the non-political thread

[JohnD]

This was my best grape crop, a few years back

View media item 97955
and a few apples

 

[blightymam]

We do work for a fella who is the president (or what ever) of the local alotment society (?)

one time of day no one was interested ,now they have a massive waiting list for those who want an alotment

From what I've witnessed, people seem to like the idea, take an allotment on, come along once and get put off by how much hard work it is to get going.

 

[transam]

From what I've witnessed, people seem to like the idea, take an allotment on, come along once and get put off by how much hard work it is to get going.

yep could well be although some people are now more concerned about what the eat ? lack of trust in some (many) super markets / suppliers

we worked for a lady who supplied Waitr**e with free range eggs & they would carry out spot checks on the farm , no annoncement

Her dog had to be kept away from the hen field just in case he felt the need to chase a chicken or cause some type of stress to them

they were very strict as to the welfare of the hens

 

[blightymam]

Maybe with mistrust - I presumed that they rose in popularity recently because times are harder again for many... as seems to be the tradition of allotments!

Waitrose do seem to be good with their food, good to hear about the spot checks

 

[JohnD]

it might also be because we are going through a glut of pensioners, in better health than ever before, some of them retired early and with time and energy enough. It gets them out of the wife's house.

 

[blightymam]

it might also be because we are going through a glut of pensioners, in better health than ever before, some of them retired early and with time and energy enough. It gets them out of the wife's house.

Maybe - but in my experience the days of the old man down his allotment are going. Where I am most people are between 30 and 50 and a lot of women. A couple of the old chaps there to keep us on our toes (and hand out much needed advice) are there and have been at the same allotments for 30 years.

I do agree tho, gets me out the hubby's house and allows him time alone to play his punk records very loud and annoy the neighbours.

 

[HawkEye244]

Some onions and garlic I have in storage:

I was unlucky with the garlic and the onions considering the area was not mulched, so god only knows what size they would have been had the soil been in good condition. Garlic caught rust unfortunately and so their size is much reduced. I have learnt a lot though.

These are a fraction of the yield for the year so far.

 

[HawkEye244]

This is one of the water tanks on my site which I was using to unsuccessfully grow carrots. When it had soil it heated too much with the sun blasting on it and so I emptied it out and now want to make a water butt for water storage.

Does anyone know where I can buy the cap to screw on the open thread? It is 22mm internal diameter:

The other outlet is capped although I'm not quite sure if it is water tight:

 

[HawkEye244]

Can't grow onions, my winter and summer ones either bolted or got onion rot again this year.

What you got down the allotment Hawkeye?

Never had onions bolting as it's commonly from dryness and heat, but onions love both. Perhaps it's the quality of your seed, you may do better finding another supplier? I have had good results from seed purchased from justseed.com.

My overwintering onions did better than the summer ones by a long way. Given that my plot is quite small and it's the first time I overwintered anything, the results were fantastic. I've learnt it's best not to leave the soil bare and always keep mulching onto it. I also adopted the no dig method this year, which is pretty self-explanatory, instead of digging you just keep mulching with compost. So far so good.

 

[securespark]

It gets them out of the wife's house.

Why are they congregating at your gaff?

 

[Doggit]

I'm a dabbler unfortunately. I try and throw something in a pot each year, but I dont really have much proper growing space. There's 2 cherry tomato plants going at the minute. The mint has died off in the heat, and the thyme as well. One day I'd like to have a go at potatoes, but I can't ever see me doing an alotment.

Thanks Hawkeye, Nice to get away from the back biting for a bit.

 

[JohnD]

Does anyone know where I can buy the cap to screw on the open thread? It is 22mm internal diameter:

a place that sells plumbing stuff. Or ebay to save a journey.

pretty certain to be a BSP thread, yours will be half inch. Plumbers sizes relate to their nominal size in a strange way, perhaps it is the ID of the iron pipe that fits it.

Screw-together garden hose fittings are also BSP.

 

[HawkEye244]

So more of the produce this year :

Not sure if the shed is a good place for them really as the temperature fluctuates a lot, but it'll do for now.

Doggs, I'm going to have a go at herbs soon, at the moment I don't grow them at all. Definintely in containers but in the shade and not full sun, I made that mistake as well but with raddish and carrots, the roots just bake and they either bolted or became stunted from the heat.

 

[Doggit]

This is at the ex's place - we're on reasonable terms as we have a daughter - and it's either cold and sunless out the back, or hot and dry out the front. I'd thought of putting up a sun shade for the herbs though. Well done on your crop, very impressive; do you manage to get through it all though.

 

[HawkEye244]

a place that sells plumbing stuff. Or ebay to save a journey.

pretty certain to be a BSP thread, yours will be half inch. Plumbers sizes relate to their nominal size in a strange way, perhaps it is the ID of the iron pipe that fits it.

Screw-together garden hose fittings are also BSP.

A 22mm blanking nut is what I needed, sadly there is a hole in the base I didn't notice :

Any ideas on patching it?