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Allotment and new gardener enthusiast Tips and Tricks

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  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,843

    Sweetpea don't forget plastic bottles make great cloches and they're free, if you intend to plant potatoes next year a few egg boxes for chitting seeds, newspaper pots are free too, heavy cardboard boxes for mulching soil or lining pallet compost bins, it rots down too. The kids might like to help make a scarecrow, a couple of pieces of wood, some old clothes stuffed with bubble wrap.

  • MarineliliumMarinelilium Posts: 213

    What a fabulous lottie SweetPea93 and you've really worked that soil! 

    (Psst, just between us two.... put pee in bucket, empty pee on compost it is a brilliant activator for compost heaps - in moderation and if modestly done) 

  • SweetPea93SweetPea93 Posts: 446

     

     

    Marinelilium wrote (see)

    What a fabulous lottie SweetPea93 and you've really worked that soil! 

    (Psst, just between us two.... put pee in bucket, empty pee on compost it is a brilliant activator for compost heaps - in moderation and if modestly done) 

    I've heard that, but I've heard men's is better than womens, and if that true that's something i'll let men have over on usimage

  • SweetPea93SweetPea93 Posts: 446

    In the latter half of the post that was cut off I mentioned how great water bottles are, to keep hydrated, as well as using as cloches and on sticks to scare away birds, similarly saving pie tins and cherry bakewell tins as an alternative to CDs. Annoyingly I can't remember what else I put on my list!

  • MarineliliumMarinelilium Posts: 213

    Hehehe! I agree and they are better equipped.

    Just trying to extend your lottie time being cut short for comfort break ( or indeed being caught short on the lottie). 

    If you dress anything like I do for gardening then rest breaks cannot be left to the last minute anyway without lots of hopping from foot to foot.image

  • SweetPea93SweetPea93 Posts: 446

    I'm fortunate in that I live a 5 minute stroll from the allotments, if I get cut short it is a quick run home, simply because our plot is next to the road, far away enough to not be a huge problem contamination wise, but close enough not to risk hiding in a bush image plus wellies+skinny jeans does not equal a happy lady! Men get it so easy sometimes! :P

  • SandyWinSandyWin Posts: 1

    Sweetpea I can sense what passion you have for your new allotment and as Busy Bee 2 said it's infectious!!

    I was very much in the same boat as you when in came to purchasing a wheelbarrow however since doing so I am very pleased that I did as it saved me hours of backache and I felt that within a month it had already paid for itself.

    Nothing to fancy or overpriced just this lovely bright green one from this local website:

    http://www.wheelbarrows.co.uk/bristol-shire-plastic-lime-90-ltr-120kg.html

    Had to be nice a colourful for me just to brighten up the the place a little moreimage

  • Wilko Steel Wheelbarrow 85L £30.00!

  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Glad to hear you've found so many bargains, but beware of false economy. I know some people have bought cheap tools that have worked well and lasted years, but in my experience, it's worth buying the best you can afford. Especially when it comes to cutting tools.  A while ago there was a thread on this website about chocolate teapots, where we all groaned about useless things we'd bought, you might find it instructive.  And when you're ready to start sowing, look at the seed swap on this forum before you buy any.  There's also a website (not part of this one) called the green plant swap. I'm glad to see you're on Freecycle, but you have to check in daily and respond quickly, because anything garden-related is snapped up in no time.  I presume you also make a regular round of your local charity shops.  While you're digging away at the perennial weeds, don't be tempted to give in and use a rotovator.  They make it ten times worse, because they chop the roots in bits and each bit grows a new plant.  Long may you enjoy your plot!
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