yet everyone seemed to be able to
grown the stuff they wanted. Isn't that the point?

I don't have an allotment but I worked on my Dad's two allotments for a
number of years so I have a little bit of knowledge and experience
before I get "jumped on" as a "know nothing" person.

But hey, the man who never made a mistake, never made anything.

*ding*
--
Paul C