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Posted by annaw1 (U14287763) on Sunday, 25th April 2010
My half allotment suddenly seems a lot smaller now I have planted and sown a few things. Looking at my plans and the seeds I have bought, I'm not sure if I am going to fit them all in!
Has anyone else come across this phenomenon?
(Also known as "over ambitious-itis")
Anna
wait for the weeds, then it suddenly become too big again!
I don't have an allotment, but just a small veg plot in the garden.
It all looks good when I plan it out on graph paper. But there's never enough space! I end up balancing on ridiculously small pathways between the rows of beans etc. (Not too bad when they're dry, but very soggy when it's rained )
Oh, well - we all try to maximise the space availale. And every year it sort-of works!
PHJ
Just got a small veg plot too posh, but my kids suddenly developed an ambition to dig down to Australia today. Major earthworks - I'm hoping they will have broken up the layer of clay down there. I've said they've got till Thursday then I'm filling it in and planting up!
Oh, MDE - you conjure up such a picture
I have garlic ripening (autumn planting) and I set seed yesterday - broad beans and peas. I have a couple of narrow areas left for climbing French beans and runner beans.
and once the garlic is harvested, I have summer purple-flowering broccoli waiting in the wings to plant. And Brussels Sprouts. And carrots in a planter. And lettuces in a trough. And I still have to squeeze in courgettes and red onions.
Ho hum!
PHJ
If only they would discover the Derbyshire hoard... only a couple of bits of pottery, a very old sock and a huge worm so far! But talk of putting in a time capsule.
Sounds like you're going to get soggy again a fair few times this year!
But they may just keep digging in hope, MDE. And in the process, they're doing all the hard work.
I'd encourage them (crack the whip!) if I were you!
PHJ
Hmm yes, but I notice they are only doing it on my nicely dug over end, not the end I've still got to do. Suggested to my eldest tonight that he do that bit - he answered yes well maybe, it would give us more space to pile up our soil.
I'll let you know when they reach Sydney!
Anyway how's yourself, is the ankle better?
Typical of the yoof of today, MDE - only want the easy option Son (no longer a teenager, tho' you'd never know) is much the same.
Ankle getting better,thanks. It's still difficult at times, but they say it takes longer to heal the older you are. (Not much hope there, then )
But at least I'm mobile and can get into the garden. I can't do as much as I'd like, but at least I can make some inroads into the jobs that were left over from the autumn.
PHJ
I'm struggling to catch up with myself too - weather too awful till end of March and now really busy with clients - got about 20 gardens at the moment, so by the weekend I am exhausted.
Also I am now responsible for the school library - have spent most of the winter sorting and reclassifying, now trying to get all the books scanned onto a database so the kids can borrow them. Got a bit of help from some other mums, but not enough, very stressed about it!
Sounds like life is very busy for you MDE. I'm so pleased that the gardening side is succeeding for you. It's always going to be hard-going at first, but you seem to have a solid client base, so that is good!
As for other mums helping at the school: 'twas ever thus, I'm afraid. Everyone wants the benefit - not so many are prepared to do the graft!
But well done for taking it on. And don't get too stressed out!
PHJ
Trying not to! The "head of literacy" teacher is planning a grand reopening end of May with local press, so got a deadline to meet. Library has been pretty much abandoned for last couple of years.
Headteacher had a list of volunteers to contact which she didn't get round to doing .Not surprising people give up on helping if no-one gets in touch with them.
Sorry, rant over, and sorry to OP for hijacking your thread!
oops!
This is what happens with gardeners - we start out on something seriously gardening, and lean on the garden fence and try to put the world to rights!
Hope you can meet the deadline, MDE. And, just to get back on topic, hope you find that your "helpers" have double dug the veg plot, dug in the appropriate compost etc. and are prepared to help with the planting!
PHJ
Double digging, tick: compost - I'm tipping some stuff in their hole before they (me?) fill it in: planting, up to the boss I fear. DD got some anual dahlias sown though x
This is a very common phenomenon.
It is cured in the Autumn by digging
In fact you can expannd it easily by double digging!
Suffering from same symptoms here too!
I have trays of peas, mange tout and sweetcorn growing in eager anticipation of being tucked nicely into a bed I haven't finished digging, and wondering if there is going to be enough room in my half plot! Also runners to sow now too.
The other bit I have part dug will have the brassica stuff and it is rock hard dry atm, and waiting to be softened by a copius rainfall! Seedlings still sitting excitedly in my plastic greenhouse, small, but eager!
They are going to get the placards out soon sayng "Wadda we want - planting - when do we want it - now!"
Back to work then - have a good day folks!!
My gardens have always suffered from this problem. I buy plants that i am certain i have space for only to find the lawn has to get smaller and smaller. Not sure what will happen once the lawn disappears.
I had put the fact that not only is the garden shrinking and the ground getting further away when I bend down, to an inefficient government board - perm any three from eight thousand - but changes of 'leader' and so on has made no difference - just don't understand it! The other thing I don't quite understand is why the greenhosue, which when I bought it a few years ago loomed large in the garden, now has the appearance of a miniscule toy? And, while on the subject, why have the garden paths beome narrower as the number of pots I have in the garden increased - can anywone see a connection there at all!!!
Maybe it is my new glasses.......
Er, lawn? What is 'lawn' ...
Lawn was once a big square. It is now a small path to get to islands and beds packed with plants.
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