An allotment at last.

[Dieseljockey]

Well done. Allotments are a bit like cornies.
I started with a small plot then got a large plot, then got another half plot and now have one full plot and two half plots.

bloody nora.. I think I'll go with half a plot for now....what with wo*k full time (up to 15 hour days) trying to brew, rebuild the Pan Euro so that she's back on the road this year. So we're off now to see what I've let myself in for... :lol:

 

[Dieseljockey]

O Boy.... seen the lottie this morning, it's 45m x 5m, down to the sheds at the halfway mark... it's not too bad because the lady who's had it has only moved next door...(the plot on the right of the photo) there's just a few sprout plants and some bits & bobs left over to clear. We seem to have inherited a number of artichoke plants.... :wha: The swmbo has made up her mind that we are to plant a couple of plum trees and another apple....have you seen the price of a plum tree?? :lol: :lol:

 

[fermentall]

Get out there with the Roto & turn it over,keep you warm
Looks a nice size & it will keep you busy DJ

 

[Dieseljockey]

Yup...sure thing there F...they say we're all in for a dose of the white stuff tomorrow...and we have to collect a hardtop for the swmbo's MX5 in the morning...so it looks like it'll be next weekend for the tiller.. :party:

 

[31bb3]

got your work cut out then Brian

 

[jonewer]

We have one little sorry for itself tree, wish my old dad was alive he could graft anything to anything. Will see if anyone on the allotments can help, or may have a go myself, seems like the time is right over the next few months to do this.

Grafting is easy, provided you get the principle correct. Just make sure you know what variety it is you're grafting.

 

[Dieseljockey]

got your work cut out then Brian

I have just the job for you Ed.... :lol: :lol: :lol: see this spade here... :lol: :lol:

 

[31bb3]

god i dig myself into enough holes lol

 

[alawlor66430]

Wow what a size, that looks hard work but I'm sure it will be very rewarding, are you allowed chickens on your plot?

 

[Dieseljockey]

Wow what a size, that looks hard work but I'm sure it will be very rewarding, are you allowed chickens on your plot?

No....one of the first rules they told the swmbo... :nono: never mind...she gets free range eggs off a local farmer for half what we would pay in a supermarket. :clap:

 

[jonewer]

For plums, try and get them on a VVA1 rootstock, else they can get absurdly large.

Blackmoor do them for £16, Keepers nursery and Bernwode do them for about £20. Much better to buy from a respected UK nursery that Poundstretcher/Wilkos/Homebase despite the difference in price, the risk of getting a diseased tree from these cheap foreign-sourced places is too high.

 

[alawlor66430]

I used to keep chickens at my old house but now we live in a 4 in a block flat and I can't keep any which I'm gutted about,

 

[Dieseljockey]

For plums, try and get them on a VVA1 rootstock, else they can get absurdly large.

Blackmoor do them for £16, Keepers nursery and Bernwode do them for about £20. Much better to buy from a respected UK nursery that Poundstretcher/Wilkos/Homebase despite the difference in price, the risk of getting a diseased tree from these cheap foreign-sourced places is too high.

Been on Blackmoor and Keepers tonight, so far got 2 plum, 1 apple and a cherry for about £80....who said an allotment was cheap?? :lol: :lol:

 

[evanvine]

DJ
Did you star in "Lord of the Rings"? :whistle:

 

[jonewer]

For plums, try and get them on a VVA1 rootstock, else they can get absurdly large.

Blackmoor do them for £16, Keepers nursery and Bernwode do them for about £20. Much better to buy from a respected UK nursery that Poundstretcher/Wilkos/Homebase despite the difference in price, the risk of getting a diseased tree from these cheap foreign-sourced places is too high.

Been on Blackmoor and Keepers tonight, so far got 2 plum, 1 apple and a cherry for about £80....who said an allotment was cheap?? :lol: :lol:

Oooh! Which apple did you get?

 

[Vossy1]

Aldi have just taken stock of fruit trees, all types, £3.99, they had plums, apples, pears, cherries, greengages and all sorts of others, in addition to soft fruits. Re root stocks it depends what you want to do with them. If you intend to espalier or cordon train MM106's are better, but some are better on MM108 despite lots of places saying dwarf, the 108 is quite controllable to 8'....cordon is a great way of growing a fruit tree at an allotment as they don't take up much room ...that's not my advice btw, it's the advice of the chap from AA's.

A very good site, and quite reasonable to for fruit trees is Adams Apples... a huge selection and from £10 each :thumb:

EDIT....was speaking to a chap on the allotment a week or so ago, he was telling me how he carefully prunes his tree every year so it doesn't 'take over' and looks nice but that he was getting very little or no fruit and was perplexed as to why. Turns out his tree was a tip bearer ...easy mistake to make I guess !

 

[doyley]

Now you really have put temptation my way Vossy, that apple place in Devon do a selection of six varieties of cider apple trees, selected for your location and preference for sweetness/dryness for £50.Aaaargh, must resist..... On the other hand it would be a very suitable way of utilising the allotment.

 

[jonewer]

Aldi may be cheap, but they're almost certainly cheap foreign imports carrying who knows what diseases (Ash die-back, anyone?). Much better to support a trusted UK nursery providing locally raised trees.

Adams Apples are good. Bought a few from them last year. :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

:lol: so I wasn't the only one thinking it then doyley :whistle: :twisted:

Aldi may be cheap, but they're almost certainly cheap foreign imports carrying who knows what diseases (Ash die-back, anyone?). Much better to support a trusted UK nursery providing locally raised trees.

That's a bit strong J though I agree with your sentiments about English growers and would have thought any imported trees are vigorously tested...though judging by the 100% horsey burgers...maybe not :shock:

 

[jonewer]

Aldi may be cheap, but they're almost certainly cheap foreign imports carrying who knows what diseases (Ash die-back, anyone?). Much better to support a trusted UK nursery providing locally raised trees.

That's a bit strong J though I agree with your sentiments about English growers and would have thought any imported trees are vigorously tested...though judging by the 100% horsey burgers...maybe not :shock:

Sorry if you feel thats a bit strong. And I certainly dont wish to give offence but the truth is that whenever someone imports a plant, theres a chance that a disease will be imported with it. How do you think fireblight got here?

New Zealand have the right idea with phytosecurity - absolutely no plant matter whatsoever is allowed in unless absolutely proven to be healthy. If only we had the same attitude to protecting our environment.