Allotment

[Lex]

I've just taken on an allotment, which I'm in the process of tidying up (the previous holder could no longer commit to it) and digging manure & compost into.
So far, I'm planning to plant a couple of gooseberry bushes, 2/3 small apple trees, rhubarb and potatoes.
Does anyone have any tips for vegetables I could plant and whether I should plant seeds straight into the ground in April/May, or start them off in a greenhouse etc?

[rebbonk]

Way out of my sphere Lex. -Too much like hard work!

[Lex]

I'm going for a semi-low maintenance approach which, after the initial work, shouldn't need too much effort outside the planting & harvesting seasons beyond weeding and watering, so I hopefully won't get too worn out from it.

[cathidaw]

When my son rented a house in Eynsham the garden was so tiny they rented an allotment a short cycle ride away for somewhere to sit in. Being archaeologists and used to digging they soon cleared their patch and laid a lawn around the shed. which was used to house a calor stove for tea -and snacks of course and comfy garden chairs for lounging on warm evenings.
The elders who had been there for years disapproved and gave them all sorts of advice hinting that lounging around was not what an allotment was for. So they threw in a few exotic seeds including flowers. and a packet of rocket , to shut them up, and spent that summer after work, enjoying time off. No one spoke except to ask what the plants were.
That summer , the allotments were plagued by rabbits-you can imagine what happened-but not to this plot. All the others-not a carrot, or whatever they grew, was left. When I went to see them, it was just before their job finished and had to move house to another part of the country The whole of the plot was surrounded by rocket and flowers. Lovely.
So if you get a bit tired get a stove and a shed and comfy chairs and you've got it made.
Who said an allotment is only to grow veg.unless it all goes back to the wartime years.
Good luck.
Not advice as such--I'd do the same if I hadn't got a big garden.

[Lex]

Thanks Cathi. The apple trees, rhubarb and gooseberry bushes are in place, and another allotment holder has given me some raspberry canes. The shed's going up this weekend as well.

[cathidaw]

Good -you need a shed, what good is an allotment without one.Your sanctuary.
Not the same as one in the garden. Altho' my dad had one in the garden and no-one else was allowed in it.
Every year he painted it with whatever paint he could 'borrow' from wherever he worked so we never knew what colour it was going to be.

[Lex]

Unfortunately, the shed didn't get erected at the weekend - couldn't get my hands on all the tools I needed to borrow. Hopefully, it'll be put up on Saturday; I've even persuaded a friend to help out with the promise of a couple of pints.

[Lex]

We got the shed up yesterday. I've (literally!) dug up some cemented-together bricks which look like they were once part of an archway; I've used them to make some mini beds for planting herbs in. :D

[cathidaw]

The archway?
could it be of some archaeological interest?

[Lex]

All the bricks look fairly modern, and there's a building nearby on the allotments which looks early 20th century, so any archaeological thoughts didn't pop into my head. Might be worth taking one of the pieces to the county archaeology service....

[Lex]

I managed to escape from work early yesterday, and spent a couple of hours on the allotment. My 1st job was to dig in an old tyre I found in a lay-by to make a raised bed (home for a honeysuckle), followed by setting up some caned to support a couple of grape vines I'm planning to get.

[Lex]

I'm pretty happy about the soggy weather at the minute - it's really bringing things on! I'm pretty hopeful for a bumper crop of spuds, the apple trees are blossoming like there's no tomorrow, and I'm even anticipating a small harvest of gooseberries! :D

[rebbonk]

Nothing better than your own potatoes. I used to grow them in tubs with my dad, happy memories.

Nice new potatoes covered in butter served with a generous portion of corned beef.... Heaven!

[Lex]

I did think about new potatoes, but went for King Edwards instead. I'm wanting to grow them next year, so new potatoes might be a good option :)

[Lex]

I dug my spuds up last week - 8 kilos of them! I decided to part cook and freeze them, as there's no way I'd get through that many potatoes before they'd start going off.
Does anyone have any potato recipes? 1 thing I'm considering is potato, garlic & herb soup, as I have a glut of all 3. :D

[rebbonk]

I used to love potato and onion pie. Just a mix of potatoes, onions and seasoning cooked in the oven until nice and tender. Be warned though, it can give you terrible wind.

You could also do jacket potatoes and freeze them for easy autumn and winter meals.

You can puree the garlic and freeze in small batches. Herbs can be frozen or dried.

Some interesting recipes here...

https://www.lovepotatoes.co.uk/recipes/

http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g1050/simple-potato-recipes-1110/

[Lex]

Thanks Rebbonk, there's some great looking recipes there.

[cathidaw]

cooked,mashed potatoes freeze well.I put them into strong handy size freezer bags.
I'm a lazy cook.

[Lex]

That's another good one, thanks Cathi.

[rebbonk]

Spotted this on gransnet this morning...

Leek, egg and potato casserole

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves: Depends on quantity of ingredients used
Ingredients

Hard boiled eggs (one and half for each person)
Potatoes (boiled and mashed)
1 large leek (chopped and poached in milk and strained, then mixed with mashed potatoes)
Half a pint of milk (for the cheese sauce)
30g cornflour
30g butter
30g cheddar cheese
Seasoning

Method

Make cheese sauce with the milk, cornflour, butter, cheese and seasoning.
Put the mashed potatoes and leek around a large ovenproof dish.
Take shells off the hard boiled eggs, half the eggs and arrange in the centre of the dish surrounded by the potato and leek mix.
Pour the sauce over the eggs. Sprinkle with grated cheese and put under the grill until the cheese has melted. Garnish with parsley if you wish.

https://www.gransnet.com/cms/uploads/GN_Images/content/food/2017/all_leekcasserole_shutterstock.jpg

[Lex]

Ooh, another good one. I actually taught myself how to make cheese sauce recently, so I might give that a go at the weekend.

[Lex]

I've tried a variation of your casserole recipe this weekend, Rebbonk. It's sort of a reverse pie, which involves filling a large pie dish with mashed potatoes (thanks for the idea of freezing mashed potatoes, Cathi) with a depression in the middle filled with leeks & bacon bits, and the whole lot covered with cheese sauce.

It's goes very well with the carrots I dug up from my allotment during the week. :)

[rebbonk]

Interestingly Lex, tomorrow I'm doing Mash with bacon bits and cabbage. It'll be done right way up and the mash crust nicely (I hope!) browned. I might even grate some cheese on top.... :)

[Lex]

Sounds great Rebbonk. How do you do your mash? I usually mix it with milk, butter, salt, pepper & nutmeg.

[rebbonk]

I usually just use milk and butter. Mrs R complains bitterly if I use pepper (she has digestive issues down to her scleroderma) and I'm not supposed to have salt due to a past history of high blood pressure. - Though I will admit to sometimes cheating.

[rebbonk]

This looks quite appealing and versatile Lex Link (https://www.thespruce.com/moroccan-potato-cakes-maakouda-batata-2394879)

https://fthmb.tqn.com/q5b3YX6T4nIhFAryUNj8nDV_I4g=/960x0/filters:no_upscale()/about/Potato-Cakes-3264-x-2176-56a644905f9b58b7d0e0c0e6.jpg

[Lex]

Those look goof Rebbonk, I'll give them a go tomorrow.

[rebbonk]

Well Lex, if your meal was anything like mine last night you'll be very happy. Even Mrs R couldn't complain at ours!

Incidentally, Jamie Oliver (not that I'm a fan) is allegedly releasing a book containing 5 ingredient recipes.

[Lex]

I did a slight variation of the recipe - didn't have all the ingredients - and really enjoyed it :)

[Lex]

A bit of good news for me. I have a dandelion problem on my allotment, and glyphosphate is really goog at getting rid of them: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-42135437

[Lex]

Earlier on in the winter, I realised that something was living in my compost bin - holes dug in the rotting vegetation, and decomposing material being 'turned over'. Suspecting a rat, I left the whole thing well alone (didn't want said rat's teeth sunk into my hand).

On opening my compost bin this afternoon, to tip in some vegetable cuttings from my kitchen, I spotted a dark, scaly looking tail disappear down the hole in the compost. 'That's no rat' I thought to myself, 'that's a more snake-like tail'.

After a quick bit of research on the interweb, the suspected rat has turned into a quite probable Grass Snake. :D

[rebbonk]

I hate snakes Lex. Give me a rat any day!

[Lex]

Apparently, grass snakes are harmless if left alone, but will strike if threatened (more of a headbutt, at they don't actually bite). From what I've read, they're not even classed as snakes, and are regarded as legless lizards.

[Lex]

Back at the beginning of March, I took a chance & planted my seed potatoes, covering them as a bit of protection against the weather. After taking the covers off after 'Beast from the East 2', they were just starting to sprout, but really seem to have taken off over the last few days. :D

[cathidaw]

Today I watched the 2 squirrels from next door's garden, cheekily running across the netting on my pond.174
Picture from last year

[Lex]

My allotment's burst into life over the last week or so. The gooseberry and current bushes are starting to leaf, and the buds on my apple trees are starting to open up. The broad beans are even looking like they're taking nicely.