What Preps are you doing this week? Part 10

[jansman]

I’ve gotten rid of all sorts of clutter and cr*p. Our garden doesn’t look like a builders yard now. All stores sorted ( binned/rotated) and last night,my dear wife actually knew where to find a spare lightbulb.

[GillyBee]

I have grown my toms in curver boxes 2 per 50l box in the greenhouse which works well and also outdoors in builder's buckets in places where my soil in not up to scratch. (My back garden is full of rubble on sandy chalk so basically cr@p soil. I use raised beds to bypass the problem.)
The bigger the bucket, the less you have to water. In last year's heat, I was watering the builder's buckets twice or 3 times a day. On an allotment, planting in the soil will let the plants root deep for water which would improve their chances. Lots of compost dug in would also help. In a good warm summer they will do great outdoors. In a cold wet one they will not do well - but something else might crop well instead.

[jennyjj01]

I have grown my toms in curver boxes 2 per 50l box in the greenhouse which works well and also outdoors in builder's buckets in places where my soil in not up to scratch....On an allotment, planting in the soil will let the plants root deep for water which would improve their chances.

Reading various sites, the suggestion is that Tomatoes outdoors should be in a sheltered place. My plot is wide open and has zero shelter and the wind tears through it mercilessly. I'm told that those who tried plastic greenhouses have had lots blowing away. Same with buckets. So, I think more shelter will be needed by way of a polytunnel.
Meanwhile, curver boxes get my vote and are on my shopping list. Spuds in bursted black bags are something else I'm considering for ease of harvesting.

[GillyBee]

You may need to think of some things that will work as windbreaks. i.e. the allotment equivalent of a hedge. Something permitted to grow on the plot that is tough as anything and will protect the more delicate plants planted in it's lee. (I am assuming there is a prevailing wind or you will need to plant to create protected pockets.)
Perennial herbs like Bay or Rosemary, Jerusalem Artichokes or a blackberry/loganberry/Tayberry on a frame all spring to mind to me. What do others do on their plots?
Does anyone else have any good ideas?

[jennyjj01]

You may need to think of some things that will work as windbreaks. i.e. the allotment equivalent of a hedge. Something permitted to grow on the plot that is tough as anything and will protect the more delicate plants planted in it's lee. (I am assuming there is a prevailing wind or you will need to plant to create protected pockets.)
Perennial herbs like Bay or Rosemary, Jerusalem Artichokes or a blackberry/loganberry/Tayberry on a frame all spring to mind to me. What do others do on their plots?
Does anyone else have any good ideas?

There are not many big sheds or structures on site, which is very open and mines slap in the middle.
Growing a wind break would take too long. I might simply get a windbreak built from a couple of old fence panels ( if they let me) or I still might buy a 40 pound walk in greenhouse from wilkinson. But it will need lots of fixing down. If I fix my cold-frame down, that might make a windbreak. I could maybe plant a couple of small fruit trees, but money is tight... As am I.

[Yorkshire Andy]

You may need to think of some things that will work as windbreaks. i.e. the allotment equivalent of a hedge. Something permitted to grow on the plot that is tough as anything and will protect the more delicate plants planted in it's lee. (I am assuming there is a prevailing wind or you will need to plant to create protected pockets.)
Perennial herbs like Bay or Rosemary, Jerusalem Artichokes or a blackberry/loganberry/Tayberry on a frame all spring to mind to me. What do others do on their plots?
Does anyone else have any good ideas?

There are not many big sheds or structures on site, which is very open and mines slap in the middle.
Growing a wind break would take too long. I might simply get a windbreak built from a couple of old fence panels ( if they let me) or I still might buy a 40 pound walk in greenhouse from wilkinson. But it will need lots of fixing down. If I fix my cold-frame down, that might make a windbreak. I could maybe plant a couple of small fruit trees, but money is tight... As am I.

Jerusalem artichoke wind screen just watch them as they spread like triffids

[jansman]

You may need to think of some things that will work as windbreaks. i.e. the allotment equivalent of a hedge. Something permitted to grow on the plot that is tough as anything and will protect the more delicate plants planted in it's lee. (I am assuming there is a prevailing wind or you will need to plant to create protected pockets.)
Perennial herbs like Bay or Rosemary, Jerusalem Artichokes or a blackberry/loganberry/Tayberry on a frame all spring to mind to me. What do others do on their plots?
Does anyone else have any good ideas?

There are not many big sheds or structures on site, which is very open and mines slap in the middle.
Growing a wind break would take too long. I might simply get a windbreak built from a couple of old fence panels ( if they let me) or I still might buy a 40 pound walk in greenhouse from wilkinson. But it will need lots of fixing down. If I fix my cold-frame down, that might make a windbreak. I could maybe plant a couple of small fruit trees, but money is tight... As am I.

Jerusalem artichoke wind screen just watch them as they spread like triffids

They make an excellent windbreak. When I had my patch down the village I grew a lot of them and flogged em to a local pheasant shoot.At the end of the season the farmer would shove pigs in to clear the tubers,and we’d start again. Good crop.

[grenfell]

A question about the jerusalem artichokes . A couple of years ago I planted some in an old barrel half partly on the basis of how they spread comments . I didn't touch them as I wanted them to get established. However , the barrel which was second or probably fourth or fifth hand gave up the ghost and collapsed so I decided to replant elsewhere. I was a little disappointed in that the tubers were really small , the biggest being no larger than the first knuckle on my thumb. I can only put this down to the barrel being "too well drained" and last year's hot summer. I've replanted now directly into the ground but in a spot where their spread can be cotained .

[GillyBee]

I planted some ten years ago in my very free draining chalky soil. I have given up trying to get rid of them - t'other half wont eat them due to the gas effect but does think they look pretty when they flower. First year I dug a sackful from a metre square and got the same again without replanting the next year. I just leave them be now. Last year's drought nearly managed to kill them off. They could't cope with the heat and I estimate that 3/4 of the plants succumbed. I will see soon how many have survived the winter.
So it might have been your barrel or it might have been the heat/drought.
They will grow as tall as sunflowers in a year but die back over the winter so would make a good seasonal windbreak if you can stand having them forever.

[jennyjj01]

You may need to think of some things that will work as windbreaks. i.e. the allotment equivalent of a hedge. ...

Perennial herbs like Bay or Rosemary, Jerusalem Artichokes or a blackberry/loganberry/Tayberry on a frame all spring to mind to me. What do others do on their plots?
Does anyone else have any good ideas?

Growing a wind break would take too long.

Jerusalem artichoke wind screen just watch them as they spread like triffids

Fascinating idea. I'm totally unfamiliar with that. Obviously never eaten any, but I may give it a go. If they shoot up like sunflowers, i can see how they'd make a very amusing windbreak.
Spreading like triffids might not be popular.
Speaking of triffids: My egyptian tree onions are looking a bit subdued. About 5 look healthy enough, but I feel sad at the casualties, which i think didn't like getting too wet. I've planted real onions in the same bed.